What should you focus on?
“Focus on the basics, do them well, and do them relentlessly…”
All project managers are familiar with them, and non-project managers will recognize them too. Projects are made up of tasks, milestones, stages, different types of resources, risks, issues, etc. Each task, deadline, or person is indivisible – the atoms of the project, if you will.
I'm sure you'll have your own list. And while I expect your list to overlap a lot, it may well differ in detail. You may leave out one or two of my best concepts, but add a few of your own. Chances are, you'll have the same idea, but express it in your own way.
Project Management Fundamentals #1: Control
Project managers crave control more than anything else. We do our jobs in an environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. And our job is to create something new (often innovative) within a fixed budget and often under tight deadlines. In the midst of this chaos and challenges, the only way to succeed is to use methods and approaches that create control. Control makes it possible to achieve results, and it also creates trust in the teams that work with us and the stakeholders that trust us.
Project Management Fundamentals #2: Adaptation
There are no magic solutions to our work, so our task is to:
Learn as much as possible
Collect as many tools, techniques, methods, processes and frameworks as possible
Understand each problem as it is, in itself
Develop tailored solutions for every need using the full range of our resources
Project Management Fundamentals #3: Honesty and Trust
If your team or stakeholders don’t trust you or are losing trust… you’re doomed! Building and maintaining trust is something that should be addressed in every decision and every interaction with another person. And the surest way to lose it is to forget to demonstrate true integrity in every action.
There is nothing more fundamental than your principled attitude to professionalism in general and to your role in particular.
Project Management Fundamentals #4: Stakeholders
If your stakeholders are going to determine the success (or not) of your project (and I believe they will), then how you deal with them is fundamental to your success. Get to know them and understand them. Your goal is to satisfy your customers, meet the core needs of your users, and engage all stakeholders.
Project Management Fundamentals #5: Planning and Adaptation
In the project management world, a question often arises: which is more important – planning or adaptation? Some people believe that these are competing approaches, but I disagree.
Planning and adaptation as two ends of the spectrum
Planning and adaptation can indeed be considered two opposite ends of the spectrum of project management approaches. However, this does not mean that we should choose one of them and stick to it throughout the project. On the contrary, successful project management requires a combination of both approaches.
Why do we need planning?
Even the most flexible approaches, such as Agile, require some planning. Planning helps us:
Set goals and objectives: Be clear about what we want to achieve.
Develop an action plan: Determine what steps need to be taken to achieve your goals.
Allocate resources: Use available resources such as time, money and people efficiently.
Manage risks: Anticipate potential problems and develop strategies to address them.
Why is adaptation needed?
On the other hand, even the most predictable projects need to adapt to changing circumstances. Adaptation allows us to:
Respond to change: Respond quickly and effectively to unexpected changes and new challenges.
Ensure flexibility: Maintain flexibility in approaches and methods to remain effective in different environments.
Improve processes: Continuously improve processes and methods based on experience and new knowledge.
Meet Expectations: Take into account changing requirements and expectations of stakeholders.
Combining planning and adaptation
True mastery of project management lies in the ability to combine planning and adaptation. The initial plan gives us a foundation to work from, but the ability to adapt to change allows us to remain effective and achieve goals despite unexpected circumstances.
Planning and adaptation are not mutually exclusive approaches. On the contrary, their combination allows us to manage projects most effectively. It is important to understand that planning gives us direction, and adaptation allows us to adjust course depending on current conditions. Any other approach would be, frankly, absurd.
Project Management Fundamentals #6: Defining Project Completion
When I started to dig deeper into agile methodologies, I came across the term 'Definition of Done' and I loved it! I use it as a core idea for understanding the doneness of work. At the beginning of each project, we should take the time to understand what exactly our project is and what it is not.
Why is it important?
Every project consists of many elements, and without a clear definition of them, we cannot confidently proceed to planning. And even more so, we should not rush into execution without knowing all the details. Without a clear understanding of the project boundaries, we will not be able to determine the moment when our work will be completed.
In Agile, the term 'definition of complete' refers to a set of criteria that must be met to consider a task or project complete. This may include specifications, testing, documentation, and other important aspects.
At the beginning of the project we need:
Understand the essence of the project: Define the goals, objectives, what is included in the project and what is not.
