Projects, Work, and Prioritization

 

In the real world, formalized projects are only a part of what gets done by the workforce. If we were to take a look at everything project team members do, it would include things such as:

1. Formal projects
2. Ad-hoc requests from colleagues
3. Personal tasks
4. Goals and objectives
5. Repetitive duties that aren't project related

All this work comes from multiple sources, most of which isn't captured in any project management software or other project management tool. If we ever want to get a handle on accurate resource planning, I think we need to look at all the work done by individuals on our project teams. What's more, much of the work that isn't really project related has the potential to be just as important and should probably be evaluated with the same level of scrutiny as project-based work. Otherwise, project managers, team leads, and other project leaders will never gain an accurate understanding of their people's priorities, difficulties, and status.

My team probably spends 30 percent or less of our time working on structured projects of any duration. That's not to say we aren't up to our armpits every day in stuff to do. However, most of it is of short duration and doesn't really require a formalized project plan. It does require prioritization and consideration as to how the work fits with the several different projects we might be working on at any given time. This requires a little creative planning and juggling, but the non-project work we do every day is every bit as important to the business goals and objectives of our organization as the formally planned projects.

What do you do to help your project teams manage their non-project-related work?