Abstract
The activities
involved in designing and orchestrating a successful project encompass many
phases and best practices. A project
involves various aspects of documentation methodologies, verbal and written
reports, and a variety of communication techniques and approaches. This document will outline activities
involved in a few key aspects of the life cycle of IT projects. Many important elements are involved in managing
a successful project. A well-organized kick off meeting is a good beginning,
which includes prior planning and organization of the kick off meeting, as well
as careful selection of the appropriately skilled team members in order to
achieve key project goals. An efficient
and thorough project communication plan is also important in order to maintain
streamlined successful communication to all project parties such as project
sponsors, stakeholders, and all team members. A mutually agreeable
communication plan with the project sponsor will aid in keeping the sponsor
apprised of all activities and achievements of the project, including any risk
items the project sponsor needs to be directly involved with or responsible for
mitigating. Lastly, closing out the
project includes many activities and best practices that not only aid in the
project team members learning key items that were successful or not so
successful, as well as the final report out to project sponsors and
stakeholders, and the compilation and finalization of important project
documentation for future review or system support.
The Art of Project Management
The life cycle of a project includes
many activities, documents, team members, resources, and communication
requirements involved with design, implementation and delivery of the
project. To be a successful project
manager and to run projects smoothly, many things need to happen at the
beginning of the project, while the project is in motion, and at its
ending. The following will outline a few
of the key aspects within a project.
Recipe for a Successful Project Kickoff
Projects
have to start somewhere, so what better way than to start at a collaboration
meeting with everyone involved. A project kickoff meeting, as what is referred
to in the professional world, is a meeting that allows all project participants
to share and collaborate on the project plan and to allocate individual roles
and responsibilities. Expectations are set and guidelines are featured. This is
also the point where project managers estimate the resources required by the project
such as money, technological requirements, and people resources that will
fulfill the needs and further aid the project (Leffingwell &Widrig, 2003).
All project kickoff meetings should include some of the same basic elements,
regardless of the desired outcome or type of project being tackled by the team.
A successful project kickoff meeting
is important to the project succeeding. Since it is the initial meeting with
the sponsors and stakeholders, it can only occur once and whatever the outcome
- the atmosphere for the remainder of the project is many times founded upon
this first meeting. For the kick off meeting to be successful, it requires that
careful and thorough planning occur in preparation for the meeting, with the
goal that all project team members will agree on all relevant aspects and
objectives of the project.
The first step is to “develop the
project goals and deliverables” (Sisco, 2002). The project manager should
prepare a list of the items that are required for the project enabling the
project manager to effectively address all the critical topics and objectives
necessary for the project during the meeting. When all applicable parties agree
on the objectives and the final deliverables of the project, the next step is
to identify the specific roles of each team members that defines their
responsibilities with the project (Sisco, 2002).
After the project team members have
been determined, it is necessary to ascertain what resources are needed from
four key groups: operations, corporate support, management, and technical
resources (Sisco, 2002). The resources required for each project will be
unique, including the number, roles, and time required, and may be limited by
matters such as the budget or number of staff available. As the project is
kicking off, the project manager should also “develop a project team contact
list” (Sisco, 2002) for the team members.
Since it is “important for project
team members to be aware of major assumptions that apply to the project”
(Sisco, 2002) the project manager will ensure that each team member is
absolutely clear on what their responsibilities are within the project. After
which, the project manager will outline tasks, assign responsibilities, and
indicate timeframes of each phase and milestone of the project plan (Sisco,
2002). This outlining and documentation warrants that everything has been
considered for the project such as adequate resources identified and allocated,
objectives included and defined, and all team members including the sponsors
and stakeholders agree on all factors of the project. With these items well defined, assigned and
agreed upon, the project can successfully take off.
Elements of a Successful Project
Communication Plan
Communication
or the lack thereof, is perhaps the most important part of any project.
Granted, money and employees are important, but if communication does not flow
smoothly, the project is doomed from the start. A project communication plan is
designed to be a documented approach in which project managers relay
information to the appropriate stakeholders so that they are kept up to date on
the progress of their investment. Much like its kickoff meeting brethren,
project communication plans are important for any project, no matter the topic.
Project communications planning used
during the life cycle of an IT project helps the project run as smoothly. As so
eloquently quoted by Freedman (2000) “In terms of project communications, the
project plan itself is probably the most meaningful communication vehicle in
the entire arsenal.” When information is
communicated in an organized manner, there is little room left for error due to
any miscommunication. Miscommunications can cause the project to be delayed
indefinitely because for example, the wrong action was taken.
There are several different elements
of a successful project communication plan. The project needs to clearly
identify the intended audience of the project communication plan. The
stakeholder communication requirements should include the what, who, and when.
The content, format and detail level should be agreed upon and communicated as
well. It should be known by all members of the group who the person responsible
for communicating the information is as well as who is going to receive
information. Properly identifying the audience will help bring the business to
higher levels of efficiency.
