Paradigms

One of the importances of project management tasks is to identify the project schedule. If the project dose not meets on time, the whole project will be failed or cause serious affect to the firm. Therefore, scheduling is an important task and needed to be break down all of activities for project time management processes. Project time management processes has six elements, such as Activity definition, Activity sequencing, Activity resource estimating, Activity duration estimating, Schedule development and Schedule control. Creating a network diagram is to find out a critical path, which has zero slack time to go through the project. Now you might wonder how to find out the schedule time line?

I understood that there are two methods for schedule calculation. One is set the date of completion of the project first and adjust the length of each activity. Another one is set a length of each activity first and uses a critical path to find out the completion date of the project. However, the project management course that I took taught me one more method for schedule calculation. I was so impressed. The method is defined activities, sequenced activities, estimated activities resources, set each length of activities and takes a critical path to find out the date of completion of the project and then does the reverse calculation, which uses the network diagram to calculate the latest start and finish date of each activity, and then find out the latest start date of the whole project. Do you think this new method is easy to find out?

This method looks like easy to think of because it is just backward calculation; however, I had never thought of this way for schedule calculation. It is just like a target costing method for accounting. Usually, add up a cost of product and gross profit, and then find out a selling price of the product. A target costing method is establish the target selling price first, then minus the target gross profit to find out the target cost. Nobody thought of the backward calculation as alternative of cost method because an ordinary method was too common and people have got used to it until the target costing made an impact on accounting cost method and realized its effectiveness. You might want to know how apply this to the scheduling?

The target costing is same way of thinking as backward schedule calculation from this Project management course. I was so used to see and calculate the way that I thought its proper, which is set a completion date of the project first and assigns a fair length of duration or add up the activities to figure out the completion date of the project. I thought that these two ways were only choice and no doubt to be able to find alternatives or not even bothered me to think of alternatives. Do you know what this is called?

This is a paradigm. When we are used to do something and do same things over and over, we will not think about any other possibility and effective alternatives. We believe that the existing way is the most effective and only choice. Frequently, these alternatives are better than existing ways because alternatives are found out later than ordinary one and concerned about effectiveness, so it should be a logical and makes more sense to use. Especially when the shift changes from ordinary to new, effectiveness will increase the most. I learned from paradigm that it is important for us not to stick with old way of thinking; we should try new and fresh ideas and accept opportunities from them. Moreover, having a flexible mind to accept new things make a project manager to manage the project effectively and efficiency.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_costing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradigm

http://www.preparepm.com/notes/time.html

http://www.netmba.com/operations/project/cpm/

Business Process Reengineering (BPR)

BPR was so widely accepted in the 1990’s because when Hammer and Champy who were popular writers at that time published the book about business reengineering. People agreed with necessity to lower the cost to keep up their business against foreign companies and wanted find overcomes. I think that people also wanted to read their books as they were popular writers and people wanted to try what the book says as everybody else tried. Also, the consultant firms started to use BPR. This fact brought it to the trend as well. Another possible reason I could think of is early 1990’s was the time that information technology (IT) just came out to the market and people had been focus on automation to cut off unnecessary labours. However, the trend didn’t stay long and leave bad name on BPR.

The reason why BPR failed is because readers didn’t understand real meaning of BPR correctly and BRP had a bad reputation from the people got laid off. BPR reconsiders job necessity and causes a huge amount of layoffs consequently. The concept of BPR is non-value adding work which being done does not add any value for customers and the work should be eliminated. The company had excess employees was happy to get rid of them and could save labour cost. I could see that this is a good strategy for the companies to reconsider their processes in order to maximize customer value and survive against the foreign companies, but it is an evil way to employees.

Companies are made by employees. So, employees’ satisfaction is one of the important key facts to bring companies successful. I think that many employers who tried BPR just forgot about this fact and only looked for their own benefit in narrow picture. As a result, 70% of the BPR projects were failed after practiced BPR. Surprisingly some people still using the BPR, however, these people understand the real meaning of BPR by case study. In fact, P&G Corporation has saved $7.3 billion and grows to $5.1 billion in 2004. The summary of the ultimate success of BPR is depends on the people who do it and how well they can motivate and apply their detailed knowledge to the redesign of business processes. But isn’t there any other alternative of BPR?

