Ten Ways to Improve Project Performance

1. Ten Ways to Improve Project Performance by Ralph L. Kliem LeanPM, LLC

2. Introduction • Ralph Kliem, MA, PMP • PMP-certified by the Project Management Institute • Over 25 years experience working the field of project management related to business management and information systems • Senior Project Manager, Fortune 500 firm • Former newsletter Editor for Puget Sound chapter of the Project Management Institute LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

3. Author of over 200 articles Co-author or author of over a dozen books, including: Project Management Methodology (Marcel Dekker) The Project Manager’s Emergency Kit (St. Lucie Press) Introduction continued Note: Presentation also based upon article “Ten Ways to Improve Project Performance,” (Information Management) Auerbach Publications LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

4. Agenda • Objectives • Background • Bypass an Obstacle • Cause People to Stretch, Not Break • Focus on the Goal • Follow a Standardized Process • Learn from the Past • Maintain Ongoing Communications LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

5. Agenda continued IX. Record the Work Being Done X. Reuse Previous Work XI. Seek Buy-in by Those Involved XII. Seek Simplicity, Not Complexity XIII. No Complicity with Simplicity XIV. Final Thoughts LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

6. Objectives • Understand some the major challenges facing projects and their impacts • Learn about an effective ways to improve project performance LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

7. Few Projects Delivering as Promised Analysis: Survey of 21 companies in 37 industry segments Source: PM Network, June 2007, p. 18. LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

8. #1: Bypass an Obstacle • Avoid sitting idle; having an impasse • Distinguish between what is and is not important • Determined by the overall goals and objectives • Move forward through resilience, perseverance, creativity, and leadership LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

9. #2: Cause People to Stretch, Not Break • Unrealistic deadlines; not based upon work to be done but whim of people and unreasonable constraints • Consequences: psychological, sociological, and physiological • Realize impact of such demands on individuals and teams • Look for symptoms of dysfunctional behavior • Recognize talents, knowledge, and skills of people • Identify cost, schedule, and quantitative constraints • Apply sound estimating techniques to complete project LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

10. #3: Focus on the Goal • Tendency to focus on alligators; details • Goal and objective concentration offers benefits like: • Proact rather than react • Distinguish between what is and is not significant • Provide objective standard of evaluation • Numbers not necessarily good indicator of performance; metrics tell only part of the story LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

11. Focus on the Goal continued • Perform three actions to focus on goals: • Constantly query about progress • Establish consistent, standard yardstick to measure progress • Remove blinders leading to myopic decision-making LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

12. #4: Follow a Standardized Process • Common set of tools, procedures and jargon • Efficiency and effectiveness • Fear that standardized process stifles creativity and empowerment – wrong! • Two sides: project management and technical LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

13. Follow a Standardized Process continued • Benefits: • Enables efficient and effective execution through consistency • Enables better integration of activities • Reduces rework by allowing output of previous projects • Options for moving toward standardization • Professional memberships • Purchase or develop standardized processes LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

14. Follow a Standardized Process continued • Key is to develop or adopt one that people can agree to and compatible with company culture LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

15. #5: Learn from the Past • Benefits • Avoid repeating costly mistakes • Capitalize on previous successes • Builds confidence • Reduces risks LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

16. Learn from the Past continued • Personal and team levels • Visualize the current project in the context of one from the past • Identify similarities and dissimilarities • Interview participants • Read reports or lessons learned • Key is obtain knowledge about past projects and gain access LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

17. #6: Maintain Ongoing Communications • People tend to confuse medium with communication • Medium is vehicle for communicating, an enabler, not substitute for it • Lack of distinction between data and information • Goal: provide right information in the right amount to the right person LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

18. Maintain Ongoing Communications continued • Perform three actions: • Concentrate on generating information rather than data • Ensure data and information are current and relevant • Selectively chose the means of communication LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

19. #7: Record the Work Being Done • Good work often goes unrecorded due to turnover or time constraints • Benefits: • Focus on issues not previously dealt with • Forces people to think about their actions • Determine where and when to spend effort and time • Tells what worked and didn’t work in the past; focusing actions where counts LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

20. Record the Work Being Done continued • Two key actions: • View the time and effort to record activities as necessary • Establish agreed upon format and approach before project begins LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

21. #8: Reuse Previous Work • Re-inventing the wheel results in: • Wasted effort • Slowing project momentum • Not capitalize on success of past • Extension of project life cycle LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

22. #8: Reuse Previous Work continued • Benefits: • Expediting project life cycle • Team members focusing on more important issues • Increasing product reliability • Make modifications quickly • Allow for more accurate planning LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

23. #8: Reuse Previous Work continued • Actions to maximize benefits: • Cannibalize what was done well • Contact professional and business organizations for information LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

24. #9: Seek Buy-in by Those Involved • Commitment by the people doing the work • Benefits: • Provides sense of ownership, empowerment, responsibility, and accountability • Less need to follow-up on tasks • Encourages initiative LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

25. #9: Seek Buy-in by Those Involved continued • Actions: • Take inventory of team members’ knowledge, expertise, experience, maturity, and follow-up • Give visibility to buy-in • Gauge ability and willingness LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

26. #10: Seek Simplicity, Not Complexity • Refinement here and there and something different from the vision arises • Simplicity, not simple • Simplicity is shortest path that says “That’s it.” • Simple is paint-by-numbers and lacks sophistication • Complexity is sophistication gone amuck LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

27. Seek Simplicity, Not Complexity continued • Indicators of complexity: • People constantly request additions, changes, removals, and repositioning, creating plan that is full of exceptions and contingencies • People repeatedly explain their intent or meaning • Play continually revised to accommodate different situations LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

28. Seek Simplicity, Not Complexity continued • Indicators of simplicity: • Forces clarity of thought, demonstrating clarity in destination and path • Requires less time and people to execute a plan • Gives people confidence, knowing mission and what must be done LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

29. Seek Simplicity, Not Complexity continued • Actions: • Team members should strive to attain experience in as many areas as possible • If something can be done in two rather than four steps, choose the former • Ensure that all elements of a plan contribute to accomplishing the goals LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com

30. No Complicity with Simplicity • Many projects: • Proceed “helter skelter” • Are exercises in complexity • Replete with reinventing the well • If projects adopt some of the insights, they do resemble something out of the “Theater of the Absurd” LeanPM, LLC www.theleanpm.com