Define Completion Criteria: Establish what specific criteria will signify completion of a task or the entire project.
Document these criteria: Write them down and agree on them with all project participants.
Examples of completion criteria
Technical criteria: All functional requirements are met, code is tested and integrated.
Quality: All bugs are fixed, testing is complete, product quality meets standards.
Documentation: All necessary documents have been created and approved.
Agreement: All stakeholders have confirmed that the task or project is complete.
The definition of completeness allows:
Avoid misunderstandings: Everyone involved in the project knows exactly what is needed to complete the work.
Improve quality: Clear criteria help ensure high quality work.
Manage time effectively: We know when a task is complete and can move on to the next task.
Satisfy customers: Customers get exactly what they expect, on time.
Definition of completion is a key element of successful project management. It allows us to clearly understand what our project involves and confidently move towards its completion. Using this approach, we can effectively plan, execute and complete projects, ensuring high quality and satisfaction of all stakeholders.
Project Management Fundamentals #7: Quality
The issue of quality always comes first in any project. Regardless of what quality standards my client wants to set, my job is to:
1. Ensure that standards are set and understood by the project team. The first step in quality management is to establish clear quality standards.
It is the client's responsibility to determine what standards they want to see in the final product.
However, my job is to make sure that these standards are not only set, but also fully understood by the entire project team. This is the only way we can ensure that everyone involved in the project is working in the same direction and adhering to the same criteria.
2. Reflect quality standards in the design of products, processes or services (Designing for Quality) Quality must be built into everything we create. During the design stage, it is important to consider all established standards and integrate them into the products, processes or services we are developing. Designing for Quality means that we must think about quality from the very beginning, rather than trying to add it on later. This includes all aspects of development, from design to the choice of materials and technologies.
3. Establish Quality Assurance Procedures. Quality Assurance is the next key step. We must establish procedures and processes that ensure that everything we create meets the established quality standards. This includes regular checks, tests and revisions at every stage of development. Quality Assurance procedures help us identify and fix problems before they become serious defects and maintain a high level of quality throughout the project.
4. Quality Control Before a product, service or process is released into operation, it must be thoroughly assessed for compliance with quality standards. Quality control is the final frontier that allows us to ensure that everything created meets the established requirements. This may include final testing, inspections and certification. Only after all quality control stages have been successfully passed can the product be released for use.
Quality assurance is an integral part of project management. My job is to make sure that every stage of the project, from setting standards to final quality control, is carried out to the highest standard. This not only satisfies the client's requirements, but also builds confidence in the project team and its results. After all, isn't that what we get paid for?
Project Management Fundamentals #8: Risks
Projects rarely go according to plan without some hiccups. This is especially true for projects that take place in environments subject to frequent change and uncertainty. As the saying goes, “Change is inevitable!” Let's look at what this means for project risk management.
Characteristics of the project environment.
Volatility: The project environment is often subject to sudden and unpredictable changes. These may be changes in requirements, external factors, or internal circumstances that can dramatically affect the progress of the project.
Uncertainty: Projects often involve performing new tasks or using new methods, which leads to a high degree of uncertainty. We may encounter situations we have not encountered before and must find new ways to solve them.
Complexity: Projects can consist of many interconnected components whose behavior is extremely difficult to predict. The slightest change in one part can cause a chain reaction of changes in other parts of the project.
Ambiguity: Projects often involve situations that can be interpreted in different ways. The same event or information can have multiple meanings, and it is important to interpret them correctly to make the right decisions.
In project management, unforeseen problems and changes inevitably arise. It is important to be prepared for these challenges and be able to manage risks effectively. This requires a mature and responsible approach that allows projects to be successfully completed despite all the difficulties and uncertainties.
Risk management is the foundation of professional project management.
Project Management Basics #9: Benefits
When we undertake a project, we always expect to receive some benefit from our investment of time, effort and money. If you cannot think of any compelling reasons to undertake a project, perhaps you should reconsider your approach and put benefits management at the centre of project management.
Why is benefit management important? Project management should be aimed at achieving specific benefits. Benefits can be of different types: financial, operational, strategic or even social. Regardless of the type, they are the ultimate goal of any project. It is important to understand what benefits we are trying to achieve and how they relate to the costs of the project.
