Project Management Methodology
in Human Resource Management
BY CHERYL JOSLER AND JAMES BURGER
The concept of project management methodology can be leveraged to add value to an institution’s strategic
initiatives. This article provides an overview of project management methodology, when it should be used, and
how it can add value to human resources management. The authors also explore project management’s role in
HR strategy, provide pointers on how to get started with project management in your organization, and recount
how Dartmouth College utilized this methodology in its 2004 open enrollment process.
Introduction
As is often the case when a project needs to be completed and completed in a hurry, proactive steps such as
research, planning, communication, and review are left by the wayside. The mentality of “just do it and be
done with it” can sometimes preclude what we know to be the logical and necessary “means to an end” of a
successful implementation. However, by utilizing project management methodology, projects can be completed
on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of all involved stakeholders.
What Is Project Management Methodology?
Project management methodology is an extremely useful tool with numerous applications for human resources
management. “Methodology” typically refers to a body of practices, procedures, and rules used by those who
work in a particular discipline. “Project management” can be defined as the planning, organizing, scheduling,
leading, communicating, and controlling of work activities to achieve a predefined outcome, on time and within
budget. Therefore, the objective of project management methodology is to provide a standard method and
guidelines to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget and are conducted in a disciplined,
well-managed, and consistent manner that serves to promotes the delivery of quality products and results.
Project management methodology is used in many industries. The manufacturing industry, for example,
relies on such methodology as it takes products from design to production. The construction and software
development industries rely on project management in bringing successful end products to market. While the
methodologies used in project management may vary considerably, each has the common theme of a phased
approach that enables a team leader to guide a project to successful completion.
When Should Project Management Methodology Be Used and Who Leads the Effort?
In order to ascertain whether it is appropriate to apply project management methodology to a task at hand,
you must first determine whether the work to be done is indeed a “project.” If the task is found to meet the
definition of a “project,” you then must select a project manager to lead the effort.
JAMES BURGER
is communications manager for the Office of Human Resources at Dartmouth College. He has an extensive
background in the fields of film, television, the Web, and employee communications. He can be reached at
[Link]@[Link].
Cheryl Josler
serves as HRIS project manager at Dartmouth College, where she has worked for more than ten years.
She also is the HR product advisor for the Higher Ed Special Interest Group associated with the Oracle
Applications User Group. She can be reached at [Link]@[Link].
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Definition of a Project
The core components of a project include a clear beginning and end, unique outcomes, a specific timeline, a
one-time budget, and a multidisciplined team. Conversely, work would not be considered to be a project if
it involves a repeating process with the same output each time, is ongoing, has a continual budget, and uses
a similarly disciplined team. An example of such an ongoing process that would not be considered a project
would be the processing of applications for job postings in a centralized HR department. By contrast, the
implementation of a recruitment system would be defined as a project since its timeline would have a clear
beginning and end. The implementation would have a fixed, one-time budget and require a multidisciplined
team comprised of subject matter experts, systems administrators, programmers, and a project manager.
As demonstrated in Figure 1, most projects can be broken down into phases, the most common being
Initiation, Planning, Implementation, and Close-out. Each of these phases contains sets of work that will
produce specific deliverables. The subsequent work sets are mapped to a timeline, with critical points labeled
as “milestones.” Examples of deliverables for each phase might include a business case for the initiation phase;
a project plan document for the planning phase; a prototype for the implementation phase; and a final report for
the close-out phase. Movement through these phases is not necessarily linear. Many times, there are iterations
of planning, managing, assessing, reporting, and then re-planning. As the project moves along its life cycle,
there is increasing risk and decreasing opportunity for change.
At Dartmouth College, an example that we use regularly on the projects that we manage is taken
from construction, specifically in reference to building a house. When building a house, you start with drawn
diagrams, then you order the estimated supplies, then you prepare the site, pour the foundation, build the
frame, and so on. Using this example, it is easy to understand the concept of increasing risk and decreasing
opportunity for change. As the work of building proceeds, the risk of not meeting deadlines increases and the
opportunity for a change from the original floor plan decreases (you can’t really change your mind about the
size of the house after the foundation has been poured, at least not without a fair amount of stress!)
