Presentation by jv rao

Mantra for Innovative Project Management

J V RAOVice PresidentESSAR PROJECTS (INDIA) LTD

TITLE OF THE PAPER: 10 COMMANDMENTS OF PROJECT SUCCESS

THEME: MANTRA FOR INNOVATIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

KEY WORDS: MIND- BODY -SOUL

AUTHOR: J V RAO, PMP

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

A. INTRODUCTION

B. 3 CARDINAL RULES

C. 10 COMMANDMENTS OF PROJECT SUCCESS

1. Have an eagle eye on scope2. Count all $ for project3. Develop a dedicated Project team4. Look for hurdles on the way to project success5. Infuse PDCA a must habit in the team6. QCD sequence, a favorable strategy in project deliverables7. Use CSR as 3 musketeers to control deliverables8. Right PRINT strategy in procurement9. Customer is First – service Motto in meeting internal & stake holder requirements 10. Make Project site –a place of FUN

D. CONCLUSIONS

10 COMMANDMENTS OF PROJECT SUCCESS

A. INTRODUCTION:

This paper dealswith the MIND-BODY –SOUL link to “carrying out the job with passion &vigor”.

Knowledge, Skill (Action) &Attitude are considered as essential traits for a person for performing

his/her duty. Knowledge is the trait connected with Mind,Skill (Action) with Body and Attitude

with Soul.

Project is a mammoth task with major challenges and dealing with so many stakeholders. The

project lead and members are to be self-disciplined and self-realized for executing this

mammoth task.

The paper deals with 3 basic cardinal rules linked with MIND-BODY –SOUL. The project lead

and teammember are required to undergo and practice these rules. This phase is considered as

self-realization process. The team members and team lead to practice these cardinal rules on

day today activities.

The concept of MIND-BODY –SOUL is used further in outlining various aspects which are

essential totakea project to success. Each aspect contributing for success is termed as

commandment.The 10 commandments envisioned for project success are:

10 COMMANDMENTS OF PROJECT SUCCESS

1. COMMANDMENT # 1 - Have an eagle eye on scope

2. COMMANDMENT # 2 - Count all $ for the project

3. COMMANDMENT # 3- Develop a dedicated Project team

4. COMMANDMENT # 4- Look for hurdles on the way to project success

5. COMMANDMENT # 5- Infuse PDCA a must habit in the team

6. COMMANDMENT # 6- QCD sequence, a favorable strategy in project deliverables

7. COMMANDMENT # 7- Use CSR as 3 musketeers to control deliverables

8. COMMANDMENT # 8 - Right PRINT strategy in procurement

9. COMMANDMENT # 9 - Customer is First – service Motto in meeting internal &

stake holder requirements

10. COMMANDMENT # 10 - Make Project site –a place of FUN

B. 3 CARDINAL RULES :

1. Cardinal rule #1(CR1)– “Be Child, Be probing–keep fire in belly”

Background:We find children young at heart with lot of fire in their belly to explore everything. It

has been proved that, the learning curve of children is steep.But unfortunately, they develop

inhibitions as they grow up and stop questioning. Young trainees or new entrants scare to ask

questions to his peers or superiors presuming the seniors put them down. The team members

carry out the activity, because he/she was asked to do. If,these inhibitions are not removed, it

will hamper their chances of learning and also cause a detrimental effect on assignments they

perform.

Cardinal rule#1 is devised to clear all hurdles on their learning process and goal. It needs a little

bit behavioral change in both Supervisor and subordinate

Behavioral Approach needed forsupervisor and subordinate to follow Rule#1

1. Be child- keep learning is a regular habit

2. Be probing- Go in depth of the details

3. Dare to ask – even your peer and supervisor

4. Knowledge is power – a good tool to hold all the time

5. Half Knowledge – Brings in disaster

6. Passion to excel

Punch lines–“Bache Bano” /“Be Child, Be probe –keep fire in belly”

Synopsis:It is recommended to encourage questioning process, among the team members

appropriateto the context. It will help to give good clarity on the assignment to be handled. It will

also lead to bring out various other options with value addition.

