I work for a rather smallish company (30 + people) that is owned by a multi national. I have only recently started and was hired with the understanding that the company was tired of having projects manage them and wanted someone that would manage the projects instead. I might also add that the position was open because the parent company stated that my company needed a project manager and stated the lack of one as a lessons learned from a failed project that the smaller company did for the larger company.
My challenge is that right now I have been placed in charge of managing a program that completely changes the structure and content of the business (a web site). My boss is a VP and he has stated that he wants to manage the projects to "my exacting standards". So, he is actually the program manager in name and I explain what I would do in his place. The biggest challenge is that the three main executives state that they want to "manage the hell out of this project\program" but they do not follow my advice. I've been trying to get a signed off program charter for the last two weeks and am rebuffed by statements such as, "we don't need that, we need the requirements documented" - Which by the way is another challenge. The executives themselves are authoring the requirements document. They do not see a need for hiring business systems analysts or information architects to do the documentation and eliciting of detailed requirements that the developers will need to create the systems.
I’m also questioned constantly about my contact with the parent company. I had recently scheduled a meeting (at the request of a project manager at the parent company that is responsible for a similar project at the parent company, our project is the POC) to meet with the parent company project sponsor, product manager and project manager to review the draft program charter that I have to date and to make sure I have the project stakeholders listed correctly and to understand communication needs and expectations. Never before has anyone cared what I have done while in the parent company office (in fact, when I first started, I was forced to go there for days at a time even without an agenda so as to make my presence known sort of speak) Now however, the executives found out I was meeting with the project sponsor at the parent company and they want to review agendas and did in fact tell me to cancel the meeting. They do not want to share any draft documents… (I thought we were all on the same side but apparently that is not the case)
We have a high level schedule that my boss created but there is nothing behind the schedule that states what we get as deliverables on a week to week basis. There is a spreadsheet that another executive created that lists out the resources he believes we will need for this project but with no documentation behind it stating what deliverables those resources will be tasked with nor the deadlines or dependencies behind those deliverables.
In my mind, this whole thing is a disaster but I don't know how to better explain why they should follow a project management framework. I've tried stating that the charter is the basis of knowing exactly what the project is and isn't and how to understand if it is a success. I've tried explaining that you need a detailed communication plan to explain how things will be communicated (this program is further complicated by the fact that we are in actuality a proof of concept for the larger company and they are VERY interested in what we are doing), that you need a WBS with dependencies, LOEs and resources in order to create a baseline schedule to manage to as well as a resource management plan, that you need weekly status meetings with substance that cover what got done this week, what is happening next week and what are our outstanding issues and triggered risks, that we need a risk management plan even if its for only the top ten risks... and that you need an issues management plan in order to know what to escalate to the project sponsor as well as to keep track of what needs to get resolved
Almost everyday I want to quit but I also see it as an awesome challenge that I know will make me a much better project manager in the long run... if only I can survive.
Any suggestions would be MOST welcome.
Saving Changes...
It's me again :) Just wanted to give an update. The CEO and founder of the smaller company has left one year ahead of schedule and the parent company has selected a new organizational structure to manage this smaller office. As the new CEO (actually now a VP) and I do not agree on how to manage the projects effectively, I've left. It was that and my gut instinct that the parent company will be closing this office in DC as they are headquartered in Chicago... I didn't want to stay with the sinking boat... I've really appreciated the opportunity and all that I have learned while working here for almost a year. It's been an invaluable learning experience. Anyone looking for a project manager in the DC area? :) Thanks to everyone who has posted their responses - you have all been a great help to me. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
So, I had to follow up on this one (I wonder why I even still think about this place since I have not worked there in almost a year and a half) - The POC never got off the ground. The top execs at the smaller company either were fired or left on their own accord. Amazingly, I was wrong in that they have not closed the smaller office. It's still open but used mostly just to maintain sites and not actually build anything new.
While the whole experience was an emotional drain, I'm so glad I got to go through it. I learned some very valuable lessons for the future. In fact, right now I'm working on implementing a PMO for a very large scale SAP implementation. I've been able to apply lessons learned from my past since day one.
Anyways, just wanted to share the update. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
I have found a nice document that elaborates on PMO
EVOLVING THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE: A COMPETENCY CONTINUUM
