We all know documentation can be useful and is an important part of project management.

But all too often, we go too far.

Here are just a few ways your own project documentation can run amok.  Seek out and destroy them.

Relying on Documentation for Communication

It's always so strange to me when I hear someone justify a lack of communication by saying they assumed everyone knew about it, because it was on page 734 of the software design document.

Really?

My first question is why the hell we have a software design document with 734 or more pages?

Second, exactly what mechanism do you think is at play that would allow all stakeholders and team members to be aware of every update to all the documentation on your project?  Did I miss the memo about the new matrix-style jacks so we can all plug in and download information directly into our brains?

When I talk about communication, face-to-face is always preferred, followed by phone, then email.  Communicating via documentation is not even on my list because it's not a method for communicating.  It's for documenting.

Ask yourself...is this information best used as a book is used?  Is it something that needs to be documented so it can be learned by someone new, years down the road?  Are you trying to shove a bunch of stuff into it that could best be communicated in another way?

Producing Documentation that Provides No Value

When it seems you are putting more time and effort into writing documentation than actually producing a product, it's time to ask yourself what value that documentation is providing.

Every section of every document should have a purpose.  It should have a user.  If there is no user, there is no purpose.  Who is going to read this thing?

User stories can be wonderful for identifying the value for documentation, and specific sections within documents.  If you're not familiar with user stories, they are simple.  Use the following syntax.

"As a [user] I want [something] so that [benefit]."

I encourage you to create a set of user stories for every document you have.  Go show them to the users and validate you actually know what the [bleep] this is being used for.  It  will be an enlightening experience.  I have gone through this activity and cut 60-page management plans down to 8 pages in length, without losing any value.  In reality, the organization actually gained value because someone might actually read an 8-page document.

I have come into organizations and found documents that have taken on lives of their own.  When I ask why a particular activity is being performed because I don't see what it's used for, I am told "it's for the TPS report".  When I ask who reads the TPS report the answer is "I don't know."

Hmm.  Let's stop doing it, and see if we get any phone calls.

Producing Documentation as an Alternative to Trust

Do you ever get the feeling some things are documented just so someone can point a finger and say "I told you so!" or "You should have known better!"

Documentation (and process) is no alternative to trusting people to do the right thing.  A classic example is the case where a simple point-to-point communication step in a process is turned into a frankenstein monster.  I once was on a project where an update to configuration-controlled artifacts was implemented by a specific individual.  After changes to the project were formally approved, this person would update the baseline.

The 'trigger' to have this person look for the completed change request and update the baseline could be as simple as "give Jasmine the CCR number and ask her to update the baseline."  Instead, a whole new tool was set up so that timestamps could be saved and requests would be formally documented.  Mind you, this is completely separate from the system used to actually run the change control process.

In the end, this insanity resulted in pages upon pages of documentation about the new system and all of the scenarios that could possibly every happen.  There was no trust in the people running the process in the first place; and no trust that people on the project had enough brain power and common sense to fiture out what to do in case things didn't go smoothly.

Trying to document every 'what if' scenario is as futile and worthless as trying to manage every risk.  Only a handful of scenarios are worth the time and effort to plan for.  Like the one that mud people will emerge from the bay and raid our server rooms, frying server after server with their muddy slime and killing our project.

Damn mud people.

images by A.K. Photography and ChernobylBob

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I've written a lot on this topic and even produced a training course for new project managers.  Today, I'd like to outline an order of operations for thinking about how to pursue your own project manager career path.

1 - Start at the Beginning

It's easy to do a search online and start studying for a certification or think about going back to school for a degree in project management. 

Not so fast.

Before you do anything, take stock of your current starting point.  What advantages and disadvantages do you currently have to deal with when trying to get into a career like this where most job postings require many years of experience?

What are your career goals?  Are they written down?  How will you know when you are heading down the right path, and when you are lost?

2 - Plan Your Career Trajectory

Now that you know where you are starting from and what you want to accomplish from a 10,000-foot view, it's time to figure out how.

Now you can start educating yourself about the various educational options, certifications, and most of all: how to gain experience.

See, project management as a discipline doesn't have a lot of internship programs yet; and just because you have a degree or certificate doesn't mean I want you to run a project team in my company.  There are many ways to get into a project management role, and the considerations are different for each trajectory you might take.

3 - Learn From Others

My youngest brother and I are 10 years apart in age.

His favorite joke is to tell people how much he learned from me; by NOT doing what I did.  Learning from others' mistakes and successes is a powerful way to teach yourself to be successful.

Do whatever you can do learn from others who are doing or have done what you want to be doing.  (Wow, that was a confusing sentance!)

Gantthead's Project Management Central is a good place to start.

4 - Build Professional Relationships

Most people are hired through professional networking.  It's true, whether you like it or not.  I happen to like it, because it means decisions about hiring are made more from actual experiences with real people and less from what you read on someone's resume or CV.

Networking is an art, and it can be learned.  Sure, some people are naturally better at it than others, but it can be taught.

