Chapter 4

LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY FOR PROJECT SUCCESS

The federal government is utterly reliant on information technology to execute projects and programs of all shapes and sizes—from deep-sea exploration to GIS satellites and everything in between. Of the $80 billion the government spent on IT in 2012, a relatively small portion was for systems that support managing projects. These project management systems range from simple project scheduling applications to function-specific tools (like risk management) to portfolio management systems to full-fledged enterprise project management information systems. Government agencies rely heavily on these tools and systems throughout all phases of the project lifecycle.

Since 2009, the federal government has stepped up its oversight of information technology by strengthening the role of the federal CIO. The major challenges facing the federal CIO include mobile device management, cloud computing, big data, large IT projects, data centers, and broadband. These challenges have a direct impact on federal agencies and their current projects. Project management also relies increasingly on a wide range of systems, data feeds, and information channels, all of which contribute to a highly complex environment. From EVM data fields to the data required by E-300, a tremendous amount of source data is needed to adequately address the complexities of a modern project. Today’s systems link directly into budgeting, human resources, information security, and other internal sources. Systems must extend beyond the firewall as well.

Federal and vendor-managed systems are more interrelated than ever. For example, the typical contractor EVM system must allow for federal access, reporting, and auditing. Project management systems must account for integrated governance processes, distributed teams, cross-border currency exchanges, and automated risk analysis. The project management software marketplace is as active as it ever has been. Commercial software is integrating more features into systems such as risk management, links to agency budgets, and automated E-300 submission to be responsive to the needs of the federal market.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE FEDERAL ENVIRONMENT

The federal government is undergoing significant changes in how it plans and deploys technology. Agencies are working to leverage single applications of technology across multiple organizations or functions. The concepts of reuse and scaling of technical platforms to accomplish project objectives are transforming both IT and non-IT projects. Project management systems must similarly scale up to integrate across and beyond project boundaries.

The evolution in technology is enabling government projects to reach beyond the typical set of stakeholders. Consider this example: Less than a month into his first term, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the largest public spending measure ever undertaken by the U.S. government. The law promised to create three to four million new jobs, refurbish our nation’s public school facilities, overhaul the transportation infrastructure, make leaps in healthcare recordkeeping, increase college affordability, and develop a renewable energy infrastructure. ARRA promised to deliver funds to state and local governments to spur innovation and economic growth through public works projects. In typical Obama style, the President promised complete transparency of the spending through a website called “recovery.gov.”

With nearly half the funds in the stimulus bill being administered by nonfederal entities,¹ the need for oversight and accountability was clear. Less than a year later, the White House rolled out a website designed to track ARRA dollars at work across the country. The site provides information from a variety of perspectives: investments, opportunities, tracking and oversight, and impact. In addition, www.data.gov delivers data feeds from a wide variety of government sources in easy-to-navigate formats, fulfilling the promise of the President’s open government initiative.

ASSESSING PROJECT NEEDS

Agencies need to balance their current project management requirements with their aspirations for the next generation of project management in selecting IT tools. Project management should begin with a set of business requirements and processes from which tool use is derived and shaped. The agency’s level of project management maturity should guide the acquisition of a new tool.

Projects, like any other major organizational activity, have embedded business functions that drive the need for technology. Project management has four major functions: planning, executing, measuring, and reporting. Two of the functions—planning and executing—are time-phased: Planning happens earlier; executing happens later. (To be clear, this examination is focused on functions, not the phases of a project lifecycle. A function fulfills a basic business need, whereas a project phase is a time-bound set of activities.) The remaining two functions—measuring and reporting—occur across all phases of a project.

Within each function, certain technologies must be used if the function is to be fully realized. Technology’s role is to support the execution and scaling of those business functions. Figure 4-1 maps the project management applications or technologies that support each function.

Planning

In the definition phase of a project, more is unknown than known. Early planning efforts are usually formed through basic word processing. Planning is also supported with scheduling applications, as well as budgeting and risk applications. In engineering and construction-oriented organizations, formal estimating software may be used in the planning stages. Many agencies engage in common preplanning activities, such as developing charters and scope statements. These types of project deliverables often follow templates.

As the work breakdown structure (WBS) is developed, the team needs to understand which tools will support the progression of this information from a WBS into the schedule. Early WBS information may also be incorporated into a solution in the discovery stage. Initial schedules are formed using scheduling software, and budgets are developed in spreadsheets or in agency-approved accounting software.