The second tier of the communication
plan is the frequency in which updates are pushed. For instance, employees
would need to be kept up to date at a much higher frequency than stakeholders.
Team members have new tasks often, while stakeholders might only want a brief
outline of what has been accomplished only once a week or even once a month.
This part of the communication plan should really be addressed in the initial
project kickoff meeting if done correctly and efficiently. The frequency of
communication that is needed, when and to which group, is an important element
for any successful project communication plan.
During the final phases of planning,
the escalation process and the methods used to update the communication plan
should be identified (Hehl, 2009). Presently, using modern technology, the most
common way to communicate is through email, telephone, or virtual meetings (on
applications like Citrix’s GoToMeeting or Skype) (Leffingwell & Widrig,
2003). These advanced forms of communication will facilitate high levels of
productivity due to the fast delivery and response time.
Project Management Documentation
Document
creation and deployment are some of the key aspects of any project management
solution. In particular, thorough, consistent and regular project reports are
vital to a project's overall success. Depending on the complexity of a given
project, project reporting may require deep research and analysis on a
per-organization and per-project basis. After assembling the right team for the
job, project managers and team members collaborate on the best approach to
accomplishing the project in front of them. In preparing such documents, it is
important to evaluate some key elements that are vital to a successful project
life cycle.
First, it is important to identify
the project's main plain. Without a backbone set up as the project's
foundation, there is no hope of the rest of the pieces falling into place.
During this phase, the team compiles and develops the principles needed to
govern the rest of the project. This is perhaps one of the most vital documents
involved with a project. Unforeseen factors come into play after a project is
underway, and the main plan becomes an invaluable tool used to keep the project
on track through a sea of constant changes (Carr, n.d.).
The second part of the project
document creation process is identifying specific goals sought after by project
completion. A goal log should be used to identify each of the various
objectives of the defined project. It is also helpful to outline how the
project will benefit the organization as a whole, which may provide more
motivation for those involved (Carr, n.d.). Often primary goals will be
outlined by project sponsors or stakeholders, which can be fairly straight
forward, depending on the level of involvement by the project sponsors. Other goals can be added or modified as
needed after the primary goals are in place.
Problem and risk assessment is the
third of four phases in project life cycle documentation creation. It is
important for companies to identify the various problems and risks that
coincide with completing a project. Documenting such solutions early in the
project planning phase helps minimize unexpected issues and major project flaws
throughout the project life cycle (Carr, n.d.). Granted, all issues are not
going to be apparent at the very beginning. Being able to devise alternate
solutions for known problems will help curb confusion in the long run
(Drinkwater, n.d.). This is the first step towards risk management.
Lastly, the action log is the final
important document before a project can commence. By definition, an action log
is a completed, master list of executable items or tasks outlining the project
time line. This action list is also used to help the project manager divide and
allocate project responsibilities between team members. Each member of the team
has their own unique sets of strengths and weaknesses, so project leaders use
the action log to assign tasks to team members that are best suited for
different responsibilities (Carr, n.d.). Once the project is underway, this
action log is used to document individual progress and performance of the
project as a whole. Motivation to work with a feeling of purpose and enthusiasm
come from this very important document (Drinkwater, n.d.).
It is important to continually
revisit these all project documentation to ensure the project is running with
full efficiency, and on task. Above all else project documentation is one of
the most important elements of communication. Proper documentation practices
create project success, team morale, and maintaining sponsors and stakeholders’
satisfaction with project results (Drinkwater, n.d.).
Advantages, Disadvantages, and Best
Practices of Communication Methods
As mentioned previously, there are a
plethora of tools available to both the project manager and his or her
affiliates. The Internet opens up a huge range of these tools including
websites, email, and live video meetings all help reinforce a project’s chances
of success if implemented correctly. This is especially true for projects that
are spread out over large areas. Using these tools can be invaluable
(Leffingwell & Widrig, 2003). For example, an American company outsourcing
to Chinese workers can use these tools to communicate virtually instantly
(using applications such as Citrix’s GoToMeeting, Skype, or Webex) while being
located across the planet from other meeting attendees. Decision-making is
nearly instantaneous when using these technologies and ultimately leads to
faster and more efficient project completion.
Although technological marvels are
very beneficial, they do share some disadvantages. The existence of a variety
of different methods may thoroughly confuse or overwhelm those participating in
the project. Team members may not understand whether they should email, video
chat, telephone, or even submit to a website with their inquiries and project
status updates if too many technologies are employed. For just that reason,
this should be clearly defined in the kick off meeting.
Another disadvantage to the many
technological options is cost. Many are
fairly expensive to implement and maintain. These factors should be considered
in the overall cost of the project. A
significant disadvantage is that some people may not even be technologically
savvy enough to operate chosen methods of communication. Even when someone is
very good at their job and is the best in their field, it does not mean that
they have the skills to host or participate in an online videoconference.
