A 3-hour class introducing project management in libraries, prepared and presented at the invitation of Dr. Beverly Lynch for her 3-credit graduate course "Management Theory and Practice for Information Professional," IS 410 in the UCLA Department of Information Studies.

1. Project Management in
Libraries for UCLA IS 410
Karen Calhoun, 18 Feb 2016
1

2. Class Outline
• About me
• Learning objectives
• Why projects and project
management?
• What is a project?
• What do projects create?
• Initiating a project
• Roles of sponsors and
project managers
• Terminology of project
management
• Group work (case study)
• Break
• Group work (identifying
project components)
• “Triple constraint” and
project life cycle
• Working with project teams
and stakeholders (group
work – visibility/credibility)
• Closing thoughts
2

3. About Me
3
Career focus on redesigning
library services for the
digital age
2011-present:
Consulting, teaching, writing
Senior Staff, University
Library System,
University of Pittsburgh
1997-2011:
VP, WorldCat, OCLC
Senior Associate University
Librarian, Cornell
University Library
Karen Calhoun

4. LEARNING OBJECTIVES – WHAT’S IN
THE CLASS, WHAT’S NOT
4

5. SCOPE: When you finish this class, you should
be able to:
• Explain the role of project management in libraries
• Describe what’s involved in initiating a project
• Recognize some of the vocabulary of project
management
• Describe what a project manager does
• Begin to plan a project
• Define the “triple constraint” of project
management
• Recognize some key elements of working with
project teams and stakeholders
5

6. This class WON’T teach you
how to …
• Execute, monitor
and control projects
• Produce or adjust
time estimates or
project schedules
• Allocate people to
tasks and delegate
work
• Account for
dependencies
• Manage project risks
6
• Close projects
• Use project
management
software
• E.g., Microsoft
Project

7. Seriously interested in
becoming a project manager?
7
http://www.pmi.org/Certification.aspx

8. WHY PROJECTS AND PROJECT
MANAGEMENT?
8

9. By the end of this section, please make
three notes:
• 1 project I have worked
on in the past or am
working on right now
• 1 benefit of learning
about project
management in libraries
• 1 insight I can apply right
now
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10. Projects
• Produce…
Change
• and
• Innovation
10
Images: Construction of Manhattan Bridge, 1909. Public domain.
Manhattan Bridge in 2007 by David Torres. CC-BY-SA 3.0.

11. Why do organizations need
innovations?
• All organizations rely on innovations
(such as new products and services) to
maintain viability in the communities
they serve
• A significant percentage of use comes
from newly introduced products and
services
• Some high tech organizations expect a
100% turnover in their portfolio of
products every five years
• Libraries are not different in this regard
11
Source: Adapted from Cooper, Robert G. 1993. Winning at New
Products. Addison-Wesley. p. 9-10.

12. Libraries Need Innovators
12
“Organizations must be
retooled, new skills must
be learned or brought into
the organization to ensure
our viability.”
--Stephen Abram. Are libraries innovative
enough? Presentation at OLA
Superconference, Feb. 3, 2006.
WE NEED YOU

13. Some Barriers to Innovation
• Unclear strategic objectives or vision
• Organizational silos / lack of cooperation between
departments
• Lack of skilled project management; too many projects
• Failure to address community needs
• Frequent changes in requirements
• Not enough time to do the work
13
Adapted from Himmelfarb, Philip A. 1992. Survival of the Fittest: New Product
Development during the 90’s. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice Hall.

14. Winners and Losers
• New products / services fail because
1. Intended users don’t need it
• Inadequate understanding of community needs and
preferences
2. The product / service doesn’t work
• Problems or defects
3. Intended users don’t understand it
• Ineffective communications (marketing)
4. Intended users resist
• Perceived risks (convenience, performance)
• Product incompatible with user values or work
practices
• Bad timing
14
Adapted from Crawford, C. Merle. 1994. New Products Management.
4th ed. Irwin.(This book, now in its 10th ed., is a standard in the field.)

