Project Team Definition and covering the resource gap
Resourcing is a key component of any projects success or failure, to underestimate the importance of a project team, is at the project managers peril. Frequently, projects are executed with teams of inadequate size and composition, due to budget or internal skill-set. Other factors include poor comprehension of the nature and amount of the work to be done, and a superficial or in-existent analysis of the required skills in the team members.
To engineer the project team is an important process to be done carefully. To do that, it’s fundamental first to have a clear understanding of the nature of the scope of the work. A good requirements elicitation, a correct project scope definition and a detailed work breakdown structure are key process to ensure the comprehension of work that the project involve.
Once the work breakdown structure is clear, is the moment to meditate on the preassigned human resources to the project team. Is it suitable in quantity and quality? The organization has a fixed staff, or the organization hire people to create a dedicated team for the project? Probably the answer will depend on the organization and in the particular project.
To define the team, the first step is to assign to each activity or work package, the required number of people with their associated qualifications or expertise. Once finished this exercise, it’s necessary to check the time frame of the execution of the tasks. For instance, if several activities that requires the same specialists can be done in sequence, the number of persons to consider in the team are few than in the case if the activities should be executed in parallel.
This optimization can only be possible when the problem is quantitative (number of people), but not in the case in which the resource gap is qualitative. For instance, if the project requires a doctor in robotics, the project cannot be delivered with who don’t have knowledge in robotics, even if sponsors provide double or triple the time. This is obvious, but frequently is forgotten. In this instance there is a degree of freedom: by trading off the number of people with the execution time. The same set of activities can be executed slower with less people or faster with more people. Therefore, there is an optimization analysis to be done. Off course, this analysis is constrained in certain limits. For example, a task originally planned to do with three people can be accelerated if there is an introduction of two additional persons, but if ten extra people are added, they will obstruct the fluid development of the task. In this case entropy is being produced, and the task will not be finished early.
An instrument or tool to identify the gap of skilled people in the project team is the resource gap table, as depicted below
Being conscious of the project team resource gap is important in the planning process. It is useful to ask for resources, time or, in the worst case, at least to be conscious of the risks and communicate them opportunely to stakeholders.
How to Support and Develop effective sponsor engagement
The relationship between Project Managers and Project Sponsors is a critical one, often there are significant challenges in new sponsors getting to grips with their role in shaping and supporting their projects. Do not underestimate the value in forming a productive working relationship with a project sponsor. It can be a challenging prospect for project managers, as sponsors are often time poor who are set in their ways of working, which can cause friction in how a project is delivered. Whilst the sponsor may be accountable for the benefits, the responsibility of delivering the project always rests with the project manager — as does the responsibility of setting the tone on how the relationship develops.
Establishing a relationship with a new sponsor can be particularly fraught. New sponsors have never been in the role before and indeed may have little or no understanding of what it takes to deliver a successful project, let alone understand the weight of the role they will play in its outcome. There are a few key aspects an experienced PM can follow to support the novice sponsor.
Wherever a role sits within a project’s organisation chart, it’s fair to assume that everyone has been hired on merit, which often includes an interview process to drill into each person’s suitable experience for the role at hand, including their qualifications. Anyone hoping to join a project team, whether they are project managers, business analysts, testing professionals, or change practitioners, it should be expected as part of the process. Except, of course, the project sponsor.
The sponsor is a key role in the project organisation and is the person who will ultimately be accountable for the benefits it delivers as well as its success or failure. Yet, despite the importance of the role, a project sponsor is rarely interviewed to understand what their credentials are for the role or if there’s a gap in their skillset.
Typically, the sponsor is a C-suite manager, and this is how they are interviewed and appointed with a focus on their day job: It is based upon their line management expertise in their field. They are not interviewed in terms of their understanding of project delivery or what it means to be a good sponsor. Thus, a sponsor will often need to learn on the job and this is where a good project manager or PMO can assist.
Once it is clear that a project manager is working with an inexperienced sponsor, this will become apparent very quickly, just ask their understanding of the difference between risks over issue. The focus should be on upskilling them in an ordered way whilst minimising risks to the project because of their lack of experience.
The optimal approach to upskilling is to make it a collaborative exercise and focus on mutual delivery. An experienced project manager will focus on developing a strong rapport with the sponsor to ensure that they understand the PM is there at all times for the good of the project. They will also establish the link that a successful outcome is a joint outcome which enhances everybody’s reputation.
Everything is easy when a project is running smoothly. It’s only when a project hits challenges that project management can become difficult and that is where it is vital as a project manager to be able to surface bad news to facilitate any hard calls that need to be made.
Inexperienced sponsors often cannot follow the bouncing ball of how a poor decision manifests itself should no decision be made. This is where the project manager needs to be able to be open and forthright with the sponsor to:
- identify the risks that lie ahead
- calculate how a misstep will likely impact the success of the project, and
- shepherd what ‘we’ need to do about it
Again, if the relationship between the sponsor and the project manager is a healthy and collaborative one, having difficult conversations to surface bad news might be challenging but will be considered essential.
