8blunders ebook
6
8 Project Management Blunders That Can Cost You Your Neck Follow Us:
-
Upload
jeffreyajewett -
Category
Business
-
view
113 -
download
0
description
Transcript of 8blunders ebook
8 Project Management Blunders That Can Cost You Your Neck
Follow Us
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Its that point in the meeting that all project managers dread The moment when all eyes turn to you and the Big Kahuna (aka the CEO the Chairman of the Board the VP of Marketing) basically says This cluster is falling on your head
Maybe its not a literal beheading that you receive but its definitely nothing good for your career
As a project manager youll be shouldering much of the blame if things go wrong Thats not easy or necessarily fair especially when you put so much into your work
Which is why we spoke with Solution Architect (and Project Management savant) Carl Manello of Slalom Consulting to identify these 8 common project management blunders Addressing these will not only keep your head on but will keep it on straight
Share this eBook
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Any project manager has probably heard this time and time again You must clearly define the scope of your project Be it in the form of a definition document a program charter or whatever you want to call it you need to document the who what why and how of your project
Yet time and time and again people dont They fall victim to scope creep and the project veers wildly off track
Consider Manellos analogy Imagine you are project managing the construction of a house Have you agreed with the buyer how big the house should be Will it require gas heat or electric One story or two These questions must be answered upfront or the schedule and budget may be a disaster Your project is no different
1 Youre Not Clear From the Get-Go
This happens all the time Remember that scope document we so diligently crafted Most forget about it once the project is underway and thats when the change requests come flying in
Manello says you should stop and ask a critical question Do we line the requests up against the original scope or do we just blindly accept them In other words is there a legitimate justification for the change If not youre headed down a slippery slope
2 You Accept a Change Request Without a Second Thought
Share this eBook
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
A status report is due and a member of a team documents everything and anything theyve done for the last two weeks Manello notes this is an easy way for the team member to justify his or her existence
The problem is this that this information dump doesnt provide context to the project as a whole Are all those tasks the team-member completed helping to move the project forward If so how The ideal is to start with a document that shows how completed tasks will move the project forward
3 Your Status Report Has No Context
Its great if your project is on time and on-budget ndash but what if the status report doesnt indicate that youve only produced 10 of the widgets you were supposed to create Make sure your metrics reflect the overall progress of the project and include relevant business metrics
4 Your Status Report is Only About Money and Time
A one-page progress report can become a five-page report after five reporting periods unless you take out the information about whats already been completed Theres no need to report continuously on the past Manello said A report should be focused on current efforts
5 Your Status Report is Cumulative
Share this eBook
Share this eBooksmartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Imagine snarling at your CEO like Jack Nicholson Can your company handle the truth Do they react in knee-jerk fashion and initiate beheadings Or are they willing to adapt to issues on the fly and make the dynamic changes required in business
Management needs to be understanding and supportive otherwise they wont receive accurate information Project managers should be able to thrive in an environment where reporting a red flag in a status report is a call for support from management Manello said Red is not a reflection on the PM doing a poor job
6 Your Corporate Culture Cant Handle the Truth
Manello recalled a company in which the Project Management Office had lost its focus on value and was consumed with PM processes Whenever a project was to be completed the PM had to complete 140 project management deliverables And these were in addition to whatever product was to be produced
This kind of bureaucratic brow-beating disconnected from a focus on value-add is simply not a good thing for project managers Processes and compliance are appropriate but they shouldnt go overboard There is a point of diminishing returns Manello remarked You need to know how much is enough and how much is too much
7 You Build Too Many Frameworks That Dont Work
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Project management is about more than just managers and people It also requires governance over the methods process templates and tools that will result in an initiatives success
Processes should streamline delivery templates should ease and enable and tools should only automate what has been proven to work effectively in a manual fashion Manello wrote in his article The art of project management the four horsemen a sentiment which should make a project manager stand up and cheer
Carl admits to being a tool bigot in this regard Get a good process in place first he said A tool can be very encumbering to try and force-fit into an organization that has yet to master the process or which lacks the capabilities to perform
8 Your Management is Only About People
Now that youre up to speed on the 8 worst blunders its up to you to avoid them as best you can Naturally some of these blunders will be out of your control ndash it may someone higher up the food chain who is running the train off the tracks
If thats the case feel free to share this article with them Put your heads together Its better than the alternative right
Share this eBook
Try the Ultimate Project Management template from Smartsheet that keeps millions of satisfied project managers and their projects on track
Try It FREE
