Two project teams for the same “project!”

Published
by
Ron
on March 3, 2010
in project management resources, project management risks and project management skills
. 3 Comments

An article in The Times (March 1, 2010) caught my eye:

“Companies issuing shares to make an acquisition, should hire a second team of investment bankers to make the case against doing the deal, according to Warren Buffett”

This got me thinking. Imagine a team set up to argue against a project as well as team to argue for developing a project! The teams could focus on a number of important areas and some of these could include:

• checking out whether the risks are too great or acceptable
• developing a business case for or against the project
• identifying whether there any project benefits - what they are and whether they are achievable
• developing a plan identifying resources required and how this will impact on other projects and business as usual
• identifying whether you have sufficient resources of the right calibre
• checking there is a link back to the company strategy

An interesting idea; one to look at in further detail. 

Project managers;develop your consultancy skills

Published
by
Ron
on February 26, 2010
in change management, project management qualifications and project managers
. 1 Comment

The emphasis for many project managers within organisations is to further develop and build on their project management skills. This usually means attending a project management workshop, such as our two day Perfect Project event or maybe PRINCE2 or PMI or equivalent. These are really good project management courses and they will certainly help develop project management skills.

However; and it is a big however, project managers tell me they sometimes struggle to really understand client needs; they struggle to work in partnership with them ensuring that they understand some of the fundamentals of project management.

Well here is a possible solution. I have suggested many times that project managers should develop consultancy skills alongside their project skills. This often raises a few eyebrows. When however I explain my thinking, heads nod! So why do I suggest the need for consultancy skills and what do I mean?

Project managers have to formally contract with a client (internally or externally).They need to establish exactly what they are delivering. There is therefore a requirement for the project manager to have good diagnostic skills. This means asking questions, often difficult questions with subtle follow up skills required; following up from initial answers and of course listening.

Building relationships with the client is essential; add to the mix the fact that many projects involve change, dealing with and managing conflict, negotiating and influencing (procurement!) sharing a vision and you can see that the job of a project manager is all embracing; project skills and consulting skills.

As one project manager said; “it’s all very well to delivering the project however if we have alienated the client then its only half the job done.”

So book yourself on to a Consultancy Skills course and soon; it will make a great difference.

Legal case suggests don’t promise what you cannot deliver.

Published
by
Ron
on February 12, 2010
in Uncategorized, contracting, legal issues and project management and projects
. 0 Comments

According to an article in the Computer Weekly, legal ruling could push up prices of IT contracts in the future.

The Technology and Construction Court found in favour of BSkyB following a five-year battle with EDS over a failed customer relationship management system. The case is the most expensive legal dispute in the history of the IT industry, costing both sides an estimated £40m each.

Commenting in Computer Weekly, Rob McCallough, a Partner at Pinsent Masons, says, “It is rare for an IT supplier to be accused of fraudulent misrepresentation. It is even rarer for a supplier to be found guilty of it. It is a landmark decision which could give rise to suppliers reviewing sales techniques, contractual arrangements, and what is presented to customers in terms of their capabilities, services and products.”

He went on to say:

“The consequences for suppliers of getting projects wrong are too great for them to take chances. They will have to be more careful in assessments of risk, more careful in what they bid for, and will face increased bidding costs because of extra preparatory work”

Coukld this possibly mean that suppliers could face increased insurance premiums - assuming that they and their employees can get cover for liability for IT project failures - pushing up bid prices?

EDS has been ordered to pay interim damages of £200 million to BSkyB - several times more than the cost of the original system.

EDS was taken over by HP and they are seeking permission to appeal against the judgment.

It is worth reading the documentation in Computer Weekly and in the national press Guardian and The Register

Will this impact on us all in the future? I guess time will tell but knowledge of this case is important for contractors and companies alike.

“Train them, and train them fast!”

Published
by
Ron
on February 10, 2010
in project management, project management training and project management workshops
. 3 Comments

My company, Project Agency walked away from the contract that was on the table. Train several groups of project managers to ensure that a large number of departmental projects would be delivered.

I met some of the senior managers who were concerned that little or no progress was being made by the project managers. Delivery is too slow; “train them and train them fast” was the message they gave me.

Warning bells rang and I asked a number of questions. I established:

• the project managers reported into the Departmental Management Team of around 8 people
• there were 10 projects each with a project manager however there were no project sponsors
• there was a dotted line relationship with a small departmental group to the Management Team. Upon further questioning, no one could tell me the exact role of this group or the link with the projects underway
• the Director would in the words of people present go ‘walk about’ - he would go to a project manager and change the scope - on the move

I found it hardly surprising that projects made little or no progress.

I suggested they rethink what was needed and structures and governance issues need to be addressed and quickly before any progress could be made with the project managers. More embarrassed silence. I asked how they felt about this. “We want you to train our project managers,” was the response.

Sometimes, you have to be up front and tell people how it is. I said that the training would make a difference however the real focus should be on what we had ‘discovered’ in the meeting.

You could feel the meeting go downhill from there.

I said that I would not be prepared to train the project managers first. There was some interesting tension in the room and I even suggested holding a two hour session with SMT but this was a lost cause….

I never heard from this potential client again. The lessons of that meeting some 8 years ago have remained with me and I have used them many times since then:

• the structure for delivering projects should be as simple as possible. Management of projects by committee as in this case does not work
• project management roles need to be clear and this includes levels of authority
• training of senior managers is as important as training project managers and project team members and in some cases (such as the one quoted) more important
• you can have all the project management methodologies in the world however nothing beats straight forward common sense!

Why not take a look at your project management structures. How effective are they to supporting delivery of projects? If they do not support project management then its action time!

“I did not sign up for this project management stuff.”

Published
by
Ron
on February 2, 2010
in project learning, project management and project management course
. 7 Comments

There I was in full flight during a project management course when someone said: “I did not sign up for all this project stuff.”

The person who made the comment was a graduate, had studied hard to become a professionally qualified solicitor within a company. He was effectively questioning why he was why he was involved in project management and on the course.

After a brief series of questions (from me) and answer session from him I established that he was part of a two major projects and had contributed enormously to build a business case for one of them. He enjoyed his work as a solicitor and he felt that he was being dragged into project management against his will.

It is important to mention that like many of the people we work with he was not involved full time in projects. Project management played a large part in his job.

The argument he was following was the same one many people have used when they start to get promoted into management roles; they leave behind their professional work. He felt uncomfortable; unsupported and could not see the context for project management.

Regular readers will note that I have written extensively about the role of senior managers. It is hardly surprising that people come up with comments such as the one made by the solicitor if senior managers do not discuss how the vision will become reality. How else is a corporate strategy to be delivered but through delivering projects which inevitably means professional staff getting involved in them.

I was able to convince this person and others of the real value of project management. He was going to go back and speak to his senior management and ask some important questions!