Covering up the bad news because there is concern that the sponsor will be displeased or not have the wherewithal to assist in making decisions about where to next is a zero sum game: there will be a price to pay somewhere for not making a good decision early.
It is far better to get this out in the open and be very much on the front foot in involving the inexperienced sponsor in helping facilitate the right outcomes.
The dynamic between an inexperienced sponsor and an experienced PM can be challenging but it is manageable with a couple of critical techniques as has been outlined above. Ultimately nothing guarantees success, but understanding how an inexperienced sponsor might come into the role and having the right approach to working with them give, at the very least, a project manager and the PMO a fighting chance to bring out the best in a sponsor and help make their first and future projects a success.
Hire PMP Certified Professionals To Standardise Project Management Abilities
Large projects are the life blood for any organizations. Big budget projects can breathe a new life into a dilapidated company and can kick start its revenue generation cycle. Such projects are absolutely necessary to transform a company image and reputation. It can easily create business value and help it to survive in the toughest competitive environment. Companies also seek such people/managers who are PMP certified professional and can easily and effectively undertake mega projects and can manage them in the best possible manner. Here best possible manner means, with the limited resources and in the restricted time. It will not only increase the value of the company, but also improve its bottom line. PMP certified professionals have the ability to perform in the smartest possible manner with greater precision and efficiency.
Business leaders want to standardise their operational abilities
Today, business leaders want to improve their working conditions, standardise their operational abilities and optimize their project working processes in order to improve the delivery time. In this way, they will not only generate huge profits, but also gain the confidence of their clients. In pursuit of the same, they hire then most talent professional who are skilled and experienced while having the required certifications to handle the projects.
In has been observed that the professionals who have PMP Certification tend to work smarter and in a much scalable manner. They have the extra insight into the project management and the overall working methodology, which helps them to carry out their work in the optimized fashion.
PMP certified professionals understand the business criticalities
Such PMP certified professionals understand the business criticalities and take challenges effectively. They oversee the project, IT architecture, business context, time frames, technology-involved, project road map, and take decisions. They also evaluate the size of the project and nature of the task. They take initiatives in developing smooth working processes and implementing those changes to complete the project flawlessly. They also help in cultivating skills in other employees who have passion to succeed. Such professionals share their knowledge of the business and projects as well as combine their acumen to complete the project on time. In addition to that, they take calculated risks to align and streamline a project while mitigating the risks.
Companies also hire PMP certified professionals
Companies also hire such PMP certified professionals because they want to keep the projects on track. Today, it is quite difficult to monitor the project as it requires discipline and tight management that extends across the project team. It can help the members to stay alert, competitive, as well as proactive. It also regulates the task as well as methodologies.
Influence a business and improve its image
It can influence a business and improve its image. Companies not only improve its market image, but also gain scalable competitive advantage. They exhibit their ability to delivery projects on or before time, while winning the trust of their clients. By showing the measurable results to the clients, companies solidify their portfolio and amplify their overall ROI and stimulate their growth cycle.
How to Manage Your Day Better
People often ask me how I stay organized. I guess I look like I’ve got it all together LOL. But that’s not always the case!
I do have a great system in place and it works well.
Working with multiple clients, we can often lose focus and the priorities can shift from hour to hour.
So I have one tip for you that will help you get and stay organized:
Find a task or project management system that works for you and use it.
My system is simple. I use GQueues and a spiral notebook that stays on my desk all the time to manage what I need to do.
After I have a production call with a client, I go in and update my GQueues with the tasks and the deadlines that we discussed on our call.
Every morning, I add the tasks for the day to my spiral notebook so I don’t have to leave GQueues open all day. When further instructions or more tasks come in, I add those to my spiral notebook and GQueues.
Here’s the key to this piece of advice:
Develop a routine so that you are not dropping any balls that should remain in the air.
When your client phones or emails you, go directly to that project management system and update it.
That way you won’t miss out on anything that needs doing, and you can appropriately schedule time in your calendar to complete it.
I have relied on my memory a lot over the years and honestly I’ve made mistakes that way by forgetting to do things.
I find that keeping on top of what you have to do every day is the one thing that helps you manage your workload.
This not only helps you to make sure you don’t miss any tasks, but it helps you stay more productive because you are never wondering if something is missing. You have a complete task list all the time, and you can pick and choose what you will do from it.
I love the system I use. It’s simple and I use it.
That’s the main thing you need to figure out – is what will work for you. Some people love online project management systems. I like the simplicity of my spiral notebook – with one page per day it’s versatile and complete.
I add phone calls and other meetings to it too, so I can see my whole day at a glance.
It also helps me to know when I can easily slip in a break or lunch!
Being productive is a result of being organized. And being organized is easy when you have a system in place that works for you that you use properly.
