One of the biggest reasons projects fail is because groups/organizations use an adhoc or random non-repeatable method to plan the work. Minor issues and details are overlooked in the “planning” phase that can turn into major problems down the road. It happens all the time. Combine the normal corporate bad communication with worker incompetency, mix in some management apathy, and you are setting yourself for disaster.
Poor planning, organizational miscommunication, and employee/employer errors mixed with a lack of training can be expensive and sometimes catastrophic (Think NASA).
What can be done? How about applying some basic project management processes to the work? Below are some very simple steps to get started. There are many more to consider depending on the size of your project, but we must realize that some organizations need to move away from today’s chaos and get back to basics right away.
Four Simple Steps
STEP 1 - Divide the work down into tasks that must be completed. Then continue to break the tasks down into smaller tasks. No task should take more than a day (two at most).
One reason that projects are delivered late is because project managers aren’t breaking down the work into smaller and smaller tasks (decomposition). Small tasks are easier to estimate and manage. Remember, good estimates are the foundation of on-time, on-budget projects.
STEP 2 - Sequence your tasks by dependency
If you don’t establish your dependencies you don’t have a timeline since dependencies help establish duration.
STEP 3 - Verifiable Milestones
What pieces of the project will you deliver and when. Remember the old saying, “you can’t manage what you can’t measure”.
STEP 4 - Assign tasks to people not groups
Get everything on paper. Remember my favorite project management rule “what is not in writing has not been said”. Also, ensure everyone understands their role and responsibilities. No matter what you do there will always be somebody that can’t follow instructions or refuses to fall in line. These people need to be brought into line or moved off the project quickly.
Miscommunication is fatal to projects. Always communicate in multiple ways; – face-to-face, team meetings, status reports, e-mail (as a last resort). Monitor progress, give feedback continuously, and document, document, document.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Symptoms of Defective Strategic Planning
To be successful, organizations need to ensure that their projects and project outcomes support their strategic goals. Poor strategic planning leads to failed projects, and people working on projects that add no value to the organization’s bottom line.
I found the text below in the book, Advanced Project Portfolio Management and the PMO– by Gerald I. Kendall, PMP and Steven C. Rollins, PMP. The book is an excellent resource for the seasoned project manager looking to move his or her Project Management Office to the next level.
Symptoms of Defective Strategic Planning (pg. 73)
Project and resource managers often fight over resources. The organization’s arteries are clogged with too much work.
Priorities of projects frequently change, with resources reassigned.
Senior managers have the authority to unilaterally approve and release projects
Projects are released as soon as approved by a senior manager, irrespective of the availability of the resources to do the work
Senior management frequently complains about how long it takes to implement change
Even when a strategic idea is implemented, the company sometimes does not achieve major or expected improvement
There is no comprehensive document or portfolio that links all of the organization’s projects to the goals and the strategic plan
There is significant turnover at the senior management level, right up through the president
The strategic plan is presented as a list of ideas or initiatives. There is no attempt to validate if those initiatives are sufficient by themselves to meet the organization’s goals. The cause-effect logic tying those ideas and the resulting effects to the goals of the organization is absent
The list of ideas in the strategic plan is not sequenced. Therefore, each executive assumes that he or she must try to implement all ideas simultaneously, and that his or her functional initiative must be the top priority.
The book goes on to talk about some of the problems that executives face when creating strategic plans. I have summarized some of the information below.
Root Problems of Strategic Planning Processes (pg. 75)
Executives don’t speak the same language. They tend to view the organization through the eyes of their experience and silo. They don’t understand the organization as a whole.
The organization has measurements and policies that are silo-oriented.
Executives lack the skill to build a strategy that has the commitment of the entire senior management team, meets the goals of the organization, and can be implemented with current or planned resources
Strategies ignore internal systems that are out of control. When executives attempt to improve something before bringing it under control, they often throw the entire system into chaos.
Closing Thoughts
Many organizations I have worked for experience the challenges noted above. As project managers we know that poor or ineffective planning can lead to failed projects. The challenges I currently face in the workplace can in many instances be tied back to the lack of an effective or poorly communicated strategic plan.
I found the text below in the book, Advanced Project Portfolio Management and the PMO– by Gerald I. Kendall, PMP and Steven C. Rollins, PMP. The book is an excellent resource for the seasoned project manager looking to move his or her Project Management Office to the next level.
Symptoms of Defective Strategic Planning (pg. 73)
Project and resource managers often fight over resources. The organization’s arteries are clogged with too much work.
