Project management is the planning, organizing, directing and controlling of a project. Every project is different and a new project may require more than one of the eight P-M tools depending on the type and complexity of the project. As outlined on a prince 2 Course birmingham.
A basic project includes three elements: roller-coaster, false jump, and network diagram. The roller-coaster includes ‘what If?’ plans with research data coming in and real data coming out. The false jump update shows you adjusted budget and schedule to account for alternate requirements and risk. Finally, the network diagram looks at how your product or service is being used across the entire organization and compares it to internal or project requirements.
I use the word ‘reality’ in the title because I think that project management today, as all good managers, can look at the previous time’s trends and plans and adjust them to the new reality. Often I see problems with these three P-M tools.
The last of the P-M tools is as significant as the first two and can help the project manager to manage the project: Perpetuating doubt. The DOT Process provides a method to help the project manager prevent delays and to address recurring issues later. This P-M process should be part of any Project Plan and Management Process, not as something to add on as an afterthought. During the project, use the project map to identify areas of risk, information gaps, and unresolved work. A good project plan should address these matters before the project starts.
In my experience there is a fourth tool that is often used and often overlooked by Project Managers. The 4P tool can help the project manager deal with the issue of who can do what work. This tool provides some decision language that reduces the probing of questions by the project team member. Questioning is a issue in many projects for both the project team and the project manager.
– As part of the project, describe the work how it will be accomplished. Review and prioritize the work. Consider doing more than one task at a time.
– As part of the project, list how the different people in the groups will work together. Use a business process language to better define these interaction snippets.
– Finally, as part of the project, identify how your group, department, or organization will be structured. Once this is identified, work with the key stakeholders to define roles and responsibilities.
So many projects are motivated by people in the organization. All the project managers should focus on this and provide tools to decrease the questioning of tasks or people in the organization.
Upper management will often look at the schedule and details of a project with a skeptical member of the project team when designing the project scope. The first key is to appreciate the scope definition is not only an opportunity for the review of progress in the current project at the beginning of the planning process, but also an opportunity to check a larger picture with the stakeholders on your project and the associated changes that needs to be made.
More involvement in the approval process will minimize the skepticism of the manager. Also, the team member will be more willing to provide more forward progress based on the supervisors’ promises.
In summary, a well trained PM will be able to provide the skills needed by the PM to develop a good project plan, provide the tools required for the PM to manage the project, and solve issues rea jurisdiction.
