It doesn’t matter what the project is. It doesn’t matter how big or how small, the fundamentals are always the same. Follow these simple steps for project success - Every Time. Remember that discipline is crucial as is the need to follow the plan in order to Project Manage - The Easy Way.
Overview
Depending on the complexity of the project create a Gantt Chart, or Action List or similar Tracking tool with “milestones” or critical dates
Documentation is essential – use the Bullet Point format wherever possible
Clearly describe what the end result will be
If possible use General Assembly or “Finished” drawings or similar to show the completed project
Create an approval document specifying the end result and/or any other key features
Get sign off from all key stakeholders – make sure that they all clearly understand what they are going to get
Clearly specify that there will be no “Scope Creep” - what you see is what you get
Understand and document the starting point – the “where we are now” part
Document how the Project will run and be managed
Document the Scope of Work
Detail all of the steps
Ensure there are clear measures and milestones
Delegate and agree responsibilities – who is going to do what
Set up a Capital Tracking Spreadsheet and an owner
Set up a reporting format and schedule
Set up a meeting format and resultant action system
The project must Measure and Report against the milestones
Ensure that all of the Design and Details are firm and agreed to by all parties – Before Starting the Work
Set up a disaster/contingency plan – Before Starting the Work
Is this a new project ? Is there previous experience to draw on
If there is previous experience – reflect on it – if it’s not used - nothing is lost – but it may be valuable and there is no value in reinventing the wheel
Review the project – can the following questions be confidently answered
Is the starting point clear ? -
What will the completed project look like ?
Have all key stakeholders signed off ?
Has the work been planned in enough detail to successfully complete the project ?
If the answers are in the affirmative – the start button can be pressed with confidence
All Systems are “Go”
Not Only - But Also …..
When there is a need to take a deep breath and take a break
Open List Of Pages – Engineering Nostalgia for pages of Old Engineer Memories from Engineering practice in the 1960’s/70’s/80’s - with a bit of armed forces and medieval trivia thrown in
Regardless of your current status – always ask the question – Is there a Better Way and
visit the 3R web page for an overview of the 3R PhilosophyReview – Refresh – Reset
When and how to decide if a Project is Dead or if it is a Go’er —
So how do you know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em
Typically we are all working on too many projects with limited resource. At what stage, and what triggers that decision to “cut your losses and walk away”
Or the decision that you are on a winner and in it for the “long haul”.
“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run”
Overview
How many times do we hang in, telling ourselves that success is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration. We’re nearly there, just a whisker more.
But it never seems to happen and we look back and fret about all of the wasted time, effort and money.
Conversely, how many times have we decided that a project is going nowhere and walked away from it , only to be racked with nagging doubts that maybe it just need a little bit more, in order to get it over the line. So close and yet so far. Maybe it was. But now, we will never know.
OK, we’ve hung in when we should have quit and we’ve quit when we should have hung in
So how do we get the odds in our favor in order to make the right decision
Is there a sure fire way to make better decisions
How can we hang in for the right ones and walk away from the wrong ones
There are books, magazines, web pages out there offering techniques and magic solutions, but at the end of the day, do any of them really work.
A common approach is to list the Pros and Cons. Pretty simple really. But does it work ?
For example, I really want to buy that 2 seater convertible. Expensive and totally impractical, but what an automobile!!!. How can I justify the purchase and feel good inside. I know, I’ll do a Pros and Cons list.
Mmmmmmm, not quite the result that I wanted, the number of Cons outweigh the Pro’s
But all is not necessarily lost. If I have another look at the list, maybe there are a few more Pro’s which I might have missed the first time around. Maybe some of those Cons aren’t really that important.
So, with a few adjustments I can cross out a few here and add a few there. Now, lets tally that list up again
Well what do you know, the Pro’s outweigh the Cons – lets go and buy.
My Answer
Go with your First Gut Feel
Don’t procrastinate
Don’t get caught with “Paralyses by Analyses”
Take that first, instinctive idea and like Nike used to say – Just Do It
Generally people have a fairly good idea of which way they “really” want to go, before they start the process and will adjust the methodology to get the answer which they “really” want.