15. The Project One-Pager
A Simple Tool for Collaboratively Defining Project Scope
Tito Sierra
Digital Library Federation Forum 2011
Project Manager’s Group Meeting
November 2, 2011
Pre-class reading:
15

16. Pre-class reading:
Project Portfolio Management
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Source: Vinopal, Jennifer. 2012. “Project Portfolio Management in Academic
Libraries: a Gentle Introduction,” p. 386. College & Research Libraries 73(4):
379-89.

17. Over to You
• 1 project I have worked
on in the past or am
working on right now
• 1 benefit of learning
about project
management in libraries
• 1 insight I can apply right
now
17

18. Why
learn project management?
•Learn a structured approach to applying a defined body
of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to:
–Create buy-in and consensus among those with a stake in
the project outcome
–Increase the likelihood that the target community will
accept and adopt the result (new product, service, etc.)
–Increase the likelihood that project requirements will be
met
–Reduce the time and cost needed to produce successful
results
–Avoid having to do things over again!
18

19. WHAT IS (AND IS NOT) A PROJECT?
HOW DO I KNOW ONE WHEN I SEE
ONE?
19

20. A recent Pitt University Times issue:
some articles describing projects
• Page 4 – “Team Phenomenal Hope racing coast to coast” – describes a
project to plan and carry out an event (a bicycle race) for a cause
• Page 6 – “Senate group to look into e-speech issues” – subcommittee
appointed by Faculty Assembly to look into an issue and report back
• Page 6 – “Supply chain management center established” – part of
article describes a search for a permanent director of the new center
• Pages 8-9 – “Edible book fest” – setting up the event, soliciting and
displaying the entries is a project
• Page 10-13 – “Research notes” section contains entries about various
funded research projects
• Page 13 – “Senate committee slates announced” – setting up and
running an election or elections is a project
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21. 21
Projects
Operations
(business
as usual)

22. How many articles
describe projects?
22
http://dailybruin.com/

23. What is a project?
“A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique
product, service, or result” – Project Management
Institute – PMBOK section 1.2
•Temporary – project has a definite beginning and end
•Creates a unique product, service, or result
•Can involve single individuals, multiple individuals,
single or multiple units, single or multiple organizations
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24. What do projects create?
•Innovations, new products and services
•Changes (for example, reorganizations)
•New or enhanced systems or services
•New or modified processes, procedures, policies
•New knowledge or understanding
•New structures (like buildings, renovations, bridges, or
monuments)
•Events
•More
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25. INITIATING PROJECTS
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26. Project Initiation
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 Authorize expenditure of resources
 Assign project manager
 Establish roles and responsibilities of project manager and
other key participants
 Identify high-level goals/objectives
 Notify people/organizations affected by project

27. Getting Off to a Good Start
27
By British Cartoon Prints Collection [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

28. Getting Off to a Good Start
The Project One-Pager Project Charter (PMI)
28
“A planning and
communication tool that
enables a shared
understanding of the
project before it begins.”
--Tito Sierra
“A document issued by the
project initiator or
sponsor that formally
authorizes the existence
of a project and provides
the project manager with
the authority to apply
organizational resources
project activities.”
--PMI Lexicon

29. Role of the Project Sponsor
• Set strategic
direction, steer,
guide & coach; help
initiate
• Stay informed;
assure continued
interest in project
• Help resolve major
issues
• Obtain resources
• Communicate and
manage key
relationships at
higher levels 29
Images: Tony Fischer photo of Rembrandt Peale’s
portrait of Thomas Jefferson. CC-BY 2.0.
Lewis and Clark: composite image in public domain.
Corps of Discovery
Expedition commissioned
by Jefferson in 1803

30. ROLE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER
30

31. Role of the project manager
• Plan, organize, execute, control, close the project
• Continuously balance the triple constraint*
• Communicate and manage relationships
• Build/maintain project team performance; work with
stakeholders and others; manage expectations
• Anticipate and track risk
• Integration (conductor of the orchestra)
• Procurement/contracting (sometimes)
• Quality assurance/evaluation and testing
(sometimes)
31
*Triple constraint: The scope, time, and cost/resource constraints of a
project, typically illustrated as a triangle.

