It Takes A Community

“Building up project management knowledge in an organization is challenging; maintaining it as people come and go is even tougher,” says David Wirick and Gretchen Bond in an excerpt from the recently published book, The Project Management Imperative: Mastering the Key Survival Skill for the 21st Century.  “The establishment of communities of practice can help sustain knowledge gains and spread a culture of project management learning.”

I tend to agree with Wirick and Bond when they suggest, in an article recently published by Projects@Work, “It’s one thing to bring solid project management knowledge to an organization.  It’s quite another to disseminate that knowledge, put it to use, and maintain that level of competence through the twists and turns of organizational life.”

Knowledge Management

“A number of authors have recognized the key role of knowledge and continuity management in creating effective and sustainable organizations,” say the authors.  They suggest that effective learning requires both explicit and tacit mechanisms for transferring knowledge.

1. Explicit Knowledge—Is transmittable in formal, systematic language.  “[E]xplicit learning can be transferred via training programs, manuals, and documentation…”
2. Tacit Learning—Is personal, context-specific, and hard to formalize and communicate.  “[T]acit learning requires face-to-face interaction and is very much related to the context within which the knowledge will be applied.”

“Explicit knowledge transfer mechanisms include newsletters, presentations, status reports, project documentation, training programs, job descriptions, manuals, and the application of standardized processes and tools,” say the authors.  “Most managers are adept at explicit knowledge transfer; it is typically one-way communication from senior levels to lower levels of the organization.”

Unfortunately, there are some things you just can’t learn from reading a book.  Wirick and Bond assert, “[S]ome things require direct experience, collaboration, and an evolving understanding of it.  This knowledge is best acquired by exposure to working project managers.”

They continue, “Tacit knowledge transfer is required for that knowledge exchange, but unfortunately it is more difficult to transmit than explicit knowledge and requires a relationship of trust and a two-way dialogue.  In the project management initiative, mechanisms for the tacit transfer of knowledge might include mentoring, workshops, social events, and the fostering of communities of practice … Tacit knowledge transfer requires informal contact and a willingness to share information and will help the organization place the project management initiative within the context of daily operations.”

I agree with the authors. I suggest that although it’s easy to transfer explicit knowledge, the challenges associated with transferring tacit knowledge lead many organizations to fall short at the attempt.  Mentoring, workshops, and establishing communities of practice are lofty and expensive goals to put into practice.  They require a commitment in time and effort from more senior and experienced members of the organization.  It’s much easier to just expect everyone to “figure it out.”  This is a major failing of many organizations.

We’ve just scratched the surface of the valuable insights included in this article.  I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read more.

To read the article in its entirety; click HERE.

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Project Management Lessons from Mars

“In January [2004], two small spacecraft bounced onto the surface of Mars, delivering rovers that have captivated the world with their stunning photographs of the Martian landscape,” says Alan MacCormic in an article for the Harvard Business Review.  “By contrast, four years earlier NASA had watched in horror as two successive Mars missions blinked out of existence within a three-month span.  Much of the blame for those failures was placed on the agency’s Faster, Better, Cheaper (FBC) initiative, a program established early in the 1990s and designed to transform the way NASA developed unmanned spacecraft.”

MacCormic points out a number of flaws with NASA’s FBC initiative:

“First … NASA demanded ever faster development times and even lower costs,” says MacCormic.  “NASA was raising the bar before seeing if project managers could clear it where it was.  By the time the organization realized it had set the bar too high—around the time the first FBC missions began to fail—the project pipeline was full of missions that were potentially compromised.”

“Second,” according to MacCormic, “NASA didn’t realize that because the FBC initiative depended so much on shared learning, it would require a more aggressive and systematic approach to knowledge management.”

“Finally, NASA fell prey to ‘superstitious learning’—the assumption that there is more to be gleaned from failed missions than from successful ones,” asserts MacCormic.  “By not conducting detailed postmortems on its successful missions, the space agency missed the opportunity to identify problems (and solutions) that might have helped avoid later failures.”

