Mastering Project Management: Best Practices from Conception to Completion.

Project management is both an art and a science. It requires a delicate balance of strategic planning, effective communication, and adaptability to ensure that projects are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget.

Whether you're a seasoned project manager, a CEO (like myself), an entrepreneur or just starting, understanding the best practices from project conception to completion can make all the difference in achieving success. In this article, I discuss various factors that you should pay attention to when handling any project. These factors don’t offer a comprehensive solution but rather act as a guide to help you navigate the journey, ensuring project success from start to finish.

Project Conception: Laying the Foundation

Every successful project begins with a clear vision (for us at WestProp the clear vision is 1 billion bricks by 2050). This phase is about defining the why, what, and how of the project. Start by understanding the purpose of the project. What problem are you solving, or what opportunity are you pursuing? Engage stakeholders early to align on objectives. Setting clear goals and objectives is crucial; use the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to outline what success looks like.

Conducting feasibility studies is another critical step. Assess the project’s viability by evaluating resources, timelines, and potential risks. This ensures you’re not committing to something that’s doomed from the start. Identifying stakeholders is equally important. Know who has a vested interest in the project, including investors, team members, end-users, and anyone else impacted by the project’s outcome.

At WestProp, some of our key stakeholders include the Sales, Finance and Projects teams. The sales team determines what product the market wants; the projects team determines how feasible it and the finance team explores the financial viability of the project.

In our case as a property developer, this stage also involves external stakeholders such as the City Council and Local Government. We have to secure land and ensure compliance with zoning laws before any project commences.

Project Planning: Building the Roadmap

A well-crafted plan is the backbone of any successful project. This phase is about turning your vision into actionable steps. Begin by developing a project charter, a document that formally authorizes the project and outlines its scope, objectives, and key stakeholders. Creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the next step. Break the project into smaller, manageable tasks to help in assigning responsibilities and tracking progress.

As a developer, the project planning stage is also essential for:

• Project Scope & Objectives - Define project goals, timeline, and budget.
• Architectural & Engineering Design – Develop concept designs, blueprints, and relevant specifications.
• Regulatory Approvals – Obtain necessary permits and environmental clearances from the city council, local government and all other relevant stakeholders.
• Risk Management – Identify potential risks and create mitigation strategies.

Setting a realistic timeline is essential. Use tools like Gantt charts to map out milestones and deadlines, accounting for dependencies between tasks. Our Projects team at WestProp recently finished its Gantt Chart for all our developments to improve accountability and ensure that all deadlines are met.

Wise resource allocation is another key aspect of the planning stage. Identify the human resources, tools, equipment and budget needed to execute the project, ensuring resources are available when needed. This project plan is not set in stone and it’s important to regularly review and update this plan throughout the project lifecycle.

Project Execution: Turning Plans into Action

This is where the rubber meets the road. Execution is about coordinating people and resources to deliver on the project plan. Carefully hire the construction firms working on the project; the subcontractors, and suppliers.

Effective communication is also paramount. Keep all stakeholders informed through regular updates, meetings, and progress reports. Transparency is key to maintaining trust and alignment amongst all teams. In our company, we use emailers and regular update videos to ensure that all key stakeholders (especially the customers) know where we are. Recently, the President of Zimbabwe visited our development projects at Millennium Heights and Pokugara, and through such stakeholder engagements, we can show the work and progress that’s taking place on the ground. Effective communication also helps you as a developer to manage expectations

Empowering your team is another critical factor. Delegate tasks based on team members’ strengths and expertise, fostering a collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and motivated. Monitoring progress is essential; monitor the budget and quality assurance. Conduct inspections to meet building codes and standards as any oversight might be expensive to undo in the future.

To maintain efficiency make use of project management tools to track task completion and identify bottlenecks early. In today’s tech-heavy world, these tools are an essential part of daily work; especially in such instances where there are many moving parts.

Managing changes is another important aspect. Scope creep is a common challenge, so establish a change management process to evaluate and approve any deviations from the original plan. This ensures that the project stays on track and within scope.

Project Monitoring and Control: Staying on Track

Even the best-laid plans can go off the mark very quickly. This phase is about ensuring the project stays on course. Tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is crucial. Measure progress against predefined metrics like budget utilization, timeline adherence, and quality standards.

Conducting regular reviews is another best practice. Hold weekly or bi-weekly check-ins to assess progress, address issues, and adjust plans as needed. For the past few months, I have dedicated every Wednesday to monitoring and evaluation at all our project sites. During this time, the whole team goes over all projects, addressing any pain points.

Monitoring and evaluation also enable us to ensure quality standards at every step. Make deliverables meet the required quality benchmarks by conducting regular testing and reviews to catch issues early. This phase is about vigilance and adaptability, ensuring that the project remains aligned with its objectives.

Managing risks proactively is also essential at the monitoring stage Continuously monitor risks and implement mitigation strategies to minimize their impact.

Project Closure: Delivering and Reflecting

Closing a project is just as important as starting it. This phase ensures that the project is formally completed and lessons are learned for future endeavours. Ensure that final inspections & approvals are done. For us as a property developer, this means we have to secure compliance and occupancy permits to guarantee all standards are met.

Conducting a post-mortem analysis is another critical step. Review the project’s successes and challenges. What went well? What could have been done better? Document these insights for future reference. Celebrating success is equally important. Recognize and reward the team’s hard work to boost morale and foster a positive team culture.

Archiving project documents is another key step. Store all project-related documents, including plans, reports, and lessons learned, in a centralized location for future reference. This ensures that the knowledge gained from the project is preserved and can be utilized in future endeavours.

As WestProp, Delivering the final product is not the final step. We go beyond transferring property ownership to our customers. As a company that builds lifestyle communities, we don’t completely leave the project site; we offer post-completion support, long after the project is done. This is done through maintenance checks and addressing any of the residents’ pain points.

From an administration side, this stage involves finalising accounts, disbursing payments to suppliers, and completing legal paperwork. Ensure all deliverables are completed.

Conclusion

Project management is a dynamic discipline that requires a blend of technical skills, leadership, and adaptability. By following these best practices you can increase your chances of delivering successful projects that meet or exceed expectations. Remember, no two projects are the same. Stay flexible, learn from each experience, and continuously refine your approach.

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