Business Process Management (BPM) is the one that taking its place as it is evenly driven by a striving for process efficiency supported by information technology. Equivalently to the critique brought forward against BPR, BPM is now accused of focusing on technology and disregarding the people aspects of change. Also, Kaizen philosophy is taking its place slowly. Kaizen is the method which continuously improving with people. This is more focus on employees, which is good news for them. I am glad that I wasn’t in an era when BPR was popular but I am in employee friendly era.

http://searchcio.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid19_gci536451,00.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_process_reengineering

http://www.12manage.com/methods_bpr.html

IT project management

IT project management. It sounds really professional and technical. I could only think of it is related to computer but nothing else. This is how I thought before taking this course or even before searching information about this position. Based on my research, I found the predominant skills required for this position is not so difficult than I thought.

I picked these job titles for my research.

• IT application portfolio manager/ Project manager
• IT project manager
• IT project manager, business analyst
• Oracle/Seibel project manager
• Project manager IT infrastructure

Here are the requirements these company look for.

Manager’s skills

• Keep abreast of Industry trends and development.
  

• Excellent leadership, management and negotiation skills.
  

• Excellent inter-personal skills and communication skills, both written and verbal.
  

• Strong sales and marketing skills.
  

• Ability to act as an agent of change.
  

• Excellent planning and organization skills.
  

• Lead, manage and motivate highly skilled professional people.

You could see these requirements for any kind of management job or even for the regular office job. They are too common to see on job postings and nothing too special.

Project management skills

• Expert consultancy in Project management processes.
  

• Develop strategy and plan for the rollout of standard company project management process and project life cycle.
  

• Lead the development of strategies, standards and guidelines for project management improvement initiatives.
  

• Accountable for the successful deployment of project management process improvement initiatives, ensuring target goals and objectives are met through monitoring of the progress and continuous enhancements to the deployment process.
  

• Lead the development and delivery of training courses for all project management process improvement initiatives.
  

• Manage the provision of quality project summary reports to executives and senior management.
  

• Lead the execution of process compliance checks across all projects to monitor and report on the effectiveness and compliance of all.
  

• Identify/Propose improvement opportunities and participate in the development and maintenance of project management.

Most of these skills are come from experiences. You can not earn these skills from educations. You try it and find out how to take the initiatives and judge the processes.

Experiences

• Project management experience which minimum of three years is along with excellent time management skills and a proven track record for meeting project deadlines.
  

• Excellent project management skills with 5+ years of project management experience in managing medium to high complexity projects.
  

• Experienced in the development and rollout of cross-functional processes.

These requirements are just estimate. The important thing is how much you had experience of project management and how you can apply it to other projects.

Educations

• Strong knowledge of project management institute best practices.

• In-depth knowledge of project management processes, PM tools, and the project life cycle.

• Bachelor degree. (not identified the major)

These requirements are for IT project management but it is kind of general. So, company look for the person who has certain level of knowledge of IT project management however, it is not so specific.

According to my research, I figure out the education is not so important to become an IT project manager. The IT project manager needs to have a general basic knowledge of the related industry of the company and IT project management plus a plenty of work experience and project management skills which earns from experience.

http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=62476453&JobTitle=IT+Services+Manager+(IT+Project+Manager)&q=it+project+manager&brd=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2007-09-18+15%3a15%3a00&pg=1&seq=1

http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=61922979&JobTitle=Project+Manager%2c+Business+Analyst%2c+IT+SOX%2c+IT+Audit&q=it+project+manager&brd=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2007-09-14+16%3a39%3a00&pg=1&seq=3

http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=63102778&JobTitle=Oracle%2fSeibel+IT+Project+Manager&q=it+project+manager&brd=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2007-09-28+21%3a02%3a00&pg=1&seq=11

http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=63705317&JobTitle=Project+Manager+IT+Infrastructure&q=it+project+manager&brd=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2007-10-12+19%3a31%3a00&pg=1&seq=12

http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=63208691&JobTitle=IT+Application+Portfolio+Manager+%2f+Project+Manager+-+Houston%2c+TX&q=it+project+manager&brd=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2007-10-02+05%3a41%3a00&pg=1&seq=7

Exit and entry criteria of SDLC

The basic SDLC has seven phases such as Concept, Requirements, Design, Implementation, Release, Operation and maintenance and Decommission. The new phases which have been evolved over the last two years called the replacement and disposal phases are not identified to the SDLC as separate phases; however, they are adapted and included to the SDLC. According to the SDLC methodology, step 5 which the old system gradually replaced when the new system can phased in is in the Release and Operation phase.

