BUBU TRIPATHYPM I| Siemens Healthcare Inc. USAFrazer, Pa, United States
I often hear that the PM need not be a SME. A working knowledge of the tools, technologies and processes in a specific domain is sufficient to manage a project. Now what if the PM has no familliarity with the tools / processes. Last week I was tossed with one such project where I have the faintest idea about the tools, processes etc. What are some of the guiding principles / tips for managing such a project ? How do you jduge the authenticity of an effort estimate given by a team member ? How do you judge progress ? or for that matter how do you even know if a work package is "really" complete ?
If you have ever managed projects in "alien" domains, please share your experience, learnings and best practices.
Thanks in Advance. Saving Changes...
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Russell GeakeProject Management Consultant| Deciduous Partners LtdLostwithiel, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Bubu, this can be a really tricky place to be, but there are ways to cope and even thrive - the first thing to do is to identify one or two people whom you can rely on to be honest and helpful, you will be able to ask them virtually anything. Be open with them about the fact that you are not an SME in this instance, but that your job as PM is to ensure the delivery of the project and to make it easier for them to complete the work required. Ask them for directions about essential areas of knowledge - if you can read up on it a bit while you are familiarising yourself with the project then you can start to talk their language. It is the same as learning a language really, if you make an effort the native speakers appreciate it and you will get on better.
If you can, review previous projects where you will be able to gauge the accuracy of the plan against completions. You may even identify potential weaknesses ahead of time.
Knowing when a work package is complete - ask for a demonstration, and if you are really unfamiliar, invite someone frrom another team who might be able to verify. this is more difficult in a distributed working environment, so ask for photos or video of physical equipment, and visit site if you need to. This is also beneficial as, in my experience, team members do like to meet the PM.
You can always ask on Gantthead or other forums. There can't be many situations that aren't already known by somebody here.
Hope this helps
Rs Saving Changes...
M SchillingManager - EPMO| Available for a new engagementAnn Arbor, Mi, United States
Hello Bubu, Try starting at the end. Get the project team and customers together and create a WBS for the end user acceptance test plan. The critical elements to be tested, the methods of testing, and task ownership should give you enough info to work it through like a logic puzzle or a soduku.
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Hi Bubu
I have worked in a number of unfamiliar projects and loved every one as they are an opportunity to learn and grow. Having said that I have also instigated some frameworks to help with the unfamiliarity. As suggested by Russell getting some people to help and advise is essential. I have also use the peer review process to help keep things "honest" and to ensure that work packages are actually complete. Even a formal QA and sign off can be used. But don't forget to ask questions, sometimes by just asking the seemingly "stupid" questions you can unearth areas that need attention or possible issues, and a a "newby" you can ask those questions with impunity giving the SMEs the chance to demonstrate their expertise.
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Ahmad YahyaCEO| ADAM - Agile Digital Assistant for ManagersPutrajaya, Malaysia
Being thrown into unfamiliar terrritory or domain may not be a bad things. This is where your skills as PM will be tested. As a PM you need to judge how best you can align your domain knowledge to this new domain. Sound judgement in selecting your project team will also help in bringing you up to speed with this new domain. Getting additional training will also help you in reducing the learning curve. There are number of things you can do, you just need to be patience and work thing out. Saving Changes...
When I found myself in this position several years ago, I did three things:
a. before I even accepted he position, I discussed my lack of background in the technology with the director that I would be reporting to, and made sure she understood I would be focussing on the project until I learnt enough about the technology area.
b. I developed a simple phrase that was particularly useful in meetings with our primary contractor to stop people who were diving into the technology, and getting them to explain it to me in simpler language. It was non-confrontational, and reflected on my lack of knowledge and not that the person talking was being too detailed.
c. I looked at my team's skills, and realised that I could re-structure meetings to reinforce the authority of my systems engineering manager at technical meetings, and only bring forward into project management meetings any decisions made there that needed to be noted or ratified at that level.
I suppose the fourth thing was to learn as much as I could about the technology area.
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Elyse NielsenSenior Project Manager| Ascension Health Information ServicesHaines City, Fl, United States
Hi,
Great Suggestions here! I'd also like to suggest, this is a great opportunity for you and the team. Throughout our careers, at one time or another we will be asked to step out of comfort zone and manage the implementation with something new. My key recommendation here is to develop a sense of curiosity.
As a project manager, we need to be able to share with the team the place done looks like, and work with the team on how to get to a completed status. Be curious, ask questions, seek to understand the outcomes, and give the team an opportunity to showcase their piece of the puzzle.
Hope this helps,
Elyse Saving Changes...
Audumbar DhuriSenior Project Manager| Bentley Systems Dombivali, Maharashtra, India
Recently I also have been through a similar situation.This is what made me comfortable hansle the challenge:-
1. Show intent to the team that you want to learn the new domain to the extent that you can speak their language
2. Ask the right questions. A lot of responses to situations are based on common sense (which commonly lacks in most teams)
3. Focus on core PM activities and fall back on the SME for the technical roles.
4. Give space and gain faith of team members Saving Changes...
Few years ago, I was selected to be the PM of eRooms a
web-based collaboration service for a well known utilities company in the UK. Did I know anything about web collaboration, no I did not nor did anyone else within the organisation. An eRoom is a web-based application for digital enterprise collaboration. An out of the box ready project work space. Secure for both internal and remote use. The access to the eRoom is via a URL.
This project was huge, first time ever eRooms service to be implemented within the company. As I said no one had the experience it was unknown and unfamiliar technology, the project run for 9 months and during that time the logistics and technicalities of this project were tremendous. The solution was to enable the organisation to collaborate and share sensitive information with internal and external partners as in many cases the interaction was of a highly sensitive nature and all parties needed to be assured of confidentiality. I had the best teams working with me and with the eRooms external service provider managed the project to the highest expectations ensuring key and effective communications for delivering the web collaboration solution was imperative.
We worked hard and delivered the service, huge success that it is still in use today! the motto is go for it! with senior level support and by having the right resources it will not fail, it is also a learning curve. A year later after this project was delivered I had become the expert in eRooms and gave presentations and demos to senior executives... yes it was different and enjoyable. Saving Changes...
I've experienced a few projects where I totally have nuts about what the end users are doing. I've been assigned to rollout IT system to Facilities and maintenance department, Physical fitness test programmes, Manufacturing companies, etc.
The first place to begin is through the users. Besides official meetings with them, visit them unofficially sometimes to have an unofficial chat, you will learn more they way they work. Sometimes you will get more tips and answers from these unofficial visits because the users feel more relax when they talk to you over a coffee...instead of a meeting room full of his/her bosses around.
ps: You could download a free sample e-book titled 'Workplace Humour' ISBN: 9789810590307 by Michael Law from iPad Smashwords application Saving Changes...
"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. THAT's relativity."
