Are Undocumented Project Processes Sufficient?

During a recent LinkedIn Live session, we delved into a thought-provoking question: Is implementing project control discipline without formal documentation possible? This query, while intriguing, has a nuanced answer. Yes, it can be done, but only in specific scenarios. However, it’s crucial to preface this discussion with a word of caution.

Let's be clear: These are not your everyday circumstances. In most cases, it's not just advisable but necessary to document your project control processes and disciplines. The instances where undocumented disciplines are sufficient are the exceptions, not the rule.

Given that warning, here are instances where having undocumented project control disciplines will be sufficient.

A small, quick project is being executed. And I mean SMALL, with at most six people, including all stakeholders. In this situation, it’s viable to verbally convey a project discipline, given that everyone acknowledges, agrees with, and conforms to that discipline. Agreeing that there is no need to document a process discipline can save time, which can be notable in a quick project.

The team supports the discipline, but management doesn’t. Risk management often falls into this category. In this situation, management believes that the role of the project manager is to reduce risk, and, therefore, they are reluctant to take their or stakeholder’s time to address it. At the same time, the project team understands the need for risk management discipline. To reap the benefits of proper risk management, I have had team members talk with their non-management counterparts in the business. In their discussions, what is working, what hasn’t worked in the past, and what would have avoided less favorable situations from occurring. Through those discussions, develop a risk list and how to address them. (For those who are thinking, “Wait, you document this?” let me clarify. We document the risks and responses, not the risk discipline itself, because that might trigger concern from disbelieving management.)

Projects to construct a prototype. Discipline can be informal or nonexistent when creating an experimental deliverable to produce learning moments for the organization. In this situation, any discipline can be conveyed and followed, where needed, by verbal agreement. As prototype construction usually seeks to take the prudent, lowest-cost path, documented disciplines typically aren’t necessary.

You have highly experienced stakeholders. Project teams that have worked together frequently and embrace project disciplines can alter their disciplines verbally, follow them, and reap the benefits those disciplines produce. However, this might not be the case if the project's nature significantly differs from projects the team has delivered in the past. In that situation, it's necessary to document project control processes.

Note: There is no mention of Agile here! Our experience is that, while agile (appropriately) prioritizes working features over documentation, that pertains to the solutions agile projects produce. The process for how Agile will be managed and the expectations of its team members are documented in organizations where Agile has been implemented successfully. This is because operational personnel are typically required to be agile team members, and the expectations upon those team members need to be committed based on expectations provided to line managers in writing. So, the agile methodology and processes are documented.

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Coming up

Office Hours Live - Your PM Questions Answered Thursday, July 25, 2024, 5:00 Central Time USA?

My office door is open, and I’m at my desk – come on in and ask me anything about project management and leadership! I have a few project management rants I’ll discuss to warm us up, but from then on, what I talk about is up to you! Bring your questions, issues, things that have gone wrong, or comments and ideas about things that have gone well. This LinkedIn Live session is about YOU and the topics you want to discuss. So, stock up on your questions and join me ; I’ll answer your questions and give you hints and tips to help you successfully manage projects and lead teams.

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Additional thoughts can be found in my project management and outsourcing classes on LinkedIn Learning, including:

• Project Management: Technical Projects
• Strategic Leadership: Deploying Intelligent Disobedience
• Outsourcing Fundamentals , the first of six courses on outsourcing. This series of courses focuses on defining services, performing service-level?management, and helping figure out what is required to support a business in an outsourcing or service provider scenario.

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This article is part of Bob’s Reflections newsletter series , which discusses project management, outsourcing, and “intelligent disobedience”, a leadership approach. If you want more of this content, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article is posted.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library or check out https://intelligentdisobedience.com/

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