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… It only takes moments and it won’t hurt a bit.

Effective project and program managers are always looking forward. Looking for potential hurdles, challenges, and obstacles; then moving or planning around them so they don’t impede progress. Such people have a good handle on whether and when success will be declared.

Ineffective project and program managers are always looking backwards. Telling you what’s gone wrong and where things were up to the last time they reported. Not helpful.

Unfortunately there are far more ineffective than effective project managers, and in an attempt to mitigate the impact of the ineffective, there’s been a significant increase in reporting requirements on projects and programs.   ‘Red, Amber, Green’ (RAG) reports have become a default standard but how often do they tell the true story? What’s the actual status?

Here’s a sample of a report I use to show what should be completed, by when, and where the investment should be against progress (each colour is a project within a program but it works just as well for projects on their own). 

I find this is well understood and accepted by senior management and boards. It really doesn’t allow for obfuscation and percentage driven indications – which are so often just wishful thinking. I call it binary reporting – it’s either done or it isn’t. Add to this a simple page listing assistance required and you are sure to get the actual picture.

Please feel free to use the format – just click on the link  to access the full size sample report:  http://www.slideshare.net/rncglobal/programme-timeline-sample-final-version-1072010

Better to have looked ahead and planned for a disaster that didn’t happen than to be blindsided by one that could have been foreseen.

“Over recent years and on the back of successful streamlining and efficiency gains in operations there has been a move to operationalize projects. To this end there has been an exponential increase in the amount of governance, compliance and process that is now imposed on projects. However, it seems the results aren’t increasing the actual outcome and the success rates have not increased.  Instead there is a better level of information about the failure and everyone involved is protected by the paperwork.  I’m calling it forensic defensibility.

I’m not sure it’s a good move and I think there should be more focus on outcome.  I’d love to see more research on why and how projects actually succeed rather than the current trend towards ensuring defense of failure.

Projects are, by definition. there to deliver something unique. While a certain amount of process is replicable, I see an awful lot that is used that simply gets in the way of actually getting things done.

Love to hear your thoughts, Diane”

I’m looking forward to seeing what you think and am hoping you will share your views on this subject with me.

For further information on AOM Connect: http://www.aomonline.org/

Now as I promised I’m about to give you the summary of the answers to the questions I asked a few weeks ago. Firstly about what a project is and secondly about what a project manager does. Thanks for your contributions.  I also canvassed some of our clients and some people who don’t work for RNC – poor souls.Now, firstly the prize (no there really isn’t one but if there were) for creatively explaining the answers go to Jo. But before I show you what she wrote here is the summary.

RNC people in the main agree that a project is activity arranged to achieve a specific goal (there were and will always be variations on a theme and clearly it includes organising for resources and people etc but the most important thing is that the organisation is looking to achieve something specific. Is isn’t necessarily constrained by time, resources etc. No. Now I know that statement will have you howling that it isn’t a project without constraints but it is equally a project if the constraint is achieving something wonderful eg . cure for cancer. Its just that with these projects there are difference decision points etc.

RNC clients to a fault think that projects are about getting outcomes. Blank looks of disinterest come across their faces when I explore the trinity of constraints. Of course that’s how you manage but it isn’t the project. I want the outcome! When I pursued this to determine what project management is then, the answer was provided with astonishment crossing faces as if to wonder how I didn’t already get this. PM is clearly whatever it takes to get the outcome. When I pushed about constraints every single one of them was clear that if the constraint is money and the project can’t be done for the money then the project ends, or you get more money but the project isn’t successful just because the money runs out.

The role of the PM to RNC people is pretty much agreed as the person who makes it all happen? Nothing about the administration that so often gets mistaken for project management.

Clients are monumentally unimpressed with our administrivia – a means to an end sure but I’m not impressed with tools of any profession – I just want the outcome.

So there we have it. A project is the activity etc required to achieve something specific and the project manager is the person charged with making sure it happens. Nothing passive or uninteresting about that is there!

Here are Jo’s descriptions:

My mind harks back to the beginning of just about every project management course with a group of people tossing out words which get written up on a piece of butchers paper in an effort to define a project. If my memory recalls correctly, not once has there been the same set of answers, and at every course there has been the “correct” definition, which is always different, with a different set of must haves, such as must have a set start and end date, must have a set budget, must have a clear set of agreed requirements, etc, etc….yeah right as if that happens in the real world.

So, for me a project is a destination. In an attempt to get to that destination ideally you like to know the following, (in no particular order..)

