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Skumolski, G. y Hartman, F. ( diciembre, 2000 ) . The project achilles

heel : misalignment . Cost Engineering, 42 (12) pp. 33-37. (AR22863)

The Project Achilles Heel:MisalignmentGregory J. Skulmoski and Dr. Francis T. Hartman, P.Eng.

KEY WORDS: project success, alignment, tools and techniques, SMART project man-agement (strategically managed, aligned, regenerative teams in a transitional environment)

Omost projects, success

means different things to dif-ferent people. For example, apipeline project might be

considered to be a success if the engineer-ing is completed on time and is technical-ly "tight." A pipeline could be a successbecause it was completed as scheduledduring three construction seasons, or be-cause it operates as designed, or if itsmaintenance procedures can be executedeasily and effectively. These are four dif-ferent definitions of project success fromfour different stakeholders. Should theproject fail in any one of these successconditions, it could be considered a fail-ure in the eyes of the concerned stake-holder. Even though the engineering istechnically well done and the construc-tion finished as scheduled, the operationsstaff may be dissatisfied with the pipeline ifit is cumbersome to operate and maintain.How does one satisfy all of the key stake-holders? Aligning their measures of suc-cess and managing their expectations arethe keys to project alignment.

What if the schedules, budgets, andbaseline plans we develop are not impor-tant to the people working on the project?Other success criteria may be more im-portant. Cost engineers need to meet the

needs of their clients by choosing the mostappropriate tools and procedures. Projectalignment and symptoms of misalignmentare presented in this article, and two toolsthat can help to achieve alignment in proj-ects are presented . Without project align-ment, a project is a failing endeavor evenbefore significant work begins.

PROJECT ALIGNMENTWhen one considers the symptoms ofproject misalignment, it appears to be a

common problem. There are many symp-toms of misalignment [3] . A common fea-ture of projects that lack alignment is thatproject definition seems to continuethroughout the project. New project teammembers try to change the project. Projectrules continue to change, or the project di-rection appears to drift. Cost overruns,schedule problems, disputes, massivescope creep, and rework also are symp-toms of misalignment. Misalignment costsmoney, time, and reputations. Achievingalignment requires project participants totake time at the start of the project to de-fine project success, determine exactlywhen the project is finished , identify thekey stakeholders, and clarify which project

Cost Engineering Vol. 42/No. 12 DECEMBER 2000

constraints are most important. The de-gree of project success is often determinedby how early in the project these elementsare considered and agreed upon, and howearly expectations are managed [6].

Project alignment begins by selectingprojects that support the corporate direc-tion [3]. Project alignment involves pro-cesses to ensure that key stakeholdersshare a common understanding of theproject's mission, goals, objectives, tactics,and plans. The key stakeholders' expecta-tions and objectives need to be consid-ered, documented, and prioritized. Align-ment is not so much an objective to beachieved as much as it is a process. Align-ment is more likely to occur if a methodi-cal process is followed .Throughout a proj-ect, new team members are added, andthese people need to be oriented to theproject. They need to have the same (andaccurate) understanding of the project'smission, goals, objectives, taches, andplans. lndeed, their competencies need tobe aligned with the requirements neces-sary to complete the project [9]. As a proj-ect progresses, those involved need to con-tinue to share the same vision of successand project completion. Project align-ment is therefore like navigation: the re-quired destination remains the samethroughout the journey even if travelersare knocked off course from time to time.Project participants need to keep centralto their duties the project's mission, goals,objectives, taches, and plans so that i f theyare knocked off course or have difficultiesalong the way, they will always know thedestination called project success.

The Benefits of Project AlignmentAlignment is critica! for organiza-

tions. Without alignment, organizationswill flounder [7], will beco me less com-petitive [ 1], and a culture of stress andconflict can result [8]. Project alignmentdrives the behavior of project participants.When a project is truly aligned, many ex-traordinary things happen. Human naturebeing what it is, people are often interest-ed in personal success, which can be apowerful motivator if personal success isachieved at the same time as project suc-cess. Misalignment occurs if one stake-holder's strategy is attained at the expense

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another. A win-win attitucle must clriveif true alignmcnt is to be

who work tomind ,

Stakeholders' expectations are manin project planning. Their

eeds, expectations, fears, ancl frustrationsre all heard ancl unclerstood by the otherey stakeholclers. lt may turn out that

some of their requirements will not bemet; however, since they have been consultecl ancl their expectations were considered, and because they know why some ofthei r requirements are no t a part of theproject, they are more likely to buy intothe project. "Unreasonable" expectationsncl/or scope creep are reduced.

