Project Management Memory Jogger

[dhaughey]

Today I've been writing a list of important things to bear in mind before, during and after project delivery:

• Baseline your plan so you can see your progress.
• Create the right environment so people will take ownership for their parts of the project.
• Constantly evaluate project progress asking, “How are we doing?”
• Add some slack. Everything takes longer than you think.
• Create simple and easy to understand documentation.
• Validate constantly.
• Test, test, test using external people.
• Celebrate if the project hits its schedule.
• Follow up after the delivery to make sure it is all working or for improvements opportunities.
• Check the expected benefits are being realised.
• Learn and document lessons from projects.
• Kill failing projects quickly.
• Have fun!

As a project manager, I find this type of list a useful memory jogger.

Anything to add?

Duncan

[dhaughey]

Here are some more tips I've dug out:

• Project management has a definite beginning and end. It is not a continuous process.
• A plan is not a project, it is a tool.
• Thirty five per cent of projects are consumed in overheads and administration.
• Project failures will happen.
• Gain knowledge and understanding before starting a project.
• Projects must meet customer requirements, be under budget and on time.
• Always remember revision numbers and to check that all those involved in the project are using the same version of the plan.
• Know who's in the project environment and manage them.
• Projects need good communication. Ensure that a suitable communications infrastructure exists.
• Projects do not run without politics, so manage it.
• Analyse the impact each of the players in a project might have.
• Ask for the information you need to run a project effectively, for example, a weekly breakdown of costs and hours.
• Keep the project momentum going.
• Monitor and control any risks.
• Everything takes longer than you think.
• Ask how much money do I have, how much time and what deliverable is required.
• Know what you own. Personal success factors are, for example, product fit for purpose and customer sign-off.
• Agree with the customer what the critical success factors are. These maybe just a few items from a long wish list. Deliver what the customer agrees to.
• Project Managers are rarely hands on, running projects is enough.
• Manage, minimise and control.
• If there is anything to do, do it.

For many more tips, take a look at Alec Satin's comprehensive 72 Project Management Tips.

Duncan