Two Keys to Improve the Trustworthiness of Project Data

 

Are you making project decisions with trustworthy data?

If you answered no, you're not alone.  If the data associated with project-based work is questionable, is there a way to improve the overall trustworthiness of the data used for decision-making?

The short answer is yes.  We can improve the accuracy and quality of the information used to make informed project decisions, however doing so requires us to recognize that the traditional top-down, command-and-control project management model is broken.  As a 12-year-old mowing the lawn, I always chaffed when my dad would come out and tell me how to do it.  Whether or not he was trying to help or just "manage" me, I didn't "own" the process, and the effect was to demotivate me.  Have you ever experienced this kind of thing with team members?

Executives and managers need both quantitative and qualitative information to make decisions.  Business leaders who leverage solutions that capture better information are able to keep an accurate pulse on their business and make more proactive decisions.  In my opinion, there are two keys to improve the quality of the information used to make project decisions:

1. Capture Information at the Front Line: The people closer to the work understand it best.  Involving team members in project plans promotes a greater sense of ownership over priorities and commitments.  Allowing team members to make public commitments, take ownership, and prioritize their own work, changes the team dynamic from "You will do this," to "We will do this together."  Most project management methodologies focus on planning and solving problems at the project manager or executive level (a traditional top-down approach).  I believe a more effective approach engages individual team members in the process, encourages real dialog, along with a more accurate flow of project information upward.
2. Capture the Whole Story: The most significant factor to improving data accuracy is capturing more qualitative information.  Encouraging a flow of conversational (qualitative) information, and providing frequent and more descriptive updates delivers greater visibility and a richer understanding of the real story.  Qualitative information flowing upward in organizations gives managers and executives the ability to follow conversations on relevant initiatives—along with a greater sense of confidence in the data used to make decisions.

Looking at how individual team members interact with the project management process and how that positively impacts the quality of the information used for making decisions is important.  Engaging the front line with project management software or other project management tools will provide accurate and up-to-date information that can be trusted for making informed decisions.  What are you doing in your organization to encourage a more front line approach to managing projects?