Will the real Project Sponsor please stand up?

In my experience most projects don't have a real project sponsor. A project sponsor is the senior manager or executive that champions the project in the organization. The sponsor provides support for obtaining resources, provides strategic direction, and acts as the decision point for questions outside of the project manager’s authority.

Every project that crosses functional lines of authority needs a project sponsor to remove barriers, assist in resolving conflict, and mediate negotiations. The sponsor can also act as a mentor and coach to the project manager and team members.

The project sponsor is usually chosen by senior management, but sometimes the sponsor volunteers because the project directly impacts their resources or budget the most.

Typically Project Sponsors are responsible for:

Providing project direction
Monitoring project progress
Assisting the Project Manager to define the Project Management process for the project
Approving final scope, project objectives, schedule, resource assignments, roles and responsibilities
Providing accurate, relevant and timely communications in writing when appropriate
Approve scope changes
Obtain or resolve issues surrounding resources (people, money, equipment)
Setting project priorities and removing barriers to project success

Project Management Truths

I found these "Project Management Truths" several years ago on the Internet . Here is a partial listing, I will post more later.

The same work under the same conditions will be estimated differently by ten different estimators or by one estimator at ten different times.

Any project can be estimated accurately (once it's completed).

The most valuable and least used WORD in a project manager's vocabulary is "NO".

The most valuable and least used PHRASE in a project manager's vocabulary is "I don't know".

Nothing is impossible for the person who doesn't have to do it.

You can con a sucker into committing to an impossible deadline, but you cannot con him into meeting it.

At the heart of every large project is a small project trying to get out.

If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.

The more desperate the situation the more optimistic the situatee.

Six Steps to Political and Project Success

Assess the Environment

    Who are the relevant stakeholders?

    Who are the most important stakeholders?

    Where does the power lie?

    Whose actions will impact the project most (Negative or Positive)?

Identify the Goals/Needs of the Stakeholders and Sponsor

    What are the stakeholder's/sponsor's work and/or organizational motivations?

    What are their psychological motivations?

    What is their overt motivation?

    What is their hidden agenda?

Know Thyself

    What are your strengths and weaknesses as you perceive them?

    How are you perceived by others?

    What are your personal values related to your workplace?

    How can you compensate for your weaknesses (actual and perceived)?

Define the Problems

    What are all the relevant facts?

    What are the underlying assumptions (both True and False)?

    What is Reality?

Develop Solutions that Work

    Avoid premature solutions that don't account for the four steps above

    Obtain user buy-in to the solution

    Obtain Sponsor buy-in to the solution

Test and Refine the Solutions

    Initial solutions are tough and usually difficult to sell

    Continually refine and test your solution

    Get sign-off from all relevant stakeholders and your sponsor

__________________________

PROJECT MANAGEMENT FACT

A solution that does not take the realities of the political environment into account will fail.  Don't be naive when it comes to internal politics.

Quality Guide - Welcome to Managing for Quality

Quality Guide - Welcome to Managing for Quality.

Here is a site that has some great information regarding Quality Management.

Michael Greer's 20 PM Actions/Results

Michael Greer's 20 PM Actions/Results

This looks like a good site for general Project Management Information. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Good Requirements Management = Increased ROI

What of the biggest areas of concern in the IT Project Management field is Requirements Management.  It has been said that reducing requirements errors can have the biggest impact on delivering a quality software project on time and on budget.  How do you as a Project Manager help to reduce requirements errors while not slowing down project progress? 

Before we answer that question lets look at some industry statistics. 

According to the Standish Group (over 352 companies reporting on over 8000 projects):

• 31% of all software projects are canceled before completion
• 53% of all projects will cost 189% of the original estimate
• 9% of projects are delivered on time and on budget (in large companies)
• 16% of projects are delivered on time and on budget (in small companies)

The reasons given for the above are:

• Lack of user input or participation - 12%
• Incomplete Requirements and Specifications - 12.3%
• Changing requirements and Specifications - 11.8%

To answer our question stated previously, what can a Project Manager do to reduce requirements errors? 

Try the following:

• Structured  requirements gathering meetings
• Walkthroughs and reviews of requirements with end users and customers
• Better organization and documentation of requirements
• Improved project progress reporting
• Improved requirements-based testing and requirements tracability

If you will implement the above suggestions you can reduce requirements errors by 20% or more.  Any reduction in requirements errors will help to significantly reduce project cost and schedule overruns.

The Project Management Office

Many companies are implementing a Project Management Office (PMO).  If you or your company are thinking about starting a PMO there are a few critical things you must consider. 

First, there is no right or wrong model for a PMO.  The issue is which PMO type is right for your organization and have you done the proper planning up front before implementing a PMO. 

Before you decide on the type of PMO that is right for your company consider the following:

Do you have a Mission Statement for your PMO?

Do you have a Vision Statement (can be covered in the Mission Statement)?

What are the PMO's Principles (what statements will guide how the PMO will achieve its Mission)?

Who are your Customers?

Who are the Stakeholders (those people or groups that will be impacted)?

What are the Goals of the PMO (what does the PMO hope to achieve)?

What are the Objectives of the PMO (must be S.M.A.R.T)?

Note: S.M.A.R.T Objectives are (S)pecific, (M)easurable, (A)ttainable, (R)ealistic, (T)imebound

Other things to consider are what Products, Services, Roles and Responsibilities will be offered by the PMO.

Once all of the above items have been finalized you are ready to build a Workplan that outlines the activities to make the PMO a reality.