This book exposes the reader to a comprehensive overview of instructional design using the Instructional Systems Design (ISD or ADDIE) model and project management techniques based on the framework and standards of the Project Management Institute and the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide best practices. Throughout the book, ADDIE and project management are united in a "four-step combo". Readers are taught to groove two disciplines to one beat. Project Management Skills for Instructional Designers is intended to captivate the interest of the following audience: instructional designers, training managers and directors, training consultants, human resources managers, performance consultants, and project managers. This practical guide uses the creative approach of storytelling to present the content in a way that is realistic and sequential to the way an instructional designer may work. A case scenario where an instructional designer is given a mandate by the boss to design, develop, and deliver automated sales management training is the story line around which the two disciplines are applied in the "four-step combo".

Project Management Skills for Instructional Designers

A Practical GuideBy Dorcas M. T. Cox

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2009 Dorcas M. T. Cox
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4401-9363-7

Contents

Preface...................................................................................xiAcknowledgments...........................................................................xiiiIntroduction..............................................................................xvChapter 1. The Crisis.....................................................................1Instructional Design......................................................................4Project Management........................................................................5List of Stakeholders......................................................................8Ready, Set, Off You Go....................................................................9The Four-Step Combo.......................................................................9Applying to the Next Project..............................................................12Chapter 2. Analysis.......................................................................15Overview..................................................................................16Analysis..................................................................................16Questions to Consider When Conducting Analysis............................................17Sales Officer Assessment Survey...........................................................22Results from the Survey...................................................................25Training-Needs-Analysis Report............................................................26Applying to the Next Project..............................................................29Chapter 3. Initiating the Project.........................................................31Overview..................................................................................32Definition of Project Initiation..........................................................33The Project Charter.......................................................................33Project Charter Template..................................................................36Identifying Stakeholders..................................................................41Concluding Project Initiation.............................................................43Applying to the Next Project..............................................................43Chapter 4. Design Document................................................................47Overview..................................................................................48The Design Document.......................................................................48Sample Design Document, Automated Sales-Management System Training........................58Applying to the Next Project..............................................................59Chapter 5. Project-Management Plan........................................................61Overview..................................................................................62Definition of the Project-Plan Document...................................................63Project-Management Plan...................................................................64Collect Requirements......................................................................66Scope Definition..........................................................................67Create Work-Breakdown Structure (WBS).....................................................73Activity Definition.......................................................................78Activity Sequencing.......................................................................81Activity-Resource Estimating..............................................................84Activity Duration Estimating..............................................................88Schedule Development......................................................................91Cost Estimating...........................................................................96Cost Budgeting............................................................................101Quality Planning..........................................................................105Human Resources Management................................................................111Communication Planning....................................................................114Risk-Management Plan......................................................................119Risk Identification.......................................................................127Qualitative Risk Analysis.................................................................131Quantitative Risk Analysis................................................................133Risk-Response Planning....................................................................137Plan Procurement..........................................................................140Chapter 6. Development and Implementation.................................................151Overview..................................................................................152Objective for the Automated Sales-Management Training.....................................153The Communication Process.................................................................153Barriers to Effective Communication.......................................................154Creating Positive Expectations............................................................155Fitting the Message Together..............................................................157Accessing Key Ideas.......................................................................158Evidence and Elaboration..................................................................160Concluding Developing and Implementing Course Material....................................161Applying to the Next Project..............................................................163Chapter 7. Executing, Monitoring, and Controlling.........................................165Overview..................................................................................168Perform Quality Assurance.................................................................168Acquire the Project Team..................................................................169Develop the Project Team..................................................................169Distribute Project Information............................................................169Manage Stakeholder Expectations...........................................................170Conduct Procurements......................................................................170Monitoring and Controlling Project Work...................................................170Perform Integrated Change Control.........................................................170Verifying Scope...........................................................................170Controlling Scope.........................................................................171Schedule Control..........................................................................171Cost Control..............................................................................171Quality Control...........................................................................171Performance Reporting.....................................................................171Monitoring and Controlling Risk...........................................................171Administering Procurements................................................................172Applying to the Next Project..............................................................172Project Issue Document....................................................................182Project Monthly Status Report.............................................................185Chapter 8. Evaluation and Closing the Project.............................................189Overview..................................................................................190Evaluation................................................................................190Project Closeout..........................................................................192Close Procurements........................................................................194Applying to the Next Project..............................................................195Summary...................................................................................200Chapter 9. Cases in Project Management for the Instructional Designer.....................203Cases in Project Management for the Instructional Designer................................207About The Author..........................................................................219Resources.................................................................................221