At same time, Entrance and Exit Criteria have also been introduced for each project phase. Entrance and Exit Criteria are checkpoints and should be clearly identified by key points as follows:

• Exit Criteria from a project phase is dictated by the needs which is Entrance Criteria of the next phase.

• Each project phase transition is made up of people who those providing information from the previous phase and people who those receiving information from the Providers for the present phase.

• Validation of Exit Criteria is confirmed by the Receivers such as,

1. A Checklist organized as a set of questions and proofs.

2. Verification and review of supporting documents.

3. Evidence has been stored in an approved repository.

4. Signature of acceptance by the receiver.

• Key measurements to evaluate effectiveness of process and condition of artifacts and distribution information can be part of the Exit Criteria.

Here are some examples of entrance and exit criteria for SDLC.

Concept phase

• Entrance
  

Draft business case and system concept

• Exit

Provide summery of concept phases process.

Requirement phase

• Entrance

Prior to entering the planning phases and analyze alternatives.

• Exit
  

Prior to the planning phases, established performance goal and identified cost, schedule

benefit and risks should be planned and documented.

Each phase has entrance and exit criteria to connect to next phases. These way criteria are clear and organized what need to be done. I think that the system approach is been adapted to the SDLC from these evidences.

Can this apply for the integration of the accounting and the cash cycle into the SDLC? Yes, because SDLC makes system clear, especially accounting and handling cash is needed to be organized in order to not making any mistake. Accuracy is one the most important characteristic of accountants. During my searching, I found the article about financial service firm which chosen to set up PMO process for project management, SDLC and project office dashboarding. http://www.botinternational.com/20070223.htm

Also I saw some job posting combined with financial or accounting and SDLC. http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=63685822&JobTitle=Oracle+Developer+-+E+Business+Suite+11i&q=system+development+life+cycle%2c+accounging&brd=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2007-10-12+12%3a24%3a00&pg=1&seq=2

http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=63687595&JobTitle=Business%2fReporting+Analyst&q=system+development+life+cycle%2c+accounging&brd=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2007-10-12+12%3a50%3a00&pg=1&seq=5

Here are some examples of exit criteria used in accounting.

• Summarize the overall of the plan and determines needfulness.

• Identify the risk and benefit, schedule, time and budget.

• Consider accounting life cycle and chose the best design

• Find any alternatives and reanalyze if needed.

• Make sure it works properly and efficiency. Alternative calculation for cross reference.

• Pick the sample for auditing and maintenance purposed.

• If satisfy whole life cycle, then system project closed.

As a result of my searching, I could say that SDLC is totally adapted in accounting environment and this two together makes more effective management system and brings great benefit to the firm.

http://members.tripod.com/~bazman/testplan/chapter2.html

http://www.mariosalexandrou.com/methodologies/systems-development-life-cycle.asp

What is XBRL?

I recommend XBRL as a new computer language of accounting for capturing financial information because XBRL is faster, cost saving and more accurate and reliable handling of data.

XBRL is faster

XBRL can exchange data with other computers in variety of ways automatically instead of manual processing. For example, if company has a business globally and want to show their financial statement with different language and different currency, XBRL can meet these demands automatically. http://xbrl.rienks.biz/examples

XBRL is cost saving

XBRL can validate and manipulate information and avoid re-entry data, which mean you enter the information once, then it automatically converted to various format. Fast processing time which XBRL’s one of the benefits is another reason to cause cost saving effectively. Less time to spend makes less money to spend for the company.

XBRL is more accurate and reliable

Handling data is automated by XBRL. Less people involve processing data makes less mistake from re-typing. Also, these data can be checked by software for accuracy.

XBRL can be used for data analyzing and sharing.