NASA’s experience with FBC has some important lessons for those organizations striving to accomplish more with less:

1. Determine in advance what feedback you’ll need about an initiative’s progress and when you’ll get it.
2. Don’t raise the bar on performance until you’re certain the organization can hurdle it where it stands.
3. Implement knowledge management programs to capture all the important learning that occurs during the initiative.
4. Exorcise superstitious learning from the organization.  Institutionalize postmortems on all projects.  When a project succeeds, find out why.  And find out what mistakes were made that could have caused it to fail.

Click HERE to read the entire article.

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Six Steps to Proper Project Leadership

“Many things influence project management today,” suggests Dr. Keith Mathis, of the Mathis Group. In an article for ProjectSmart, he says,  “When we look at projects today compared to fifteen or twenty years ago, we notice a big change.  In the old traditional setting, the boss might not even ask for any input, but today team involvement is critical.”  Mathis continues, “Gone is the traditional way of running projects where the boss made all the decisions, figured the timeframes, and set all objectives.  Today, we need more and more team members who will take the necessary leadership and move the project forward.”

Mathis suggests six steps to proper leadership as you are setting up a project team:

1. Create an Atmosphere of Trust—“Successful project teams feel trust and support throughout the project,” says Mathis.  “Trust cannot be demanded as some mistakenly think.  Trust is earned.”

2. Build the Right Team—“[T]he team leader is responsible for addressing any unsolved [communication or interpersonal] problems that jeopardize the success of the project,” says Mathis.  “By carefully selecting the team members in the beginning, some of these problems can be avoided.”

3. Spell Everything Out for Your Team Upfront—“It always works best to tell the truth,” suggests Mathis.  “Create the right foundation by explaining the process for handling problems, change orders, and assignments.  By giving the team the information up front, you set a tone of respect and courtesy.”

4. Monitor and Give Feedback—Mathis asserts, “Giving proper feedback on the positives and negatives of a project is very important … If you think people are doing a great job, tell them … On the other hand, you need to be willing to discuss where team members are lagging behind on the project.  There must be a willingness to talk about whatever is needed to drive the project.”

5. Keep Communication Open—“Avoid one way communication which is only from top management downward,” warns Mathis.  “Communication is needed which crosses department lines and keeps everyone informed and on board.”

6. Keep the End Goal Clearly in Mind—“Once a project starts running late, one missed deadline may lead to other missed deadlines,” says Mathis.  It’s easy to become sidetracked.  Concentrating on the end goal helps team members stay focused and keeps deadlines from drifting.

To read the article in its entirety; click HERE.

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The 10 (Team) Commandments

In an article published by Projects@Work, the editors ask, “How’s your team’s teamwork?  If there is room for improvement, consider doing what a group at CH2M HILL Hanford Group did.  Team members researched characteristics of good teams and drew from past experiences, then distilled their ideas into “10 Team Commandments.”

Here’s the list:

1.    Project goals are understood by all team members, and everyone is committed to completing them.
2.    Team members are trusted.
3.    Members communicate openly and honestly.
4.    A sense of belonging and pride in accomplishments are developed.
5.    Diversity of opinions and ideas is encouraged.
6.    Creativity and risk-taking are encouraged.
7.    The team is constantly learning and improving itself.
8.    Procedures are developed to diagnose, analyze, and solve problems.
9.    Participative leadership is practiced.
10.  Decisions are supported and made as a team together.

To read the article in its entirety; click HERE.

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Why PPM Matters More in a Down Economy

“IT departments scaling back on project work as the economy lurches toward a recession may be tempted to skimp on project management and portfolio management,” says Meridith Levinson in a recent feature article for CIO.  “But think twice: doing so could cost you far more—in projects gone awry and wasted resources.”

Levinson suggests that now is not the time to cut back on project or portfolio management.  “High project failure means you’re wasting money, and there’s even less tolerance for that in a down economy,” writes Levinson, quoting Margo Visitacion, a vice president with Forrester Research who covers project portfolio management and quality assurance.