32. Competencies and Skills of a
Project Manager
• “As much as 90% of a
project manager’s time
may be spent on
communication flow.”—
Marill, Jennifer L., and
Marcella Lesher. 2007. “Mile
High to Ground Level:
Getting Projects Organized
and Completed,” p. 322. The
Serials Librarian 52 (3-4):
317–22.
• Leadership
• Team building
• Motivation, coaching
• Communication
• Influencing
• Decision making
• Political and cultural awareness
• Negotiation
• Trust building
• Conflict management
• Delegation
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33. GLOSSARY (HANDOUT)
Learning the vocabulary of project management
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34. 34

35. Rules for glossary scavenger
hunt during this class
• Locate your copy of the “glossary” handout and
glance through it quickly (5 minutes)
• The object of the game is to listen, recognize, and
“claim” the first mention of any word or phrase in
the glossary
• “Claim” a glossary word or phrase by raising your
hand
• At an appropriate point, Karen will ask you to define
the word or phrase
• Prizes! 
35

36. The Case of the “Accidental” Project Manager:
The Whirligig Collection - HANDOUT
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Image credits:
Teeny tiny toys by David Zellaby.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toymaster/285322825/. CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0
Photo of professor. Public domain. University of Houston.
Photo of file cabinets by Elizabeth Roy. CC-BY-SA 3.0

37. Whirligig Case Study Exercise (25
minutes)
1. By yourself, take a few minutes to read the
HANDOUT (5 minutes)
2. Read the case a second time, considering these
questions (10 minutes)
a. Do you know who the project sponsor is? Does the sponsor(s)
understand his/her role?
b. Who is the project manager?
c. Is the scope of the project clearly agreed by the sponsor(s)?
d. Do you know the objectives and deliverables of this project? (At
the end of the project, what will be different?)
e. Who’s on the project team?
f. Who are the primary stakeholders?
g. Is the timeline clear? What are the major deadlines to be met?
h. If not, whose responsibility is it to clarify these things?
3. Class discussion (10 minutes) 37
1
2
3
4

38. Break: 15 Minutes
38

39. Rules for glossary scavenger
hunt during this class
• The object of the game is to listen, recognize,
and “claim” the first mention of any word or
phrase in the glossary
• “Claim” a glossary word or phrase by raising
your hand
• At an appropriate point, Karen will ask you to
define the word or phrase
• Prizes! 
39

40. IDENTIFYING PROJECT
COMPONENTS (BEGINNING TO PLAN)
40
Work Breakdown Structure
Diagram
(task numbering optional)
Project Name
1 Activity 2 Activity
2.1 Task1.2 Task1.1 Task 2.2 Task
3 Activity
3.1 Task 3.2 Task

41. Goals, objectives, tasks, requirements
and deliverables
• Goal: “Enhance family relationships”
• Objective: “Hold a family reunion in 2004”
• Project “component”: “Pick date and location”
• Requirements for date and location:
– Pick date/location convenient to large number of family
members
– Must not be a school day
– Wheelchair accessible
• Deliverable: the date and location
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42. Getting Started: Identifying project
components (major tasks)
• Helpful to do this as first project team exercise
• Example: family reunion
• Identify 2 to 5 major components of a Family Reunion
Project
• Articulate with a verb and an object -- for example:
– Pick a date and a location
– Invite people
– Serve food and beverages
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43. Examples of major project tasks/components—
for a family reunion
Hold a Family Reunion
Pick date and location Invite people Serve food
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Goal: Enhance family relationships
Objective: Hold a family reunion

44. Next Step: Identifying project sub-
components
Family Reunion
Pick date and location Invite people Serve food
Plan menu Shop for groceries Cook food
44
Example of subcomponents
for “serve food” component

