Lara DollProject Manager, CAPMFort Worth, Tx, United States
Hi everyone,
I am a new PM, coming from a marketing manager position. The COO assigned me as project manager for a project that's already in full swing. In fact, we are already to the point of procuring a vendor for software.
My problem is that I am starting in the middle of this and having to play with a cart that's way ahead of the horse, so to speak. For example, while we have selected a vendor and are working on the contract with them, the sponsor (the COO) has requested a budget for the project.
What is the best way to organize the project at this point? How can I get some order to this big mess? Any advice would greatly be appreciated! Saving Changes...
Figure out the bare minimum needed from a catch up perspective.
For example, is there a charter of any kind? If not, create one based on your knowledge and get it reviewed and approved by the sponsor. Has any type of risk identification or assessment taken place? If not, do that...
The focus of any of these efforts should be on value-add, risk mitigation type outcomes...
I'd also suggest reviewing your organization's PM standards (if those exist) to ensure you don't fall afoul of them, especially if you have an internal project audit group :-)
Good luck!
Kiron
...
1 reply by Lara Doll
Nov 13, 2018 5:26 PM
Lara Doll
...
Hi, Kiron. Thanks for the reply! Before now, the company has never followed the typical structure of a managed project, so there aren't any PM standards (yet, anyway).
I've been working to put all of the "typical" documentation in order, from Project Charter to WBS, but being new to this, I'm wary that I'm going to miss something spit-balling this way. Feel as if I've been handed a huge tangled ball of Christmas lights with the instructions of "make these work". LOL
Saving Changes...
Lara DollProject Manager, CAPMFort Worth, Tx, United States
Nov 13, 2018 5:19 PM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
...
Lara -
Not a unique scenario, for sure!
Figure out the bare minimum needed from a catch up perspective.
For example, is there a charter of any kind? If not, create one based on your knowledge and get it reviewed and approved by the sponsor. Has any type of risk identification or assessment taken place? If not, do that...
The focus of any of these efforts should be on value-add, risk mitigation type outcomes...
I'd also suggest reviewing your organization's PM standards (if those exist) to ensure you don't fall afoul of them, especially if you have an internal project audit group :-)
Good luck!
Kiron
Hi, Kiron. Thanks for the reply! Before now, the company has never followed the typical structure of a managed project, so there aren't any PM standards (yet, anyway).
I've been working to put all of the "typical" documentation in order, from Project Charter to WBS, but being new to this, I'm wary that I'm going to miss something spit-balling this way. Feel as if I've been handed a huge tangled ball of Christmas lights with the instructions of "make these work". LOL Saving Changes...
Sometimes when you take over a project, it's a matter of figuring out how everything is already organized. Sometimes it's having to reorganize everything so that it's intelligible. The good news when you have to reorganize is that you now have real ownership of the new format.
Here is how I would approach it:
First, go through what you have at a high level and see if you can organize it into your standard PM type buckets like problem statement, requirements, work statement, team members, schedule, budget, performance measures, etc. See if you can identify any holes, and whether things are laid out in an easy to use and understandable way. This may require some restructuring.
Next, do a sanity check using the PMBOK. You don't need to use everything in there or add massive layers of administrivia but it's a good check to see if you missed something big. Oops I forgot a risk register...
Next ask, a peer to act as a non-advocate and see if there is anything you missed, or if there are organizational quirks for what the leaders want included. I find this very helpful as it's easy to miss my own mistakes after I convinced myself that I'm right when I laid it out, and I'm not omniscient.
Now that you're pretty sure you have all the right *kinds* of information to describe the project, and manage it, you'll probably want to reformat it. Some people like Gantt charts while others like network diagrams; some like SharePoints, others like servers etc. The great news here is that if you don't really have standards, you can define your own rather than having a bad one inflicted on you.
Define what your cadence/battle rhythm is for running the project. This involves not only your working team but whoever you report to. Once you start into the cadence and start reviewing in more detail, you're sure to find things you want to change, which is fine and normal. Be ready to adapt as you're forming and storming before you find yourself norming. Saving Changes...
Mark StewardDirector| Arrow Zee AustraliaSydney, Nsw, Australia
I find that Excel can be your friend here to start sorting things out when you pick up these things midstream and there is not much PM collateral/support/maturity in the org. (I am assuming this is not a large complex project and you are still doing your day job?). I recommend you keep it simple; don't overwhelm yourself with documents or detail.
Putting together a simple Excel file with sperate worksheets for the following can be a good starting point to build on and later you can split out from there or use as inputs for a charter etc.
In scope and out of scope - what deliverables are included and what is not.
Constraints - E.g. Budget is $x or deliver by x date
Risks - What risk you are facing and you actions to address them
Issues - start tracking the issues and who is assigned to them etc
Assumptions - Put as many down and work on validating them
Decisions - keep a record of key decisions
Resources - Who? when? Etc.
Budget - Perhaps IT and the Finance department can help you pull this together.
Stakeholders - who are they and how will you manage them
Requirements - Do you have documented requirements?
Also, look at a tool like Trello to help manage and organise the project. It is very easy to use, has a short learning curve and can easily come in midstream.
