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The 10 Commandments Of Project Success: Correcting Faulty Thinking and Assumptions!

The 10 Commandments Of Project Success: Correcting Faulty Thinking and Assumptions!. Presentation Purpose:. Understand why projects fail Look at how faulty thinking contributes to the problem Learn the commandments to resolve. Typical Project Problems. Long Time Frames Lack of Integration

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The 10 Commandments Of Project Success: Correcting Faulty Thinking and Assumptions!

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  1. The 10 Commandments Of Project Success: Correcting Faulty Thinking and Assumptions! Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  2. Presentation Purpose: • Understand why projects fail • Look at how faulty thinking contributes to the problem • Learn the commandments to resolve

  3. Typical Project Problems • Long Time Frames • Lack of Integration • High Costs • Errors & Poor Quality • Diminished Customer Satisfaction • Poor Internal Communication • Commitment of Resources • Long Expensive Maintenance Cycles Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  4. Standish Report on Project Success: Of 3,682 Applications Under Development: • 431 or 12% - will come in on time, within budget and contain the features and functions originally specified.* • 33% will experience cost overruns of 150 to 200% • 33% will experienced time overruns of 200 to 300% • 25% to 49% will contain required features and functions Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  5. Problem # 1: The Meaning of Project Success • On time • Within Budget • To User Satisfaction • Faster, Better, Cheaper Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  6. On Time Within Budget User Satisfaction Faster Better Cheaper Faulty Thinking:Tired Definitions of Project Success Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  7. Effect of Definition of Project Success Concerns…. • Construct project to be measured accordingly vs. the value they offer • Plan projects so they complete on time / within budget vs. business needs • Loose focus on what counts!

  8. Value of Definition of Project Success • Black and white • Measureable and clear BUT • Serve long term objectives? • How is value measured?

  9. Get Real About The Meaning of Project Success • Decision making • Priorities reflect what’s needed • Realistic budgets • Value contributed to organization Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  10. The 1st Commandment:Redefine The Meaning of Project Success • Growth and competitive advantage of the enterprise • Add value to the business • Facilitate the use of the system • Reflects end-to-end process • Not detract from the well being of those involved Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  11. Commandment 1B:Redefine When You Decide If A Project Is Successful • Executive dashboard, checkpoints and operational status after implementation • measuring the operating costs • continuing value • customer satisfaction • problems, issues and concerns • Hold people accountable for quality and value over time

  12. Problem # 2: Piecemeal Patching, Modifications and Maintenance… • Patching our systems to death • Don’t have time to do it right the first time • Don’t build systems based on value and need • In a continuous cycle of fixing what’s broken – and creating new problems all the time

  13. Faulty Thinking: We Just Can’t… • Resources • Deadlines • Priorities • Technology

  14. Effect • Tomorrow never comes • Business doesn’t get what’s needed • Deteriorating quality • Unhappy frustrated workforce

  15. Project Backlogs Impact Everyone • Department • Budget • Future Work • Staffing • Business Performance • Stock Prices • Quality of Life Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  16. The 2nd Commandment: Get Rid of the Backlog • Temporary Staffing • Outsourcing • Onshore / Offshore • Training Get a Clean Slate ~ Clear Baseline

  17. Problem # 3: Building a Plan Before You Know What Needs To Be Done • Given the Project Scope • Given the Project Deadline • Given the Project Budget • Told Go Create A Project Plan

  18. Faulty Thinking: Plans Typically Focus on Administration • Tasks • Sequence • Resources • Timing • Completion

  19. Plans Need To Reflect What Is Needed • Investigation leads to more work… • Bad time to make that decision… • Can’t make a decision until you know what’s needed… • Real problem is perception…. that it will take too long • Quick win VS. long term value

  20. The 3rd Commandment: Have To Know What You’re Planning • Understand problems to be solved • Clarify goals to be achieved • State opportunities to be realized • Define requirements • Build consensus

  21. Problem # 4: Failure to Communicate • Technical vocabulary • Different backgrounds • Different contexts • Same terms / different meanings • Different terms / same meaning • Lost in translation • Interpretation of “important nouns” • And so many nuances to how words are strung together…. ALL INADVERTANT REASONS

