Take aways for a successful project
Introduction:
When we ask which one is important? Project tools or enablers such as Project Managepment, Six Sigma, Lean, Kaizen, Agile to COPC Vs. Project delivery.
This is the obvious question, when we start a Project or run a project. Needless to say that, project enabling tools are very very important and there can be no compromise on the implementation of them. But for the ultimate benefit of the Project or Organization which one is important? It is project delivery in uncompromising terms.
Sometimes, the subject takes a centre stage and there are hot debates around the subject. Some of the practioners, sometimes provide greater importance to tools and tackles rather than Project delivery and value creation. This creates dissatisifaction among the senior stakeholders and the project goes directionless at times.
Are we forcefitting the tools?
Are we showing too many tools as part of the project documentation and do undue analysis for a project!
This is something,, we need to avoid at any cost. Unwanted or unrelated analysis results in unnecessary data collection, data gets curated and finally the project leader deliver the analysis. If we look at some of the large scale projects, 30 to 40% of the Project time is wasted in the understanding and usage of the tools rather than generating value out of the project.
Therefore, Project managers and practioners need to avoid unnecessary data collection which will divert the scope of the project or consuming longer time for the project completion. Also read the following relevant articles;
How much of documentation is required?
This is a million dollar question to be asked? A project documentation can be an one pager in the form of a synopsis or covering the key milestones to delivery highlights.
In case of Six Sigma, Lean or related projects, we need to ensure that, not more than 15 pages of documentation.
This will ensure that, the project is focussed on value creation and over achieving the Goals associated with the Project.
But the important lesson is quality of documentation rather than quantity of documentation. Key Xs documented as part of the project documentation, improvements and sustenance of the project goals are clearly evidenced so that, we do not end up doing another project on the same subject.
Usage of Jargons:
Large scale usage of jargons which are not understandable to project leaders and project team is something to be avoided at all costs.
The Process improvements tools provides many enablers and that comes from different industries with related key words or jargons associated with that industry.
But is is not necessary to frequently use the same terminologies to confuse the project participants. Frequent usage of jargons and lack of understanding of them by the Project leader and Project team will take them far away from the project. There will be lack of support, unless the entire concept and objective of the project is understandable to project team in a simple common man's language.
Project team size:
This is one of the important topic in front of the project delivery team. For the satisfaction of the some of the stakeholders or for political reasons, there is reason to keep the project team outweighing the project benefits.
In case of large and sensitive projects, this is one of the major distractions for the organization and the project. Sometimes, this creates confusion in the minds of the customer, who is going to be benefitted out of the project.
Oversized project teams creates, bureaucracy and elimate nimbleness of the team. Layers of bureaucrazy with addional layers of communications will result in multiple failures and at times, the project may go against the intended project objective.