Priorities of projects frequently change, with resources reassigned.
Senior managers have the authority to unilaterally approve and release projects
Projects are released as soon as approved by a senior manager, irrespective of the availability of the resources to do the work
Senior management frequently complains about how long it takes to implement change
Even when a strategic idea is implemented, the company sometimes does not achieve major or expected improvement
There is no comprehensive document or portfolio that links all of the organization’s projects to the goals and the strategic plan
There is significant turnover at the senior management level, right up through the president
The strategic plan is presented as a list of ideas or initiatives. There is no attempt to validate if those initiatives are sufficient by themselves to meet the organization’s goals. The cause-effect logic tying those ideas and the resulting effects to the goals of the organization is absent
The list of ideas in the strategic plan is not sequenced. Therefore, each executive assumes that he or she must try to implement all ideas simultaneously, and that his or her functional initiative must be the top priority.
The book goes on to talk about some of the problems that executives face when creating strategic plans. I have summarized some of the information below.
Root Problems of Strategic Planning Processes (pg. 75)
Executives don’t speak the same language. They tend to view the organization through the eyes of their experience and silo. They don’t understand the organization as a whole.
The organization has measurements and policies that are silo-oriented.
Executives lack the skill to build a strategy that has the commitment of the entire senior management team, meets the goals of the organization, and can be implemented with current or planned resources
Strategies ignore internal systems that are out of control. When executives attempt to improve something before bringing it under control, they often throw the entire system into chaos.
Closing Thoughts
Many organizations I have worked for experience the challenges noted above. As project managers we know that poor or ineffective planning can lead to failed projects. The challenges I currently face in the workplace can in many instances be tied back to the lack of an effective or poorly communicated strategic plan.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
In Project Management, Criticism is Inevitable - Rewind
Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. Aristotle, Greek philosopher and scientist
Many of you probably know that every now and then I can be critical of a situation or type of person. Evidence of this fact can be seen in last week's posting or others regarding teams, executive apathy, etc. One thing we can all learn about criticism from others - "if you expect criticism, you will seldom be disappointed when you receive it" - Author unknown.
We know that not all criticism is constructive. Many types of criticism are destructive and that is what I want to talk about. Destructive criticism is something you receive that offers virtually no value, and comes from people that don't have your best interests at heart. Sometimes the criticism may have some merit, however when speaking about destructive criticism, the presentation wasn't communicated effectively or was only meant to do harm.
Remember, criticism is just an opinion, but if offered constructively it may be valid and helpful.
Keep an open mind when being criticized. Don't let the criticism control you or change what you think about yourself. Ask yourself, can I learn anything from the criticism? Can I change anything? Should I change?
I don't take criticism well, and I tend to discount those people around me that criticize others too much. I need to take my own advice and learn to be more accepting of criticism, especially when it is constructive.
Some rules we should follow regarding criticism:
Never criticize another behind their back. Keep in mind what Stephen Covey says and have "respect for the absent".
If there is nothing to be learned when you are criticized it is best to ignore it and move on with your life.
Responding to criticism that has no value will only reduce you to the level of the person doing the criticizing.
Don't let deceivers deceive YOU!
Many of you probably know that every now and then I can be critical of a situation or type of person. Evidence of this fact can be seen in last week's posting or others regarding teams, executive apathy, etc. One thing we can all learn about criticism from others - "if you expect criticism, you will seldom be disappointed when you receive it" - Author unknown.
We know that not all criticism is constructive. Many types of criticism are destructive and that is what I want to talk about. Destructive criticism is something you receive that offers virtually no value, and comes from people that don't have your best interests at heart. Sometimes the criticism may have some merit, however when speaking about destructive criticism, the presentation wasn't communicated effectively or was only meant to do harm.
Remember, criticism is just an opinion, but if offered constructively it may be valid and helpful.
Keep an open mind when being criticized. Don't let the criticism control you or change what you think about yourself. Ask yourself, can I learn anything from the criticism? Can I change anything? Should I change?
I don't take criticism well, and I tend to discount those people around me that criticize others too much. I need to take my own advice and learn to be more accepting of criticism, especially when it is constructive.
Some rules we should follow regarding criticism:
Never criticize another behind their back. Keep in mind what Stephen Covey says and have "respect for the absent".
If there is nothing to be learned when you are criticized it is best to ignore it and move on with your life.
Responding to criticism that has no value will only reduce you to the level of the person doing the criticizing.
Don't let deceivers deceive YOU!