PM challenges

Whether you are a new project manager, or an experienced leader, project management will continue to reveal itself as part art, part science, and part major headache! The list below highlights some of the top project management challenges, along with suggested solution ideas to help overcome those challenges:
Unrealistic deadlines - Some would argue that the majority of projects have "schedule slippage" as a standard feature rather than an anomaly. The challenge of many managers becomes to find alternate approaches to the tasks and schedules in order to complete a project "on time", or to get approval for slipping dates out. An "absolute" time-based deadline such as a government election, externally-scheduled event, or public holiday forces a on-time completion (though perhaps not with 100% of desired deliverables). But, most project timelines do eventually slip due to faulty initial deadlines (and the assumptions that created them). Solution: Manage the stress of "the immovable rock and the irresistible force" (i.e. the project deadline and the project issues) with creative planning, alternatives analysis, and communication of reality to the project participants. Also determine what deadlines are tied to higher level objectives, or have critical links into schedules of other projects in the organization's portfolio.
Communication deficit - Many project managers and team members do not provide enough information to enough people, along with the lack of an infrastructure or culture for good communication. Solution: Determine proper communication flows for project members and develop a checklist of what information (reports, status, etc.) needs to be conveyed to project participants. The communications checklist should also have an associated schedule of when each information dissemination should occur.
Scope changes - As most project managers know, an evil nemesis "The Scope Creep" is usually their number one enemy who continually tries to take control. Solution: There is no anti-scope-creep spray in our PM utility belts, but as with many project management challenges, document what is happening or anticipated to happen. Communicate what is being requested, the challenges related to these changes, and the alternate plans, if any, to the project participants (stakeholders, team, management, and others).
Resource competition - Projects usually compete for resources (people, money, time) against other projects and initiatives, putting the project manager in the position of being in competition. Solution: Portfolio Management - ask upper level management to define and set project priority across all projects. Also realize that some projects seemingly are more important only due to the importance and political clout of the project manager, and these may not be aligned with the organization's goals and objectives.
Uncertain dependencies - As the project manager and the team determine project dependencies, assessing the risk or reliability behind these linkages usually involves trusting someone else's assessment. "My planner didn't think that our area could have a hurricane the day of the wedding, and now we're out of celebration deposits for the hall and the band, and the cost of a honeymoon in Tahiti!" Solution: Have several people - use brainstorming sessions - pick at the plan elements and dependencies, doing "what if?" scenarios. Update the list of project risk items if necessary based on the results.
Failure to manage risk - A project plan has included in it some risks, simply listed, but no further review happens unless instigated by an event later on. Solution: Once a project team has assessed risks, they can either (1) act to reduce the chance of the risk occurrence or (2) act or plan towards responding to the risk occurrence after it happens.
Insufficient team skills - The team members for many projects are assigned based on their availability, and some people assigned may be too proud or simply not knowledgeable enough to tell the manager that they are not trained for all of their assigned work. Solution: Starting with the project manager role, document the core set of skills needed to accomplish the expected workload, and honestly bounce each person's skills against the list or matrix. Using this assessment of the team, guide the team towards competency with training, cross-training, additional resources, external advisors, and other methods to close the skills gap.
Lack of accountability - The project participants and related players are not held accountable for their results - or lack of achieving all of them. Solution: Determine and use accountability as part of the project risk profile. These accountability risks will be then identified and managed in a more visible manner.
Customers and end-users are not engaged during the project. Project teams can get wound up in their own world of internal deliverables, deadlines, and process, and the people on the outside do not get to give added input during the critical phases. Solution: Discuss and provide status updates to all project participants - keep them informed! Invite (and encourage) stakeholders, customers, end-users, and others to periodic status briefings, and provide an update to those that did not attend.
Vision and goals not well-defined - The goals of the project (and the reasons for doing it), along with the sub-projects or major tasks involved, are not always clearly defined. Clearly communicating these vague goals to the project participants becomes an impossible task. Some solutions and ideas to thrash vagueness: Determine which parts of a project are not understood by the team and other project participants - ask them or note feedback and questions that come up. Check the project documentation as prepared, and tighten up the stated objectives and goals - an editor has appropriate skills to find vague terms and phrasing. Each project is, hopefully, tied into to the direction, strategic goals, and vision for the whole organization, as part of the portfolio of projects for the organization.
Project leadership is a skill that takes time to develop in a person or organization. Achieving success requires analyzing setbacks and failures in order to improve. Focusing on each project's challenges and learning from them will help to build a more capable and successful project management capability.