Chapter One

The Crisis

After studying this chapter, you should be able to

define stakeholders. list the persons and/or groups-internal and/or external to the organization-that fit the definition of a stakeholder. explain the importance of properly identifying stakeholders at the outset of the project. list the procedural steps to follow when designing instructional material. define the ADDIE model and explain what procedural steps must be completed within each component of the model. list and describe the project management knowledge areas. explain how the project management knowledge areas align to the project management process group.

As you read this chapter, be sure that you understand the following terms and ideas.

Sponsor

Project Team Four-Step Combo Project-Management Area

Project Manager

Functional Manager

ADDIE (ISD)

Customers/Users

Project-Management-Process Groups

PMBOK Guide

The boss drags you into the office after returning from the recent sales retreat, slumps into the chair, and declares, "We have a problem!" You immediately stop what you're doing and give your full attention. Here's the story: Senior leaders are flown in from the head office to host the annual sales retreat designed to pump up sales officers for the upcoming fiscal year. Local and regional sales officers are in attendance at this high-profile meeting.

During the meeting, sales officers are asked direct questions about how they use the new automated sales-management system as a tool to track and monitor their progress toward achieving targets. Responses from sales officers indicate that they are unfamiliar with the functionality of the automated sales-management system. What's more, indications are that the sales officers have no intention of using the system any differently in the upcoming year.

The vice president of sales and the chief executive officer are livid after the discovery and decree that the boss must find an immediate resolution for the problem. The decision is made that the training department will design and develop a learning solution for all sales offices. Attendance for all sales officers will be mandatory. Given that the upcoming fiscal year begins in the next two weeks, the learning solution will need to be designed, developed and delivered within this period. As instructional designer, you are assigned to this project, effective immediately.

Your second question to the boss after the "How could you make such a commitment?" question is, "Could this request really be considered a project?" While this might sound like a basic question, lets begin by reviewing the definition of a project. A project is

temporary, undertaken to create a unique product, service or result, and has characteristics that are developed incrementally as the initiative progresses.

Think about the scenario presented above. Answer the questions below to determine if this scenario fits the definition of a project.

Temporary

STOP TO COMPLETE ACTIVITY

Describe in your own words the situation described by the boss that involves the sales officers. __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________

When are you expected to begin working on this initiative? Beginning Date ________________

What is the deadline to complete this initiative? Ending Date _____________________

The initiative may end when

your project objectives are met (i.e. when the training course is launched),

when you terminate your efforts because the objectives cannot be met, or

when the need that generated the idea no longer exists.

Note

If your plan to start and end the initiative has a definitive beginning date and end date, the first component of the definition of a project is satisfied.

Unique Product or Service

STOP TO COMPLETE ACTIVITY

Describe in the space below the unique product, service, or result that this initiative is intended to produce.

__________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________

Note

Think about this question carefully. You may consider that there are many training programs already established that cater to the same audience. What is unique about this course that will differentiate it from the others? Is it the learning content? Are there any unique characteristics that relate to course delivery? Do you believe that there will be unique or different circumstances that you will encounter throughout this initiative? Because of the unique nature of projects, there may be uncertainties about the products, services or results that the project creates.

If your answer is yes, you have satisfied the second component of the definition of a project.

