A Project Manager Forsees Bad Project Ending

As an experience project manager I often see the planning of projects before they start the actual work. Often I can predict when a project will go off the rails before it actually happens. Small red flags dot my brain and the warning lights go off. If I feel I have a duty, a gentle reminder is extended. Most of the time the leader feels more than capable of running the project to completion. My advice is relegated to the garbage pile of idiot verbiage and life goes on. I then sit back and watch the train wreck become reality. It is all so unnecessary.

There are key tell-tale signs that all is not well on a project. These include:

• Promising a work item without consulting the person doing the work: It is not so obvious to all that a work item will get done. There are many more permutations to the solution than the one you envision. Without consulting and getting approval from the person doing the actual work, providing a guarantee that a specific work item will be completed, or that certain products will be used, will cause confusion, back tracking, loss of credibility and frustration on your part as well as the customer.
• Promising an end date for the completion of a project without consulting those that will implement, nor having a project plan with some buffer. You might think that you have left a lot of time for the project, but without consulting with the implementer, what do you base this on? Even with discussions with the implementer, there are dependencies between work items, such as one item must be completed prior to another item, that need to be considered. Contingency time must be added so that when some item takes longer than expected, or an unplanned issue arises there is buffer in the schedule. All large projects need a project plan.
• Delegate the project plan to someone you have no prior project familiarity. Yes, they are very nice, but if this is your project how can you delegate responsibility of the completion of the project to someone you have not previously worked? Implementers usually have many projects on the go, and yours might not be very high priority.
• Of course everyone can plan. This is untrue. Most people think they can plan, until something goes off the rails. Project planning requires more discipline than most people acknowledge. The final list of work items is crucial for the implementer as well as the customer. If the customer believes that are getting a work item and the implementer does not have this on their list, then it simply will not get done. This clarity of communication is the key to a happy customer, and is often the downfall of even a simple project.
• Not having a formal process for project changes. Project changes are inevitable. You dig down and hit a large rock, so need to veer left or right. By not formalizing this process, which includes writing down how the change will be handled, issues will inevitably arise. Assuming that you can handle these changes by sweet talking customers and implementers is fraught with danger. Customers do not like surprises.

As the project progresses, issues will arise. Customers seek changes or wonder why certain work items are not being done. They have expectations that they may not have vocalized. Implementers go on their merry way, checking off their “To Do” list, oblivious of the storm brewing in the background. The leader is stuck in the middle, trying to keep it all together.

Half way through a project that is going off the rails, the leader is usually oblivious to the pending storm. The time line progressively slips. No matter, just pressure the implementers, who can suck it up, but for a little while. Changes and unrealized expectations come from the customer, which comes as a surprise to implementer. Oh they cannot do these changes, and besides, it was not in the original scope of work and there is no additional money nor time to complete it. Customer squeezes the leader, leader squeezes the implementer, implementer pushes back, leader is in a tight spot, never to dig oneself out.

Heart brealking it is, to see a train wreck before it occurs. Still, if you have done your due diligence then there is really nothing left to be done. Sit back and wait, watch and learn. An excellent beginning paves the way for a smoother, more controlled landing.

Addendum March 18 2011: Here’s an excellent article from Brian Baeumler on project management in the home renovation field. It is insightful and a must read for all wanting to do a renovation.