A simple way to instigate the probing nature among team members is to promote “5Y”

questioning process before arriving at agreement on theactivity.

The questions to be asked during detailing of deliverable/activity:

1. What is to be done?

2. Why it is to be done?

3. How it is to be done?

4. Where it is to be done?

5. When it is to be done?

The process of questioning and arriving at common agreement on the process of activity is

effective and takes reasonably less time if it is practiced on regular basis as a habit. The

questioning requires knowledge and experience in the subject matter. It is mainly a thinking

process and hence MIND is involved in this Cardinal Rule#1.

2. Cardinal Rule#2(CR2) – “Put Heart on the Job”

Background:It is observed that most of failures of projects aredue to lack of ownership of team

members. It happens, if the team members are not going in details of activities and not

understood about the activity. It has been observed in many project review meetings, where

everybody busy in giving justifications for missing targets. Such project meetings end

inconclusively. The cardinal rule#2 speaks about owner ship of activity. Once the team member

has agreement for the activity to be performed as per cardinal rule#1, he needs to own the

activity to bring it to logical end to meet the project objectives.

Behavioral Approach needed for subordinate to follow Rule#2

1. Be Honest

2. Be sincere

3. Avoid pass the buck attitude

4. Be communicative

Punch Lines – “Put heart on the Job”/ ‘Kam Karo Magar Dilse”

Synopsis: Across the table discussion among team members on project activity is required. This

type of discussions can lead to common agreement on clarity of the activity and fixing of

accountability among team members. Project team can use the RACI chart as tool for fixing of

accountability of members. The ownership of activity comes from heart and hence this rule is

connected with SOUL.

3. Cardinal Rule#3(CR3)– “Run to win”

Background: The 3rd rule addresses action. Having understood & owned the activity, now it is

required to put the activity in action and complete it at desired acceptable levels to meet the

project objectives. Most of the challenges take place in execution. Most of the resource

resources of projectare utilized in execution process group. Due to its complexity& constraints,

the execution process requires a close monitoring and control. Most of the team members

either slog or quit in midst of the activity due to tiresome in handling various constraints.

Cardinal Rule#3 gives guidelines to achieve this complex target. This rule speaks about degree

of persistence the members supposed to exhibit during course of performing the activity.

Behavioral Approach needed for Rule#3

1. Be Proactive

2. Start with end in mind

3. Dare to ask

4. Avoid Pass the Buck attitude

5. Be sincere

6. Be Empathetic

Punch Lines – “Run to win”/ “Lage Raho Munna Bhai”

Synopsis:Having gone through the CR1 &CR2, the project team member understood, agreed

and owned the activity to meet the project objective. The third rule CR3 guides the member how

to pursue the task. As the owner of the assigned activity, it is his responsibility to complete it in

time with optimum resources. He needs to chase the activity and organize resources to

complete it. The option of chasing for resources by him or to be chased by his supervisor for

progress is left to him. This rule advises to take up the 1st option as a best and winning option.

This draws the similarity of jungle theory where, Lion runs after its prey for survival. Both lion

and prey give their best for survival but, at the end only one who did not quit till the last moment

will win. Implementation of this rule CR3 requires perseverance and vigor of the team member

and hence it is connected with BODY.

C. 10 COMMANDMENTS OF PROJECT SUCCESS

1. COMMANDMENT # 1 - Have an eagle eye on scope

The project manager and project team member should have entire knowledge about the scope

of project. Even the minor details are expected to be known or defined before or during the

execution of project.