Project Management -Part 2

1. Refresh yourself on project management core concepts. As IT continues to play an increasingly important role in organizations, a keen understanding of IT projects and project management is important. Characterized by uncertainty and change, IT leaders should be aware of ways to increase their chances for project success (see below):
» Manage project constraints. A successful project manager must simultaneously manage the three basic constraints of a project: scope, time, and cost, as well as balancing the three constraints with the quality of the project’s final deliverable. All constraints must be managed together if the project, and the project manager, are to be successful. Identify project drivers, constraints, and areas with flexibility. Define each project dimension as a constraint up-front, from within which the project must operate, or define with a degree of freedom or flexibility that can be adjusted within some stated bounds for the project to succeed.
» Follow project management phases. Adhering to the
standard project management lifecycle phases ensures key tasks are completed in a logical and controlled order. For example, this ensures that quality is checked and management approvals are gained before the next piece of work is started. Following the standard phases of project management helps to reduce the cost of rework and helps to position the project for success.

Project Management - Part 1

Project management revolves around three key organizational elements :
1. Business – projects must be aligned with and support the organization’s strategic goals and objectives.
2. People – projects revolve around people. This includes the project manager, stakeholders, and the project team.
3. Tools and Technology – projects rely on the resources at hand to plan, control, schedule, and track project progress.

It is the role of the project manager to manage and optimize these three elements throughout the project management process


Project Management Constraints
A project, no matter the size or magnitude, must be completed under three constraints. Often referred to as the "Triple Constraints of Project Management" or "The Project Management Triangle," these constraints are as follows:
» Scope – project size, goals and deliverables.
» Time – time frame available to complete the project.
» Cost (or Budget) – amount (in dollars) budgeted for the project.

Each project constraint is in direct competition or conflict with another. Therefore, changing one constraint has a direct impact on the others. In almost all projects, the goal is a high quality deliverable within a fixed time frame, at the predetermined cost. However, if for example, one constraint is considered absolutely critical for the project, the other two constraints will have to give way, or be altered, to accommodate the fixed constraint


Phases of Project Management

1. Project Initiation – The business problem or opportunity is identified and a business case is developed. All stakeholders come together to establish preliminary agreement around project scope, costs, and expected timelines.
2. Project Planning – Project plans are established outlining activities, resource requirements, tasks, project deliverables, etc. A preliminary project schedule (i.e. work breakdown structure) is drafted.

3. Project Execution – This is where the bulk of the project work is completed. During this phase, customer requirements are gathered, a solution is agreed upon by all stakeholders and/or selection/procurement begins. While the actual project plan is being executed, a series of management processes are also underway to monitor and control project progress and deliverables and to ensure the project stays on track.
4. Project Monitoring and Control – Regularly measuring and monitoring project progress; making sure project objectives are on track and being met. Variances from the project plan are identified and corrective action is taken when necessary.
5. Project Closure – The project is delivered to the customer. A post-implementation review is conducted to determine the level of success of the project and to highlight key lessons learned for future projects. For example:
» Did the project deliver on time, within budget, and to scope and quality requirements?
» Were the customer, project stakeholders, and project team members satisfied with the project deliverables?
» Did the project achieve the expected business benefits?


IT projects are known to fail for some of the following reasons:
» Project sponsors are not committed to the project objectives.
» Business needs are not clearly defined (i.e. incomplete/changing requirements).
» Incomplete project scope and unrealistic expectations.
» Absence of a project plan.
» Lack of resources (i.e. people, technology, money, time frame).
» Inappropriate methodology or project approach.
» Too many people working on the project – no project synergy.

decision

"Any recommendation that goes to him will be challenged. The conclusion will be challenged, the reasoning behind the conclusion will be challenged, the data that supports the reasoning will be challenged, and the source of the data will be challenged. And, on a bad day, the methods and motives of the source will be challenged."

what’s key to him is a healthy life-work-family balance. "Having the balance, and maintaining it, are important. In the end, if you are successful in one and not in the other, you aren’t successful

o culture is better or worse, no country is better or worse. It’s just they have different strengths or weaknesses.".

50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
22. Why are you, you?
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
25. What are you most grateful for?
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
27. Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
30. What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
32. If not now, then when?
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
48. What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
50. Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

Chanakya quotes

"A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first."

"Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous."


"The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you."


"There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no
friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth."


"Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions – Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead."


"As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it."


"The world’s biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman."


"Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest."


"The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction."


"God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple."


"A man is great by deeds, not by birth."


"Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness."


"Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends."


"Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person."


"Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected
everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth."

Top Management

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She reduced altitude and spotted a man below. She descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me sir, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago but I don't know where I am."

The man below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."

''You must be an engineer," said the lady balloonist. "I am", replied the man. 'How did you know?'

''Well", answered the lady in the balloon, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip even more."

The engineer below responded, "You must be in Top Management." ''I am", replied the lady balloonist, "but, how did you know ?''

"Well," said the Engineer, "You don't know where you are, or where you're going. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you, to solve your problems."