• where you want to get to
• how you are going to get there
• how long it’s going to take
• why you are going,
• how much you should spend
• who needs to be involved
• which way you are going to go

Of course you could then expand on this to define the whole journey out step by step, but then that’s where the tour guide (i.e. project manager steps in….)

Therefore, the role of an effective ‘tour guide’ (as I see it) is as follows;

Communicator

This is the most important role of the project manager. At all times they must ensure that they communicate with all stakeholders/ participants/ ‘tourists’ to get their understanding of the project. It is important the project manager learn the following about each person involved;

• Their understanding of the purpose of the project – Why they are going
• Their role and responsibility of the project – What they need to do
• Deadlines – When they are getting there
• Who else is involved – Who else is going and what they are doing to help get to the destination
• Budgeting – How much it costs to get there

By maintaining an open line of communication, the project manager/ tour guide can ensure that everyone is heading towards the same destination and is empowered with the knowledge on how to get there In addition any obstacles should become evident sooner rather than later.

Navigator

It is the role of the project manager to ensure that the goal of the project (destination of the journey) is known and a plan (route) chosen. Once determined and the stakeholders (tourists) identified, then the scheduling and detailed planning (itinerary) is to be co-ordinated/ created by the project manager. At all points of the project it is imperative that the PM put on their number 1 role hat (of communicator) and ensure that the relevant parties are kept informed of the progress to ensure that project stays in the right direction (the journey continues to the destination).

Negotiator

At any point in the project (journey), there may be conflicts, issues, risks, changes to the course, budget, time, etc. It is the role of the PM to identify any situation that shall impact upon the reaching of the destination, and then carry out the correct procedure to address the issue in an impartial and focused (on the aims of the project) manner (once again, refer back to role no.1).

Monitor

At all times the project manager needs to maintain a steady vigilance on the health of the project, ensuring that the milestones, deadlines are being met, and that the climate of the activities are maintained at a moderate rate. Always be proactive in seeking out the information required to make a fair judgment – as always ensure that reporting methods are used to keep everyone informed (and AGAIN – Role No. 1!!!)

So, that’s my opinion (at a very high level!!) on the role of the project manager, not a very technical summary, but then any job description can give you the technical description of a project managers role. To sum it up a good project manager is a proactive, organised, impartial, calm, driven, responsible communicator.

What were the underlying elements at work during the process that enabled a successful outcome to be delivered? Sometimes it’s easy to isolate those driving forces in hindsight, but it’s not always possible to analyse whilst you’re actually ‘living’ the process.  I’ve put together 6 important keys to project success and the laws that govern them that might explain it all.

6 Keys To Project Success…

1.   Someone with influence at management level, and the will to use that influence, must care about the project outcome.

 2.   Clarify what success is.

 3.   Expose assumptions.

 4.   Let people (up, down and sideways) know what’s happening, likely to happen and why.

 5.   Make it crystal clear who has to do what, when and why, and the consequences of success and failure.

 6.   Only work on targeted activities.

 … And The Laws That Govern Them

1.   You can’t achieve success if you can’t say exactly what it is.

 2.   People cannot work on two distinct tasks at the same time – and be effective.

 3.   People take time to shift between tasks. Ignoring this will result in delays, frustration and compromised outcomes.

 4.   If the solution is unknown, a date for completion is worthless.  Instead use a date for decision about continued investment.

 5.   People will pay attention to and work on what is relevant to them.

 6.   People work for and with people. Money isn’t enough.

They then go on to define leadership and as I pursue the conversation what they are all looking for is someone who can cause the troops to follow them without dictate or intervention from senior management.  People with the personal charisma and charm to cause everyone to want to achieve the project outcomes.

BUT they must stay subservient to the level of their boss and they must not upset anyone along the way – especially not the heroes or key players.

Should humanity ever produce such a person, it is doubtful whether they will be working on an IT project.

History tells us, from all fields of endeavour, leaders have enemies, leaders aren’t universally liked and not everyone falls into line behind them.  From history we also know that leaders are able to excite a particular sector within their community – and depending on their agenda to neutralize, obliterate or dominate through fear, their enemies.

There is no reason at all why project management should be any different.  We already accept it in senior executives and dare I say it CIOs.

What it boils down to is the personal power to have enough of the people on side to cause the desired outcome.  Enough of the people, including senior management.  If the project manager can get them on side then they will be willing and prepared to back the PM as required.