Executing

As projects move into execution, more transactional data (including materials use, time and attendance, and inventory tracking) need to be captured. Because execution is the most frenetic project phase, systems should be uploaded and ready to go. Some systems offer a robust, government-centric application that can track project requirements, schedule, cost, scope, and earned value.

Often, projects require more specialized tools that work in concert with the particular line of business. For example, GSA’s Public Buildings Service uses an automated workflow system for its construction project management. This system helps GSA work with its numerous vendors more effectively and efficiently. Contractors can submit plans and revisions directly into the system, reducing paperwork significantly. As project documents are drafted, reviewed, finalized, and released, the system tracks these events and ensures that the documents follow predefined workflows.

Measuring

Measurement incorporates data gathering, analysis, and evaluation. Performance data (including EVM and non-EVM data such as contract milestones) are processed and displayed against performance baseline data. Typically, the measurement is a processing-intensive effort, and the output is only as good as the data going in.

Systems that measure need to directly access meaningful data, such as time and attendance data, schedule and EVM data, and financial data. On large projects, measurement can involve a staff of IT professionals.

Reporting

Reporting plays an important part in communicating the status of projects. Projects also play an important part in an agency’s reporting. Technology that can deliver fast, accurate reports across large, complex projects is finally coming of age.

The George W. Bush administration used a scorecard approach to report on projects across the entire federal government. These scorecards had limited depth of information but provided a quick reference to the status of various initiatives. Under Obama, a host of new tools are available that have increased tracking of how government uses federal dollars with websites such as Recovery.gov, USASpending. gov, and the IT dashboard. Another website, Performance.gov, provides charts and graphs associated with agency spending on projects and programs. The underlying data are provided by project management and accounting systems, such as earned value reporting and budget appropriations.

Another example is E-300. OMB now requires that all agencies post their E-300s on their websites. While previously preparing an E-300 may have been a paperwork exercise that was limited to bureaucratic reviews, today’s E-300s are free and open to the public, driving new levels of accountability in the reports.

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

New software being developed for project management in the federal government includes recordkeeping and access, accounting, website, and document-sharing programs. The project manager need not be an expert in these systems but should have a handle on their basic capabilities. Some of the new tools being developed are driving a new age of project information. Effective communication is key for the project manager.

The following are three examples of new project technologies in the federal environment:

   •   Predictive project management. Newer project management solutions deliver a predictive project management capability to enhance the task-estimating process. This type of software tracks planned and actual time spent on tasks and uses the data to build estimates. Some vendors build estimates using thousands of data points from all their customers. So when an individual inputs a task called “conduct kickoff meeting,” the tool can find other instances of kickoff meetings and estimate the time required.

   •   Process-oriented project management. As methodologies mature, agencies are struggling with how to integrate various lifecycles into one project. New process-oriented tools provide a robust interface that focuses on managing the process and workflow associated with project management.

   •   Hosted solutions. Most project solutions now offer a web interface. These solutions allow project teams to connect from anywhere, enter task information, retrieve reports, and more. In some instances, these solutions can be cheaper than a server-based option; however, security concerns may render a hosted solution infeasible unless it is hosted within the firewall.

Hundreds of project management packages are available in the marketplace today. Agencies should spend the time to gather and evaluate their requirements thoroughly before investing in any one system. Understanding current project management needs and capabilities, as well as the organization’s direction, will help agency leadership invest in the right set of tools going forward.

Recovery.gov and data.gov are emblematic of the government’s embracing new ways to reach out to citizens. In projects, similar technologies and approaches are being used to communicate with and manage project stakeholders. Used properly, technology can prove invaluable to government. Technology can make it easier for citizens to participate in government. It can enable them to use the government services they need efficiently and thereby get fuller value from their tax dollars. A good experience may encourage citizens to become better informed about the working of their government at all levels.

Technology is a tool designed to serve the project manager and project team. The particular circumstances of a project will call for a balance between locating and obtaining appropriate new technologies and making the best use of available technologies. The effectiveness of the selected hardware and software technologies will need to be monitored just as the entire project is monitored.

Particularly useful emerging technologies are recordkeeping and access technologies, which will enable project managers to take advantage of institutional memory, culling lessons learned from past projects and storing them for the future benefit of new project managers. Used appropriately, technology is a tool that will enable government project managers to better serve the public.

NOTE

1.    GAO Report 09-580, “As Initial Implementation Unfolds in States and Localities, Continued Attention to Accountability Issues Is Essential,” April 2009.