Utpal Writes          On Project Management, Leadership, Technology and Self-Help

Let’s realize it. Only 34 out of 100 projects succeed and 66 is a big number. Meaning, there is a lot of problem with projects and there is a huge need of good project management practices.

Here are some of the chronic problems with most of the failed projects which have some common-sense solutions.

1. Impractical Deadlines:
   1. Do not get by the given deadline.
   2. Plan the project as if you have to come up with the date.
   3. Make use of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Network Diagrams to demonstrate how long the project will take actually.
   4. If the project sponsor can not agree with you, do everything to exhibit impacts of fast-tracking.
2. Scope crawl:
   1. Do have a signed-off project charter, and a WBS.
   2. Take all the stakeholders’ buy-in for the scope statement so that they don’t strive to change it later.
   3. Learn to say “No” to the changes.
   4. Once the scope is frozen, have a project management plan in place and then keep all the stakeholders focused on project-completion rather than creative wish list preparation and brainstorming.
3. Changes in Deliverables:
   1. Make sure that you have formally signed-off project charter in place.
   2. Calculate and exhibit the cost, quality, risks and time consequences for each change.
4. Unutterable Scope:
   1. WBS is an absolute must to see what the missing pieces are.
   2. The more clear the project charter, clearer your WBS would be.
5. Inadequate communication:
   1. Do have a clear communications management plan in place.
   2. Communication Plan should clearly state who will talk to whom and about what type of issues.
   3. Have all the conversations recorded and categorize them such that you can identify the most important actionable items quickly.

If you observe, all of the above problems have one common workaround. Better Communication!  So practice it.

Technorati Tags: Project Communications Plan, Project Failures

See Also:

1. Distinction Between Issues And Problems And How To Deal With Them
2. Philosophy and Common-sense
3. Four Characteristics of Typical Projects
4. Project Environment Analysis 8
5. Basics of Projects In Controlled Environments Using PRINCE2
6. Everyday Status Meeting – An Absolute Project Killer
7. Dependable Project Manager 9