Characteristics Developed Incrementally

STOP TO COMPLETE ACTIVITY

The third and final component of the definition of a project is that the details and relevant information that you are required to know is revealed incrementally as the initiative progresses.

Do you believe that at this moment, you know everything that there is to know about what designing and developing the automated sales-management training program will entail?

Yes No

If your answer is no, you have satisfied the third and final component of the definition of a project.

The proposal to design and develop a solution to close a performance gap fits the definition of a project. This would suggest then, that having knowledge and skills in project management would be a plus in ensuring your successful outcome. Now that you know the definition of a project, let's continue with the definition of the ADDIE instructional-systems development model and project management.

Instructional Design

What Must Be Done

Instructional design processes are typically subdivided into a number of procedural steps which are outlined as follows:

1. Conduct a needs analysis. 2. Assess the relevant characteristics of learners. 3. Analyze the characteristics of a setting. 4. Perform job, task, and content analysis. 5. Write statements of performance objectives. 6. Develop the performance measurements. 7. Sequence the performance objectives. 8. Specify the instructional strategies. 9. Design the instructional materials. 10. Evaluate the training.

Multiple tasks are executed within each procedural step outlined above. The procedural steps may be considered as "what must be done" to design and develop a learning solution. While it is very important to know what tasks must be executed within each procedural step, it is equally important to know at what point in the process these tasks must be performed.

When Do We Do It

Instructional design work is organized sequentially from beginning to end. The components of the ADDIE Instructional-Systems Development Model (ISD) are introduced below

Analyze

Design

Develop

Implement

Evaluate

Putting it All Together

The illustration below presents each instructional design procedural step and outlines how these steps relate to the respective component.

Definition of Project Management

What Must Be Done

Successful project management requires knowledge and skill in a number of areas common to general business management. Some of these areas may be familiar to you like quality management, human resources management, communications management, and risk management. You may be less familiar with some of the others, such as procurement management, integration management, scope management, time management, and cost management.

Tasks to be completed on a project are grouped within these respective knowledge areas according to their relationship with each other. This means that all tasks related to risk are grouped under risk management, tasks related to quality are grouped under quality management, and so on.

Multiple tasks are executed within and across the knowledge areas at different times in the project. In a sense, the knowledge areas can be considered as "what must be done" in a project. While it is very important to know what tasks must be executed within and across each knowledge area, it is equally important to know at what point in the project these tasks must be performed.

When Do We Do It

Project work is organized sequentially from beginning to end, and is grouped within what is described as process groups. These process groups are outlined as follows:

1. Initiating 2. Planning 3. Executing 4. Monitoring and Controlling, and 5. Closing

These process groups are interrelated and dependent on each other. Each project should be guided along a path that follows the same sequence as the process groups.

The Difference Between Projects and Operations

Projects are defined as temporary endeavors with a beginning and an end. Once you have completed all of the steps in designing, developing, and delivering the training program for the launch, your project work would be considered over, and operations would have begun.

Operations are defined as permanent endeavors that produce repetitive outputs. Resources assigned to operations are expected to perform basically the same set of tasks according to the policies, procedures and guidelines that you put in place for your business. For example, if there are set procedures in place for managing the training department, these tasks are completed as assigned according to the operational procedure established for the department. Activities that relate to operations are intended to produce the same product or provide the same repetitive service.

As performance gaps are identified or there is a need to expand the curriculum in the training department, it may become necessary to innovate processes or procedures or develop or upgrade a new product. In this instance, it will be necessary to use project management knowledge and skill to successfully complete this initiative. Once completed, the project is closed out and handed over to the operations aspect of the department.

It is common practice to use projects as a means of executing strategic objectives. These strategic objectives may come about as a result of market demand, technological advance, customer request, regulatory requirements, and/or a business need.

