Common Mistakes in Project Management
Recently I was asked by a reputable technology magazine/site to put together a few tips for common ‘mistakes’ PMOs and project managers make in managing their projects. The article that these tips would support is about the emergence of and accelerated shift to Agile methodologies in the enterprise. The intent of the article is to advise on lessons learned in traditional project management methods that can apply to this shift, and to emphasize on the importance of organizational change management as part of any major process change in a business. For my part, I’m drawing on my many years experience implementing Agile management processes, and my years of experience in the PPM industry. While these tips are far from all encompassing, they are three important considerations.
Project Management Mistake No. 1: Thinking agile will solve everything.
Today’s project managers are eager to adopt Agile methods to speed innovation and improve collaboration in the workplace, which are noticeably improved with Agile projects. However, agile is not the panacea of methodologies. Agile without governance and transparency can lead to confusion, chaos, and ultimately the same failure project managers were seeking to avoid.
Solution: Consider a dual approach to project methodologies. Adopt a process that allows for the Agile ways people want to work (scrum, kanban, etc.) coupled with traditional project methods for reporting and analytics to improve the transparency that executives rely on to make decisions.
Project Management Mistake No. 2: Failure to communicate business value of project
One of the biggest mistakes project managers make has little to do with managing the project. Even a project that finishes on-time and on-budget can be deemed a failure if the business value of the project isn’t communicated well to the executive stakeholders. This is especially true for projects where the business value isn’t immediately obvious.
Solution: Make sure you know what success is, beyond on-time and on-budget. Ask yourself: How does this project link to established business goals and strategies? Communicate early and often the value of the project to both the executive stakeholders and the project team.
Project Management Mistake No. 3: Failure to adjust course on a doomed project
Every so often, a project just isn’t going to succeed. The fear of failure can sometimes lead a project manager to an exercise of futility in trying to salvage a doomed project. Continuing a doomed project turns small failures into big ones.
Solution: Create a vehicle for transparent and truthful reporting. The most important thing is to provide executive stakeholders with information that allows for good, timely decision making. If the project is strategically important, the business can change course and become successful by adjusting budget, resource, and/or delivery expectations.
There are many more considerations in the pursuit of switching to Agile that include the cultural and behavioral changes needed by the business as a whole. Those businesses that have embraced organizational change management and a hybrid Agile/PPM approach have seen greater levels of success than those businesses that implement Agile without those considerations. Using the best of both Agile and traditional methods can take a business a long way towards delivering better business outcomes.