Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail
Today every information a person needs is found on the Internet.
So, it is quite normal that even the business world finds the solutions of its problems in the great "www" book of information.
The purpose of on line discussions, blogs, forums is to share experience, express opinions and help each other solving business problems and obstacles.
One of the most researched and discussed topic is the project failure.
It is surprising that 2/3 of all the projects fail.
Numerous circumstances influence the project flow, and if not managed properly, they will make the project go in the wrong direction, which will eventually make the project manager's nightmare come true - the project will FAIL.
For that reason, the project manager is the one who is supposed to anticipate and predict the flow of the project, and for matter of success, is responsible to find a way to overcome every negative surprise, and to put to use every positive surprise.
Every project manager knows the basis of successful project plan: clearly defined goals, clarity in delegating and assigning tasks, setting the time line carefully and allocating the resources properly.
But many times, some unseen factors take the lead, and the project hits a wall.
This article is to show you some of them, in order to make you think of them the next time you plan a project.
Lacking sponsors involvement and ignoring project stakeholders is the key to failure.
Since many of the stakeholders are emotionally invested in the project, they may have a hard time communicating logically and dispassionately.
The project manager is the responsible one, not only for setting realistic goals, but to initiate realistic and stable communication with everyone involved within the project.
Lack of communication is another step towards project failure, either inside the project team or towards the clients and subcontractors.
When having team of people with different mind sets, the crucial thing is to bring them into communication which can point up the goals, tasks and activities.
It is always important to begin with documented criteria for measuring success.
To avoid communication breakdowns, project managers should also facilitate in conflict resolution, coordination and empowerment.
Another point that is essential for project management is scope definition.
This is the fundamental component that separates projects from operational work.
Scope management is based on the process of asking questions about priorities and working with the team to ensure that infrastructure components are factored into the scope.
Have a clear scope definition, documented and presented to the members, and win the wanted results.
The control and monitoring of the plan are very often forgotten.
Many managers tend to forget to check if some part of project execution has been dropped out, or if the communication is going smoothly or not...
The control is the best guide to success.
Once project managers have composed a plan, they should review it weekly, if not nightly, against the team's actual performance.
The manager needs to see and fix what is not working out, in order to make it to the success.
Many times Project managers can't stay within project parameters.
Very often project managers believe that if they put longer hours in the project once the project is planned, it will lead to greater results.
But that's not the answer.
If project managers must add another step to the project, then they should also consider procuring additional resources to help accomplish the new tasks.
A new deadline should be established, project plans should be adjusted, work should be rescheduled and the monitoring of the progress toward desired goals should continue.
Today every information a person needs is found on the Internet.
So, it is quite normal that even the business world finds the solutions of its problems in the great "www" book of information.
The purpose of on line discussions, blogs, forums is to share experience, express opinions and help each other solving business problems and obstacles.
One of the most researched and discussed topic is the project failure.
It is surprising that 2/3 of all the projects fail.
Numerous circumstances influence the project flow, and if not managed properly, they will make the project go in the wrong direction, which will eventually make the project manager's nightmare come true - the project will FAIL.
For that reason, the project manager is the one who is supposed to anticipate and predict the flow of the project, and for matter of success, is responsible to find a way to overcome every negative surprise, and to put to use every positive surprise.
Every project manager knows the basis of successful project plan: clearly defined goals, clarity in delegating and assigning tasks, setting the time line carefully and allocating the resources properly.
But many times, some unseen factors take the lead, and the project hits a wall.
This article is to show you some of them, in order to make you think of them the next time you plan a project.
Lacking sponsors involvement and ignoring project stakeholders is the key to failure.
Since many of the stakeholders are emotionally invested in the project, they may have a hard time communicating logically and dispassionately.
The project manager is the responsible one, not only for setting realistic goals, but to initiate realistic and stable communication with everyone involved within the project.
Lack of communication is another step towards project failure, either inside the project team or towards the clients and subcontractors.
When having team of people with different mind sets, the crucial thing is to bring them into communication which can point up the goals, tasks and activities.
It is always important to begin with documented criteria for measuring success.
To avoid communication breakdowns, project managers should also facilitate in conflict resolution, coordination and empowerment.
Another point that is essential for project management is scope definition.
This is the fundamental component that separates projects from operational work.
Scope management is based on the process of asking questions about priorities and working with the team to ensure that infrastructure components are factored into the scope.
Have a clear scope definition, documented and presented to the members, and win the wanted results.
The control and monitoring of the plan are very often forgotten.
Many managers tend to forget to check if some part of project execution has been dropped out, or if the communication is going smoothly or not...
The control is the best guide to success.
Once project managers have composed a plan, they should review it weekly, if not nightly, against the team's actual performance.
The manager needs to see and fix what is not working out, in order to make it to the success.
Many times Project managers can't stay within project parameters.
Very often project managers believe that if they put longer hours in the project once the project is planned, it will lead to greater results.
But that's not the answer.
If project managers must add another step to the project, then they should also consider procuring additional resources to help accomplish the new tasks.
A new deadline should be established, project plans should be adjusted, work should be rescheduled and the monitoring of the progress toward desired goals should continue.