One important byproduct of alignent is that there will be synergy of plan

ing. Stakeholclers might use their collective competencies to clevelop a better planthe beginning of the project. Better

lans help to reduce quality problems anclrework and to meet buclget and scheduleobjectives. Problem-solving is also improved since the stakeholclers share a common unclerstancling of project success andre committecl to achieving that success.

In such a project environment, conflict isrecluced. Once again, alignment brings itsarticipants together to work toward projc t success.

AlignmentProject alignment cloes no t just hap

en: it needs to be pLumee!, communicatecl, monitorecl, and controlled [2]. Likether project management processes, proj

ec t alignment ncccls to be evaluatedthroughout thc 1 fe cycle of the projectancl correctivc action taken, if necessary.

can be used to facilitate projectlignment- the priori ty triangle and the

three key questions too! [3 ). In real projects, these two tools are easily understoodand used by project stakeholclers.

THREE KEY QUESTIONSThe primary stakeholclers need to be

sked three key questions in arder to es-tablish and maintain projcct alignment.

\Vho: who gets to vote on the first twoquestions?

\Von: what is success for this project? Done: when is the pro ject finished?Statecl another way, who-won-clone needto be askecl at the start of a project.

Th e first question is based on whogets to vote on answering the next twoquestions. That is, who are the primarystakeholders? Primary stakeholclers arethose who are significantly affectecl by theproject or who can significantly affect theproject [3 , 5]. These stakeholclers neecl tobecome involved early in the project anclshould be asked the next two questions.Th e who-won-clone questions help to delineate success and are critica] for projectalignment.

Determining exactly what successlooks like is the focus of the seconcl question. Depencling upon the type of project,clelineating success may be clifficult forsorne stakeholders to express. "lmproveclmaintenance" does not offer much guiclance . However, should measurable anclobjective metrics be included, such as"maintenance is completed 30 percentfaster," then success becomes more objectively measured ancl evaluated. Engineering may have multiple measures of success, such as a specific number of iterations the clrawings ancl specifications mustgo through in order to receive client approval. For engineering, a low number ofiterations are desirable. Engineering anclmaintenance can work together using theprincipies of value engineering to improvemaintenance time and reduce the numberof iterations the plans ancl specificationsmust go through to receive approval by theproject sponsor.

Finally, when the project is consiclerecl completed neecls to be identifiecl.With the pipeline project example, we seethat the different stakeholclers have cliffer-en t perspectives regarcling when the project is complete. For example, the engineering team's involvement may be finishecl when the client formally approvesengineering clrawings ancl specifications.1-Iowever, the operations tearn may consicler the pipeline finishecl when the firstmajar maintenance is successfully performecl. We have two very clifferent anclvalid completion criteria. Th e critica] dy-narnic that needs to occur is engineeringand operations collaborating to ensurethat both finish conditions are achieved.

Cost Engineering Vol. 42/No. 12 DECE!viBER 2000

Their timing of completion does not necessarily need to coincide.

lmplementationIt is often beneficia! for an externa! f

cilitator to concluct the three key questionexercise. When a third party facilitates thexercise, it reduces the probability of a kestakeholcler clominating and forcing thresults that he or she desires. Th e projesponsor and obvious key stakeholdeidentify who gets to vote on the subsquent two questions (clone and won). Dtermining who gets to vote neecls to be etablished early in the project. Next, thkey stakeholclers are assembled to answethe two cuestions. Befare the two quetions are answered, the facilitator shoulexplain the importance of alignment anhow the three key cuestions can be used tcreate alignment. Th e facilitator also rnaask if any key stakeholders have been erroneously omitted. Ideally, all key stakeholcers, rather than all stakeholclers, should bpresent. If all key stakeholclers are presenthe exercise proceeds, and the group answers the two questions. If key stakeholcers are absent, the meeting should brescheduled if those present cannot accurately represent their interests.