Some anomalies in the project scope are:

1. Drastic changes in scope after the contract is signed:

2. Startup of project without detailed scope document:

3. Clumsy contract document on scope: mad rush to push the work without details or

homework

Challenges in implementing this commandment

1. No scope clarity – project kick started

2. Major changes in signed off scope doc

3. There is scope clarity – team is inexperienced

4. In sufficient input data for detailing scope statement

5. Improper communication/ no transparency

TABLE -1.1 –MIND-BODY SOUL SOLUTIONS FOR COMM # 1

Knowledge Solutions

(Mind)Action Solutions (Body) Soul Solutions (Soul)

1. Stakeholder

management plan

2. Integrated Change

control

3. Scope Management

Plan

4. HR management Plan

1. Walk the Talk approach in

Project execution

2. Team development

&alignment meetings

3. SMEs team formation

4. Meetings with

vendors/technologists

5. Review meetings

1. Communicative

2. Assertiveness

3. Overview

4. Structure

5. Flexible

2. COMMANDMENT # 2 - Count all $ for the project

A detailed estimation accounting for even the minor expenditure is essential to arrive at the cost

of project.

Challenges in implementing this commandment:

1. Wrong estimation of volume of work due to lack of scope clarity

2. Rules and regulations of Project site(Law of Land)

3. Non availability of information on productivity of resources at project site

4. Market conditions

5. Logistics plan for onshore and off shore

6. Quality and safety norms/standards applicable at land of site and agreed in contract

7. Infrastructure available at project site


Knowledge Solutions (Mind) Action Solutions (Body) Soul Solutions (Soul)

1. Scope document with

WBS

2. Cost Management Plan

3. Quality management

Plan

1. Site visits by technical and

commercial team

2. Personal interaction with

local contractors and

vendors

1. COMM# 1

3. COMMANDMENT # 3- Develop a dedicated Project team

Creating an interdisciplinary team with the right mix of skills is vital to the smooth and

successful execution of any project. Projects are planned and implemented by teams of

individuals. Therefore the ability to work effectively in a team is an important characteristic of

successful project. The most difficult activity in project management is forming a dedicated right

team for handling the project.

Challenges to implement this commandment

1. Shortage of skilled people

2. Team conflicts

3. Team leadership issues

4. Team and individual Performance management issues

5. Issues related to Relocation of employees


Knowledge Solutions


1. HR management

Plan

2. General

Management

1. SMEs team formation

2. Team development

3. Implement ground rules for

team members

4. Issue logs with review

5. Meetings to bring in

congenial environment

among team members

1. Communicative

2. Versatility

3. Motivating

4. Persuasive

5. Cooperative

6. Coaching

4. COMMANDMENT # 4- Look for hurdles on the way to project success

Project success with various interdisciplinary functions as contributors is not a smooth sail.

Number of issues, conflicts, constraints and uncertainties will be encountered by project team

during execution of project. It is recommended to prepare risk register at the start of the project

and evaluation of risks and its response plan during project execution. Moving ahead of project

withoutidentifying risks or ignoring risks may lead to a disastrous end to the project

Challenges in identifying & evaluating Risks

1. Identification of risks

2. Team skills to evaluate risks

3. Cost impact of risks on project

4. Organization risk attitude

5. changes in business environment

TABLE -4.1 –MIND-BODY SOUL SOLUTIONS FOR COMM#4

5. COMMANDMENT # 5- Infuse PDCA a must habit in the team

“Plan Do Check Act” cycle is also known as Deming cycle. It is an iterative 4 step process

developed by Deming for controlling and improvement of processes. PDCA cycle is used for

developing critical thinking and continuous improvement. The team members will be given

sufficient training on usage of this PDCA cycle in all project activities and to ensure each team

member use this tool extensively as a regular habit for all activities.

Challenges in implementation of PDCA tool in all project activities

1. Diversity in work culture of Team members

2. Impatience in usage of this tool

3. Not sparing quality time for review and deliberations.

TABLE-5.1 –MIND-BODY –SOUL SOLUTIONS FOR COMM # 5

Knowledge Solutions


1. HR Management

Plan

2. Knowledge on

PDCA concepts

1. Project review meetings

2. Encourage brain storming

sessions among team

members

3. Lessons Learned workshops

1. Communicative

2. Assertiveness

3. Structure

4. Prioritization

5. Innovative

6. COMMANDMENT # 6- QCD sequence, a favorable strategy in project deliverables

Knowledge Solutions


1. Risk management Plan

2. Cost Management Plan

3. Tech & Commercial skills

4. Stakeholder Management

Plan

5. Business Case

1. Project review meetings on

Risk

2. Visits to project site&

discussions with SME/team to

identify risks.

