How To Plan A Project

 

Project communication is a delicate thing. When the customer provides details of what they want, they usually convey it in a manner that has nothing to do with what they really desire. This lack of communication is the genesis of a project heading down the wrong path before it starts. Proof of this is when you think you have the entire set of specifications, and one of two things happens. Either you show the customer what has been developed after months of effort, and they tell you it isn’t what they want, or scope creep enters the project and they hamper the project and project quality by continually adding more and more specifications. What exacerbates the problem is the customer refuses to sit down and take the time to write down what they actually want. Sound familiar?

This is the area where specifications, business cases, project templates, and other related utilities are necessary. They are a building block to be used in every project to bring a semblance of order and progression. PMP CBT training in the area of project management courses also assist you in knowing how to conduct a project from start to finish. Locations and courses including training is a fine source to gain the critical information leading to success.

Nailing down the specs of a project is the first area you need to control as a leader and manager. This is where the problem is stated, the reason why a project is being considered for action. Expect the draft of a project to have plenty of holes that you must fill. There will be plenty of revisions. Everyone involved including the person who authored the specs, the end customers, the financiers, and more, have the same understanding and vision of proposed work. Everyone must agree in writing on what will be done, when it will be done, and cost. As the leader this means there will be no misunderstandings down the line, there will be no contradictions, the actual technical details will be revealed to all, and everyone will have to think about every detail, especially the ones that did not arise when the original specification was drafted. You, as the manager, erase the problems and infuse quality right from the start. It also protects you and your team from changing minds, additional requirements, and provides proof that you are on track with what was agreed upon.

These points of agreement should include the overall picture and vision of the project. Does it create new resolutions or is it duplicating work already performed? Does it fit into the infrastructure or is it unsuited for the other existing projects, bringing incompatibility? Is everyone on board when it is time to transfer project parts between suppliers, customers and others involved? Does everyone agree on realistic timeframes and deliverables? Has risk been considered? If external forces, vendors, and other areas are being depended on to play a part in project development, they must be on board in terms of their role in getting work done. Does everyone agree on the amount of resources needed to complete the project, the cost factor, and reliability of available resources when needed?

Once you have nailed down the finer points, it is time to divide and conquer. Looking at the entire structure brings panic. How am I going to do this? How will it get done? You have witnessed plenty of people who think this way. Not you. You are the manager and leader. Breaking down the work into smaller, manageable tasks, completing each one and moving to the next helps you include all the small details and nuances. It also gives you a better picture of time frames in getting each part completed. With this, you can allocate the various tasks to team members.

Tasks and responsibilities are handed out to members in a fashion that will also enhance and increase their abilities at the same time. As you do so, the task should fit the person. One person may need their task broken down into smaller manageable parts, learning something new in the process. Another person with more experience may be asked to check and monitor that person’s work, providing the second person with management experience. Other responsibilities may require a smaller team effort. Or a couple tasks can be performed by the same person. It all depends on the breakdown of work.

In estimating the time frame for accomplishing each task, part of it will come from previous experience, other parts will come from being realistic about the effort it will take. Include the difficulties that could happen, with additional time added to protect yourself. Resist the push from upper management to hurry because they want it now. You want to minimize errors and inject quality.

As the project proceeds, you want to document everything. Milestones give you an idea of how far along the process you have traveled. Each short term goal is a step closer to the end. Timeframes you set for each task provides you with an idea of a date to set. Milestones aslo gives team members a target, keep their momentum flowing, and brings effort. As a milestone is achieved, everyone can revel in the success of the project. Higher milestones include larger portions of the project as the smaller pieces come together. It communicates progress and allows for quality control along the path. Communication is very important along the way. Problems are brought to light and handled, status of the project is noted, and it gives a measure of overall progress. Team members with a voice in the planning allows for constructive comments and ideas others have missed.

Project reviews are good, but they also have inherent dangers if they are provided too frequently. This is where scope creep and additional requests must be handled. You do not want to crush the team or project progress by adding constant revisions to work already accomplished. Keep building upon the project foundation, instead of spending time recreating it.

Hopefully, your time and cost estimates included testing and quality assurance. Testing allows feedback in terms of discovering if your creation was designed correctly.

Somewhere as a leader you will feel pressure from above to follow an unrealistic time or workload schedule. You have to balance the requests with the schedule previously agreed upon. Impossible deadlines are exactly that. Impossible. Provide reasoning and offer alternative resolutions if possible. It could include the removal of project features and functionality to be replaced at a later date, or the addition of more resources and finances.

Every project has errors. Part of your initial project planning and estimates, and risk management should have included time for error corrections. Now you have sufficient time to make the corrections, test, and move forward. You, as the leader, know how to become resilient and compensate accordingly.

As the project is delivered, this is the time for additional communication. Team members feedback, customers, vendors and others may have constructive, positive comments that will aid in future projects. It also fosters a sense of good will.

As you can see, planning is key. Without a very good plan to follow, the usual project problems reveal their ugly head. Late delivery, projects that do not solve the problem, less than desirable results, team members are crushed by unreasonable demands on time and other goals, cut corners, and the same project difficulties appear again and again. Planning alleviates these problems by dealing with them before they occur.

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