PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR EXECUTIVES

iUniverse, Inc.

Contents

Introduction: Read Me First:..........................................ixSection 1: Perspectives...............................................1Chapter 1: Basic Principles...........................................1Chapter 2: Contrasting Perspectives...................................6Chapter 3: Projects as an entity......................................18Chapter 4: Characteristics of Successful Projects.....................22Section 2: The Look of Success........................................27Chapter 5: What a Successful Project Looks Like.......................27Chapter 6: Key Success Factors........................................33Chapter 7: Create Your Success Framework..............................45Chapter 8: Slogans and Handles........................................51Section 3: Facilitating Success.......................................57Chapter 9: Soft Skills Rule...........................................57Chapter 10: Knowledge Area Topics.....................................66Chapter 11: Managing by Metrics.......................................79Chapter 12: Methodologies.............................................90Closing Comments......................................................95Appendices............................................................97HELPFUL TOOLS.........................................................97Index.................................................................101

Chapter One

These basic principles are sprinkled throughout the book, but I feel they are so important that I wanted to present them right up front. This also makes finding and reviewing them quite easy. So, here you are.

Adding value / Delivering value

Project management was not ordained by God or fashioned from the big bang via subatomic particles. Project management is a completely contrived human endeavor that is intended to add or deliver value. This deserves emphasis because I know that project management has in many industries been a key buzzword for the past couple of decades. Some implement project management rigidly as in "This is THE only way to run projects." In other organizations project management has become ubiquitous; considered like part of the furniture. "Oh, just pull that convenient risk assessment unit over here while we talk about work." "No, no! Don't grab that change management unit. It has squeaky springs, is uncomfortable and people get wrankled over the decisions it forces us to make."

Project management as a completely contrived human endeavor has evolved and is intended to add value by completing work. No one way exists to implement it. In fact, if you can deliver value without it – Great! If your organization has difficulty delivering value, or meeting timelines, or fixing a lot of defects after delivery, etc. then project management implemented well can help.

As an executive you are in an ideal position to actively contribute to adding and delivering value.

Providing what is needed to add value

I like to emphasize that the component parts of project management are included because they work! As a completely contrived human endeavor, change management is included because it works, even if people get wrankled over the decisions it forces us to make.

Adding value requires certain ingredients and processes. As an executive, you are either willing to provide what is needed to add value or not. You really can't expect to add value through work that requires 5 FTE by providing only 1.5 FTE. I see companies and teams ensure adding value by emphasizing foundational processes like building agreement of the project scope, of defining work packages, of interactions and the need for detailed test plans or verification steps.

As an executive, you are in an ideal position to provide what is needed to add value.

Defining work

Defining work is a basic principle because this ensures everyone understands the work in the same way, i.e. the goals, objectives – everything about it. I present examples of agreement and of disconnects throughout the book because this is so important. I've seen the consequences of this in the form of success and conversely in the form of - as colleagues label it - "swirl".

Don't assume everyone understands things the same way, or even your way. Sometimes you may even need several weeks of a planned and coordinated campaign to explain what is intended, to show how it is valuable and build relationships so that others want to be spokespersons for your campaign.

As an executive you need to ensure the work is defined.

Prioritization

Everything really is a matter of prioritization. Delaying projects because you don't have the capital to invest is a legitimate prioritization. Building labs to conduct research and development is a prioritization over other uses for that money. Deciding to use formal, structured processes to control work, i.e. project management, is a prioritization decision. Providing only 1.5 FTE needed to complete the work requiring 5 FTE is a prioritization. You get the point.

As an executive you need to make prioritization decisions that support delivering value.

Time Exchange to Plan versus Fix

The concept of a time exchange to plan versus fix is one of the most important basic principles I have encountered in every work environment and every industry. This is the embodiment of the adage "never enough time to do things right, but always enough time to do them over again."

The time exchange is the "thought prior to action"; the "ounce of prevention versus the pound of cure." The more time spent up front figuring out how to do the work, how to prevent problems, how to sequence work steps, how to get others to be on your side, the less time is needed to fix problems later.

I developed the explanation of a time exchange after several situations where people said "we don't have time to wait and figure all this out", but they ultimately spent more time pausing the work to figure out what to do next than if they had taken an extra two weeks up front to figure it out. I began to present: "Think of this up front work as a time exchange in which you reduce swirl or time throughout the project by spending as much time as needed planning before you begin the work.

As an executive support the time and effort to figure things out up front, as a time exchange to prevent more time needed to fix problems later.

Planning is real work that provides control

As I just alluded, planning provides a level of prevention and a level of control. However, in many organizations planning seems to be considered not real work. "Why are they spending so much time in meetings, drawing diagrams and writing papers? When are they going to begin the work?"

Well, planning is real work. It is fundamental work that facilitates subsequent work.

Even organizations that spend time planning can have a tendency to plan only up to their psychological comfort level; sometimes not completing inevitable steps. I do like to emphasize that experienced project managers don't need to know a particular subject matter to realize that planning may not be complete or that risks may be inherent. This type of inquiry, discussion, and documentation is real work that both subject matter experts and those experienced...