Benefit management is the foundation of successful project management. We must always remember that projects are not implemented for the sake of the process, but for the sake of specific results and benefits. If benefit management becomes a central element of your project management approach, you will be able to use resources more efficiently and achieve your goals. After all, it is for the sake of benefits that we implement projects.
Project Management Fundamentals #10: Social Value
In today's world, project management must consider not only the benefits for individual stakeholders, but also the impact on society as a whole. This is my final conclusion, which made me reconsider my priorities and add an important element – social value.
Why do we need social value?
Every project must benefit society. If a project does not create a positive impact on society, it only benefits its sponsor. This can be considered a selfish and perhaps even abusive use of resources.
Limited resources
Projects use resources, and the Earth has a limited supply of these resources. If a project does not benefit society, it is effectively taking resources from society for the benefit of a limited number of people. This is an unsustainable and unfair approach that needs to change.
Social value should become an integral part of project management. Every project should benefit not only the sponsor, but also society as a whole. This will help create more sustainable and fair projects that will contribute to the general well-being and wise use of our planet's limited resources. Incorporating social value into project management is a step towards a more responsible and ethical approach to the use of resources and project implementation.
Project Management Fundamentals #11: Team Collaboration
The success of any project depends largely on how effectively your team works. This means creating conditions for productive collaboration and minimizing any obstacles that might hinder the work. The concept I am talking about is called servant leadership.
Servant Leadership
Servant leadership is an approach to management in which the leader puts the interests of his or her team first. This means:
Support and assistance: The manager creates conditions under which team members can effectively perform their tasks. This includes providing the necessary resources, training and support.
Minimal Intervention: The leader ensures that the team can work independently without unnecessary interference and bureaucracy.
Creating a Trusting Environment: The leader builds relationships based on trust and respect that promote an open exchange of ideas and effective collaboration.
Team as a resource
Your team is one of the most important project resources, along with materials, equipment and other assets. Effective project management requires maximum use of all resources, including human ones. It is important to remember that your employees are not just performers of tasks, but important partners who must be involved and motivated to achieve a successful result.
Link to Cost Management
Resources, including the team, cost money. Therefore, resource management is inextricably linked to cost management. Project management includes:
Optimizing Resource Utilization: Ensuring efficient allocation of resources to achieve the best results.
Cost Control: Monitor and manage resource costs to ensure project budget is not exceeded.
Balancing Resources and Costs: The ability to find a balance between the costs and benefits that each resource brings.
Effective team collaboration and good resource management are key components of successful project management. Servant leadership helps create a supportive and productive work environment, while effective resource and cost management ensures that all available resources are used optimally. Thus, successful project management requires not only strategic planning, but also the ability to work with people and resources to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness.
Project Management Fundamentals #12: Training
There are many aspects to the project management process, but one of the key elements is learning. We need to regularly evaluate our processes, successes, failures, and decisions. This is how we learn from experience and become better.
The Importance of Reflection
Reflection is the process of thinking about what went well and what could be improved. It is an important element of learning and development for both individual team members and the project team as a whole. Regular reflection helps us:
Identify successful practices: Understand what worked well and use these methods in the future.
Learn from mistakes: Analyze failures and look for ways to prevent them in the future.
Make informed decisions: Evaluate past decisions and their consequences to improve the decision-making process.
Develop the team: Raise the professional level of the team, facilitating its growth and development.
Reflection formats
There are several ways to organize the reflection process in a team:
Lessons-learned meetings: Formal meetings where the team discusses what lessons can be learned from the past phase of the project.
Retrospectives: More informal and regular meetings where the team discusses its successes and failures and looks for ways to improve. I am increasingly liking this format because it encourages open exchange and continuous improvement.
Regularity and frequency
It is important to hold such meetings regularly and often. This allows the team not only to promptly respond to emerging issues, but also to constantly improve their skills and processes. Continuous learning and development are the key to success in any project.
Learning is an integral part of project management. Regular reflection helps us learn from experience, improve processes, and develop the team’s expertise. Whether you call it lessons learned meetings or retrospectives, it’s important to do it regularly and often. This will ensure continuous development and successful completion of projects, making your team stronger and more effective with each step.
