Track, Understand and Manage Project Risks Before the Squeak Begins

This is proactive project management. One does not need a week-long course in project risk management to identify and plan mitigation for project risks. Grab the threats by the horns, determine if you can avoid them, plan for mitigation/remediation if you cannot. If you wait for a squeaky wheel your risk has already become an issue. Use a Risk Log to keep yourself organized.

Provide Regular Status Updates, Conduct Peer Reviews, and Engage in Milestone Checkpoints

It is key that you – and your key project constituents – understand the health of your initiative. Tracking status that is forward-looking is an excellent proactive practice that helps you and your stakeholders. Peer reviews ensure that your blinders come off and you are made aware of alternatives, issues lurking around the corner, or areas outside your expertise. Engaging sponsors in milestone checkpoints ensures that they are up to date on where you are at and are aligned on what it will take to move forward.

Assess a Holistic Portfolio of Business Initiatives and Prioritize the List Across User Groups

If you examine your portfolio in segments or as projects come in one by one, you may be setting yourself up for unnecessary project stops and starts. And, if leaders try to commit to delivering all initiatives that are labeled urgent, the organization may sub-optimize the assignment of scarce resources. Leverage a whole-portfolio assessment method that can objectively provide your decision leaders with appropriate information to prioritize.

Flexibly Adhere to an Established Governance Model That Ensures Phase Deliverables are Complete

Project life cycles vary and depend on the type of project. Establish a framework and leverage it accordingly for the type of project you are doing. Do not abandon your framework and miss key hand-offs, decision points, or phase gates. Flexibly applying your rigorous model will proactively enable you to meet the needs of each project.

Manage Expectations Proactively

Tell your stakeholders what you are going to do. Drive for alignment. Be open to course corrections. Share news, both good and bad. Keep the appropriate people up to date. That is being proactive. 

If you keep the worrisome things in the shadows, which then turn to issues, your sponsors and key stakeholders may not appreciate your management by damage control approach.

Proactive Impact Management

Stay on top of action items and issues. Know when each was raised, by whom, and by when they should be completed or resolved. Losing track of these key data points may have you back on your heels when someone comes to seek clarification. Stay out of crisis management mode and be forthright by recognizing issues and steps that may not have been in your original plan. Manage them effectively and you can be your project’s hero.

In conclusion, this is not an exhaustive list of proactive ways to manage your projects. However, this list is a good place to start if you are feeling lost.

Want to know more ways to proactively manage your projects and programs? Let’s connect!

Schedule a meeting with Carl Manello or connect with him on LinkedIn to learn more.

The post 6 Steps to Proactively Manage Your Projects + Programs appeared first on Transforming Solutions Inc..

The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.

– Sun Tzu, Military Strategist

Creating Project Management Principles

The basic principles of project management are fully extensible from the smallest initiative to the largest program. The key is that project management practices should be understood as principles: accepted or professed rules of action or conduct. It is on this belief that I encourage my clients to establish project manager guiding principles, as well as construct project management frameworks (not detailed, step-by-step methodologies). By maintaining the governance rules at the highest level, the organization maintains the flexibility to scale the implementation of principles based on specific needs.

For example, one of the project manager guiding principles could be:

The project manager is responsible for creating and delivering a written update of accomplishments, challenges, issues, and plans at appropriate level of detail. This update is to be sent to the appropriate stakeholders on an agreed-to regular basis (e.g., weekly).

While this principle does not define the format or the appropriate level of detail, it clearly establishes that for every delivery initiative with an assigned PM (regardless of project size) there will be a status report. It is surprising to me that this type of foundation and guidance is not practiced in many companies. Project managers are often left to decide for themselves whether and how they will track issues, report risks, actively manage dependencies, or if they must meet regularly with their sponsors. Regardless of the size of the project, each PM will be held accountable. 

Scale the Project Principles to Size

As Sun Tzu reinforces, “Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals.” To paraphrase, once the principles are established, the implementation can be adjusted to the size of the need. An overall program plan for a global project will include a higher level of detail than a specific, detailed plan for implementing a single project within the initiative. This adjustment to scale is critical. If a program does not adjust its implementation approach, one can expect to see a plan at the program level that is tens of thousands of lines long. This level of detail is off-putting for many of the executive sponsors leading the initiative. A program plan can lose its value as a conglomeration of details with little to no meaningful summary, accommodation in visibility, nor tailored executive information. Without changing the signs and signals, as well as differentiating between the focus needed to implement vs. the focus required to lead, governing bodies may make missteps when initiating planned practices.

Standardization and the Value

Standardization and rigor are key to establishing guidance for your project managers. The ability to adapt while applying standards (based on scale) is crucial to successful implementation. While success statistics are not overwhelming, 70% of projects with standardized practices are successful, according to PMI’s Pulse of the Profession study. One of the reasons that the success numbers are so low – and decreasing over the past four years according to the study – is that many of the respondents said their organizations do not fully understand the value of project management.

