Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Does your Project Still have Value (revisited)
Are you working on a project that has diminished in value? If you or others are questioning the value of one of your projects, think about these things:
What would happen in your organization if the project were cancelled? Would some of the cancelled project's objectives find their way into an existing project... a new project? Should a portion of your current project be de-scoped because of changes beyond your control?
What would happen in your organization if the project were cancelled? Would some of the cancelled project's objectives find their way into an existing project... a new project? Should a portion of your current project be de-scoped because of changes beyond your control?
Does the project still link to your organizations strategic goals and/or objectives?
Does the project still have visible support from senior management?
Does the project still generate excitement?
Is your organization still going to gain all the efficiencies or be more competitive as a result of successfully completing the project?
Are you hearing a lot of negative "buzz" about the project?
Would your project have had more value if it were implemented sooner?
Is the project over budget, late?
Is scope creep a problem?
Has the project sponsor suddenly abandoned the project?
I'm know there are lots of other questions that could be asked. We need to keep in mind that all projects eventually end. Some end when they are completed successfully, and others are terminated early for a variety of reasons.
The important thing to keep in mind is that you must continually communicate across, up, and down the organization to find out what others are thinking about your project, and more importantly, you muse communicate what is happening with your project.
If the project manager is the only person in the organization that thinks his or her project has value, then the project manager isn't really thinking.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Basic Team Communications
Do you know the difference between objective and subjective language/information? Objective information is precise and uses specific targets or numbers/indicators to help ensure the communication is clear. Subjective language uses unclear or non-specific information with terms like “accurate”, “quick”, “big”, and “best”. We can’t agree to subjective terms because they mean different things to different people.
We obviously want to use objective language whenever we communicate important information. Remember to use the “SMART” test when communicating with your project team (either in writing or verbally):
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Realistic
Time constrained
Unclear project communications are the fault of the project manager, and can lead to project delays and cost overruns. When communicating with your team, be aware of their listening filters because these will affect how your message is received. Lastly, always ask questions of your team to ensure your message is being received and understood.
We obviously want to use objective language whenever we communicate important information. Remember to use the “SMART” test when communicating with your project team (either in writing or verbally):
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Realistic
Time constrained
Unclear project communications are the fault of the project manager, and can lead to project delays and cost overruns. When communicating with your team, be aware of their listening filters because these will affect how your message is received. Lastly, always ask questions of your team to ensure your message is being received and understood.