Portfolio management can help organizations zero in on those projects that provide the most value to organizations strapped for resources in a down economy.  Quoting David Muntz, CIO of Dallas-based Baylor Health Care System, Levinson writes “Good project management tools enhance the three Cs: communication, coordination and collaboration.  With fewer people [on staff], you can’t afford missteps.”

“At the Washington State Employees Credit Union, hosted project portfolio management software from AtTask is helping the organization determine which of the company’s IT projects are absolutely critical to serving the banking needs of the credit unions roughly 150,000 members,” says Levinson.

“When the credit union recently decided to create a money market product for it’s customers, [Keenan] Wagner, [a business systems analyst and project manager at the credit union], says he used AtTask to determine how this new initiative would impact work on other projects in the credit union’s portfolio,” says Levinson.  “The end result: Another project set to go live on November 1 had to be adjusted to make room for the money market initiative.”

Quoting Wagner, Levinson writes, “This tool is a godsend.  It allows us to look at everything side by side and prepare reports that we can hand off to senior management so they can tell us where they want us to go.”

Although PPM software is helping Washington State Employees Credit Union and Baylor Health, software alone isn’t enough.  “It needs to be used in concert with a sound governance process and tested project management methodologies,” says CIO Muntz.

He continues, “It’s not the technology … It’s the methodology you develop as a result of having a tool.  You need good discipline to deliver what your customers need.”

To read all of Levinson’s article; click HERE.

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Managing Virtual Teams

According to Rick Cusolito, writing for Boston University, “One of the more difficult aspects of project management in a global economy is the global work team.  Culture, language, geography, and time are all separators that must be planned into project management if your stakeholders are to have realistic expectations of the additional time and effort required for virtual teams.”

Virtual Teams and Different Time Zones

“While it many not be ideal, some meetings require the presence of team members from diverse locations,” says Cusolito.  He suggests that nobody on the virtual team should be up until 2:00 AM just because it is more convenient for you.  According to Cusolito, you should “share the pain.”

“A simple solution to a 10-1/2 to 13-1/2 hour time difference is to have someone work a little later while others get up a little earlier than usual (for example, 6:00 AM in Los Angeles is 9:00 AM in Boston and 7:30 PM in Mumbai).  If you rotate the role of early riser on a weekly or monthly basis, you are truly sharing the pain,” says Cusolito.

Do you have frequent-flyer miles?

Sometimes, you just have to bite the bullet and get the team together.  Cusolito asserts that the cost of an airline ticket is a lot less expensive than missing a key deliverable.  Quoting Philip Crosby’s book The High Cost of Low Quality, Cusolito says, “Quality is free.  It’s not a gift, but it is free.  What costs more than money are the unquality things—all the actions that involve not doing the jobs right the first time.”

Sprechen Sie Deutsches?

Many global teams also have to deal with different languages and other communication issues.  Whenever you are working with someone who’s language is not your own, there are opportunities for miscommunication.  And when communication is done exclusively through email, there are no non-verbal cues to aid in understanding.  “Spending extra time validating understanding is important when you cannot see or interpret facial expressions,” says Cusolito.  “Using video conferencing or the latest video technology is also an option.  Even with that arrangement, when managing virtual teams, expect and plan for delays caused by miscommunication.”

Cultural differences

Cusolito suggests, “Part of what defines a culture is the shared experiences.”  Take the time for virtual team members to become familiar with their varied cultures and customs.  “To help cross the divide, start each meeting with someone from the virtual team telling a story from their region, state, country, or from their part of the project,” says Cusolito.

Managing a virtual team may be a little more complicated, but keeping expectations realistic among team members and management can lead to success.

Click HERE to read the entire article.

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Leader or Lemming—The Choice is Yours

“Being an IT leader sometimes means being in charge. Sometimes it means merely exercising influence over technology in an organization.” according to John Sheesley of TechRepublic.  “In either case, it means using your knowledge and talents to help the organization get ahead.  Unfortunately, that’s not always the way it works in business.”

