Fast Projects Research Group (FPRG)

Fast Projects Research Group (FPRG)

Objective

The aim of the Fast Projects Research Group (FPRG) is to create a generation of super-Project Managers capable of delivering projects much quicker than is thought possible using current techniques.

Background

Fast Projects (www.fastprojects.org) has a suite of radical techniques which can be used to speed up projects and shorten time to market. These techniques include:

  • ‘The Basics’ – How to Run Successful Projects (2-day Workshop) – if you can’t plan a project properly – in particular, if you can’t estimate it properly – you can’t shorten it. Amongst other things, this course teaches proper planning and estimation.
  • Scoping & Planning a Project in a Day
  • Planning at the day level of detail
  • Strip Boarding
  • The Mission Briefing
  • Probability of Success Indicator
  • The Power of Doing Less
  • Availability Calculator
  • 9 Execution-related techniques.

On the rest of this page, these techniques are referred to as Fast Projects [in bold].

Given the incredible benefits of shortening projects http://fastprojects, we want to make these techniques available to as many organisations and project managers as possible.

We also want to refine and enhance the techniques through their use on projects, so that organisations and individual Project Managers can max out the benefits of using these techniques.

How Does It Work?

The FPRG is unfolding in three phases:

Phase 1 [now]

  1. We find 10 Project Managers who become Founder Members of the FPRG. To become a Founder Member there are only two requirements: (i) you have a project that you wish to shorten and (ii) you are the kind of person who is prepared to try new, innovative techniques
  2. Any necessary NDAs are signed. Confidentiality is maintained at all times.
  3. Founder Member Projects: Fergus works with each of the 10 Project Managers, giving them whatever Fast Projects support they need to deliver their specific projects in the shortest time possible. Support includes any or all of the following:
    1. Baselining their original plan in terms of duration and cost.
    2. Making available the full suite of Fast Projects.
    3. Free access to the Fast Projects Lecture Series [see below].
    4. Providing support by email / phone / Zoom / Skype / FaceTime.
    5. Reviewing project plans and suggesting ways the project could be shortened.
    6. Assessing the final shortening / saving that was achieved in terms of duration and cost.
  4. Shared Learning: The learnings from these 10 projects will be shared amongst the Founder Members. This will include any or all of the following:
    1. Dissemination of / sharing learnings via a hints & tips newsletter or regular bulletins.
    2. Refinement / enhancement of Fast Projects.
    3. Assessment / identification of best tools available. Possible specification / development of macros / tools.
    4. Supplying / sharing of any useful templates.
    5. An FPRG area on the Fast Projects website www.fastproject.org.
    6. Anything else that emerges from the group of 10 as Phase 1 unfolds.
  5. Other benefits of being a Founder Member:
    1. 35% discount on an in-house [face to face, if possible; online, if not] running of Fast Projects’ legendary How to Run Successful Projects workshop – the only project management course you’ll ever need. (Normally priced at € 7,950).
  6. Membership of the Fast Projects Research Group will be on an annual basis. For 2020 and all future years, the annual membership for a Founder Member will be fixed at € 495 if you are paying it personally, and € 985 if your company is paying it.
  7. For non-Founder Members (see below), the subscription rates haven’t yet been fixed, but they will probably be higher than Founder Member rates. Non-Founder member rates will also be liable to rise from year to year.

Phase 2

  1. Another 90 Project Managers will be added to the FPRG. Ideally, this will be done by referral / word of mouth. As before, the only two requirements are: (i) you have a project that you wish to shorten and (ii) you are the kind of person who is prepared to try new, innovative techniques.
  2. Confidentiality assured as above.
  3. Support will be available as follows:
    1. Baselining their original plan in terms of duration and cost.
    2. Making available the full suite of Fast Projects.
    3. Free access to the Fast Projects Lecture Series [see page 4].
    4. Providing support by email / phone / Zoom / Skype / FaceTime.
    5. Reviewing project plans and suggesting ways the project could be shortened.
    6. Assessing the final shortening / saving that was achieved in terms of duration and cost.
  4. These 90 Project Managers will contribute to and benefit from the growing Shared Learning database of information / experience on how best to speed up projects using all the channels described in #4 above.
  5. 20% discount on an in-house [face to face, if possible; online, if not] running of Fast Projects’ legendary How to Run Successful Projects workshop – the only project management course you’ll ever need. (Normally priced at € 7,950).

Phase 3

  1. The FPRG will be opened up to everybody as Fast Projects become more widely used.
  2. Support will be available as follows:
    1. Baselining their original plan in terms of duration and cost.
    2. Making available the full suite of Fast Projects.
    3. The Fast Projects Lecture Series [see below].
    4. Providing support by email / phone / Zoom / Skype / FaceTime.
    5. Reviewing project plans and suggesting ways the project could be shortened.
    6. Assessing the final shortening / saving that was achieved in terms of duration and cost.
  3. These Project Managers will contribute to and benefit from the growing Shared Learning database of information / experience on how best to speed up projects using all the channels described in #4 on page 2 above.
  4. Fast Projects will begin to take root and become accepted practice within the industry.
  5. Possible change of name from ‘Fast Projects Research Group’ to ‘Fast Projects User Group’

The Fast Projects Lecture Series

The Fast Projects Lecture Series is a collection of 30-60 minute online talks, delivered via Zoom, covering everything necessary to speed up / shorten a project. The talks are free to FPRG members.

The topics covered in the series are:

The Basics

  1. Goal Setting: A Successful Project = Happy Stakeholders [30 min]
  2. How to Estimate Anything Accurately [60 min]
  3. Resourcing: Project Management is a Problem in Supply & Demand [30 min]
  4. How to Deal with Impossible Projects & Irrational Stakeholders [60 min]
  5. Plan a Project in Six Easy Steps [60 min]
  6. How to Assess a Project in Five Minutes [45 min]
  7. The Project Manager’s Daily Routine [30 min]
  8. How to Write a Status Report in Five Minutes [30 min]

Speeding up Your Project

  1. How to Scope & Plan a Project in a Day [Prerequisite – #5 above][45 min]
  2. Planning at the Day Level of Detail / Strip Boarding [Prerequisite – #2] [30 min]
  3. Shortening during Project Execution[30 min]

Having a Life

  1. The Power of Doing Less [60 min]

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