How to Manage Small Projects

How to Manage Small Projects

Introduction:

Studies show that about 85% of projects have a value below 200,000.00. These projects are creating and awarding a few times a month.

These are happening because the client wants urgent output with a short duration.

Small projects have it is own problems, PM can use PMBOK Guide, or any other custom formats for managing small projects, the important thing is that PM should know the life cycle to be followed.

For Managing Small projects there are two types of management system in organizations which are as below:

1.     Managing Small projects in small organizations, in such organizations project management formats comes from organization experts or PM of the project.

In such an organization, the team is small and the organization will not face in need of much expertise, and the engagement of activities will be mostly the same for all staff.

2.     Managing Small project in a big organization, which usually, they follow the predefined framework.

Small projects to some degree, will be more difficult in managing large projects because small projects have a small budget, less time and a small number of resources, but large projects are opposite of this.

Project Life Cycle

As mentioned above that PM can use the methodology for managing their projects, below are some points that PMs can you in each process which I point out from experience and as the best practice of PMs:

·       In Initiating Process, PM should be fully aware of the project charter, in most small projects the project charter will be as project summary.

·       PMs should not do massive planning but the minimum they should have a project plan or project management plan for their projects.

·       In Executing and Monitoring and Closing Process, PMs should take care of Project Status Reports, ChangeLogs, Variance Reports, and Communications with all stakeholders.

·       At the end of all the work, the project should be properly close with submitting closeout report and Lessons learned for upcoming projects.

What is a small project mean?

If any project has below characteristics will call small project:

·       Project with Less Resources

·       Project with a Smaller Budget with a limited timeline.

·       When an organization need an urgent output

·       Project organizational chart will be smaller

·       If the project has a minimum one maximum three objectives will be a small project

·       Project which is not massively planned, but it doesn’t mean to not plan the project.

Project Scope:

Small project’s scope will have the below characteristics:

·       Project Scope must be defined: As the projects is small so lots of minor tasks will create a lot of problems for completing the project under budget and with timeline, so PM must define the project scope

·       PM should create a WBS for a small project, this will help PM to have a clear vision for the completion of the project.

·       No need to overlook and no need to overkill

Quality and Risk for Small Projects:

For small project PM will don’t have time to fix defects and PM will not have more time to overcome on any critical risk, preventing defects should be PM’s top priority.

The PM should create a list of risks, these risks should be discussed with a project team for finding good solutions.

Why Small Projects Fail:

Below is a list of activities should be avoided for better output from the project:

·       Due to Overrun the Budget and Schedule and PM makes same mistakes multiple time (doing more to a client)

·       Managing multiple projects with the same PM

·       Managing project with the same approach from previous experience

·       Not making a proper project management plan

·       Not using the right tools and process in managing project

·       Lack of proper estimation for Risks, Costs, and Resources.

·       Not planning and tracking, each activity of the project should be tracked against schedule.

·       Not having full information about Stake Holders and lack of proper communication

My Experience of Managing Small Projects:

I have managed more than 200 projects in the last fifteen years, I have noticed that if we took care of below point projects will not face failure and will have great output:

·       Having enough information about stakeholders

·       Having enough information about project scope of work and project requirements

·       Making Templates for saving time

·       Documenting each process for taking quick actions

·       The Initiating and Planning Phase usually starts concurrently. Accurate and Detail Planning is required.

·       Using software for planning tools is a good option

·       Documenting all the project data in one place

·       Be informed from resources, budget, and schedule

·       Face to Face meeting will be more effective than the email or phone communications

·       Mixing operation and Project Works, this will create problems to meet a project deadline.

·       Tracking and Following up of Project Schedule should be in the top priority of PM

·       Strict Monitoring and Controlling is required.

·       The contingency plans should be very accurately considered, as there is no time for fallback plans to be implemented.

·       Strong communication is a key factor for successful completion. Therefore, a communication management plan is mandatory.

·       Activities should be track properly but with simple tools

References:

·       Project Management for Small Projects, Second Edition (Author: Sandra Rowe, Ph.D., PMP)

·       How to Manage Small Projects (https://www.projectmanager.com/training/how-to-manage-small-projects )

·       Managing Small Projects tutorial: Planning a small project, ( www.lynda.com )

·       How Not to Fail Your Small Projects ( https://pmbasics101.com/small-projects/ )

·       Simple Project Management Framework for Smaller Projects (https://pmbasics101.com/smaller-projects/ )

·       6 Common Challenges in managing small projects (and how to overcome them) (https://www.bytestart.co.uk/overcome-challenges-manage-small-projects.html )

·       How to manage many small projects? https://pm.stackexchange.com/questions/22426/how-to-manage-many-small-projects

·       Manage Small Projects ( https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/managing-small-projects.php )

·       The critical steps to managing small projects ( https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/unique-challenges-managing-small-project-8439 )

·       How to Think Big While Managing Small Projects (Part 1 and Part 2) https://www.projectmanagement.com/blog-post/20365/How-to-Think-Big-While-Managing-Small-Projects--Part-2--