Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
I have sometimes encountered that management does not feel the need to have a project management plan or its subsidiary plans – thereby, a scope, cost and schedule is requested but not the scope, cost and schedule management plans. Instead, SOPs – organizational assets – are somehow used and applied to all projects.
Being aware that every project ought to be treated as a case-by-case, what would the preferred approach be? I.e. having a project management plan with cross-references to the applicable SOPs? Look forward to hearing your inputs. Saving Changes...
Without a deeper understanding of the situation, I see an SOP as being one of two different things.
1) SOP for regular work that is repeated. Not a project.
2) SOP for a process. Could be a project.
If the SOP is being used for projects, try to get the SOP modified to include project management processes. We have certain steps/activities that we are expected to perform for every project - our SOP, so to speak. Saving Changes...
Edward DanielsProject Manager| IndependentGlen Burnie, Md, United States
Eduard,
SOPs are by nature work instructions for repeatable tasks. They come very useful in operations and when you run a PMO, it can be beneficial when everyone knows where and what they are supposed to do. You didn't mention if your organization has a PMO, if it does, it may be an organizational preference to have the management plans drawn at a higher level rather than have individual PMs do it.
At some point in my past, I worked in a projectized environment where PMs didn't have to any of the typical plans (Management, Scope, Cost, Schedule and etc). It was done at the PMO level and we all managed the deployment and closing activities. You may be working in such environment.
In the end, the PMI-PMF is a guideline and organizations can choose how they implement it. Do you have a concern of projects failing because of lack of a formal management plan? Saving Changes...
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