You start building your online network right here at Gantthead.com.  Reach out to people, ask them about themselves, and in general just get involved!

5 - Now Worry About the Details of Execution

How do you know what organizations would be good to grow your career in?  Are you researching organizations, or jobs?

You SHOULD be researching organizations.  Remember, most jobs are never posted for you to see.  But what if you pursued the right organization in a way that made them come to you when a relevant positition came about?  I've even had companies create positions for me, because they knew me and wanted me to be a part of their team.  You can make that happen too.

Then there's the resume writing, cover letters, portfolios, and the actual interview process.  All of these details are important, no matter how you are going about finding positions that are a good fit for you and the organization.

So that's my approach to helping my students with their project manager career paths.  If you are interested to learn more, you can always check out my project management career coaching course.

photo by Randy Levine

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People are not widgets, don't treat them that way!

Experienced project managers know there is a difference between what works on paper in a project schedule and what will work in reality.

Da da daaaaaaaa!

Kanban to the rescue!

Shim asked me about how Kanban helps manage multitasking, and this is my response by way of trying to demonstrate how it works.  Leave a comment and tell me what you think or if you have any other questions I can answer.

Getting started in project management can be tough.  When starting out, there are many questions and challenges to face, and they are different based on your particular background and situation. 

People who struggle with this come from various backgrounds:

Project Newbies - You might be a recent graduate or switching careers.  If you have no experience whatsoever with working on or managing projects, it can seem almost impossible to get your foot in the door. 

Technical Gurus – You have been on project teams and been “in the trenches” getting things done.  Now it seems that managing these projects is your calling, but you have to go through a paradigm shift and learn new skills to make the transition.

People Managers – You have been managing people and are good at it.  Now you want to expand your horizons and switch from the day-to-day management of functional teams to the dynamic environment of delivering unique projects.

You might be trying to break into project management, or you may be an “Accidental Project Manager” who looked up one day and asked, “What have I gotten myself into?”  A project fell in your lap somehow.  How do you get good at managing it?

The questions I get most from these groups center around expanding knowledge, gaining experience, and planning your career path.  Answers change based on individual circumstances.  Your personality attributes and background play heavily into the path forward.

Hard and Soft Skills

Natural aptitudes vary from person to person, but you can acquire a level of competency for nearly all project management skills through education and experience.

Hard Skills refer to competency with the tools and techniques of formal project management.  If you are analytical by nature, hard skills are relatively easy for you to acquire and master.

Soft Skills or “people skills” include competency in communication and relationships with other people.  Outgoing “people persons” have a natural aptitude to be comfortable in this arena, but can also engage in many ineffective approaches when lacking in knowledge and experience.  Do not confuse personal attributes with soft skills.  I cannot influence personal attributes and aptitudes, but I can teach soft skills.

Building Knowledge

Regardless of which group you belong to, you will need to expand your knowledge base.

Technical Gurus will likely pick up the hard skills quickly, but many of the soft skills practices of managing people effectively and politics may be somewhat new.  People Managers will find soft skill nuances in project environments and many of the hard skills will be new territory.  Project Newbies may be familiar with some of the theories in project management, but are going to need a lot of real-world knowledge, experience, and coaching to land that first job and formulate their project manager career path.

Some great sources of real-world project management education include:

• Blogs/Podcasts – Use sites like http://blogsearch.google.com to find them
• Books – Focus on the basics first, follow the cutting edge later
• Join PM Organizations – Local PMI Chapters are a great example
• Training – Focus on gaining useful knowledge, certifications come later!

Finding a Mentor and Gaining Experience

A mentor is a huge boon to you if you can find one.  You can find mentors by networking locally or online, but be sure you approach them in the right way and offer benefit to them in exchange for their wisdom.  Your goal should be to offer valuable assistance to potential mentors, with the hope (but not expectation) they will reciprocate by sharing their lessons learned.

Do not just ask to “shadow” them.  What value are you offering them?  Ask if there are tasks (mundane as they may be) that you could do for them, to free their time up.  If you are a project team member, ask if you can help compile the status report or take meeting minutes during project meetings. 

Donate your time; this is in addition to your current responsibilities.  Whether volunteering for another organization or within your own company, this is a great way to gain experience.  Within your own organization you should let it be known you are interested in project management; not just through words but by your daily actions.

What You Need To Grow

Is the organization you work for now a good environment for your desired career path?

Does your company make money by delivering successful projects, and/or do they respect Project Management as a formal discipline worth investing in?  If so, you will likely see opportunities for entry-level positions in project management that provide specialization such as:

• Project Controller
• Project Coordinator
• Project Assistant
• Project Analyst
• Project Scheduler
• Junior Project Manager
• Assistant Project Manager

Other organizations may have a progression of technical or management roles through which you can pass and eventually start managing your own projects.  Whatever your situation, put yourself into the best environment possible, and plan out your career path ahead of time so you have a roadmap with goals to follow.

Oh, and when you get there, be a mentor for someone else!

photo by n.kuzma