A hopefully rare, but frequent
disadvantage is the possibility of computer crashes or other outside factors
that prohibit the use of a chosen technological communication method. Computer
viruses, malfunctions, and hacking are also very real threat in this
technologically advanced society. Thorough training and constant maintenance
are necessity to prevent these disasters.
Nearly all of these communication
methods are used with the Internet as its backbone. This is why it is
imperative to have a project running at its full technological potential.
Internet access, business extranet, virtual private networks, video
conferencing, email, fax machines, mobile computing through laptops, tablets,
and smartphones, all become invaluable tools to the business professional. For
this reason, it is important that all of these devices and technological
components need to be constantly maintained to stay up and running through the
lifespan of any project.
Elaborating Communications with Project
Sponsors
The
project sponsor is the most important member of the project team. The project sponsor is the individual(s) that
approves and authorizes the project charter, spearheads the project, provides
executive level support, approves and extends a project budget, as well as
driving the allocation of necessary resources for the project (Communications
Management Plan Template, n.d.).
Consistent, concise, and regular
communication between the project manager and the project sponsor is essential
for the project. Keeping the project
sponsor updated on achievements can benefit a project sponsor by providing the
ability to give accurate status reports to their executive team, but most
importantly keeping the project sponsor apprised of risks and problems is
essential. Typically the project sponsor has the authority to make decisions or
drive processes that can open roadblocks and turn a failing project around.
Without this communication, the project sponsor would not know that action was
needed (Brown, 2011).
The appropriate frequency for which
the project manager should communicate with the project sponsor is weekly or
monthly, depending on the length and complexity of the project and the project
sponsor’s availability and preference.
The project manager should review several high level topics using a
standard summary format, unless the project sponsor requires more extensive
detail. This summary, which should
include the overall status of the project, project successes, issues, road
blocks, risks and costs, should be submitted to the project sponsor before the
project status update meeting, providing an opportunity for the project sponsor
to review the summary prior to the meeting.
Studies have shown that project sponsors prefer more analytical and
verbal communications by the project manager. Whenever possible, the project
manager should include graphs, visual aids, and charts to augment communication
with the project sponsor. The project
manager should also make an effort to communicate verbally as often as possible
(Muller, 2003).
During the status meeting with the
project sponsor whether face to face, conference call, or online meeting, all
topics in the project status summary should be reviewed allowing the project
sponsor to ask questions or provide feedback if necessary (Communications
Management Plan Template, n.d.). When
the project is concluded, a final summary should be provided to the project
sponsor indicating particular achievements, overall project status and lessons
learned.
Guidelines for Effective Communication in
Project Completion
As a project comes near its end, the
project manager should outline the procedures needed to close the project out.
The main objective of the closeout phase is to lay a completed project to rest
and to deliver the final requested results to applicable stakeholders and financial
representatives. To close out efficiently, project managers should use a
certain set of guidelines (Leffingwell & Widrig, 2003).
All communication should be done
both verbally and with written documentation.
Both good and bad highlights of the project’s lifespan should be brought
up to those involved, including performance adjustments. Concerning record
keeping, documentation should be retained which outlines each employee’s
individual strengths and weaknesses as they were identified during the project.
This information can be reviewed and used as reference for future projects or
to analyze pay increased by merit. The opposite is also true, if poor
performance was apparent, this documentation can be used to support termination
or to analyze the need to reprimand the team member(s).
Final communication between project
managers and team members should occur at the very end of the project closeout.
The main reason is to ensure that everyone that participated in the project
through its lifespan can hear about the overall success or downfalls of the
project from the stakeholders. This can provide a sense of accomplishment, and
team members that can be proud of their work are typically eager to engage in
another project (Leffingwell & Widrig, 2003). Positive reinforcement will
help raise employee morale and will make them want to work hard on future
projects in which they are involved.
Lastly, the project manager should emphasize the guidelines put forth and the
lessons learned from these guidelines to help all team members learn the “dos”
and “don’t dos” for future projects.
Final Thoughts
A project is a dynamic, complex and
unpredictable process. The project
manager and the project team have many tools and processes available to make
the best attempt for a successful project.
The project manager needs to be thorough, dynamic, organized and
imaginative to lead the project team in utilizing the best practices and tools
available, while overcoming unexpected obstacles and issues throughout the
project life cycle. When the project
team operates with “team” mentality, good communication practices are
implemented and utilized, proper project documentation is captured and
maintained, and today’s technological tools and applications are embraced the
project manager has a fighting chance for a successful project.
References
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S.(2011). What
Should a Project Sponsor Do? Retrieved from
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D. (n.d.). Minimize
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http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/minimise-your-project-management-documentation.html
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Communications
Management Plan Template. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.projectmanagementdocs.com/templates/communications-management-plan.html
Drinkwater,
A. (n.d.). Communication:
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http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/communication-the-lifeblood-of-a-project.html
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