Sheesley suggests that more often that not, especially in an economy like the one we’re experiencing right now, IT leaders are like little rodents running around trying not to get eaten.  The key is to resist being a lemming and step up to being a leader if you want to have a happy and successful career.

“Lemmings are supposed to be these cute furry little creatures who are inexorably driven to mass migrations that lead them to jumping off cliffs and into the ocean.  Their base instincts are supposed to overcome the natural survival instinct,” says Sheesely.

In the context of an IT leader, being a lemming would be equivalent to picking a technology because it’s what everyone else does.  For example, according to Sheesley, “Linux and Mac users like to call Windows users lemmings.”

Traditionally, being viewed as a lemming implies that you are not an original thinker according to Sheesley.  “Your views can be dismissed as being shallow and only coming from a herd mentality.”

What it really means to be a lemming

Unfortunately, Sheesley asserts that lemmings got a bad rap from a 1958 Disney movie called White Wilderness, where filmmakers showed thousands of lemmings, driven by group instinct and overpopulation jumping off a cliff.  In reality, the filmmakers bought the animals from Inuit children, “…chased them across the tundra filming them, and then took them hundreds of miles to a scenic cliff and tossed them over.  Along the way, they earned an Oscar and appeared in hundreds of schools as an educational film.”

“From an IT perspective,” says Sheesley, “when you’re a true lemming you’re merely trying to get your work done and do the best you can for the organization, but outside forces conspire to use you to their ends.”

It’s like being run all over the place and then being thrown over the cliff when it’s convenient.  “In the end, someone else gains the glory while you get blamed for causing your own problems, and whatever other career/business suicide occurs, because of your own stupidity,” says Sheesley.

Don’t forget the parachute

“It’s bad enough to be the stereotypical lemming who follows the crowd over the cliff.  It’s another thing entirely to be the Disney lemming—someone who get’s tossed over the cliff for the benefit of others then gets blamed for doing it themselves,” says Sheesley. “Avoid being either at all costs.”

Sheesley suggests that IT leaders need to control their destiny the best they can.  Even furry little rodents have sharp teeth and can move pretty fast.  “At the very least,” he says, “pack a parachute and learn how to swim so you minimize the damage when you hit the water.”

To read Sheesley’s article in its entirety; click HERE.

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Drive the Agenda—Don’t Let it Drive You

“An effective meeting agenda goes beyond start time, location, topics and durations,” says a recent article for Projects@Work.

In an article titled, The Truth About Getting Your Point Across…and Nothing But the Truth, by Lonnie Pacelli, Projects@Work outlines what it takes to ensure that your project meetings keep the original purpose in mind and continually asses whether that purpose is being met.

Define the meeting’s purpose—“You’ve called the meeting for a reason; make sure that the purpose is explicit and achievable.”

Craft agenda items to meet the purpose—“If they don’t, change the item or change the purpose.”

Allocate realistic time for each item—“Don’t put overly aggressive times on the agenda that can’t be achieved.”

Distribute the agenda before the meeting—“Meeting attendees want to know what will be discussed and if preparation is needed prior to the meeting.”

Prioritize agenda items—“Schedule your top items at the beginning of the meeting.”

Conduct an action review—“In your review, identify action items, who is responsible for each, and when they need to be completed by.”

Have a contingency plan—“Have a plan for how you are going to accommodate [a] change, which could mean shortening or eliminating some agenda items.”

Spending time building a realistic agenda will help you get more done, reduce attendee frustration, and make the best use of everyone’s time.

Click HERE to read the entire article.

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Focus—The Key to Getting Things Done

I used to really like the sitcom M*A*S*H.  When Charles Emerson Winchester III arrived at the 4077, he frustrated Hawkeye and B.J. because he was too slow in the operating room.  “I do one thing at a time, I do it very well, and then I move on,” said Charles.  Like the operating room at a mobile Army hospital, project managers don’t often have the luxury of that kind of focus—or do they?