Analyzing data: Import data automatically into Excel and compare data from different geographic and business entities using a standard business structure.

Sharing data: Generate XBRL documents are available to users with different system and tools. For example, private and public company can exchange information across the web.

Here are the steps to prepare for start using XBRL.

1 Source: Obtain documentation and describe the data you wish to represent in
XBRL.

2 Structure: Determine how information should best be represent as elements,
the constraints of XML, the constraints of XBRL, clarity of presentation.

3 Collect: Collect the information. It is prefer to have in Excel or in format can
be imported.

4 Enter: Enter or import the data that already collected into the application to
build the taxonomy.

5 Scrub: Scrub the information and check the consistency and collecting errors.

6 Test: Try and represent the information in XML and see if it works properly.

7 Use: Start using information in XBRL documents.

To adapt XBRL, contacts local jurisdiction or XBRL international to find out updated taxonomies to reflect local accounting regulations and consult which software to use. Then decide software that suitable for the company and create XBRL tags. Company start using the information in XBRL documents and enjoy the benefits. Keep up-to-date XBRL.

The accounting community can play an important role in explaining and encouraging the adoption of XBRL. So, major accounting companies are members of XBRL consortium. This gives accountants easier to get up-to-date information on XBRL standard. Accountant could contact their local jurisdiction or XBRL international. To attend regular meetings, conferences, training sessions and symposia sponsored by XBRL international and jurisdiction is the alternative way.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/showcase/xbrl/default.mspx

http://www.xbrl.org/XBRLandBusiness/

http://www.xbrl.org/UpcomingEvents/

http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20000925S0012

Using the balanced scorecard and other performance measures

To briefly describe about the balanced scorecard, I need to look at bigger picture such as a management system to start. A management system is able to the organization to identify, link and influences between its strategy, vision, core values, critical success factors, objectives, performance measures, targets and improvement actions which helps to improve strategic and result of performance. Practicing a balance scorecard is not an easy task. It requires managers to develop a clear vision of the organization, a strategic plan and action. Then finally develop a balance scorecard.

The balanced scorecards is just a framework, so it can be used for many kind of ways of measuring and it doesn't say what the specific measures should be. This flexibility causes problem for organizations because each organization set the measurement different. Designing the scorecard is important and it should be agreed how the measures, the way they are practice and how they are acted upon, within the organization. If company uses alternatives, how it influence to you.

Value Added is the alternative for instance. This overview of corporate measurement can be approach to every business activity. Business decisions require the careful balancing of expected outcomes, costs and risks and fundamental ideas, Relevance and Quality, must be satisfied.

Relevance

The outcome must be relevant for the activity, product, or asset and relevant several focal points as follows;

· The company vision

· The business objectives

· The customer

· The production / delivery process

Quality

Quality must be completed to the specified requirements. If it is below the requirement, need to be reworking or returns cost. It is not to mention lost sales from dissatisfying customers. If it is above the required quality, which means spending time and cost more than necessary. Critical to assessing the required quality are product, process and brand.

Value added is a tool to analysis identifies areas to improve the contribution of time and assets and infuses business activities with positive impact.

The balanced scorecard measures four perspectives such as learning and growth perspective, business process perspective, customer perspective and financial perspective. Each perspectives has same objectives to measure, for example, objectives, measures, targets and initiatives. To score the balanced scorecard is determine the strength and weakness and analyze the outcomes. As you can see, every perspectives and objectives are balanced is an ideal result. I can’t think of any other measures in organization that in fact inhibit organizational or employee effectiveness because the balanced scorecard measure is tend to find strength and weakness point and analyze the outcomes. This is used for the employee or organization to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.

Based on these knowledges, I think different measures influence to you what you do and how to perform because difference measure uses difference point of view of judgment. It could be happened that management strategy is balanced by one measure but it is not satisfied enough by alternatives. In order to get promotion if it is occur based on your performance, I would suggest to determine the way of new measure, how to score and judge to meet what company is looking for. Then change your strategy to fulfill company demand.

http://www.balancedscorecard.org/basics/bsc1.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_Scorecard

http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/mgmt_measurement_bsc.html

http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2002/10/09/demystifying-value-added