Whi]e there may be many ways concluct the three key questions exercisusing yellow sticky notes has been very efective. Th e exercise begins by cletermining what constitutes project success. Thencompasses what the "won" is for thproject. Those present write their answeon the notes ancl place them on a wallbe seen by the group. When no new answers are placee! on the board, clarifiction may be asked for, if necessary. Clarifcaban ancl justification are useful becausthey promote cliscussion ancl understancing. These conclitions of success can bgrouped into similar categories. lt is important to clocument the rationale for whthe condition is important to the key stakholders. Understanding the rationale wiimprove overall unclerstanding ancl faciltate alignment. Different stakeholcleoften iclentify similar success conditionFor example, engineering, operations, anmaintenance personnel al! might iclentifsimplicity as a success conclition. How exactly is simplicity defined, and how ismeasured? The condi tions for successhould be translated into measurable anobjective deliverables. Simplicity fo

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ct. Positioning and explaining the contraints in this manner aids in understand

mg.A more significant improvement is

he addition of "no-go" zones. These forcehe stakeholders to emphasize a single

constraint, which is important for projectsuccess. No longer can stakeholders remain imparta!; they are required tochoose the main constraint to guide theproject team. In addition to the "no-go"zones, the priority triangle has been quartered so that the project constraints are prioritized. In figure 2, the stakeholder hasclearly indicated that cost is the main project constraint. Should decisions be required regarding time, cost, andquality/scope, the project team knows thatcost targets need to be achieved, followedby meeting the schedule. Quality andscope can be sacrificed to meet the othertwo constraints. Placement of the "X"within each of the quadrants indicates thedegree of criticality for each constraint. Inthis example, meeting cost targets is critica!, but time is also somewhat importantbecause the "X" has not been placed as farto the bottom of the priority triangle aspossible.

lmplementationThe priority triangle can quickly help

to align a project team regarding the project constraints and is most effective whenkey stakeholders can jointly prioritize theconstraints for the project in the earlystages of the planning phase. The exercisebegins with an explanation of the importance of alignment and the tradeoffamong constraints. How the priority triangle works also is explained. N ext, thestakeholders are instructed to draw the priority triangle on a piece of paper and toplace an "X" in the quadrant that is mostimportant for them. The facilitator thenelicits their responses. lnevitably, the "X"is placed in different quadrants, dependingupon the stakeholder's function. For ex-ample, a person from finance/accountingmay place her "X" in one of the cost quadrants to indicate that meeting cost objectives is most important for the project.Someone from marketing may differ andplace his "X" in a quadrant to show thatmeeting schedule objectives is critica!; thetime to market is critica! and any delaywill cost the company market share. Operations or repair personnel may favor quali-

ty because a higher quality product resultsin fewer returns or ease of maintenance.

Different stakeholders have differentperspectives about the importance of theproject constraints to the success of theproject. The facilitator needs to elicit therationale behind the stakeholders' selection . This discussion is critica!, sin ce it canlead to an improved understanding of keystakeholders' perspectives by those involved. Understanding facilitates alignment. The exercise ends with the principal stakeholder, often the sponsor, determining the ranking of the project constraints. This decision is documented inthe project charter. On sorne projects, thepriorities change with time. Sometimes,quality takes precedence at the beginningof a project, but as the project progresses,cost often becomes most important if actual costs begin to exceed the original estimates. Finally, as the project nears completion, there is often a desire to completethe project as soon as possible, so time becomes the priority. The priority trianglecan assist the project team track thesechanges throughout the project's lifecycle.

BenefitsThere are many benefits from using

the priority triangle. Perhaps the most important is that the project team and stakeholders have a shared understanding ofthe project constraints' ranking. With anunderstanding of which constraint is thepriority, a team member can make betterdecisions independently or on the teamand be assured that the decision regardingthe constraints is correct and aligned withthe project objectives. Such an understanding reduces conflict. The team has ashared understanding of which constraintis supreme, and even if the members donot agree with the ranking, they can be ex-pected to carry out their responsibilities ina manner that is aligned with the project'sobjectives. A common understanding canunite the team and promote collaborationand commitment. Project alignment isfostered.

