Guide to a Successful Project for Managers
Management of Benefits, Scope, Requirements, Test, Business Change
Jan 6, 2009
A successful project depends on many things going right and many people doing their part to get things done. Consequently managers must select the right project manager for the job and then focus on those things that they need to get done. If managers are diverted towards shadowing the project manager and the project team then it is likely that the essential tasks that managers need to do will suffer and adversely impact the project.
Project Scope
Benefits management during project initiation should have identified the benefits of doing the project and consequently the project scope. The project scope and benefits should be actively managed by managers to ensure that the project remains on track and any project decisions should be aligned with the achieving the expected benefits. Project scope should also define the business units affected and consequently the need for active business change management.
Business Change Management
Business change management will be focused on everything that the business needs to do in support of the project and helping the change to happen effectively. Managers should ensure:
- Management actively support the project and make it a priority for the project to succeed, with one of their number selected to perform as the project sponsor. Ideally that person will have a strong vested interest in the project's expected benefits
- Awareness of the project and support for the project is built by an effective communication plan
- Comprehensive planning for training, business process change and transition
- Establishing the ongoing governance model to manage future change
Business Requirements and Testing
Managers must focus on the business requirements and testing ensuring that they:
- Accurately reflect the business need in pursuit of benefit
- Prioritise requirements for must have, should have and nice to have
- Manage changing requirements so that it is done with a view to scope and benefits
- Testing of requirements and the solution design must be comprehensive and complete
- Testing must ensure that the solution is functionally correct and handles "unexpected situations" [incorrect data entry...] appropriately and that the solution is fit for purpose
Successful Project
Many factors contribute to a successful project and a project manager will need to actively manage that according to the selected project management methodology. For project success it is essential that managers do their part by ensuring that the project benefits and scope are what the business wants to achieve. That the business requirements express that need clearly, concisely and completely and that the solution testing demonstrates unequivocally that the solution works as expected and is fit for purpose.
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