Unfortunately, I have witnessed this lack of understanding firsthand. In one company, there was a recognized need for structure in delivery. The PMO was assigned to implement a more structured level of delivery for the company.  As a result, standard templates and control processes were defined, and an authoritarian rule was cast over projects. However, the organization did not clearly establish the value proposition of the PMO. In addition, there was not sufficient organizational change management around levels of rigor, articulation of the principles for success, or the appropriate scalability for implementing standards across the organization. Therefore, the PMO was the red tape that hindered delivery, instead of the grease that enabled success.

So Why Do You Care?

Creating standards is important. Scaling implementation is key for success – one size of operating model does not fit all. Articulating the value of the standards is imperative.  An PMO should create standards, allow for flexibility in their use, and communicate and engage organization in the value proposition.  Creating and implementing a scalable set of standards becomes an internal sales process to convince the company of the value to be attained.

To borrow from French writer and military veteran Francois de la Rochefoucauld, 

The height of ability consists in a thorough knowledge of the real value of things… 

As we look to improve the capabilities of our delivery teams, let us focus on the established principles, clearly articulating the value they deliver. From there, we implement based on the scale of the situation.

Interested in learning more about project management? Discover more about project managers and project management office today.

The post The (Undeniable) Value of Project Management Principles appeared first on Transforming Solutions Inc..

What are the differences between a project manager, program manager, project coordinator, and project administrator? Without clear expectations, project managers run the risk of missing the mark on what their leaders want them to do. PMs should work more closely to manage expectations and ensure they understand what is needed from their leaders.

Project managers offer a wealth of experience, insights, and skills to bring to an initiative. Some projects may need simple guidance and oversight that a project coordinator can provide. Larger, more complex initiatives require detailed oversight, integration between players, and someone who can ask tough questions. Project managers are well suited for the latter. Establishing clear expectations of your project manager allows for better collaboration amongst your team, as well as the successful completion of your project.

2. Understand Your Role in the Project

Project sponsors typically take on the main role in terms of the operation of the project at hand. They are responsible for being champions, clearing hurdles, resolving issues, or escalating to higher levels for support. Project managers and sponsors collaborate to establish a better understanding of what is expected from each role. Just as a project charter helps to define the constraints within which a project will run, a meeting with a project sponsor will help to define the boundaries of a PM’s operations within the project. The project manager’s role is to successfully deliver the project for all stakeholders, as well as the project sponsor.

3. Focus on Collaboration

Some project managers are expected to be glorified administrators of the project’s schedule, budget, issues, risks, and more. And while this is often an under-utilization of a project manager’s talents and capabilities, more experienced project managers serve as empowered guides, mentors, and decision-makers.

Senior project managers own decisions, issues, risks, budgets, and project scope. However, these senior project managers do not make these decisions in a void – project managers are responsible for owning the processes as well. For example, a PM owns the issue list. They ensure information is recorded accurately and that all entries are acted upon in a reasonable timeframe. They do not own each issue; the team is given autonomy over their tasks!

The project manager does not need to check in with a sponsor for permission to resolve each issue. PMs have been authorized to solve issues and seek help (escalate) when needed. This is why collaboration amongst the team, as well as the establishment of expectations for the project manager, is important to the project process.

Project managers – do you want to ensure that your work is effective? Need to clarify where and when to escalate or to drive a resolution on your own? Let’s connect!

The post The Secrets of Effective Project Management appeared first on Transforming Solutions Inc..

I’m worse at what I do best
And for this gift, I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will until the end – Nirvana

Project management has been a profession for decades. But like Nirvana, are we worse at what we do best too? Projects continue to be challenged in their delivery (reference years of the Standish Group’s Chaos Study). Projects that are run by professional project managers are still not delivering at the rate of success we need them to.

Project Managers are a global community. With a nod to Kurt Cobain, our little group is not going away. However, as a group, we are not always good at demonstrating the value that we add. I believe that we are better than we are generally perceived to be. It is through career development, training, and continued experience, that we strive to improve. But, as a global community, how do we be better at demonstrating our value?

Project Management Certifications Won’t Fix It

With the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Professional certification acting as the ante to sit at the project delivery table, more and more people are becoming certified. I too am a member in good standing; however, I want to be clear: the book-smarts needed to obtain the PMP designation do not automatically make certification earners into effective project managers. While it all depends on circumstances, in many cases, I’d rather work with a seasoned experienced PM without a PMP, than with a journeyman PMP holder.

Don’t get me wrong: There is value in the PMP.

• Learning the lexicon of a global profession  
• Understanding the theories that drive practice
• Gaining insight into the way things could work, if only all our projects came out of a book

These are all valuable tools. In fact, I’m a little dubious of why any PM would not have a PMP. But when delivery does not happen as planned, it is hard to hang one’s hat on a certification framed and hanging on the wall at home. So, how do we get better?