Business and the External Environment

Business affairs are conducted within the context of a larger, and in some instances complex, external environment. This environment may significantly impact the success of projects. Some environmental factors may include but are not limited to

government or industry standards infrastructure marketplace conditions existing labor force, and stakeholders

Stakeholder Influence

Before the project to design and develop a training program kicks off, it is very important to recognize the influence of stakeholders. Stakeholders are defined as people (or organizations) with a "stake" or a vested interest in the project. These are people who are actively involved in the project work or have something to gain or lose as a result of the project. Neglecting to properly identify stakeholders at the outset of the project may mean sudden death for the project and who knows what for you.

STOP COMPLETE ACTIVITY

Take a moment now to compile a list of all stakeholders in the automated sales-management training project. Use the list of questions below to assist you with compiling the list.

Are These People Stakeholders? Yes No

Learners Suppliers Employees/Vendors The boss Your friends The project-team members The wider local/international community Governmental agencies Colleagues in other organizations Your family Employees in other departments in the organization The source of the financial funding

It is important to not only identify the respective stakeholders but also create a plan to manage the influence of the various stakeholders in relation to the project requirements.

Use the space provided below to write the names of the stakeholders on the automated sales management project and rate the level of responsibility and authority that they may have on the success of this initiative.

STOP TO COMPLETE ACTIVITY

Name of Stakeholder Level of Responsibility and Authority on the Project

High Med. Low

Ready, Set, Off You Go

"So, that's it, you're ready to go," the boss says, rising from the chair, indicating the intention to leave. "The scenario presented fits the definition of a project, the stakeholders are identified, and you understand that we need the training course designed, developed, and delivered to the sales officers in the next two weeks. When will you have the class list on my desk?"

"Just one minute," you say in your most respectful but stern voice. "There's a lot more that must be done before we get to the point of design, development, and delivery."

"Really? Send me an e-mail outlining how you plan to proceed based on what needs to be done."

Just like that, the boss whisks back into the world of the busy executive, leaving you alone to spin straw into gold.

The good news is that you've done this kind of work before, so you immediately get cracking. It occurs to you that the key to success is to effectively put two similar, yet different, disciplines together in one four-step combo. From this idea, ADDIE and project management are united and the "four-step combo" is born.

The Four-Step Combo

The remainder of this book applies the instructional design and project management theory based on the standards of the Project Management Institute in a practical, realistic way that is sequential to the normal way an instructional designer may work. The two disciplines (instructional-systems design and project management) are combined in the four-step combo in a way that is fluid and interconnected.

As the story of the instructional designer and the boss continues, it will be determined if the training course for the sales officers is designed, developed and delivered within the two-week deadline, or better yet, whether there is a justifiable need for a training course in the first place. Grooving to the beat of the four-step combo will result in successful outcomes not only from a theoretical standpoint but also through practical application. Experiences outlined in the following pages may be applied immediately in the work environment.

Before moving on to the next chapter, take time to complete the discussion questions to understand how the information presented in this chapter may be applied to the next project.

STOP COMPLETE ACTIVITY

Applying to the Next Project

Discussion Questions

1. What is the definition of a stakeholder? 2. Who are the persons or groups internal or external to the organization that fit the definition of a stakeholder? 3. Why is it important to properly identify stakeholders and compile an accurate stakeholder list at the outset of the project? 4. What are the procedural steps to follow when designing instructional material? 5. What is the definition of the ADDIE model? What procedural steps must be completed within each component of the model? Explain. 6. How might you define the project management knowledge areas? 7. How do the project management knowledge areas align to the project-management-process groups? Explain. 8. Why should the ADDIE model, the project management knowledge areas and the process groups be used as a four-step combo rather than as discrete models? 9. What are similarities and difference between the ADDIE model and the project-management-process groups?

Activity

The following is an activity that may be completed individually or as a small group activity to assess your comprehension:

1. Review previous projects where accurate stakeholder lists were not compiled and discuss the outcome in those instances.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Project Management Skills for Instructional Designersby Dorcas M. T. Cox Copyright © 2009 by Dorcas M. T. Cox. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.