In a recent site visit a discussion of "what are the absolute minimum" processes for managing projects came up again. Here's a list. There may be other lists, but this one is a good start for any "professional" approach to managing projects. That is "managing projects for money," someone else's money. If it your own money, well then the list may be different.
- Describing done is the start of a successful project. Without a description of done, you don't know when to stop. And you may not recognize done when you get there. Ending too soon or ending too late.
- Without some kind of description of where the project is headed there is no hope of actually getting there on time and on budget.
- The notion of emergent or chaotic development is simply a way to spend more money while trying to locate the end of the project.
- The idea of wandering around looking for the end, results in just that wandering around looking for the end.
- With the end defined - "this is what done looks like" - there are many paths that can take you there, some faster or cheaper than others. But that's a detailed execution issue.
- Progress toward end goal needs to be measured in units meaningful to the project team and the project stakeholders:
- Physical percent complete is one of the better places place to start.
- All other measures are equivalent to level of effort. This means the passage of time = consumption of money = progress. Not a very good measure for assuring completion on-time, on-budget, on-specification (compliant with the technical performance goals).
As an aside - the term Technical Performance Measure (TPM) is a general concept for everything having to do with the technical aspects of the project. Quality, true performance (speed, capacity, etc.), usability, etc. Anything that is NOT cost or schedule.
- Cost, Schedule and Technical Performance Measurement are inseparable dependent variables of the project:
- No matter how much the "new age" project manager whats this to not be true, it is.
- Once there is a disconnect between Cost, Schedule, and Technical Performance the measurement of "value" is not possible, because we can't tell how much it has cost or how long it took to generate the resulting product or service. Like any purchasing decision, the value to the buyer depends on how much it costs and when can I get it.
- Skilled, competent people always perform best. But leading skilled, competent people requires skill and competence.
- Leadership is not position, it is action
- Action toward a clear and concise goal with measurable outcomes
- Taking action means taking responsibility
- In the end managing projects is hard work requiring experience and leadership
- Above a certain level of complexity, managing a project requires professional experience and skills. Amateur approaches don't cut it.
- Risk Management is how adults manage projects. There are five easy ways to manage risk
- Hope is not a strategy - have a plan, a good plan, a risk adjusted and risk mitigated plan that can be measured in units of physical progress
- Point estimates of cost and schedule are always wrong - have a deep understanding of the probabilistic impacts on the project
- Without integrating Cost, Schedule, and Technical Performance, you're driving in the rear view mirror. Connecting the technical performance with cost and schedule is the only measure of produced value. All other measures, only measure past performance or the level of effort needed to produce the possibly non-compliant product
- Without a model of risk management, you're driving in the dark with the headlights off. Formal risk management is not an option. Any substitute for the formality of risk management is not risk management.
- Risk Communication is the interactive process of exchanging information and opinion among individuals, groups, and institutions about the risks and their mitigations.
- Innovation in project management is sometimes overrated.
- Simple approaches to providing the processes above are the best approach. This is Occam's Razor.
- Simple measures of progress to plan mean measures of physical percent complete.
- While there are many opportunities to reduce the use of poor project management processes, the core activities of incremental and iterative value delivery is common to all projects, from the smallest to the largest
These "truths" have severed me well. They are the basis of all the project management process in use in Mission Critical, High Risk, High Reward areas I work in - manned space flight, corporate enterprise systems, large construction.