What Lessons can we learn
Save yourself the heartache and troubled nights sleep.
Statistically it has been proven that 90 percent of the time the first decision/idea/concept which forms in your mind is the one you will finally go with.
Working on 99 other ways to do the job is just a waste of time and effort
Not Only - But Also ……
When there is a need to take a deep breath and take a break
Open List Of Pages – Engineering Nostalgia for pages of Old Engineer Memories from Engineering practice in the 1960’s/70’s/80’s - with a bit of armed forces and medieval trivia thrown in
Regardless of your current status – always ask the question – Is there a Better Way and
visit the 3R web page for an overview of the 3R Philosophy Review – Refresh – Reset
It may be an Engineering or IT Project - or it may be routine work tasks. However, there are times when it pays to adopt “The Power of Positive Listening” philosophy. It may not make you “the life and soul of the party”, but it could have a significant impact on the work at hand. Learn to listen, understand and “read between the lines” It is very easy to have preformed views and to want to express those views in a force able manner or to get into a shouting match, without really understanding the thrust of the conversation or dialogue. Learn to take a step back - listen - absorb and understand what is being said by others.
Overview
Understand WHY you are in the conversation or the group or the meeting
Be attentive – do not sit idly gazing at your phone – if you don’t want to be there – leave
Do not blatantly, continuously yawn – It happens to us all – cover your mouth – turn away – do whatever it takes to disguise that yawn
In simple terms – are you there to gain knowledge or to impart knowledge
Some people are naturally outgoing and continually want to be the center of attention
Some people are very reserved and reluctant to speak or offer an opinion
Sometimes a group may be dominated by several “outgoing” people who will jostle for ascendancy. And more likely than not - valuable information will be lost in the verbal melee
Sometimes a group will be dominated by reserved people and interaction can be very limited. - And it is very likely that important information may not be shared
Generally there is a mix of both types of people
Learn to read the mood of the group/meeting and respond accordingly
If you are normally a quite reserved person - you may need to “step up” if a discussion is “dying” and needs a leader
If you are normally an “outgoing” person in a group of “outgoing” people – and all are talking over each other - you may need to “step back”
Learn to listen to others – you may have a very strong urge to interrupt – but learn to “bite your tongue”
Make a great effort to understand what is being said – the words come out – BUT what is the meaning
You may strongly disagree with something being said – BUT learn to “bite your tongue” and think it through – “is this a battle I can win today? Or is it better to let it go through to the keeper and pick a time and place of my choosing”
Do not “cut off” someone mid sentence by talking over them – let them finish what they are saying.
If you need to make a point or question a statement – learn to make a mental note to ask/clarify when the speaker has finished the sentence – or when they “draw breath”
Always be polite – e.g. “excuse me but could I just clarify a point” “I apologize for the interruption but just wanted to clarify ….” etc
It is not always convenient to have a note pad and pencil handy – but they are very useful to make notes whilst someone is speaking and you can let them finish what they are saying and have a reference to draw on with a later question or query. They may in fact not remember what they have said - But you have captured it for reference
Not Only - But Also …..
When there is a need to take a deep breath and take a break
Open List Of Pages – Engineering Nostalgia for pages of Old Engineer Memories from Engineering practice in the 1960’s/70’s/80’s - with a bit of armed forces and medieval trivia thrown in
Regardless of your current status – always ask the question – Is there a Better Way and visit the 3R web page for an overview of the 3R PhilosophyReview – Refresh – Reset
What is Motivation? A good question I hear you ask
In general - Motivation:
Is the force which drives and makes you tick
The drive that gets you fired up and then keeps you fired up
The drive that gets you fired up and then keeps you fired up
That high level of energy
That high level of enthusiasm
The fire that gets you out of bed in a morning
The will to win – to be the best that you possibly can be
The Devil Is in The Detail
Generally - most of us have lots of Motivation and are very self Motivated and self driven. BUT there may be times when elements of doubt can creep in to your (normally) very focused mind and you feel as though you have just hit a brick wall.
These could be caused by a whole raft of reasons.