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Its that point in the meeting that all project managers dread The moment when all eyes turn to you and the Big Kahuna (aka the CEO the Chairman of the Board the VP of Marketing) basically says This cluster is falling on your head
Maybe its not a literal beheading that you receive but its definitely nothing good for your career
As a project manager youll be shouldering much of the blame if things go wrong Thats not easy or necessarily fair especially when you put so much into your work
Which is why we spoke with Solution Architect (and Project Management savant) Carl Manello of Slalom Consulting to identify these 8 common project management blunders Addressing these will not only keep your head on but will keep it on straight
Share this eBook
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Any project manager has probably heard this time and time again You must clearly define the scope of your project Be it in the form of a definition document a program charter or whatever you want to call it you need to document the who what why and how of your project
Yet time and time and again people dont They fall victim to scope creep and the project veers wildly off track
Consider Manellos analogy Imagine you are project managing the construction of a house Have you agreed with the buyer how big the house should be Will it require gas heat or electric One story or two These questions must be answered upfront or the schedule and budget may be a disaster Your project is no different
1 Youre Not Clear From the Get-Go
This happens all the time Remember that scope document we so diligently crafted Most forget about it once the project is underway and thats when the change requests come flying in
Manello says you should stop and ask a critical question Do we line the requests up against the original scope or do we just blindly accept them In other words is there a legitimate justification for the change If not youre headed down a slippery slope
2 You Accept a Change Request Without a Second Thought
Share this eBook
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
A status report is due and a member of a team documents everything and anything theyve done for the last two weeks Manello notes this is an easy way for the team member to justify his or her existence
The problem is this that this information dump doesnt provide context to the project as a whole Are all those tasks the team-member completed helping to move the project forward If so how The ideal is to start with a document that shows how completed tasks will move the project forward
3 Your Status Report Has No Context
Its great if your project is on time and on-budget ndash but what if the status report doesnt indicate that youve only produced 10 of the widgets you were supposed to create Make sure your metrics reflect the overall progress of the project and include relevant business metrics
4 Your Status Report is Only About Money and Time
A one-page progress report can become a five-page report after five reporting periods unless you take out the information about whats already been completed Theres no need to report continuously on the past Manello said A report should be focused on current efforts
5 Your Status Report is Cumulative
Share this eBook
Share this eBooksmartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Imagine snarling at your CEO like Jack Nicholson Can your company handle the truth Do they react in knee-jerk fashion and initiate beheadings Or are they willing to adapt to issues on the fly and make the dynamic changes required in business
Management needs to be understanding and supportive otherwise they wont receive accurate information Project managers should be able to thrive in an environment where reporting a red flag in a status report is a call for support from management Manello said Red is not a reflection on the PM doing a poor job
6 Your Corporate Culture Cant Handle the Truth
Manello recalled a company in which the Project Management Office had lost its focus on value and was consumed with PM processes Whenever a project was to be completed the PM had to complete 140 project management deliverables And these were in addition to whatever product was to be produced
This kind of bureaucratic brow-beating disconnected from a focus on value-add is simply not a good thing for project managers Processes and compliance are appropriate but they shouldnt go overboard There is a point of diminishing returns Manello remarked You need to know how much is enough and how much is too much
7 You Build Too Many Frameworks That Dont Work
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Project management is about more than just managers and people It also requires governance over the methods process templates and tools that will result in an initiatives success
Processes should streamline delivery templates should ease and enable and tools should only automate what has been proven to work effectively in a manual fashion Manello wrote in his article The art of project management the four horsemen a sentiment which should make a project manager stand up and cheer
Carl admits to being a tool bigot in this regard Get a good process in place first he said A tool can be very encumbering to try and force-fit into an organization that has yet to master the process or which lacks the capabilities to perform
8 Your Management is Only About People
Now that youre up to speed on the 8 worst blunders its up to you to avoid them as best you can Naturally some of these blunders will be out of your control ndash it may someone higher up the food chain who is running the train off the tracks
If thats the case feel free to share this article with them Put your heads together Its better than the alternative right
Share this eBook
Try the Ultimate Project Management template from Smartsheet that keeps millions of satisfied project managers and their projects on track
Try It FREE
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Any project manager has probably heard this time and time again You must clearly define the scope of your project Be it in the form of a definition document a program charter or whatever you want to call it you need to document the who what why and how of your project
Yet time and time and again people dont They fall victim to scope creep and the project veers wildly off track
