One of the most common failures of any project is the ability to bring it to conclusion on time! This scenario happens more often than not and can wreak havoc on the performance ability of the project team and project manager. The cause can be many things such as:
• Delays from vendors who supply much-needed skills or product
• Changes from the sponsor or management on the scope of the project
• Team may lack up-to-date skills to execute the solution
• Technology changes mid-stream in the project’s lifecycle
• The impact of the project is broader than anticipated
• The project schedule is not realistic
• Key personnel leave the team unexpectedly
These are just a few of the many issues that may arise that may delay the execution of a project. Many of these items may be addressed by doing the following:
• Make sure the vendor selection process is thoroughly vetted so that you’re satisfied that they can perform the work or supply the needed product. And work with the contracted vendor so that unexpected delays in producing the product of the project or contractor personnel are available when needed.
• Have a change control process that includes an agreed upon change control board that you as the project manager have a say in. Make sure to include the sponsor of the project on the board so that she/he is aware of the ramifications of the proposed change and how it will impact on the schedule of the project.
• Don’t be afraid to suggest training for your team members or include the training as part of the project. With changes in technology it isn’t unusual for team member skills to not be up-to-date.
• As with vendors, make sure the technology being used is not going to be defunct or be updated in the near future. Also if the technology does change unexpectedly make sure to examine whether the project can produce the intended improvement(s) with the current technology version(s).
• Communicate the project to the organization before starting it. Make sure you have identified key players and stakeholders in the organization that have a stake in the outcomes of the project. Having more departments and managers involve may make the project more complex but it is better than having a department head complain about the impact of the project when you’re just about to implement it and close it out!
• Planning is an extremely important phase in any project! Make sure the team and key stakeholders are involved in the planning process so that expectations are met and the schedule may be executed.
• Make sure you’re talking to your team members! Make sure you’re aware of their schedules especially if they have routine work to perform in addition to their project assignment.
Finally, all of these issues (And many more.) need to be recognized and dealt with in a risk plan. Identifying risks and coming up with mitigation strategies if they occur is paramount in dealing with possible delays of a project. Using a risk register, assigning team members and stakeholders to specific risks so that you’re aware when they occur and what needs to be done is an important part of keeping the project on schedule.
As always, please feel free to leave comments to this post.