Selecting a Project Manager
Once you have determined that an initiative is a project and thus can benefit from the methodology, it is critical
to enlist the expertise of a project manager. A common misconception is that a subject matter expert, or a
person who knows the business function inside and out, can manage a project in his or her area of expertise.
In reality, project management uses a different skill set and requires different training than business unit
management.
A good project manager should be able to manage any project, regardless of the subject or business
function. At various points, he or she will be required to function in the disparate roles of leader, planner,
organizer, controller, communicator, negotiator, peacemaker, advocate, and risk manager. These hats are worn
at different times along the project path—and, sometimes, all at once. Most crucially, the project manager is
the single point of accountability for overall project success, directly overseeing all project efforts and resources
to accomplish the project goals. This is no small task. In order to achieve the most successful outcome, it is
important to divide the project into manageable pieces, and a good project manager will have the insight to do
just that.
How Project Management Methodology Adds Value to Human Resources Management
There are three main areas of project management that lend themselves very well to human resource
management: planning, progress tracking, and close-out.
Planning
Planning is a very broad topic. Aspects specific to project management methodology that deserve further
exploration include undertaking a feasibility study, conducting a cost and benefit analysis, setting expectations,
defining the goals of the project, outlining the steps needed to achieve the goals, and conducting a risk
assessment.
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Undertaking a Feasibility Study
Before applying significant resources to a particular initiative, a baseline assessment of its feasibility should
be done. A good way to accomplish this assessment is to conduct a peer survey, in which data specific to
the project is collected from peer institutions. The project team should develop a questionnaire designed to
validate (or invalidate) its assumptions. The questions should be specific to the goals the team is expecting
to accomplish. Typical question topics for peer surveys include the number of people involved in the project,
the length of time the project took, unexpected events that may have occurred, and lessons learned during the
course of the project.
At Dartmouth, we have found that a particularly effective method for gathering such data is the
utilization of a scheduled virtual conference. We arrange a call-in number and a Web-based presentation in
which multiple higher education institutions report the answers to our questionnaire to the whole group. As
hosts, we display the tracking of the answers via the Web. At the end of the conference, we collect contact
information for each institution and send the compiled results to all participants.
In addition to peer surveys, another good way to examine the feasibility of a project is to research best
practices. The Web provides a multitude of resources for any practice that you may need to research. You can
even find templates that can significantly reduce the amount of effort required for a given project.
Conducting a Cost and Benefit Analysis
Time spent compiling a business case that includes a cost and benefit analysis is an extremely valuable
investment. Such an analysis educates leadership on the big picture of the project, sets expectations for costs,
and, hopefully, shows the expected return on investment. Ultimately, the business case is the justification that
undertaking the project is worthwhile.
At Dartmouth, we have developed standard project proposal and project budget templates that outline
scope, objectives, benefits, risks, and associated costs. When completed, these templates are presented to
leadership, allowing them to easily compare the costs and benefits of multiple projects and to make decisions
that are in alignment with business priorities and strategic direction.
Setting Expectations
A key part of the planning process involves setting expectations, both internally and externally. The people who
are determined to have a business interest in the project are called stakeholders, and it is extremely important
to maintain ongoing communication with this group—both to clarify their expectations of the work you will
be doing and to explain to them their role in the project. It is crucial at the outset to clearly define the roles of
the stakeholders in the initiative, to discuss expectations, to document those expectations, and to understand the
constraints.
Defining the Goals of the Project
Before embarking on the proposed list of tasks to be completed for the project, the project team should assign
some success criteria to the project. Questions the team should ask include, “How will we know if we have
been successful?” and “How will things be different when we are done?” By answering these core questions,
the goals are clarified, helping to keep the team focused and enabling decision-making as the work progresses.