Consider Manellos analogy Imagine you are project managing the construction of a house Have you agreed with the buyer how big the house should be Will it require gas heat or electric One story or two These questions must be answered upfront or the schedule and budget may be a disaster Your project is no different
1 Youre Not Clear From the Get-Go
This happens all the time Remember that scope document we so diligently crafted Most forget about it once the project is underway and thats when the change requests come flying in
Manello says you should stop and ask a critical question Do we line the requests up against the original scope or do we just blindly accept them In other words is there a legitimate justification for the change If not youre headed down a slippery slope
2 You Accept a Change Request Without a Second Thought
Share this eBook
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
A status report is due and a member of a team documents everything and anything theyve done for the last two weeks Manello notes this is an easy way for the team member to justify his or her existence
The problem is this that this information dump doesnt provide context to the project as a whole Are all those tasks the team-member completed helping to move the project forward If so how The ideal is to start with a document that shows how completed tasks will move the project forward
3 Your Status Report Has No Context
Its great if your project is on time and on-budget ndash but what if the status report doesnt indicate that youve only produced 10 of the widgets you were supposed to create Make sure your metrics reflect the overall progress of the project and include relevant business metrics
4 Your Status Report is Only About Money and Time
A one-page progress report can become a five-page report after five reporting periods unless you take out the information about whats already been completed Theres no need to report continuously on the past Manello said A report should be focused on current efforts
5 Your Status Report is Cumulative
Share this eBook
Share this eBooksmartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Imagine snarling at your CEO like Jack Nicholson Can your company handle the truth Do they react in knee-jerk fashion and initiate beheadings Or are they willing to adapt to issues on the fly and make the dynamic changes required in business
Management needs to be understanding and supportive otherwise they wont receive accurate information Project managers should be able to thrive in an environment where reporting a red flag in a status report is a call for support from management Manello said Red is not a reflection on the PM doing a poor job
6 Your Corporate Culture Cant Handle the Truth
Manello recalled a company in which the Project Management Office had lost its focus on value and was consumed with PM processes Whenever a project was to be completed the PM had to complete 140 project management deliverables And these were in addition to whatever product was to be produced
This kind of bureaucratic brow-beating disconnected from a focus on value-add is simply not a good thing for project managers Processes and compliance are appropriate but they shouldnt go overboard There is a point of diminishing returns Manello remarked You need to know how much is enough and how much is too much
7 You Build Too Many Frameworks That Dont Work
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Project management is about more than just managers and people It also requires governance over the methods process templates and tools that will result in an initiatives success
Processes should streamline delivery templates should ease and enable and tools should only automate what has been proven to work effectively in a manual fashion Manello wrote in his article The art of project management the four horsemen a sentiment which should make a project manager stand up and cheer
Carl admits to being a tool bigot in this regard Get a good process in place first he said A tool can be very encumbering to try and force-fit into an organization that has yet to master the process or which lacks the capabilities to perform
8 Your Management is Only About People
Now that youre up to speed on the 8 worst blunders its up to you to avoid them as best you can Naturally some of these blunders will be out of your control ndash it may someone higher up the food chain who is running the train off the tracks
If thats the case feel free to share this article with them Put your heads together Its better than the alternative right
Share this eBook
Try the Ultimate Project Management template from Smartsheet that keeps millions of satisfied project managers and their projects on track
Try It FREE
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
A status report is due and a member of a team documents everything and anything theyve done for the last two weeks Manello notes this is an easy way for the team member to justify his or her existence
The problem is this that this information dump doesnt provide context to the project as a whole Are all those tasks the team-member completed helping to move the project forward If so how The ideal is to start with a document that shows how completed tasks will move the project forward
3 Your Status Report Has No Context
Its great if your project is on time and on-budget ndash but what if the status report doesnt indicate that youve only produced 10 of the widgets you were supposed to create Make sure your metrics reflect the overall progress of the project and include relevant business metrics
4 Your Status Report is Only About Money and Time
A one-page progress report can become a five-page report after five reporting periods unless you take out the information about whats already been completed Theres no need to report continuously on the past Manello said A report should be focused on current efforts
5 Your Status Report is Cumulative
Share this eBook
Share this eBooksmartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Imagine snarling at your CEO like Jack Nicholson Can your company handle the truth Do they react in knee-jerk fashion and initiate beheadings Or are they willing to adapt to issues on the fly and make the dynamic changes required in business
