As we have written about time and again, good project management is critical to completing high-quality projects on time, on budget, and on scope. As complexity increases, so often does the need for diligent project management. But if an organization does not already have project management practices, how can they be implemented within that organization? Some ways to get started are by:
– Disseminating its principles and methodologies throughout the organization:
To effectively develop project management in companies, it is necessary to adopt a culture that is dedicated to integrated project management and training in its methodologies. Culture sets the tone.
– Developing individuals and setting up project teams:
Above all, project management methodology involves teamwork. Synergy must be built among the individuals involved in each project, creating outcomes that maximize each and every resource allocated to a project.
– Implementing norms and procedures:
Availability of tools to adequately support project management operations is also tremendously important, and a wide variety of tools are available on the market including ones that integrate departments and streamline information. With such tools it is possible to obtain and organize the necessary information to make real-time, situational project management decisions.
As we have written about time and again, good project management is critical to completing high-quality projects on time, on budget, and on scope. As complexity increases, so often does the need for diligent project management. But if an organization does not already have project management practices, how can they be implemented within that organization? Some ways to get started are by:
– Disseminating its principles and methodologies throughout the organization:
To effectively develop project management in companies, it is necessary to adopt a culture that is dedicated to integrated project management and training in its methodologies. Culture sets the tone.
– Developing individuals and setting up project teams:
Above all, project management methodology involves teamwork. Synergy must be built among the individuals involved in each project, creating outcomes that maximize each and every resource allocated to a project.
– Implementing norms and procedures: Availability of tools to adequately support project management operations is also tremendously important, and a wide variety of tools are available on the market including ones that integrate departments and streamline information. With such tools it is possible to obtain and organize the necessary information to make real-time, situational project management decisions.
Notes
Project management is an area that is growing in popularity due to its flexibility. Concepts such as “project” and “project management” can be applied in any corporate segment and in any industry. They can even be used in the personal sphere.
A wedding, for instance, can easily be conceived of as a project. It involves managing costs, time, human resources and, above all, a certain degree of risk. All projects have similar conceptual characteristics. In one form or another, all of them have an initial phase, a phase for planning, control and execution, and a closing phase (these are the Process Groups names in the PMBOK® Guide, but the phases don’t necessarily have to use the names of these groups).
When implementing project management methodologies, a great place to start in an understanding of stakeholders. Remember, stakeholders are those individuals and/or organizations involved in the project with interests in its development and having varying needs and expectations. The client, the project manager, the project team, and the sponsor are obvious stakeholders. However, anyone that is positively or negatively affected by the outcomes of a project is a potential stakeholder.
The most important stakeholders for any project is 1) the client, who will become the user of the service and/or product being generated, and 2) the sponsor, who is the source of project financing.
Stakeholders
Stakeholders (especially clients and sponsors) can exert a strong influence on the project. Therefore:
– Identify them:
Every project is made up of different stakeholders, some who may have a greater degree of influence than others. Normally, the key stakeholders are the project manager, the project team, the sponsor, the executive, and the customer. However, in some projects, other important stakeholders may be involved and identifying them will not always be easy.
– Define their roles:
The project manager, for example, is the one responsible for executing the project, coordinating the team, and managing expectations. The project team carries out the necessary work to accomplish the defined objectives, and the executive makes some important decisions, usually at the most critical times. Another key stakeholder is the sponsor, who may have final say over scope and other project variables.
– Identify their degree of influence:
A stakeholder’s degree of influence is usually linked to their position in the project. Depending on their position, a stakeholder’s opinion may have major effects on the project, collaborating towards its progress or even determining its closure. In general, the stakeholders’ influence will diminish as the project moves forward.
– Determine their requirements:
In terms of project management, requirements are those conditions that must be met or that may provide to a system, service or product the ability to yield a given result.
– Ensure their satisfaction:
It’s often said that “the customer is always right,” but a project manager will have a different motto—“What really matters is to meet the expectations of the stakeholders.” The project manager must be concerned with satisfying every stakeholder in the project, though stakeholders can also make substantial contributions to the project based on their interest and influence.
Usually there are two types of stakeholder – internal and external – and next week will explore these types in greater depth.