4 Ways to Successfully Manage Projects
There are countless resources, guidelines and tips on how to successfully manage projects. But one topic that’s not often covered involves project failures. Not many project managers are ready to admit failure. However, it’s still all too common to see projects fail and that’s why it’s essential to identify and analyse the potential risks and challenges before the project kicks off. By understanding the risks associated with the project’s goals they can more than likely be better managed.
In this article, I’ll identify 4 primary ways to help successfully manage them. Understanding them will hopefully better prepare you for your next one.
Take time to plan: Successful project managers know that they significantly increase a project’s success when they allocate sufficient time to planning. They know the outcomes the project needs to deliver and how its success will be measured. They pay attention to detail and break down big goals into smaller ones. They identify the financial and human resources they need and share their expectations with their project team. They research the costs involved and then set and manage budgets. They know that inaccurate cost estimates can quickly exhaust funds causing parts of the project to be abandoned.
Regular progress and milestone management: Managing milestones and tracking progress towards them helps to identify which parts are off course and allows corrections to be made before it’s too late. Successful project managers assign and prioritise tasks and know that it’s critical to be able to manage people. They know which warning signs to look for and when the project is failing.
Good governance and leadership: Often project managers become so busy that they “don’t see the wood for the trees”. Allocating a project sponsor or senior manager to oversee progress and to ensure that the project manager has support and the resources they require will greatly benefit. Equally, they should be given responsibility for ensuring that the project’s scope and goals are fully understood. Often financial and human resources are scarce and many projects run concurrently and compete with each other. The project sponsor should be someone who has the authority to make decisions on which projects to fund and which ones to delay. They often can cut through red tape and remove obstacles.
Assign experienced project managers: Often projects are allocated to people who are very competent in their jobs but have little or no project management experience. A project manager may be assigned to a business critical or strategic project and will take on significant responsibilities. Successful projects are assigned to individuals who have the experience and have demonstrated they have the capabilities to successfully manage assignments.
These tips are just four basic means to help improve your project’s likelihood of success. Beyond them, there are countless other ways for developing greater value from your projects. But by implementing some of them in planning and executing your projects, you’ll be on your way towards delivering better performance and outcomes.
Warning! Top 3 Problems With Project Schedule Templates
As a project manager, there are many times that you have to draw up a schedule from scratch. Sometimes, you may be stuck as to how to go about the schedule or not but often you will be handed a a schedule and told to just use this as a template. (Note: I use template in his article for schedules from previous projects and also standard departmental issued templates.)
This may seem like a great idea at first because a lot of the stuff is right there for you. All the tasks seem neatly laid out. You think to yourself: This is just what you needed. This will save a whole lot of time. But beware. Not everything is as easy as it seems.
Here are just a few reasons as to why you should not automatically take that schedule and run with it, tweaking here and there.
Problem #1: MS Project Does Some Funky Stuff
I don’t even think the people at Microsoft have figured out how delicate and intricate their software really is. I can’t even count the amount of times, I have slightly modified a task on my schedule and then something really odd happens. And I mean really odd. So odd that a few times, I was going in circles so much, I just deleted the task and added it back so that it all worked again.
Now take someone’s old schedule and start modifying it for your own use and you lose a lot of control as to the amount of funky stuff that can happen. This may be a risk you can live with on a small schedule but I’d rather not take that risk on a large project.
Problem #2: Try to Follow That Predecessor-Successor
Predecessors can be so tricky in a schedule unfamiliar to you that may think you just followed that rabbit down the rabbit hole. Change one duration and the whole schedule may go out of whack. You can attempt to follow those predecessors to find what just happened but then that was just for one change. If you have to add more tasks to the template, then you are quite at a loss without breaking some relationships. This is a task that can become frustrating especially if you are well into your project.
Problem #3: Try to Make Sense of the Template
Then there are a whole lot of other problems that can get you into trouble when trying to make heads or tails of a previous Project file. These can include such things as: Deadlines, Resources, Task Types, Date Constraints, etc. A whole slew of MS Project “features” can truly drive you crazy trying to figure out why the schedule doesn’t seem right. You can go individually and clean these all up depending on the size of the project file but you have to look for each item first and that will take a lot of work.
So, What to Do
Okay, now I am not saying that templates are not worthwhile but you have to be careful about how you use them. A template should be a guide. Look at it as: here are some items that I should consider in my project. A good template covers a full blown project. Your project may be smaller so you don’t need all those elements.
And there is also a converse. It is a good idea that if you have a project with more complexity or other items than the template shows, you should add those to the “template” for future reference.
A template also does not bypass the steps for creating a project schedule. You should always have a Work Breakdown Structure and a Resource Breakdown Structure; and you should still develop a schedule on your own. However, the template provides some backup help and also should provide assistance in developing a proper WBS. So, word of advice, be careful and try to avoid reusing old Project files. Even developing a “standard” template to be reused can get very difficult to manage. But, have a template, definitely!