Avoiding Project Management Gridlock

Managing a project may sometimes feel like hitting a traffic jam. One minute you’re cruising along just fine, and the next minute you come to a screeching halt.

Any time you manage a project, be prepared to report on issues, because they can impact the overall status of projects. An issue can represent something simple that can exist through and post-implementation, or it can represent something complex that can create congestion and bring a project to a stop.

Just as our cities and towns use them to maintain proper traffic flow, many organizations are using a simple stoplight (red, yellow, green) approach to gauge the importance of issues. A stoplight assessment helps to quickly resolve issues as well as to drive the overall project status. As issues are resolved, the overall project status will change (and change again). Understanding issues and their correlation to the overall project status is extremely important for the project manager.

As issues arise, there may be surprises that surface. While many people love surprises, senior leadership and project sponsors and champions do not. The goal is to minimize surprises by keeping your team informed, providing ample notification of the “good news and the bad news” and presenting the facts, options, risks clearly. Preparing your team garners their support for projects, as well as solicits their input and feedback.

For example: a surprise can occur if a project manager is prepared to install a HR/Payroll ERP (enterprise resource planning) application, but does not understand the importance of communicating to the finance director that the system proposed is being installed without having tested the W-2 Production component. A surprise can result in negative implications, including not being able to assess the risk of the new system; not being able to plan for resources to test the new function; and not having the information to delay the installation until everything has been fully tested.

With constant and continual communication, surprises are avoided and expectations have the opportunity of being met, risks assessed, options evaluated and decisions made with fact-based information.

Implementing methodology and practice is essential when managing projects. Is there a difference between these two terms, since they are often used interchangeably?

Methodology is the systemized approach or the means used to attaining an end. For example, if you are taking a driving trip to a destination, the map represents the methodology—it is somewhat fixed (routes are displayed on it in written form). Practice entails the process of how you plan your trip: the routes, breaks/overnights, costs, estimated duration, and contingencies for construction detours.

Utilizing proven and repeatable practices and standard methodologies (forms/templates) can save time and effort on any project. Re-creating new practices and new formats not only takes time to do, but the recipient also has to be retrained in how to read and use the materials, as well as how to execute the processes.

To keep projects running with the flow of traffic, assess the importance of certain issues, mitigate surprises and adhere to the company’s best practices and standard methodologies.