Operationalize Your Learning

As a larger community, we must begin to share our successes – and stories of failure – more often. Sure, it’s hard for me as a consultant to share all my tips and tricks; I don’t want to put myself out of a job. However, if we can begin to focus more on sharing, we can leverage the overall perception of what PMs can offer. We are not just agenda makers, minute takers, project schedulers, nor cat-herders. We have the innate solutions to problems that help avoid common project missteps. So let’s bring those into action!

I would encourage you to not only create an issues log, but create an issue tracker that enables you to know who said what, when they said it, what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and by whom it needs to be completed. Afterward, you can actively manage those issues or actions! Lastly, develop a project plan that is simple to read, maintain, update, and (most importantly) communicates the information to business partners in a language they will understand.

Moving to Added Value as a PM

As professionals, we must move beyond doing the “tasks” that are associated with project management and begin developing the extra value we get from sitting at the helm. I would encourage you to not sit idly by tracking, logging, and reporting status. As a PM you must lead, drive for change, advocate for risk management, dependency management, issue management, and then act as the standard-bearer in demonstrating how.

“When a problem comes along, You must whip it…., When something’s goin’ wrong, You must whip it.”  These are the immortal words from Devo. These words should be your rallying cry as you deliver your organization’s initiatives.

Project managers are important, which is why we discuss all things project management, PMO, and more over on TSI Insights.

The post Why is a Project Manager Valuable? Read On. appeared first on Transforming Solutions Inc..

1. Project Managers are professionals.

I’ve worked within numerous companies that treated their PMs as cheap (not inexpensive mind you), transferable, commodity-type resources.  In some cases, if you could type on a computer and take notes, you could become a project manager.  However, we must continue to push ourselves out of the habit of relegating PMs to project administrative duties.  I sympathize with project managers who only set up meetings, take copious notes for meeting minutes, and update other’s tasks in a project plan.  If this is what we expect from our PMs is it any wonder that project success rates continue to be so low?

Project managers should be leaders within the organization.  They should be empowered to drive and to deliver what the company expects.  Employee (or even consultant) engagement and enablement are key.  If lowered to the level of project administrator, not even the most experienced PM will be able to succeed.

2. PMs, I don’t need to know your title.

Some organizations have a multi-layered system of project manager job descriptions.  These may be encoded as project manager one to project manager five, or they may mirror the old Big Eight consultant titles of PM: Senior PM, PM Manager, PM Senior Manager, PM Director, and so on.  I have been a national lead, a project manager, a program manager, a program director, and a solution lead.   Do these titles mean anything? Not really. I expect you are more interested in my talents and skills, as opposed to simply my title.

PMs should be ranked by their capabilities, not their titles.  Have you managed a project that lasted more than 12 months?  Have you overseen a team of more than 50?  Are you good at tracking actuals, forecasting, and rationalizing variances?  How good are your team-building skills?  What about collaboration?  The axiom of not judging a project manager by their title seems apropos.  A predefined stair step of title promotions based solely on tenure is not appropriate; individuals should move up they demonstrate the next level of skill.

3. Implementation methods don’t need to impact a PMO

Although Waterfall is still here – and will be for a long time – the world continues to move to Agile. Package application development methods are different than either Agile or Waterfall.  And let’s not forget that product development is not the same either.  The PMO should be adaptable and able to meet the needs of the organization, regardless of the types of delivery methods utilized by the organization. Don’t forget, PMOs oversee non-IT projects and those do not have any application lifecycle management!

PMOs have holistic responsibility for delivery.  They collect details, provide visibility, and drive resolution to problems.  A delay in this process is a delay whether it be waterfall or product development based. Portfolio visibility is across the suite of initiatives, independent of the tools used to manage each. Let’s keep the focus on what a Project Management Office does and not be distracted by delivery methods.

4. Which software is right for the PMO?

Have you defined all your requirements for a new tool?  What about the requirements of the PMO’s key stakeholders?  Should you use one of the Magic Quadrant tools, leverage SharePoint, or custom build something in Excel?

First, focus on the processes.  A sophisticated status and portfolio tool will not benefit your organization if project managers do not understand appropriate levels of reporting status.  An engineered estimating solution will be less effective if your team does not know how to estimate and does not record actual hours spent. An application for automating portfolio management will not pay off if the organization does not understand the principles of prioritization and trade-offs. It is important to think about getting the organization to work effectively before trying to automate. There are many tools to do this effectively. However, it is essential that you do your prep in terms of roles, processes, and organizational change management. These identifications are important regardless of which tool you choose.

Let’s Connect!

Do you need further help on a program, project, portfolio management, or software evaluation and selection? Contact Us.

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