  22. Faulty Thinking:Building and Maintaining a Project Glossary Is a Nuisance… • It takes too long • Everyone knows what those ‘things’ mean…. • Let’s not waste any time doing the obvious!!!! Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  23. Effect: Missed Communication • Imprecise understanding • Opportunity for confusion • Information out of context • Going different directions Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  24. Align Terminology • Terms • Acronyms • Abbreviations Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  25. The 4th Commandment:Always Build And Maintain A Project Glossary • Align terminology • Leave no room for interpretation • Ensure communication connection • Baseline for understanding and learning • Prevents misunderstandings NOUNS Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  26. Problem # 5. There’s A Lot Left To Misunderstand • Concepts and content • Options and alternatives • Value and need • Priority and sequence • Approach • Decisions Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  27. Faulty Thinking: Use Methodologies and Tools Creates Clear Specifications Ahh, Err - Solves other problems but not this kind Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  28. Problem: No Opportunity For Consensus • Imperfect Knowledge • Hear Information Out of Context • Resistant to Change of Old Thinking • Momentum , Interruptions and Long Time Frames • Vested Interests and Priorities • Disjointed, Old, Undigested Information • Information limited by Exposures • Thought Holes • Lack of Ownership • Reactionary Decision Making Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  29. Consensus is a Togetherness Thing • Two heads are better than one • It takes a team to win • You can’t scotch tape ideas together

  30. All The Reasons Why You Can’t…. • Waste of time • Hard to get people together • Costs too much • Not productive • Need to be at their jobs

  31. Allow thought digestion Demonstrates management commitment Align terminology Single vision Expanded understanding Pride of ownership and buy-in Builds Camaraderie Improved productivity Cultivates team spirit Reduces time and cost Resolves politics and personalities Sets realistic expectations Exceptional quality Confidence in results Collaboration is the ONLY Means to Achieve Consensus Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  32. The 5th Commandment :Collaborate To Ensure Consensus • Address electronic, verbal and written communication modes • Ask, answer, see, hear, say, try, refine - INTERACT • Uses experiential, audio and visual learning styles Until everyone connects with ideas in the same way Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  33. Problem #6: You Gotta Have the RIGHT People Collaborate • Cross functional stakeholders • Technical representatives • Experienced business users • Movers and shakers • Decision makers Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  34. Faulty Thinking:SME’s Can Fill-in For Business Users • Can’t speak on behalf of the business • No substitute for first hand knowledge • Stale information Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  35. The Value of IT SME’s • Analysts that communicate well • Understand business challenges • Understand the business systems • Interpreters and catalysts • Provide technology improvement suggestions Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  36. The Value of the Business User • Team member vs. intermittent player • Intimate knowledge of operations • First hand knowledge • Vision of how it could / should be!

  37. Faulty Thinking:I Don’t Want Charlie On This Project • Rude • Controlling • Disruptive • Bossy • Makes life miserable Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  38. Invite Charlie To Be On Your Project • Take away his/her power • Wear them out • Listen to them • Part of the solution • Contributor to the process • Promoter of the cause Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  39. The 6th Commandment:Involve the Best, the Brightest and the Naysayers • The quality of deliverables will be proportionate to the range of involvement • Nobody understands the issues better than those who are actually involved • Successful projects required cross functional teams Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  40. Problem #7: Right People Have To Develop The Right Solutions • Merely recreate what you already have? • Fine tune it • Modernize it?

  41. So, How? • Maximize investment • Avoid lost opportunity

  42. WARNING WORD

  43. Brainstorming

  44. Faulty Thinking:Brainstorming Is A Waste of Time • Leads to scope creep • Blue sky ideas • Sets unrealistic expectations • Hard to get people together Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  45. Underrated Misunderstood Practice • Access to alternative ideas • Process to examine options • Compare perceptions • Challenge the status quo • Forum to express thoughts • Put information into context

  46. The 7th Commandment:Brainstorm For Quality • Flush out ideas • Encourage creativity • Build on one another’s thoughts • Never expose what you don’t know • Learn from one another

  47. Problem #8: The Quality of “The” Specification • Pages of random bulleted thoughts • Gothic novels that rot on a shelf • Hotbeds of misunderstanding • Don’t explain process logic • Neglect complete data definition • Don’t promote traceability Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  48. A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words • Most people are visual • Thoughts come in waves • Negotiate for understanding • Straw model - second hand experience • Do it live to remember • Final product as memory aid Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  49. Specifications Should Enable Traceability • Match test plans to requirements • Confirm functionality and expectations • Involve the business user • Mandatory with outsourcing model • Not possible with Gothic Novel Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

  50. Faulty Thinking:Don’t Make This More Complicated Than It Has To Be • Models are hard to do • Which tool should I use? • Who’s going to keep them up? Aplan Inc., www.aplaninc.com, 949-720-9698

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