Running a successful project is like cultivating a garden. We plant seeds and we nurture them to bloom. Below are project seeds-for-success, which, if nurtured, will create a thriving project.
1. Establish a Vision
A project that lacks a coherent vision is bound to fail. The vision must be broad enough to inspire, yet specific enough to target. JFK’s vision that “this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” is the perfect example of a vision statement. It defines the goal concisely, and allows each person to envision their part in the process, while providing a meaningful timeframe.
2. Align your people
Once your goal is recognized, the resources at hand must be directed appropriately. Each participant must understand his part in the process.
Conflicts and duplications of effort can be avoided; if not, they should be resolved rapidly. Different tasks have differing timeframes; when resources become free, they must be redeployed in a timely manner.
3. Identify and track your risks
In any project, there are risks; from project budget shortfalls to platform changes to personnel and resource shortfalls. Not only must risks be
assessed, they must be addressed – ranked by loss potential and probability of occurrence. Establish a top-10 project risks list and review it regularly.
4. Understand your project’s scope
Defining the scope of any project is crucial. “Scope Creep” (sometimes called “Kitchen Sink Syndrome”) refers to uncontrolled changes to an
approved project; generally feature additions, and usually without proper budgeting of time and resources. Every Project Manager knows that
’scope creep’ is the death of many projects, yet somehow it remains one of the major risks for any project. Not only does it throw off schedules
and budgeting, it will often shift the focus of the development team, leading to a loss of the initial vision (#1), and misalignment of
resources (#2).
5. Measure progress
Milestones are a must. They enable the progress of a project to be measured and controlled. The inability to make track progress is the
inability to make progress. Milestones set deadlines within a project. They may mark occasions where a transition occurs or where key questions may be answered (or decisions required) that could alter the course of a project
6. Adapt your plans
“No plan survives contact with reality” is a truism that every project manager must take to heart. As good as an initial strategy might be, no
strategy can take all contingencies into account. Analysis must take place in order to note areas of concern and to plan how to deal with likely
problems in the near future. This is tactical planning, not strategic. Tactics are ‘in process’, or in military terms, ‘battlefield’ choices which
must be made. The initial strategy is not being discarded here, the object is re-alignment with the initial strategy as best as possible on the fly.
7. Adapt your people
In almost any project, there will always be an area where skills are lacking within a project team. A successful leader not only develops the finished project, but also the people involved in the project. Improving technical skills, increasing effectiveness, and boosting morale and retention leads to the success of not only the project, but the company as a whole in the long run.
Take a look at your project using the points above; which ’seeds of success’ can you nurture?
Posted by robertmacgregor 
