Guide to Successful Project for Project Managers
Focus on Project Scope, Project Planning, Risk, Change and Close
Jan 6, 2009
Project management requires many things be done in pursuit of a project. However, it would be impossible for the project manager to focus on everything. So, the project manager should perform all of the responsibilities but spend a little extra time on the few things that will make or break a successful project.
Clear Project Scope
Often the project scope is clearly defined through the project initiation process. The project manager must ensure that scope is clearly defined or plan to do that first. Clearly defined project scope will state:
- The clear purpose of the project, its key objectives and benefits
- Business units impacted and those units actively participating in the project
- Clear high level plan and understanding of the solution
- Appropriate resources and expertise committed and engaged for the project
Successful Project Requires Active Business Engagement
Business engagement is critical to a successful project and a project manager must ensure that these stakeholders are actively managed:
- Sponsor is committed and actively participating
- Management is supporting the project, committing resources and doing business change management
- Business users are actively engaged and participating in the project [requirements, testing...]
Project Planning
The project manager is the person responsible for the detailed project planning. They must especially ensure that the plan is comprehensive, accurate and complete and avoid the problems of missing tasks and under-estimation of tasks. Three indicators of a comprehensive plan include tasks with named resources, tasks for project closure and building in document review and approval cycles for documents on the critical path. Plan for active project reporting as this will take time and effort.
Establish Project Change Management Early
The project must define change management early on so that it is clear how project changes are made and who approves them. The project manager must jealously guard the project scope and plan and ensure that all changes go through a project change management cycle. It is too easy to make verbal agreements and then become committed to tasks that take away resources and ultimately impact the project. Change management is often closely allied to project risk management because risks that impact the project give rise to needed changes.
Actively Do Project Risk Management
The project manager must actively do project risk management. This is probably the single most important thing as project plans must inevitable react to the new situation of the project as time and the project progresses. Managing risks and being able to accommodate emergent risks is key to a successful project. Experienced project managers will spend a great deal of time managing stakeholders and managing risk.
Successful Project
Project managers have a great deal of responsibility and achieving a successful project is not easy. Ensuring the business is actively engaged is critical as well as focusing on scope, project planning, change and project risk management. Everything matters but the extra effort with these vital few things will help achieve project success.
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