Tips for Project Success
Having given some pointers to why projects fail in a previous post, so now we address the balance here and put forward what can be done to mitigate against causes of failure. To many project professionals the list will appear very obvious examples but in our experience the obvious is missed in many cases. The list is not exhaustive but we believe we have captured the core mitigating factors.
Mitigating Against Project Failure
» Involve all stakeholders and agree buyin to a structured framework of Project Management tools, techniques and quality driven processes and communication/reporting strategies.
» Capture and agree ALL business requirements. Do not move onto planning activities unless this is done, and they must map back to the business case.
» Remember plans are nothing but planning is everything. The project or programme plan should be clear, accurate and comprehensive, and reflect all deliverables consistent with and aligned to the Business case. Only when a plan can be mapped in this way can the Project and Client Managers have confident that the project is planning to succeed.
» Strong leadereship and client partnership, without which no matter how much project paperwork is generated, the project will not get far through its life-cycle.
» Define roles and responsibilities within the project plan and consistently work the plan throughout the lifecycle of the project as this is the primary source of information about project status.
» Document is vital, it is easier to agree a baseline document which can be referred back to for clarification, then to be unclear about planning details. producing documents is also a means of project control.
» Not least is the recruitment and selection of experienced resources who understand what it takes to deliver the project.
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