So, it is quite normal that even the business world finds the solutions of its problems in the great "www" book of information.
The purpose of on line discussions, blogs, forums is to share experience, express opinions and help each other solving business problems and obstacles.
One of the most researched and discussed topic is the project failure.
It is surprising that 2/3 of all the projects fail.
Numerous circumstances influence the project flow, and if not managed properly, they will make the project go in the wrong direction, which will eventually make the project manager's nightmare come true - the project will FAIL.
For that reason, the project manager is the one who is supposed to anticipate and predict the flow of the project, and for matter of success, is responsible to find a way to overcome every negative surprise, and to put to use every positive surprise.
Every project manager knows the basis of successful project plan: clearly defined goals, clarity in delegating and assigning tasks, setting the time line carefully and allocating the resources properly.
But many times, some unseen factors take the lead, and the project hits a wall.
This article is to show you some of them, in order to make you think of them the next time you plan a project.
Lacking sponsors involvement and ignoring project stakeholders is the key to failure.
Since many of the stakeholders are emotionally invested in the project, they may have a hard time communicating logically and dispassionately.
The project manager is the responsible one, not only for setting realistic goals, but to initiate realistic and stable communication with everyone involved within the project.
Lack of communication is another step towards project failure, either inside the project team or towards the clients and subcontractors.
When having team of people with different mind sets, the crucial thing is to bring them into communication which can point up the goals, tasks and activities.
It is always important to begin with documented criteria for measuring success.
To avoid communication breakdowns, project managers should also facilitate in conflict resolution, coordination and empowerment.
Another point that is essential for project management is scope definition.
This is the fundamental component that separates projects from operational work.
Scope management is based on the process of asking questions about priorities and working with the team to ensure that infrastructure components are factored into the scope.
Have a clear scope definition, documented and presented to the members, and win the wanted results.
The control and monitoring of the plan are very often forgotten.
Many managers tend to forget to check if some part of project execution has been dropped out, or if the communication is going smoothly or not...
The control is the best guide to success.
Once project managers have composed a plan, they should review it weekly, if not nightly, against the team's actual performance.
The manager needs to see and fix what is not working out, in order to make it to the success.
Many times Project managers can't stay within project parameters.
Very often project managers believe that if they put longer hours in the project once the project is planned, it will lead to greater results.
But that's not the answer.
If project managers must add another step to the project, then they should also consider procuring additional resources to help accomplish the new tasks.
A new deadline should be established, project plans should be adjusted, work should be rescheduled and the monitoring of the progress toward desired goals should continue.
Today every information a person needs is found on the Internet.
So, it is quite normal that even the business world finds the solutions of its problems in the great "www" book of information.
The purpose of on line discussions, blogs, forums is to share experience, express opinions and help each other solving business problems and obstacles.
One of the most researched and discussed topic is the project failure.
It is surprising that 2/3 of all the projects fail.
Numerous circumstances influence the project flow, and if not managed properly, they will make the project go in the wrong direction, which will eventually make the project manager's nightmare come true - the project will FAIL.
For that reason, the project manager is the one who is supposed to anticipate and predict the flow of the project, and for matter of success, is responsible to find a way to overcome every negative surprise, and to put to use every positive surprise.
Every project manager knows the basis of successful project plan: clearly defined goals, clarity in delegating and assigning tasks, setting the time line carefully and allocating the resources properly.
But many times, some unseen factors take the lead, and the project hits a wall.
This article is to show you some of them, in order to make you think of them the next time you plan a project.
Lacking sponsors involvement and ignoring project stakeholders is the key to failure.
Since many of the stakeholders are emotionally invested in the project, they may have a hard time communicating logically and dispassionately.
The project manager is the responsible one, not only for setting realistic goals, but to initiate realistic and stable communication with everyone involved within the project.
Lack of communication is another step towards project failure, either inside the project team or towards the clients and subcontractors.
When having team of people with different mind sets, the crucial thing is to bring them into communication which can point up the goals, tasks and activities.
It is always important to begin with documented criteria for measuring success.
To avoid communication breakdowns, project managers should also facilitate in conflict resolution, coordination and empowerment.
Another point that is essential for project management is scope definition.
This is the fundamental component that separates projects from operational work.
Scope management is based on the process of asking questions about priorities and working with the team to ensure that infrastructure components are factored into the scope.
Have a clear scope definition, documented and presented to the members, and win the wanted results.
The control and monitoring of the plan are very often forgotten.
Many managers tend to forget to check if some part of project execution has been dropped out, or if the communication is going smoothly or not...
The control is the best guide to success.
Once project managers have composed a plan, they should review it weekly, if not nightly, against the team's actual performance.
The manager needs to see and fix what is not working out, in order to make it to the success.
Many times Project managers can't stay within project parameters.
Very often project managers believe that if they put longer hours in the project once the project is planned, it will lead to greater results.
But that's not the answer.
If project managers must add another step to the project, then they should also consider procuring additional resources to help accomplish the new tasks.
A new deadline should be established, project plans should be adjusted, work should be rescheduled and the monitoring of the progress toward desired goals should continue.