45. Group work: Identifying project sub-
components (task-related activities)
• Two groups
• Each person get Post-It note pad
• Group 1: Write down 2 or 3 sub-components of “Pick a date
and location”
• Group 2: Write down 2 or 3 sub-components of “Invite
people”
• Articulate with a verb and an object -- for example:
– Plan the menu
– Shop for groceries
– Cook the food
• Stick post-its on the wall, a white board, or a flip chart(s)
• Next step, working as a group, is to organize them
45

46. THE ‘TRIPLE CONSTRAINT’ AND THE
PROJECT LIFE CYCLE
46

47. 47
The Triple Constraint*
of Projects
Schedule (Time)
Resources (aka
People, Budget)
Project
Scope/Requirements
(aka Specifications)
*N.B.: The PMI Lexicon no longer contains an entry for triple constraint. For why,
see Duggal, Jack S. 2010. “How Do You Measure Project Success? Rethinking
the Triple Constraint.” http://www.pmi.org/Learning/next-level-up-how-do-you-measure-project-success.aspx

48. What is a successful project?
•Meets its objectives (satisfies scope or requirements)
–Within allotted time
–Within allocated resources
•While …
–Fulfilling needs of project sponsors and those performing the
project
– Maintaining harmony among project stakeholders
–Producing meaningful, valuable results for target audience
•Sometimes a project is canceled prior to its completion
–A project that ends in mid-course (when it is no longer
needed) can still be ‘successful’
48

49. 49
Project Life Cycle:
The Phases of Projects
Image: Alphamu57 CC-BY-SA 3.0

50. WORKING WITH PROJECT TEAMS
Leadership, influence, trust, and networking
50

51. What Makes A Good Team Leader?
• Green thumb; small seeds, big trees
• Driven; “miss a meal” pains
• Leads from the middle
• Velvet hammer
• Tinker, tailor, try again
• Manners matter
• “Fly-eyed”
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From Crawford, New Products Management

52. Roles in New Project Teams
• Project manager
• Sponsor
• Team member (formal or ad hoc)
• Other participants:
– Champion
– Reviewers, managers, committees, …
– Other stakeholders
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53. Cross-Functional Project Teams
• Speed new product development
• More likely to produce successful products
• Ideal size of core team: 6 to 12 people
• Team member more than a department’s
“representative”
• Collaboration, not just cooperation
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54. Being Effective With What You Have
• Be influential
• Be trustworthy
54

55. What Do I Mean by “Be Influential”?
• Focus on your “circle of influence” – those things
you can do something about
• Don’t stress too much about your “circle of
concern” – those things you care about but can’t
control
• Be a networker
• Emphasize influencing decisions rather than
giving orders or “being right”
• Give problems their proper weight and context
55

56. Group Work on Visibility/Credibility Inventory
• Divide into groups
• Spend 5 minutes discussing the matrix (and
your own results if you wish to share them)
• Spend 5 minutes considering the implications
for leading and participating in new product
development teams
56

57. IDENTIFYING AND WORKING WITH
STAKEHOLDERS
57

58. What is politics?
• Actions and interactions with people that
affect the achievement of your goals
• Using the power and influence of others to
mobilize people and resources to get things
done
• “All the things that happen and you don’t
know why”—Anon.
58

59. Basic assumptions
• Politics are inevitable
• Politics are necessary
• Politics can’t be eliminated, but they can be
managed
• Don’t assume politics is somebody else’s job
59

