Eight Focus Areas that Lead to Project Success
Eight Focus Areas that Lead to Project Success
There are many project management processes and techniques that can help you be successful. Here are eight areas to really focus. If you are successful in these ten areas there is a high probability that entire project will be successful.
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- Requirements. Make sure that your customer defines their requirements in depth. You need to know exactly what must be delivered. Be specific, write them formally, and get them approved. This document will become one of the baselines upon which to validate your success.
Deliver the agreed requirements.
- Requirements. Make sure that your customer defines their requirements in depth. You need to know exactly what must be delivered. Be specific, write them formally, and get them approved. This document will become one of the baselines upon which to validate your success.
- Scope. Define scope well in terms of deliverables created and boundary statements (in-scope and out-of-scope). Get your sponsor approval for scope changes, making sure the sponsor understands any schedule, budget or other impact to the project.
Deliver the agreed scope.
- Stakeholders. Involve your stakeholders throughout the project. Get them involved in the analysis and planning, as well as execution. Gain their approval when needed and keep them informed when needed. The more you involve them, the greater their level of buy-in and the better you will manage their expectations.
Keep stakeholders engaged.
- Duration. Keep your delivery timeframes short and realistic. Split large projects into “mini-projects” if possible. Keep each mini-project to less than six months. This keeps everyone motivated and focused.
Finish on tine.
- Communication. Make sure you keep everyone informed by providing the right information at the right time. Produce status reports and run regular team meetings. Communication is all around managing expectations.
Keep everyone informed. No surprises!
- Risks. Risk management is a great proactive way to solve potential problems before they occur. Identify risks early in the project and continue to manage risks throughout the project.
Solve potential problems before they occur.
- Cost. Estimate costs as accurately as possible, and then manage costs proactively. Keep track of your costs as they are expended and the constantly reforecast the total projects cost as the project progress.
Finish within budget.
- Your team. Be a great people manager. Show them the project vision and how they can make it happen. Motivate them. Trust and believe in them.
Value your team. They will work wonders.