3. Training on risk management

4. Lessons learned Workshops

1. Communicative

2. Assertiveness

3. Prioritization

4. Strategic

5. Innovative

QCD is related to deliverables of project. QCD means Quality, Cost and Delivery. While

carrying out project deliverables, the team members to keep in mind the key factors of

deliverables quality, cost and delivery in the same sequence. Quality of project deliverable is

the 1st and most priority, next comes the cost of project deliverable and finally the delivery of

project deliverable. If the team members face the conflict between the cost and quality of

deliverable, the priority should be given to quality. But, team members need to work out an

option to speed up the delivery of project deliverable without compromising quality and

cost.Implementation of QCD sequence strategy in project deliverables should be widely

promoted by the project lead.

Challenges in implementation of this Commandment:

1. Tight delivery schedules does not allow to focus on Q&C

2. Limitations on skill sets available in critical Q & C issues

3. Undue pressure from stake holders for completion of Project deliverables


Knowledge Solutions


1. Schedule

Management

Plan

2. COMM#1,2 ,4& 5

1. Project review meetings on Quality,

Budget & schedule

2. Encourage brain storming sessions

among team members

3. Project lead to take initiative to

promote this strategy as walk the

talk

4. Status meetings on project

5. lessons learned workshops

1. Communicative

2. Assertiveness

3. Prioritization

4. Innovative

5. Strategic

6. Persuasive

7. COMMANDMENT # 7- Use CSR as 3 musketeers to control deliverables

Project monitoring and control is one of the important aspects of project management. The

project success depends on how well and effectively the monitoring and control is implemented

in project execution. It is recommended to focus on Change Safety and Risk managements

while monitoring and controlling of project in entire project life cycle.These three elements of

projects are having highest impact on project deliverables. These three aspects are required to

be given priority in monitoring and control of projects and hence these three is considered as 3

musketeers in project control arena to steer the project to success.

Change management:This is part of project integration management.It requires attention right

from the inception of project to ensure that the changes proposed by the team during

engineering, procurement, construction are reviewed critically and implemented to contain

project triple constraints with in the project objectives.

Safety Management: Generally safety is considered by the team members as unavoidable

devil. There is a wrong notion among team members that the safety is one of the big hurdles in

speeding up the project deliverables. But, the safety aspects, local permits and local

environment obligations are critical and important in entire project life cycle. If one looks at

overall perspective of project progress, keeping the safety aspects on priority fromproject

inception will give good dividends.

Risk Management: Project Risk is an uncertain event or condition in the project that create a

positive or negative impact on project objectives. It is the responsibility of project manager/lead

to have a close watch on risks both known and unknown proactively. The project leadis required

to instigate his/her project team members to give priority for risk identification process.

Challenges in implementing this strategy/ commandment

1. No culture in organization to focus on these 3 aspects

2. Lack of knowledge in handling these aspects

3. Triple constraints syndrome & negligence of value engineering.


Knowledge Solutions


1. Configuration

management Plan

2. Project safety

management Plan

3. COMM#6

1. Review meetings on project Change

management

2. Implement reward & penalty scheme

on safety compliance.


4. Lessons learned workshops

5. Review meetings on Quality, Budget

& schedule


promote this strategy as walk the talk

1. COMM # 6

8. COMMANDMENT # 8 - Right PRINT strategy in procurement

The 8th commandment in this series covers the project procurement. Project procurement

management includes the processes necessary to purchase or acquire products, services and

results needed from outside the project team.

