Project environment analysis – Wikipedia

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The Project environment analysis (abbreviated Puma or PUA, too Projectumwelt analysis called) is an analysis of the environment of a project. It is a method of project management that identifies all affected interest groups (“stakeholder”) of a project. The PUA sees a project as a social system and creates the delimitation of those involved in the project environment. At least when a project starts, it is carried out to participate on the one hand by involving them in the project organization and on the other hand to be able to take measures for critical participants. It is the basis for project planning, project marketing and for risk analysis.

The aim is to record all influencing factors of the project:

  1. Influence factors and framework conditions for the project
  2. Stakeholder and their interests
  3. Project risks
  4. Embedding of the project in the company
  5. chances and risks
  6. Measures to influence the project environment
  7. Findings for project planning

The project environment analysis shows an overview of all projects affected by the project (as people or organizational units) with their importance for the project, its attitude to the project, the expectations of the project, the expectations of the project to the person affected.

The aim and scope of the project, as well as the essential project officials, must be known before the project environment analysis. However, project planning that has already been completed is not required. The most important actors in the project environment create the PUA in a workshop:

Active stakeholders (in particular project team and project manager, representative of the line organization, power promoter / client, trade promotor / customers) and passive stakeholders (e.g. authorities, works council, competitors, family members of the project employees, indirectly affected employees).

Identification of all relevant surroundings [ Edit | Edit the source text ]

The identification of all relevant environment is supported by the following key questions:

  1. What power and energy are the project supported?
  2. What power and energy stand against it?
  3. Where is the problem or goal of the project known and accepted?
  4. Where and how is there pressure to change? What would be without this project?
  5. What is the “big weather situation” for the project? Which trends and taboos are recognizable? What are the current stimulus topics?

Projections of the project [ Edit | Edit the source text ]

Every meeting of the project boundaries with its environment systems is traditionally referred to as an organizational interface. In more recent approaches, this is better referred to as an interface, which emphasizes the connecting seam compared to the separating of a cut.

The implementation of the project goals at the seams to other systems should be replaced as often as possible by agreements on the overlapping areas between the systems. The rules of the game include the regulated handover and takeover of pre -defined results and the agreements of clear contact persons in every environment group.

Core questions are:

  1. Which intermediate results are to be coordinated?
  2. Who hands over what, when, to whom?
  3. Which of the two participants informs whom?
  4. Under what conditions are the results handed over?

Portfolio presentation (power field analysis) and evaluation [ Edit | Edit the source text ]

If environmental fields and seams are known, they are recorded and evaluated in a portfoliographic:

  • People, interest groups
  • Meaning for the project (size/ closeness of the circle)
  • Setting for the project +, – or +/- (positive, negative or neutral)

The evaluation of the importance of the individual environments for the project can be represented through different sizes and the proximity to the project through different distances. The proximity or distance to the project can be emphasized by concentric circles around the project. The central expectations or fears of the respective project environment compared to the project are presented with +, – or +/-.

It helps to put yourself in the position of a certain group of interests in order to capture their expectations and fears. Direct contact with those affected can also be contacted for clarification. If in doubt, the overall view is always priority.

Expectations/fears [ Edit | Edit the source text ]

The above results are recorded in a table and two columns are added: expectations/fears of the project, expectations/fears from the project to person/interest group

Opportunities risks portfolio [ Edit | Edit the source text ]

The contradictions, potential for conflict and opportunities recognized in this way can be presented in the chances of risks portfolio.

Measurement table [ Edit | Edit the source text ]

The previous results show the social networking of the project and serve the derivation of strategies and measures regarding the individual environments. These measures flow into project planning.

In the course of the project progress, ongoing changing boundary conditions must remain under observation and, if necessary, the puma must be carried out repeatedly.
The project environment analysis is a prerequisite for risk analysis, since project risks usually arise from outside disorders.