Tag Archive for 'project management'

Let’s bring back the real meaning of “deadline” in projects…

Published
by
Ron
on August 12, 2010
in milestones, project management training and project reporting
. 1 Comment

Do you know the real meaning of the word deadline? Its origins go back a long way. Dictionary.com suggests it is:

“a boundary around a military prison beyond which a prisoner could not venture without risk of being shot by the guards.”

I have spoken to many people who complain that the person “did not deliver against the deadline”. Issues such as the “figures did not arrive before the deadline,” or “the report missed the deadline.”

It is the main responsibility of the project manager to check that whatever is due actually gets delivered. From evidence given to me and Project Agency (www.projectagency.co.uk) colleagues it seems that more rigorous systems are needed to ensure delivery takes place on the correct date it should and that the quality of the product is what is required by the client.

What could be included in such a process? Here are some possible examples:

• a variation form  - this is a simple form that shows which activity will not be delivered by the due date or budget. However, before everyone starts developing a variation form see next few points
• hold review meetings. At the start of every project the project manager should engender the honest reporting code. It is exactly that, honestly reporting where an activity is, against the plan at the meeting. You may want to use some of the project management templates we have

• ensure people adopt the Margaret Thatcher approach when she said of Lord Young “He brings me solutions, not problems”.
• I had a boss who held what we called ‘production meetings.’ These were every 2 weeks and we had to bring along proof of where we were against the plan. He explained that he simply wanted to ensure that we were on course and wanted proof of it!
• ensure project team members receive project management training - this includes project sponsor training
• leadership - you could adopt the situational leadership approach - this is an excellent tool where the project manager uses a range of styles to bring about project success:

 directing
 supporting
 coaching
 delegating

This approach suggests that the project manager uses different style for different people against different tasks

So, let’s go back to the definition of the word deadline. When someone says that they have not delivered, suggest you are bringing back the real meaning of the word deadline (”a boundary around a military prison beyond which a prisoner could not venture without risk of being shot by the guards.”) That should ensure delivery on time, on budget and with the right results.

IT suppliers - reduce your costs or your out!

Published
by
Ron
on July 30, 2010
in IT projects, Uncategorized, change and government projects
. 3 Comments

The above headline seems to be the message in an article in the latest edition of Computer Weekly.: “The article, called “How will suppliers be able to cut IT costs?” starts with the words: “The government has told IT suppliers it wants them to reduce the cost of contracts with government departments.” The paragraph ends with: “But it could be the government that has to change the most.”

Nineteen IT suppliers met the Cabinet Office Minister, Francis Maude to start the process of reducing the cost of contracts.

The article goes on to suggest that ‘red tape’ needs to be addressed and the government must overcome a lack of trust if suppliers are to meet targets without just cutting costs to the bone or stripping service levels.

“The government wants immediate reductions in costs and ongoing cuts” says the article.

Francis Maude said he was challenging major government suppliers to take costs out of contracts. “Some of this will come from margins, but we will invite ideas on how we can structure things differently to reduce complexity and cost.”

There will no doubt be more articles like this as time progresses and for sure, this will impact on many people - anyone involved in IT, project management or procurement plus of course shareholders.

If you are based in the US you also have some ‘issues.’ Shortly before completing this article I came across the headline: “White House to Review High Risk Projects”. This can be found here.

An extract of the Computer Weekly article can be found here.

Slash and burn as £2billion of projects cut!

Published
by
Ron
on June 18, 2010
in project management and project management strategy
. 0 Comments

Yesterday,  I ran a project management course and spoke about the need for companies to look at their overall portfolio of projects and challenge the list asking among other things:

  • does each project fit with the overall objectives?
  • what are the priorities within the overall list?
  • are there some nice to have rather than essentials?

We had an interesting debate and I suggested that cuts to the list would help focus on delivery of the overall company agenda.

A little later I looked on line at the BBC website and cutting was the key word: “Coalition government axes £2bn of projects” screamed the headlines.

The group looked on reading and you can find out more here.


How do you set project roles? Leeds Rhinos show the way

Published
by
Ron
on June 16, 2010
in project, project leadership, project management, project management strategy and project teams
. 0 Comments

Life is not all project management - or at least I try and make it that way.

Saturday saw me drive all of 15 miles across London (which took me 2 hours!) to see my favourite rugby league team the current champions Leeds Rhinos. They were playing Harlequins and had a much changed side with 8 players out (international calls and injuries).

It was a great day out with Leeds winning 42-22 - a wonderful result with so many regular 1st teamers out. The reserve players played really well.

At the press conference afterwards the Leeds Coach Brian McClennan was asked:

“How did you approach this game? Did you see it as a potential opportunity or a banana skin with all the reserves?”

McClennan reply is interesting. Look at some of the things he said:

“I turned it over to the players”

“I said, this is your baby, you work it out”

“The players took a lot of ownership on their roles; they took a lot of ownership on how they would play.”

So how does this link with project team roles? I have written many times about problems with roles in project management. Only last week on a project management training course I ran a project manager suggested he did not know who his sponsor was and this was having a negative impact on the project. Link this with a survey by Project Agency. We have asked project managers whether their roles, responsibilities, and levels of authority are clear in our projects. Almost 60% who have answered suggest this is not the case.

Here is a shining example of a situation where personnel changes demanded clear roles and a coach who though giving them their head, ensured that all bases were covered. Oh for the same in projects!

Well done the Rhinos -  the players, and the coach. A great victory and a great example.

See post match comments from Brian McClennan here

http://www.therhinos.co.uk/news/11164.php

I want you to cut the number of projects? Do you know how & which ones?

Published
by
Ron
on May 24, 2010
in project and project register
. 5 Comments

The new British coalition government are today announcing a series of financial cutbacks. A brief comment by a BBC political commentator on the TV caught my attention this morning.

Apparently, later this year, a minister will be visiting every government department to identify possible projects to cut. The interesting issue is whether there is a list of key projects for the minister to look at and whether it is representative of all projects.

Switch to your company; if the same thing happened in your company i.e. you needed to cut back on projects (for whatever reason) is there is there is a list of key projects (project register) that someone could look at and, is it a true list?