Outlining the Steps Needed to Achieve the Goals
Once the project goals have been documented, the project manager can then chart the course to success. This
process segments the work into manageable pieces that then can be assigned to specific members of the project
team, with clearly delineated timeframes for the deliverables. It gives the team direction and makes the scope
and boundaries of the project evident.
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Conducting a Risk Assessment
The methodology of project management has developed strategies to plan for and control risk as much as
possible. Effective project management encourages the review of all sources of risk, including people,
technology, finances, law, physical structures, or organizational hierarchies. Documentation should be created
after the review, and each risk should be rated for probability of occurrence and potential seriousness of impact.
Plotting these ratings on a chart can help the project team to identify and focus on those risks with a
high probability and high impact (see Figure 2). Once the threatening risks are identified, an approach can
be decided, and a risk avoidance plan can be developed. In some cases, it may be appropriate to accept the
risk and live with the consequences. In the most serious cases, risk can be transferred by sharing it with other
projects or by underwriting. The most common approach is to mitigate the risk by designing contingency plans.
Progress Tracking
The second main area of project management methodology that can add value to human resource management
is progress tracking. This can be done with various levels of formality, involving weekly team updates,
reports to stakeholders, baseline and variance reports, and earned value analyses. A seasoned project manager
will possess the various tools necessary to promote efficient reporting. Progress tracking enables the project
manager to report to stakeholders on the status of risks and also keeps the team and other affected parties aware
of progress.
At Dartmouth, we use Microsoft Project to provide a visual progress report to leadership (see Figure 3).
Each band represents a project task, and the completion percentage of that task is evidenced by the black fill.
Additionally, the critical path is easily identified in gray, helping us to focus on the tasks that have the greatest
impact on our project timeline.
Project Close-out
Follow-through when closing out a project is critical, both to team motivation and to anticipated marketing
efforts. At Dartmouth, we take the time to do evaluations, giving specific feedback to team members who
may not normally report to the project manager. This creates documentation that can be referenced for future
initiatives. After having a team debriefing meeting, a final report highlighting the successes of the project
should be compiled for senior management. This report also serves as a valuable record of lessons learned for
future projects and may feature metrics that reference other projects as comparative data. Often overlooked,
but equally important, is having a celebration at the close of a project. Such an event recognizes individual
achievements, promotes cross-functional communication, encourages staff to be part of project teams, and
rewards the team for the work accomplished.
How Project Management Can Impact HR Strategy
Project management can be a critical tool for the HR organization in meeting an institution’s strategic goals.
The impact is evident both internally and externally. By using project management throughout the HR
organization, an institution can reap the benefits internally of clear communications and a true understanding
of the status and priority of project work happening in each unit. As an HR organization uses the methodology
for more and more initiatives, with multidisciplinary teams, the staff becomes increasingly familiar with the
expectations of success. Such awareness is at the core of cross-functional interaction.
As far as external impact goes, outside departments with whom HR partners on initiatives appreciate the
consistency and focus of the project management approach. Clarity of roles, needs, and time lines is essential
when non-HR functions factor into a project outcome. Additionally, HR can serve as a leading promoter of the
project management concept, offering training through workshops and seminars.
Five Key Steps to Implementing a Project Management Methodology in Your HR Organization
If your institution’s HR department does not already utilize the project management methodology, you may be
surprised to learn just how easy it is to implement such an initiative. In fact, you can do so in just five simple
steps:
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(1) Provide high-level project management training for the HR leadership team. Familiarize the leadership
team with the concepts and terms used in project management so that the group will have a common
understanding of the practice. This will be invaluable in helping them to communicate with each other
regarding the initiatives in each of their areas as well as to support the multidisciplined project teams.
(2) Identify an HR leader to receive in-depth project management training. In order to be successful, a project
or initiative needs a central leader or manager, and that leader needs in-depth training.
(3) Start small. When you first begin utilizing the project management methodology, it’s important to operate
on a learning curve. Choose a small initiative to which the methodology can be applied. Then, once you have
the function down pat, you can begin applying it to increasingly larger initiatives.