Management needs to be understanding and supportive otherwise they wont receive accurate information Project managers should be able to thrive in an environment where reporting a red flag in a status report is a call for support from management Manello said Red is not a reflection on the PM doing a poor job
6 Your Corporate Culture Cant Handle the Truth
Manello recalled a company in which the Project Management Office had lost its focus on value and was consumed with PM processes Whenever a project was to be completed the PM had to complete 140 project management deliverables And these were in addition to whatever product was to be produced
This kind of bureaucratic brow-beating disconnected from a focus on value-add is simply not a good thing for project managers Processes and compliance are appropriate but they shouldnt go overboard There is a point of diminishing returns Manello remarked You need to know how much is enough and how much is too much
7 You Build Too Many Frameworks That Dont Work
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Project management is about more than just managers and people It also requires governance over the methods process templates and tools that will result in an initiatives success
Processes should streamline delivery templates should ease and enable and tools should only automate what has been proven to work effectively in a manual fashion Manello wrote in his article The art of project management the four horsemen a sentiment which should make a project manager stand up and cheer
Carl admits to being a tool bigot in this regard Get a good process in place first he said A tool can be very encumbering to try and force-fit into an organization that has yet to master the process or which lacks the capabilities to perform
8 Your Management is Only About People
Now that youre up to speed on the 8 worst blunders its up to you to avoid them as best you can Naturally some of these blunders will be out of your control ndash it may someone higher up the food chain who is running the train off the tracks
If thats the case feel free to share this article with them Put your heads together Its better than the alternative right
Share this eBook
Try the Ultimate Project Management template from Smartsheet that keeps millions of satisfied project managers and their projects on track
Try It FREE
Share this eBooksmartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Imagine snarling at your CEO like Jack Nicholson Can your company handle the truth Do they react in knee-jerk fashion and initiate beheadings Or are they willing to adapt to issues on the fly and make the dynamic changes required in business
Management needs to be understanding and supportive otherwise they wont receive accurate information Project managers should be able to thrive in an environment where reporting a red flag in a status report is a call for support from management Manello said Red is not a reflection on the PM doing a poor job
6 Your Corporate Culture Cant Handle the Truth
Manello recalled a company in which the Project Management Office had lost its focus on value and was consumed with PM processes Whenever a project was to be completed the PM had to complete 140 project management deliverables And these were in addition to whatever product was to be produced
This kind of bureaucratic brow-beating disconnected from a focus on value-add is simply not a good thing for project managers Processes and compliance are appropriate but they shouldnt go overboard There is a point of diminishing returns Manello remarked You need to know how much is enough and how much is too much
7 You Build Too Many Frameworks That Dont Work
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Project management is about more than just managers and people It also requires governance over the methods process templates and tools that will result in an initiatives success
Processes should streamline delivery templates should ease and enable and tools should only automate what has been proven to work effectively in a manual fashion Manello wrote in his article The art of project management the four horsemen a sentiment which should make a project manager stand up and cheer
Carl admits to being a tool bigot in this regard Get a good process in place first he said A tool can be very encumbering to try and force-fit into an organization that has yet to master the process or which lacks the capabilities to perform
8 Your Management is Only About People
Now that youre up to speed on the 8 worst blunders its up to you to avoid them as best you can Naturally some of these blunders will be out of your control ndash it may someone higher up the food chain who is running the train off the tracks
If thats the case feel free to share this article with them Put your heads together Its better than the alternative right
Share this eBook
Try the Ultimate Project Management template from Smartsheet that keeps millions of satisfied project managers and their projects on track
Try It FREE
smartsheetcom mdash 4252831870copy 2013 Smartsheetcom All rights reserved
Project management is about more than just managers and people It also requires governance over the methods process templates and tools that will result in an initiatives success
Processes should streamline delivery templates should ease and enable and tools should only automate what has been proven to work effectively in a manual fashion Manello wrote in his article The art of project management the four horsemen a sentiment which should make a project manager stand up and cheer
Carl admits to being a tool bigot in this regard Get a good process in place first he said A tool can be very encumbering to try and force-fit into an organization that has yet to master the process or which lacks the capabilities to perform
8 Your Management is Only About People
Now that youre up to speed on the 8 worst blunders its up to you to avoid them as best you can Naturally some of these blunders will be out of your control ndash it may someone higher up the food chain who is running the train off the tracks
If thats the case feel free to share this article with them Put your heads together Its better than the alternative right
Share this eBook
Try the Ultimate Project Management template from Smartsheet that keeps millions of satisfied project managers and their projects on track
Try It FREE