Like most tools, the priority triangle isa single-purpose too! that works very wellfor what it was intended to do: prioritizethe traditional constraints facing a project.It does not identify other factors that maycontribute to project success (figure 3).Often, the customer defines project suc-

Cost Engineering Vol. 42/No. 12 DECEMBER 2000

V "No Go" Zone~ "Customer Satisfaction" Zone

Figure 3 - Priority Triangle WithCustomer Satisfaction Zonecess in other terms in addition to the proect constraints. For customer satisfactioother factors related to the project costraints need to be delivered. For examplsuccess factors such as ease of operatioand maintenance may be more critica! focustomer satisfaction th an finishing a proect on budget.

A ignment is necessary for proect success. As alignment slipsuccess also becomes more elsive: the project may becomlate, go over budget, or have quality prolems. Misalignment is a project's Achillheel and can quickly lead to project faiure. Alignment needs to be planned anmanaged from the very beginning. Aligment is a process that must be monitoreand controlled throughout the projecjust like other cost engineering processesueh as schedule or risk management. Ththree key questions contribute to aligment by defining what a successful projelooks like and when it is finished for thproject's key stakeholders, while the prioity triangle further helps to prioritizwhich constraints are most important fosuccess. These tools are easy to use and avaluable additions to a cost engineer's tokit.

REFERENCESl. Cabrera, Elizabeth F., and JaimBonache. An Expert HR System fAlgning Organizational Culture an

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Strategy. Human Resource Planning22 (l): 1999.2. Griffith, A., and E. Gibson. ProjectCommunication and Alignment Durng the Pre-Project Plannng. Proceedings of the 26th Annual ProjectManagement lnstitute Seminars &Syrnposium. Upper Darby, PA: Project Management lnstitute, 1995.

3. Hartman, Francis. Don't Park YourBrain Outside: A Practica} Cuide tolmproving Shareholder Value WithSMART Management. NewtownSquare, PA : Project Management lnstitute, 2000.4. Hartman, Francis, and Greg Skulmoski. The Quest for Team Competence. Project Management 5 (1):1999.

5. Jergeas, George , Erin Williamson,Greg Skulmoski, and Janice Thomas.Stakeholder Management on Constructon Projects. 2000 AACE lnternational Transactions. Morgantown,WV: AACE International, 2000 .

6. Kirk, Dorothy. Managing Expectations. PM Network (August 2000) .

Gregory J. Skulmoskiis a member o{ theChinook-Calgary Section o{ AACE lnternational. Greg hasproject experience ingovernment, healthcare, retail, and the oiland gas sectors. He has functional and

project experience in information systemsand finance and is studying under the di-rection o{ Dr. Francis T. Hartman, P.Eng .,in the Project Management SpecalizationProgramme at the University o{ Calgary.Hs Ph.D. research is about project participant competency. He has taught projectmanagement at the University o{ Calgarywhile completing his studies. Greg regularly publishes his research in joumals andpresents at conferences, including those o{AACE lntemational, the Project Management lnstitute, th e Association {or ProjectManagement, the International ProjectManagement Association, and the lntemational Research Network on Organizing byProjects .

Dr. Francis T. Harman, P.Eng., has ov28 years o{ industriexperience in the management o{projects anrelated fields . Hgained experence oover $6-billon worthprojects in Canada, the US, and overseaIn 1991, he joined the University o{ Cagary as the director of the project managment specialzation. Serving as the chairproject management has led to the development o{ a research program that is based oproject management priorities establisheby an industry advisory group . Dr. Harman is involved in consulting activities icluding improving project managemendispute avoidance, and managementtechnology projects (software). His profesional activities include active membershor support o{ a number of professional assciations.+

PROJECT CONTROL SOLUTIONS7. Labovitz, George, and Vctor Rosan

sky. The Power of Alignment: HowGreat Companies Stay Centeredand Accomplish ExtraordinaryThings. New York: John Wiley andSons, lnc., 1997. Consulting - Training- Staffing8. Semler, Steven W. Systematic Agreement: A Theory o{ OrganizatonalAlgnment. Human Resource Development Quarterly 8 ( l): 1997.9. Skulmoski, Greg. Crtica[ Performance Competencies for Cost Engineers. 2000 AACE lnternationalTransactions . Morgantown , WV :AACE lnternational, 2000.

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Cost Engineering Vol. 42/No. 12 DECEMBER 2000 37