Needless to say – It happens.
At times like these it’s good to have a support mechanism to fall back on.
Communicate – talk to people – colleagues, friends
Remember - When the going gets tough – the tough get going – convince yourself
Balance – your life interests – your stressful projects – take a break
Take more tea/coffee breaks and give yourself the chance to “pull back” and reflect on what your priorities really are
You may need to - Learn to Eat an Elephant – if there is an overwhelming sense that the job at hand is too much
Take one small bite at a time and completely devour – before taking the next bite
Do you feel that you are in a hole and it is getting deeper – then stop digging
Seek help when needed
This web page is not about heavy theory or instruction - The aim is for a quick, simple and effective burst to refresh or get you back on track.
Maybe a little humor will help - check out Motivation No. 101 for a slightly different perspective
Not Only - But Also …..
When there is a need to take a deep breath and take a break
Open List Of Pages – Engineering Nostalgia for pages of Old Engineer Memories from Engineering practice in the 1960’s/70’s/80’s - with a bit of armed forces and medieval trivia thrown in
Regardless of your current status – always ask the question – Is there a Better Way and
visit the 3R web page for an overview of the 3R Philosophy Review – Refresh – Reset
It is vital to Minute All Meetings - Taking minutes of meetings is often regarded as an onerous task and some people will resort to all sorts of devious tricks to avoid doing it.
However - What is often overlooked is that the minute taker is a very powerful person.
They can influence meeting outcomes by slanting a “difficult” agreement or outcome a particular way.
And this is why it is very important to always have a skilled person taking the minutes and to always read and understand the minutes of all meetings.
I well remember a very highly charged, regular monthly meeting with a number of managers. It lasted over 2 hours and ended with reluctant agreement over a number of contentious issues, by all of the key players.
At the next monthly meeting, recollections of what had been agreed varied widely and as no minutes had been recorded - It was another long, emotional, highly charged meeting. BUT this time – it was agreed by all in attendance - that in future - very accurate and detailed minutes should be taken, documented and distributed.
The simple message is:-
Email cc copies to anyone remotely associated with the meeting, project or topic
Read and ensure that you understand the minutes of the meetings – even if you are only on the cc list
Remember that the minutes should be an accurate record of the meeting and outcomes
Some meetings will have a system of rotating “scribes”
Other times one person is nominated as a permanent “scribe”
There is no right or wrong – whatever suits the circumstance and creates an accurate record
When there is a need to take a deep breath and take a break
Open List Of Pages – Engineering Nostalgia for pages of Old Engineer Memories from Engineering practice in the 1960’s/70’s/80’s - with a bit of armed forces and medieval trivia thrown in
Regardless of your current status – always ask the question – Is there a Better Way and
visit the 3R web page for an overview of the 3R Philosophy Review – Refresh – Reset
Deliberate or accidental misunderstandings can be a result of relying on verbal communication, Therefore it is vital to always - Keep A Paper Trail - i.e. to keep accurate records. There may be a deliberate intention to “muddy the waters” or there may have been an “off the cuff” comment which was taken as a firm commitment or a similar statement uttered in the heat of the moment to placate an irate individual or to win a purchase order.
In some instances it may be a case of companies or individuals not having disciplined procedures in place. But if “the sediment hits the fan” ….. The bottom line is ………
If its not Documented - It didn’t Happen
It is very easy for people to verbally say or agree to many things – but when the time comes to honor that verbal dialogue, there can be a chasm between what you “thought” that you heard or agreed to, and what others “ maintain” that they actually said or intended to say.
Key Points
Many Things Could Happen - Keep A Paper Trail
Follow company protocols – Keep a Record – Keep a Paper Trail
If there are gaps in company protocols - Keep your own Records/Paper Trail
Keep a record – emails – meeting minutes, hand written notes, dates, conversations etc - all communication, agreements and decisions which could come back and bite you
It sounds like like basic stuff – but enthusiasm, fear and various other emotions can significantly impact decisions and recollections of verbal conversations – particularly if there are financial implications - Get It In Writing and signed off if possible
If the sediment hits the fan – a Paper Trail will verify what was actually said/agreed – without any wriggle room
It goes without saying that the amount of detail is relative to the subject matter – to ensure that there can be no misunderstanding of what was said/agreed
You hope that you will never need it – However, Murphy’s Law tells us that if we have it – it is unlikely to ever be needed – But if we don’t have it …………. We could be in trouble !!!
