The Agreement on the Kilimanjaring Project

/in /by

I take the first step in the new PMBOK test-drive. It has now two inputs to initiating process – business documents and agreements. Business documents include the business case and funding. Since we are going to conduct an expedition by startup technology and attract external funding, it is too early to talk about business documents. But I would like to discuss the Agreement.

As the PMBOK says, “Agreements are used to define initial intentions for a project. Agreements may take the form of contracts, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), service level agreements (SLA), letter of agreements, letters of intent, verbal agreements, email, or other written agreements.”

Let this post in the FB be a letter of intent.

To begin, I tell you that during a week I received dozens of messages in a messenger with ideas how to implement this project and requests to include them in the team. When you ask people to write their ideas into the group, they either disappeared, or came up with reasons why they cannot do this. However, more interesting are those who ask to include them to the team… I’ll just list what I “liked” most. Who recognizes himself, please, do not be offended, I intentionally do not mention the names here and I will never tell anyone that it was you 🙂

So, the top-5 of the “not published”:

  1. Someone sent good ideas, but my request to post them to the group received the answer “I’m shy”. My friends, if you carefully read my first post, I said there “We will broadcast everything online, so everyone can see our achievements and mistakes. All the deliverables and results of the project are also should be laid out in open access.” If you are embarrassed to publish your idea to the group, then how are you going to participate in the Big Brother Show?
  2. Correspondence began with the question “How are you going to get to?” I answered that “Most likely by airplane through the EU”. He offered to include him to the team because he knows how to get to the place cheaper. To the question “And how?” was the answer “You have to promise that you will take me into the team, then I’ll tell you.” To the request “At least to hint what is the core of cheap pick-up” was the answer “Low-costs”. The idea is super, of course, but do I have to promise to take someone to the team for knowledge of the existence of Momondo sites and a couple of low-cost companies?
  3. “You need a cameraman! I can be a photo and video operator, and then mount a video that you will sell to your sponsors. And I’m not like someone who are using phones. I have equipment and certificates”. On the request to send some demonstrative video, he sent a film about the journey, which was taken and mounted in the best traditions of the Home Video of the 90s…
  4. “I know how to do it better without your PMBook…” Thank you! This is not just a journey to somewhere. The whole point is in learning how to manage the startup projects. Kilimanjaro is only a goal of this project.
  5. However, I give the first place to the selfless person: “I do not correspond to any of the three criteria you indicated. And I’ve never worked as a project manager, but I know what they’re doing and if you take me to the team, I’ll become a PMP before the expedition.” Oh, how! I’d like to ask everybody who is preparing for the PMP with my help – What are you grumbling about for six months? Let me include you in the team, and you will quickly become a PMP!

So, it is time for the writing of the Agreement on the Kilimanjaring Startup Project.

The Project Team

Let’s do following. I believe in self-organizing teams. I implemented a lot of projects of different scale, and I drew attention if a person was taken to the project by assignment or because there was no one else, then it takes a lot of time adjusting, checking and reworking his work. If a person has come to the project at will, then he works proactive. All that you ask of him, he has already either made, or came up with ideas how to do it and has already started.
For now only one such a person – Artem Stroganov. On the early beginning, he joined the project with concrete proposals and actions. Actually, there are only two of us in the project now, but there should be 5-7 persons. My preference is still the same:

  1. Those who have already participated in the Expedition Project Management trainings.
  2. Project managers with PMP status (or similar, or higher).
  3. Those who have already been at altitudes of 5000m/17000ft and above.

Nevertheless, these are only preferences. In fact, we need the following roles in the project (some can be combined):

  1. Project Manager. Project management and funding search.
  2. Head of the Expedition. The road map to the starting point and back, acclimatization, the route to the summit. Partly the role of the guide (or rather, he should know that the guide does not deceive us).
  3. Cameramen. To “sale” the project to the sponsors, we will need a script, photo and video shooting, editing and … what else do we need to make the micro-movie?
  4. Technical writer. Carrying out the test drive of the new PMBOK, we will make many documents. All this will need to be written and formalized.
  5. Interpreter / Editor. This will require a translation into English and proofreading of the documentation.
  6. Project Administrator. Maintenance of all documentation, schedules, registers of the project. Organization of meetings. Maintaining the calendar and generating reports.
  7. Procurement Manager. Search for all necessary transport, equipment, clothes, ammunition. Medical care (vaccinations, first-aid kit). Rent of accommodation.

However, I still want to introduce one selection criterion. Participants should be able to go to expeditions at their own expense in case of failure of the idea with the search for external funding. This criterion is forced. I want to cut off the freeloaders.

Moreover, you must have some amount already now in case if we find some great variants of flights or accommodation before receiving external funding, I would like to immediately buy the tickets and book the accommodation.

The Main Idea of the Project

  1. Carry out the project in full accordance with PMBOK#6, thereby conducting a test-drive of the new edition of the body of knowledge. Show all the pros and cons.
  2. Gain the experience in conducting workshops, applying tools, solving problems, managing changes – everything as described in PMBOK#6. In the end, get a complete set of final project documents in English and Russian.
  3. Organize everything using the startup technology, attract money by crowdfunding, or find a sponsor or an investor. You should not spend your money. The exception is the failure of the crowdfunding campaign.
  4. Broadcast everything online, so everyone can see our achievements and mistakes. All the deliverables and results of the project are also should be laid out in open access, both during the preparation process and lessons learned.

Main Stages of the Project

  1. Until September (the expected release of the new PMBOK), it is necessary to plan the project completely. Think about the scope of work, the schedule of implementation, the budget, resources (including the team), stakeholders engagement and the communication plan, calculate the risks and responses, plan all procurements and determine the requirements for quality. We’ll just update all this after the release of PMBOK.
  2. Find funding by November. Carry out crowdfunding campaign or find a single sponsor.
  3. Hold the Expedition during New Year’s holidays from December 30 to January 14.

I’m waiting for Proposals

In what role do you see yourself?

Please, do not write me in private messenger. Write everything right here in the group.