...
1 reply by Lara Doll
Nov 14, 2018 9:40 AM
Lara Doll
...
Actually, Mark, it is a HUGE project (software for an insurance company to allow consumers to quote and buy online) and yes, they've tasked me with being project manager on top of being one of three people in the marketing department. lol
1- First you need to familiarize yourself with all the documentation on your project. Review and crucial any areas in the Charter, Scope, Business Case, Project Schedule, Issue & Action Logs, Financials, etc..
2-Meet to the project sponsor and check their interest in the project.
3-Once you hammered these out, have a meeting with the entire team - review each area you have questions on that.Review and reassess the issues log and ask for updates.
4-Create an action plan which identifies the best resource(s) who can assess and provide the best expert testimony of what can be done to correct the issue. Allow them to provide their input freely.
...
1 reply by Lara Doll
Nov 14, 2018 10:20 AM
Lara Doll
...
Hi, Shadav. Thanks for your reply!
The 'fun' part about this project is that there ISN"T a charter, scope, business case, project schedule, issue & action logs, financials, etc. Before now, projects were done off the cuff, with no documentation in place.
I do have the sponsor, the customer, and the subject matter experts identified, however. At this point, I'm counting that as a win.
Now, I need to try to put things in place to provide some structure to this project while looking ahead to future projects (we have another doozy coming up soon). I DO NOT want to be caught in this situation again... if I can help it.
I think the lack of structure is what's causing things to come up now, like the budget, that should have been addressed at the onset.
Anyway, I really appreciate all of the advice you guys have offered.
Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
I like what Mark said. A simple checklist in Excel is a good way of understanding where you are. Once you know what you have and what you don't but should have you can re-baseline your schedule to make provision for that. And importantly as Shadav said, you will be communicating with team members and stakeholders to access the impact of re-baselining. BTW never assume the worse when you are injected in the middle of a project. The important thing is for you to get up to speed on the AS IS as soon as possible and then you can determine the delta to your TO BE. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Think about what you do in your personal life and do the same. In this case, what is critical, is to understand the actors that will play in the project. With that on hand, to put it simple, do the same you do in your personal life when you need to perform some modification in your home for example. Regarding to understand the actors here comes a method that perhaps could help you: https://www.projectmanagement.com/blog-pos...th-stakeholders Saving Changes...
First try to keep it "as is". as soon as you settle perfectly, you can initiate small changes to the way you really like. Saving Changes...
Lara DollProject Manager, CAPMFort Worth, Tx, United States
Nov 13, 2018 8:05 PM
Replying to Mark Steward
...
I find that Excel can be your friend here to start sorting things out when you pick up these things midstream and there is not much PM collateral/support/maturity in the org. (I am assuming this is not a large complex project and you are still doing your day job?). I recommend you keep it simple; don't overwhelm yourself with documents or detail.
Putting together a simple Excel file with sperate worksheets for the following can be a good starting point to build on and later you can split out from there or use as inputs for a charter etc.
In scope and out of scope - what deliverables are included and what is not.
Constraints - E.g. Budget is $x or deliver by x date
Risks - What risk you are facing and you actions to address them
Issues - start tracking the issues and who is assigned to them etc
Assumptions - Put as many down and work on validating them
Decisions - keep a record of key decisions
Resources - Who? when? Etc.
Budget - Perhaps IT and the Finance department can help you pull this together.
Stakeholders - who are they and how will you manage them
Requirements - Do you have documented requirements?
Also, look at a tool like Trello to help manage and organise the project. It is very easy to use, has a short learning curve and can easily come in midstream.
Actually, Mark, it is a HUGE project (software for an insurance company to allow consumers to quote and buy online) and yes, they've tasked me with being project manager on top of being one of three people in the marketing department. lol Saving Changes...
Lara DollProject Manager, CAPMFort Worth, Tx, United States
Nov 14, 2018 1:42 AM
Replying to SHADAV MOHAMMAD ANSARI
...
Hi Lara,
1- First you need to familiarize yourself with all the documentation on your project. Review and crucial any areas in the Charter, Scope, Business Case, Project Schedule, Issue & Action Logs, Financials, etc..
2-Meet to the project sponsor and check their interest in the project.
3-Once you hammered these out, have a meeting with the entire team - review each area you have questions on that.Review and reassess the issues log and ask for updates.
4-Create an action plan which identifies the best resource(s) who can assess and provide the best expert testimony of what can be done to correct the issue. Allow them to provide their input freely.
Hi, Shadav. Thanks for your reply!
The 'fun' part about this project is that there ISN"T a charter, scope, business case, project schedule, issue & action logs, financials, etc. Before now, projects were done off the cuff, with no documentation in place.
I do have the sponsor, the customer, and the subject matter experts identified, however. At this point, I'm counting that as a win.
Now, I need to try to put things in place to provide some structure to this project while looking ahead to future projects (we have another doozy coming up soon). I DO NOT want to be caught in this situation again... if I can help it.
I think the lack of structure is what's causing things to come up now, like the budget, that should have been addressed at the onset.
Anyway, I really appreciate all of the advice you guys have offered. Saving Changes...
