We have been trying to implement better project management processes over the last couple of years. We are good at getting projects done, but we are bad at keeping things organized. We especially struggle with some of the administrative work surrounding projects - such as keeping the project plans detailed and up to date, meeting notes, meeting on a regular and consistant basis...
Does anyone have any tips for how their organization was able to turn the corner and make lasting improvements? I appreciate your help. Saving Changes...
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Aditya ChinniSr Project Manager| JELDWENKlamath Falls, Or, United States
Based on your post
You are delivering successful projects. So I'm assuming there is no Project management problems
I’m assuming you are looking more than Document management solution.
I don’t know how much budget you have, but any enterprise project management solutions should help you. As you are already feeling the pain; Inventing the wheel of “Enterprise process” might not be a solution.
Consider buying one of following Enterprise Project Management solutions
Don't know if you have any runway left but adding some project peer reviews/QA checkpoints after each major project phase may help. Create a simple checklist of artifacts that are typical for each phase and assign a buddy PM to check the quality of the documentation. You may need to create some excitement around project documentation.
If you don’t have lots of money, you could consider using MS Sharepoint as a project repository, creating a basic project template can be a good start and add some consistency.
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Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Dear Anonymous,
Very interesting post and I have a few potential tips for your organization. But first, congratulations to you on both being good at getting projects done and having the desire to improve.
My advice to you is threefold:
First, do not purchase any new tools or new software for project management or collaboration.
Second, solve the problem. And as Deming so often put it, "95% of the problem is the process." You mention that your team is struggling with the administrative work surrounding projects - such as keeping project plans detailed and up to date, meeting on a regular and consistent basis, etc, etc, etc. This is all about "effective" processes, policies, behavior, and metrics; not tools. And, the only thing worse than not having effective best practices to ensure the consistency and integrity of the project efforts is having overly bureaucratic methodologies that give the illusion of progress, but in reality are only burdensome for the project team.
Third, consider establishing a culture of continuous improvement in project management. You ask how to turn the corner and make lasting improvements? To get started, consider the following:
Step 1 - Define a useful and usable set of processes for your organization. In addition to PM processes, be sure to address your administrative policies.
Step 2 - Set up a workplace process framework. You don't need a lot of technology to do this and your team will benefit in many areas. You can build your own framework or you can take advantage of the many proven vendor PMO best practice frameworks that address the very issues that you cited.
Step 3 - Use what you already have in know. Don't be tempted to purchase new tools prior to addressing your root cause problem. First, consider fully using what you already know and have. I have seen many PMOs make better use out of their well organized network file shares as a document repository and by following their PMO document management policies than those PMOs that are quick to implement SharePoint (or an equivalent) without having clear policies for teamsite and document management.
Step 4 - Forgive human errors, but not process errors.
For more information and an interesting read on this subject, have a look at the management brief on Continuous Improvement. Great post, and good luck..!
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George JucanManaging Partner| Organizational Perfomance Enablers NetworkWoodbridge, Ontario, Canada
I will start as everyone else by praising the desire to improve, and acknowledging the problem it’s already a huge step on this path. Same as Mark, I think the problem is with the processes not with the tools, as long as they satisfy the projects delivery needs. I’ve implemented for organizations collaboration solutions using only MS Project and a structure of folders with clear usage instructions and commitment from the group to actually use them.
In a large organization you can predefine the processes and then enforce them, as the authority structure is much better established, so that is the easy situation. The problem is with small / medium companies, usually employing a more “democratic” management style, so you have to obtain commitment and support from all or most of involved people.
As it seems to me that you’re working in such a small/medium organization I would recommend a bit different approach than Mark’s (more suited for large organizations), basically following these steps:
1. Do a brainstorming session with your fellow PMs and list all the issues that everyone sees in how the activity is performed (make sure you keep the discussion objective, not personal)
2. Do a separate session with your fellow PMs to document the processes as each one actually applies them. Capture all “base” workflows and all variations – it is essential to be as close to reality as possible
3. Another session is dedicated to pinpoint on the processes identified at 2) the origin of each of the issues identified at 1). Once all of them are pinned to the right origin analyse together the process to eliminate the issues. Start from the beginning as changes produced here have most impact, and sometime changing a single step could resolve 2-3 issues down the road.
4. Document the final processes and distribute to all participants.
Involving them all gains commitment and support. If more than 10 PMs you can work with groups, for more than 20 you probably have an authority structure you can rely on to enforce processes so switch to Mark’s approach. But if the number is small enough, having them all participating in the process will enable them to identify themselves with the problem and solution: they discovered the problem and it’s their solution that will be implemented to make their own life better – there is no more powerful commitment than this! If they understand “what’s in it for me” you’ll get voluntary compliance with the new processes – people will do what you want because they want to do it!
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Mark and George are right on point. The issue as stated is lack of process - not determination. You don't mention executive commitment to process development - that will be a key success factor going forward...
Now a little analogy:
As anyone knows - when you go to buy groceries for the week - it is better to go with a list of what you need. If you don't have one - you still go to the store - but you might forget something you needed.
Same is true in project delivery. Know what you want to deliver. Identify the activities to deliver it. WRITE THEM DOWN. Assign someone to be responsible for each deliverable. WRITE IT DOWN. Identify how long it will take to perform the activities - WRITE IT DOWN. This is really what PM is all about - making sure you have your list at the supermarket. In this case send your list to everyone on the team to make sure everyone understands and agrees.... then start working the plan.
If you follow planning with development and then delivery - you will find you have identified the process your team follows to deliver projects.
Also - the PMBOK on the PMI website (www.pmi.org) will give you a good overview of the develop process - but ultimately - your team and company are the arbiters of what works for your organization.
Just try to remember to define your process, measure the process, and make it repeatable. Until you have definable and repeatable locked and loaded, measurable will be challenging. At the end of the day - start with definable... and go from there. Saving Changes...
George JucanManaging Partner| Organizational Perfomance Enablers NetworkWoodbridge, Ontario, Canada
Donald, I truly enjoyed your “grocery list” analogy, it’s simple and powerful! Do you mind if I use it when I need to explain what project management is about? Saving Changes...
Please feel free to use it, I wish I could claim authorship - but my wife first used it when I tried to explain project mngtmnt to her... clearly the better of the pair..
