Why Time is an important Project Profile Attribute

If only I could be in the strategy meeting :)

It is valuable to create a project profile based on non-specific but relatable attributes in order to develop a systematic way to classify unique and often ambiguous projects in to groupings. By grouping similar type and magnitude projects together a Project Management Firm (PMF) can identify what manager skill sets and behavioral traits will most likely guarantee successful project completion.

A great engine builder friend of mine once told me, “You have cheap, fast and reliable, and you get to pick any two of the three.” (Meaning cheap and fast will not be reliable, fast and reliable will not be cheap, and lastly cheap and reliable will not be fast)...

I would propose PMFs rate projects based on attributes, three categories based on size, complexity, technical knowledge etc but most importantly based on the relationship between urgency and allowable cost. 

Proposed Project Profile Attribute: Time

 Attribute Categories:

Time Matters – Urgent, Time Matters – Needed,  or  Cost Matters

Category Requirements:

Time Matters – Urgent (TMU): MBA or similar education / applicable certifications, 5 years in high stress projects / operations with proven positive results, experience expediting, supreme interpersonal skills and off the charts emotional intelligence, minimum 2 years of strategic leadership experience with an advanced or developed ability to understand operational needs on a conceptual and tactical level, significant technical background in the industry, potential pre-established internal connections if gatekeepers are involved or customer organization is personal referral oriented…etc… this is where the big money and the big pressure is… This is by far the highest risk profile because only a slight impediment ignored could threaten the successful project completion. Controls or thresholds would logically be established contingent upon other project attributes. Any TMU managers should either be brought on as full-time associates or should have indefinite contracts pending continuous performance standards are maintained. I believe we must earn our wage everyday and cannot base present positions on past performance. You must earn your stripes everyday. If a TMU manger either conducts themselves in a negligent way or has a pattern of negative performance the PMF must, to preserve the best interests of the organization, demote the TMU manager to a lower project urgency level. Additionally, until pattern of negative performance is reversed this specific manager should not be allowed to be a mentor (ensuring any potentially jaded opinions …etc don’t ever reach the ears of a manager still on a positive development track). The PMF should take all measures possible to track manager stress levels and as specifically as possible record break points or melt-down situations /stress thresholds. The PMF should consider, resources permitting of course, hiring a full-time psychological doctor(s) to be on-call 24/7 for TMU managers due to the typical stress involved in closing a large or particularly complex TMU project. In the world of project management there is no bigger question than how long do we have...atleast if it is a large or complex project. All performing TMU managers should absolutely be retained; their services both as a full-time mentor for the benefit of lower level project managers as well as due to the development investment represented by this classification level of manager. Additionally, prior to the PMF offering an bid on a TMU project, a minimum of five (5) other distinct TMU level managers must all agree that the critical path has positive float assuming a slight impediment is not ignored. Ideally this should be represented by an anonymous process where the panel managers do not know who else is on the panel or which TMU manager is being proposed for the project. Additionally, the TMU manager proposed for the project also must never know the identity of the panel managers to ensure organizational best interests are the focus of success criteria as opposed to personal differences. The PMF should never allow personal emotion to affect organizational strategy (non-logical in an optimum profit seeking enterprise).

Time Matters – Needed (TMN): MBA or applicable certifications, 2 years in high stress (1 year acceptable in sole leadership role and project was documented to be successful by the client), experience expediting but not completely necessary (potentially test candidate for behavioral and intellectual traits that would lend themselves to being able to do all the tasks described in the TMU detailed above), previous history indicative of an advanced or developed ability to understand operational needs on a conceptual and tactical level, potential pre-established internal connections if gatekeepers are involved or customer organization is personal referral oriented…Here a moderate to significant impediment ignored could threaten the successful project completion. Controls or thresholds would logically be established contingent upon other project attributes. The PMF should, resources permitting of course, assign a mentor to TMN managers from the TMU staff when not actively assigned to a PMF client project. Their contract should absolutely retain their services as a full-time mentor both for the benefit of new hires and due to the development investment represented by this classification level of manager.

Cost Matters: Lean Six Sigma or similar process optimization background, education would be dependent on scope and other project attributes, any required experience if project is in technical field, positive previous experience with client (assist with gatekeeper concept), previous history indicative of an advanced or developed ability to understand operational needs on a conceptual and more specifically tactical level…Here time to some extent doesn’t matter or might be significantly flexible where the PMF could nurture or train an green new hire that is detailed oriented but not capable of high stress environments. The PMF should, resources permitting of course, assign a mentor to Cost Matters managers with a limited oversight/approval purpose as well as the mentor and development focusing. Perhaps the PMF could have a rotation of when the Time –Urgent or Time-Needed when not actively assigned to a PMF client project their contract retains their services as a full-time mentor of lower category profiles. These projects should more than likely have mentor engagement meetings at least on a weekly basis to ensure progress is made, daily contact would be available from the assigned mentor.

Just something to consider if you are a smaller consulting / project management firm that hasn't firmly established any form of project profiling metrics. Project Profiling is a simple way to increase organizational success by having a better understanding of operational or project needs based on projects of similar profile characteristics...Just an opinion but feel free to chyme in if you feel like it.