This web page is not trying to teach complicated methodologies or heavy instruction. The aim is for quick, simple, basic and effective Tips and Tricks to get you back on track and to keep you there by following the 3R’ Philosophy
When there is a need to take a deep breath and take a break
Open List Of Pages – Engineering Nostalgia for pages of Old Engineer Memories from Engineering practice in the 1960’s/70’s/80’s - with a bit of armed forces and medieval trivia thrown in
In my early days I sat through many meetings with no fixed Agenda. Many times they would meander off the subject matters or were hijacked by participants with side objectives or “pet” issues and the meetings achieved very little other than to waste everyone’s time.
It is critical to always have an Agenda for all meetings and to keep meetings to a fixed time.
Meetings Agenda
Personally I do not like meetings to go longer than 1 hour. But there is no hard and fixed rule.
Although not directly part of this post - You may also consider “Stand Up” meetings as a way to encourage shorter meetings. As the name implies - all participants stand during the meeting - Some people like them - Some do not.
General Guidelines
Always have an agenda
Distribute the agenda to participants well before the meeting
Request confirmation of the agenda – to minimize the risk of the meeting being hi jacked by someone with another agenda
Set a time for each item on the agenda – a stop watch or similar is obviously required
Plus a nominated timekeeper
Make it clear at the start of the meeting that the agenda and times are to be followed
If anyone wants to change the agenda at this stage – the answer is NO - Unless there is a very good reason – Obviously common sense needs to prevail
New issues may need to be the subject of a new meeting - Which will need to be arranged for a new date
Note that the allotted times are a guide – allow some latitude
If a participant is going well over the allotted time – They need to be “politely” reminded of the time limit
If the issue is likely to need extended time/debate/discussion - It should be closed down and noted/minuted with something along the lines of … the XYZ subject/issue was not resolved because of ABC and another meeting will be scheduled to address this….. - together with any relevant detail.
It is very important to be polite but firm – if required - A slice of humor will help to soften any tensions
Focus on the desired outcomes
Keep the meeting on track and do not wander off into ancillary areas
And finally - Always keep accurate minutes of the meeting - it is important to Minute All Meetings
Not Only - But Also……
When there is a need to take a deep breath and take a break
Open List Of Pages – Engineering Nostalgia for pages of Old Engineer Memories from Engineering practice in the 1960’s/70’s/80’s - with a bit of armed forces and medieval trivia thrown in
Regardless of your current status – always ask the question – Is there a Better Way and
visit the 3R web page for an overview of the 3R PhilosophyReview – Refresh – Reset
Hasten Slowly - Avoid the Knee Jerk reaction - Lots of frantic activity might look impressive to an outsider - But may not equate to actual Productive Work
The pressure and urgency is always there for speed and a knee jerk reaction
It can be a good idea to take a step back and look at the project/problem/breakdown/whatever in a calm and measured way – without the pressure
The challenge is to rise above and take a birds eye view.
Hasten Slowly And Succeed
Lets step back for a few minutes and review the situation
What are the drivers
Who is doing the driving
Is it a reasonable request – it may be – but still needs to be thought through and a rational, logical process used
Sort the wheat from the chaff
Be diplomatic and apply logic- Take the emotion out of the decision making process
Look at the issue in a calm and measured way
Going Forwards ..
I know that it is easier said than done – but it’s got to be worth a try
….. Hasten Slowly …..
Not Only - But Also…..
When there is a need to take a deep breath and take a break
Open List Of Pages – Engineering Nostalgia for pages of Old Engineer Memories from Engineering practice in the 1960’s/70’s/80’s - with a bit of armed forces and medieval trivia thrown in
Go to - Engineering the 3R Way for an overview of the 3R Philosophy Review – Refresh – Reset