Quoting David Allen, author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, Bob Tame in a recent article for Gantthead writes, “[P]eople can’t—and shouldn’t try—to multitask.  Overwhelmed project managers can apply his framework to clear the daily clutter that often distracts them from focusing on the most important tasks at hand.”

The process defined in Getting Things Done, is a fairly simple five-step process:

1. Define the purpose and principles
2. Visioning
3. Brainstorming
4. Organizing
5. Identifying the next actions

“This aligns with what many project mangers do,” says Tame.  “A good project captures the purpose of a project, as well as underlying principles that guide it.  Project managers following agile principles may go through visioning exercises.  Planning starts with brainstorming, followed by organizing the schedule and budget.  The last step—identifying next actions—is fundamental to execution.”

Quoting Allen, “People can’t multitask, [but] they can switch quickly with effective placeholders to bring them back on task.”  In Getting Things Done, Allen suggests a technique for processing your inbox, both paper and electronic.  “For each item, the first decision focuses on whether or not action is required.  If not, it goes into a reference file, tickler file, or the trash.  If action is required, can it be done within minutes?  If it can, than just do it!  If not, either delegate it or defer it by putting it on your next-action list or scheduling if for future action.  Projects are handled a little differently, but in the middle of a project, this technique still works for clearing your inbox.”

The key is to go through your inbox on a regular and consistent basis to keep it empty.  According to Tame, it’s worrying about the unfinished items waiting for attention that causes most people to lose focus.  As the backlog builds, it takes more to get though.  This isn’t really a technology issue, finding an approach that works for you is the real key.  What do you think?

Click HERE to read the entire article.

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I’m a Sponsor. Now What?

“Project sponsors don’t manage projects.  They just want things done,” says Barry Otterholt in an article on PMHut. “And they don’t like details.  They just want things done. And they don’t really like bad news.  They just want things done. They’ve authorized the money, the staff, and the schedule.  Isn’t that enough?”

Otterholt suggests that one of the critical factors in a project’s success depends upon whether or not the project has a solid sponsor with sufficient budget authority.  Without a solid sponsor, the job of project manager becomes really tough.

Project sponsors are typically involved in the strategic issues associated with a project, not the nitty-gritty details of project execution.  Otterholt observes that a lot of project sponsors have never sponsored a project before, and suggests that building their responsibilities into the project documentation could help the sponsor do his or her job, and offers the following suggestions of what might be included:

• Advocate—According to Otterholt, “The Sponsor should be the strongest advocate of the project and its outcome.”

• Manage by exception—Sponsors aren’t involved in the day-to-day activities, but “…an experienced Sponsor makes sure they’re alert to issues which could push the boundaries of the project manager’s authority and skill,” says Otterholt.

• Manage by the numbers—Otterholt asserts that the Sponsor must have an understanding of how the project is doing, and that this is best accomplished with accurate and up-to-date information about project status.

• Isolate required decisions/actions—“Isolate decisions or actions required by the Sponsor form the rest of the report, and be clear about when the decision or action is needed,” says Otterholt.  “It’s generally wise to include a short statement about the consequence of inaction, so they are not caught off-guard when competing priorities might cause them to forget this one.”

• Make timely decisions—“If a decision is required, ask for it.  If the Sponsor cannot make it, find out why,” says Otterholt. “All decisions are not of equal importance.  Make sure you convey the consequence of indecision, in specific terms.”

• Escalation—If indecision is going to cause a real problem, you’ve got to make sure the consequences are known and understood.  According to Otterholt, “…you must state the need for a timely decision or risk unwanted impact to the project.”

• Affirmation—“When you are working hard, the occasional expression of appreciation is welcomed, even inspirational,” argues Otterholt.  “And an inspired workforce is more productive than one that has fallen into routine.”

“Outlining these responsibilities will help the Sponsor,” says Otterholt, “and create more open communication with you.”

To read Otterholt’s article in its entirety; click HERE.

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