60. Mapping the Stakeholder System of Your
Project
• Key to managing the politics of your project
• So you focus your energy on influencing the
right people
• So you don’t forget anyone
• So you can manage opposition and resistance
• Prerequisite for “selling” your project from
start to finish
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61. A Stakeholder System Has “Clients”
• Sponsoring client —person in position to set strategic goals;
person who ultimately decides; person best able to break ties
• Power client —person who grants access to people and
resources; person with whom deals are struck
• Legitimizer —person who protects the status quo; subject
matter expert; person who influences acceptance
• Opinion leader —Person who is receptive to new ideas;
recognized as “up and coming”
• Career influencer —your boss or bosses
• Champion – advocates vigorously for the project
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62. Identifying Stakeholders
• Who is paying? Who makes “buy” decisions?
• Who will use the results; who benefits?
• Who originates?
• Who defines “success”?
• Who is an expert?
• Who loses (credibility, something of value)?
• Who is open to the new idea?
• Who is good at stirring up excitement?
• Who evaluates against the status quo?
• Who is the first to see flaws or problems?
• Who will feel the impact?
• Who does the work?
• Who will maintain the outcome?
• Who knows the “big picture”—future direction?
62

63. GROUP EXERCISE: Stakeholder Analysis for the Whirligig
Move Project—Grab Your Post-Its!
63
POWER
CONCERN

64. Influence Tactics
• Reason – using facts and data
to develop a logical argument
• Coalition – mobilize other
people
• Friendliness – create good will
• Assertiveness – a direct and
forceful approach
• Negotiation – exchange of
benefits
• Higher authority – gain the
support of higher ups to
mobilize others
• Sanctions – use
organizationally derived
rewards and punishments
64
Source material available via interlibrary loan: Kipnis, David, and Stuart
M. Schmidt. 1982. Profiles of organizational influence strategies (POIS).
[San Diego, Calif.]: University Associates.

65. Many project managers …
• Try reason and friendliness first
• Use assertiveness and higher authority second
• Underuse coalition and negotiation
• All tactics are good, when used in the right
circumstances and for the right reasons
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66. CLOSING THOUGHTS
Failure, resilience and commitment
66

67. Scope
• What the project IS and IS NOT
• An element of the “triple constraint”
• Ideally, what project stakeholders have agreed will
be delivered, within a certain time, with a defined
set of resources
• A clear understanding of scope is the basis for
responding to the inevitable requests for change
during the project’s life cycle
• Watch out for scope creep!
67
Schedule/Timeline
Resources
(aka
People,
Budget)
Scope/
Requirements
(aka Specs)

68. Project Changes Are
Inevitable: Understand the Impact!
68
Schedule
Resources
(aka People,
Budget)
Scope/
Requirements
(aka Specs)
Do you remember
what this triangle is
called?
IF:
•SCHEDULE is cut THEN
must either get more
RESOURCES or reduce
REQUIREMENTS (or both)
•SCOPE/REQUIREMENTS
increase THEN must either
increase SCHEDULE or get
more RESOURCES (or both)
•RESOURCES are cut THEN
must either increase
SCHEDULE or reduce
REQUIREMENTS (or both)
…

69. Negotiation
• Avoid and resist irrational assumptions
• It is impossible to do the impossible
• The earlier bad news is known the better
• Avoid unhelpful coping behaviors - negotiate
instead!
69

70. “Fall Down Seven Times; Stand Up Eight”—
Japanese Proverb
• Innovation is essential
• There are many challenges
– Libraries and library sites competing for attention from their
communities
– No free rides—libraries must deal with free market forces like
everybody else
• Project leadership and team skills are important -- more
and more work is done this way in libraries
• Organizational politics can’t be eliminated but they can
be managed
• It is work worth doing, that you can take great pride in
70

71. Closing Thoughts (Sierra’s)
1. Good communication is the key to get a
project off to the right start
2. Collaborative planning at the start can help
minimize gotchas later
3. Simple tools work best
Source: Sierra, Tito. 2011. “The Project One-Pager.” Slide 33. PPT. file. CC-BY 3.0 US
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72. Closing thoughts (yours)
Reflect on one experience that you’ve had
with a project in the past or right now.
What is one thing you are taking away from
this class that could help with your next
project?
Image: Gantt chart by Dbsheajr. CC-BY-SA 3.0
Bonus prize: what is this chart called?
72

73. Dive In!
Good luck on your
next project!
karencal129@gmail.com
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