The strategy to buy or hire, when and how will be decided by the project procurement lead in

consultation with project planning lead and project lead. At times it is observed that the project

execution team is in waiting for want of material/equipment from the suppliers or the

equipment/material lying idle in project stores for want of project site clearance. These two are

supposed to be unwanted rather unproductive events for the sake of project success. It is

recommended to introduce the right PRINT (right PR procurement IN Time) strategy in

procurement throughout the project life cycle. It needs a close interaction between various

project knowledge processes groups.

Challenges for implementation of Right PRINT strategy in procurement

1. Scope is not clearly defined to finalize procurement philosophy

2. Requirements to be aligned with schedule

3. Procurement department working strategy to get the requirements in time (with

minimum idling at site)

4. Engineering, construction and admin teams to update requirement traceability matrix

to align with project schedule


Knowledge Solutions


1. Procurement

Management Plan

2. COMM#6

1. Review meetings on scope,

Quality, Budget & schedule

2. Lessons learned workshops


promote this strategy as walk

the talk

1. Communicative

2. Assertiveness

3. Proactive

4. Overview

5. Prioritization

6. Think win –win

7. Flexible

9. COMMANDMENT # 9 - Customer is First – service Motto in meeting internal & stake

holder requirements

Father of nation Mahatma Gandhi said “A customer is the most important visitor on our

premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our

work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not

doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.” It

is relevant and appropriate in projects. It is essential to cultivate a pro-customer service culture

among the project team members either it is internal or external customer. The projects lead to

drive this and ensure that team members work together.

Challenges to implement this commandment

1. Conflict between members due to personal differences

2. Mismatch in team dynamics

3. Improper handling of Stake holder engagement

4. Lack of initiative from TOP in resolving issues & boosting team spirit


Knowledge Solutions


1. COMM#1,3,4 & 6 1. Review meetings on project


among team members


promote this strategy as walk the talk

1. Communicative

2. Assertiveness

3. Empathy

4. Prioritization

5. Building Trust

10. COMMANDMENT # 10 - Make Project site –a place of FUN

A good working environment is essential to keep team spirit high. The importance of

ergonomics has gone up in corporate world. Basically there are two aspects which keep the

morale of team on high. They are 1) Materialistic factorsattributed to office furniture, ambience

of office, lighting etc. 2) non-materialistic factors (metaphysics)attributed to interpersonal

relationship between team members, work culture, working environment in office and site.

Materialistic Factors-

1. Well-furnished office with comfort & aesthetic view

2. Good lighting for comfort working

3. Hygiene conditions in catering and sanitation

4. Facilities for recreation in office and at site for members to relax

Non-materialistic Factors –

1. Good interpersonal relationships among team members

2. Cordial and courteous approach by project lead and project admin staff towards team

members

3. Suggestion scheme for upkeep of office decorum

Challenges to implement this commandment:

1. Low priority for this activity

2. This is indirect project cost and hence Expenditure is kept at low

3. There is myth that time spent for team building is unproductive


Knowledge Solutions


1. Learning and

Development

workshops

2. COMM#2,3 &7

1. Conduct team & family

get-togethers

2. Conduct indoor and

outdoor games for team

and family members

3. Reward schemes for

good housekeeping and

suggestions etc

4. Project lead to take

initiative to promote this

strategy as walk the talk

1. Communicative

2. Assertiveness

3. Innovative

4. Prioritization

5. Compassion

D. Conclusions:

It is evident that any action without knowledge and willing ness does not give fruitful results and

similarly the knowledge without action is useless. 10 COMMANDMENTS as mentioned in this

paper gives a broad outlook of various knowledge areas, actions and soft skills a team member

has to adopt to carry out major activities in a project to make it success.Project success is

culmination and blend of Knowledge, skills (action) and attitude. Right mixture of all these three

traits is required for project success. Project leader and project team members are required to

maintain a healthy body and mind with righteous intent to steer the project to success.

– J V RAO, PMP

Presentation by jv rao

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