(4) At the end of the initiative, debrief within the project team. As mentioned above, this debriefing is a critical
part of the process. Debriefing allows problems and issues to come to the surface and encourages group
discussion on what went right, what went wrong, and how the process can be improved.
(5) Report back the outcomes of the project to the HR group as a whole. This final step allows the project team
to share its successes with the rest of the HR organization and also serves to solicit feedback from a “fresh” set
of eyes and ears—those outside the immediate scope of the project.
A Case Study from Dartmouth College
The Office of Human Resources at Dartmouth College applied project management methodology to its benefits
open enrollment process for the 2004 plan year. Following are examples of the ways in which the methodology
was applied.
Initiation. As part of the initiation phase, a specific objective was defined. The objective was to “successfully
enroll eligible employees in the benefit plans available for the 2004 plan year by providing educational
information that will allow faculty and staff to make informed and appropriate choices.” In addition, we defined
the scope of the project, clarifying that “the term ‘benefit plans’ specifically refers to the Health and Welfare,
Retirement, and Retiree Medical Plans.”
Our risk assessment was done in the form of a document outlining our assumptions and constraints. We
assumed that project team members would be representative of each of the affected HR business functions and
that the Benefits Office management team would support delegation of production tasks to ensure completion
of the project. We determined a constraint to be that the timing of project tasks was necessarily reliant on the
decisions of the College Benefits Counsel (CBC), a group that meets throughout the year to review Dartmouth’s
benefits programs. We chose the approach of mitigating the risk by stating that we would educate the CBC
about the time constraints in making recommendations and changes.
Expectations for the project were set in a Team Charter that defined the roles of Project Sponsor,
Project Manager, Health and Welfare Business Expert, Retirement Business Expert, Benefits Assistants, Project
Assistant, Communications Manager, and Stakeholders.
Planning. We created a document that outlined the system changes needed for Open Enrollment. These
changes included the creation of new enrollment records, the system setup for a new PPO plan, the ability to
print enrollment forms and confirmation forms, and the process of assigning default coverage. In addition,
we compiled a project plan in Microsoft Project that tracked all the required tasks. The main headings for
these were Health and Welfare, Retirement, Rate Negotiations, Service Contracts, Printed Materials, and
Communications/Education.
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Implementation. During implementation, we created weekly status reports that showed the progress of tasks
from the project plan and that documented decisions, objectives for the coming week, concerns, and issues.
From these reports, we were able to keep our project plan up to date, and we thus had the ability to create
reports for senior management. We grouped tasks by the categories of Retiree Medical, Systems, Retirement,
and Health and Welfare.
Project Close-out. After the enrollment period ended, a final report was produced and submitted to senior
leaders, outlining the background of the project, the Open Enrollment process in general terms, the challenges
of the open enrollment process for the 2004 plan year, ways in which the challenges were addressed using
project management, the outcomes, and the remaining challenges.
While we focused on Open Enrollment, it is clear that the project management approach has numerous
applications for many other HR initiatives. With the project management model, the team is organized with
responsibilities for specific areas while maintaining a comprehensive overview of the entire project. Working
toward a predetermined goal or product and allowing enough lead time to complete the task, on time and on
budget, proved to be very rewarding to the team and to the organization as a whole. In the case of Dartmouth’s
Open Enrollment 2004, the customers reaped the rewards of a focused, well-managed project.
Conclusion
As the human resource function increasingly becomes more strategic, consultative, and customer-focused, its
initiatives will evolve in their complexity. Frequently, projects will involve teams comprising external as well
as internal partners, and clear, ongoing communication is critical to staying focused throughout the process.
Project management methodology can provide a tangible, unequivocal road map that outlines deliverables, due
dates, progress increments, and areas of responsibility—all the essential components of successful completion.
At Dartmouth College, we have found the methodology to be user-friendly and easily transferable to
a variety of human resource projects. While absolute success can never be guaranteed, project management
methodology is an invaluable tool that facilitates collaboration and ensures quality outcomes.
Figure 1. Project Phases and Sample Timeline
Figure 3. Progress Tracking
Figure 2. Risk Assessment Chart
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