Picture this: a vast and dynamic seascape where project managers embark on a journey akin to navigating the unpredictable waters of the software IT industry. Just like a skilled captain needs a map and a compass, a project manager must equip themselves with a comprehensive understanding and a profound knowledge of key project elements of the project landscape even before setting sail.
To become exceptional, a project manager must hinge on mastering five crucial aspects beyond transactional management. We will look deeper into those 5 in this article.
Introduction
Picture this: You’re embarking on a journey to build a towering skyscraper in the ever-evolving cityscape of the software IT industry. Your blueprint is ready, and your team is eager, but before you break ground, you need a compass. In the realm of project management, this compass is your pre-project knowledge.
Every project manager must muster these five elements, even before you gather the team and write the first line of code.
Objective (WHY) and Vision: The Starting point for a Project Manager
In the heart of every project lies a beacon of purpose, answering the resounding question – “Why is this project undertaken?” Understanding the project’s objective is akin to discovering the North Star; it provides direction and purpose.
Your project’s objective is your guiding light. It is your North Star, guiding your every decision and action. A strong WHY and a supreme vision inspire your team and thus are the heartbeat of every project. By infusing required motivation and focus, they transform a mere task into a shared mission, driving everyone toward a common goal.
Example:
For a tech company launching a new app, the objective might be to enhance user experience. The vision could be to improve and revolutionize people’s engagement in the digital landscape.
Similarly, for a project to build a cloud-based collaboration platform, the objective could be enhancing team productivity. The vision – Transforming the way organizations work by fostering seamless communication and collaboration.
Implementing a cloud solution, with a primary objective to improve operational efficiency vs reduce customer latency vs increase customer convenience, will all have different approaches, architecture, focus and associated nuances. Thus, understanding the primary focus and objective of every project is very critical.
Similarly, the objective to enhance user experience or to capture a new market segment requires two different kinds of approach and planning. Knowing the “why” gives your team a sense of clear purpose.
Action Plan:
- Conduct a workshop with your client, sponsors, and senior management to collectively understand, define, and refine the project’s objective and vision. Usually, WHY & VISION is driven by sponsors and senior leaders. A project manager must fully understand it and absorb it to deliver it.
- Create a strong, clear & crisp project charter doc outlining the overarching goal and the envisioned vision and impact on end-users. Ratify it again so that there is no gap in understanding.
- Even if there is a very small difference between the actual WHY and your understanding of it, then with every inch of project progress, you are adding to the deviation.
- You can use visual aids, like mind maps and diagrams, to make the concept more tangible.
Hard Constraints (Non-Negotiable Aspects): Knowing boundaries of the Game
Imagery: Think of a puzzle with pieces of different shapes. Some pieces only fit in specific places, representing non-negotiable constraints. You could also consider planning your vacation. Your budget, the number of vacation days, and perhaps the destination itself could be non-negotiable constraints.
Similarly, IT projects have hard constraints that are non-negotiable. These might include a fixed budget, where a customer has put everything into it and cannot spend a penny more than approved. It could be a predetermined launch date, and if it slips, it might lose its competitive advantage or might not get the next launch slot in the near future.
It could also be a regulatory requirement, if not adhered to, then might lead to legal issues, reputation loss and huge penalties. It could be technical specifications that you can’t compromise on, or it could simply be technology limitations, etc.
A project manager cannot budge these parameters, no matter what. And if done so, they may threaten the entire purpose/relevance of the project.
Understanding these constraints is like knowing the rules of the game. Embrace them early & over-communicate them to the entire team, vendors and all active contributors to the project to avoid sidestepping unnecessary hurdles. It also helps in better decision-making and strictly avoids additional scope that impacts these parameters.
Example:
Developing a mobile banking application or a medical device may face strict security regulations. The non-negotiable aspect here is ensuring data safety, human safety, and compliance with industry standards. Thus, compliance projects require very detailed test coverage and may even need multiple rounds of testing in different environments and with different data sets.
So, the approach, planning & strategy for this kind of project is completely different than that of a faster go-to-market project, which could be launching a new mobile application.
Action Plan:
- Have detailed conversations with your clients, sponsor & senior management and contributing vendors to understand the hard non-negotiables. Some of these constraints could be implicit. So, keep asking all sorts of provocative questions to ensure even implicit constraints are spelt explicitly.
- Create a comprehensive list of constraints and non-negotiables and prioritize them.
- Over-communicate these constraints clearly to all stakeholders and your team, fostering a shared commitment to working within these boundaries.
- Every decision taken in the project must be in unity with these constraints.
Big Picture View, Overall Landscape & your project's fitment
Imagery: Envision a city skyline. Each building is independent on its own but should align with the overall panorama of the city to make a grander city landscape.
So, Is your project a skyscraper dominating the skyline or a niche building with a specific function? Zoom out and visualize how your building (project) fits into the larger landscape.
Similarly, imagine two project managers building half of the bridges from either side of the bank. Let’s assume both project managers did a wonderful job and both projects were successful.
But if they both were built in slightly different directions and could fully connect them, then customers can’t use it to pass the bridge. Is it not the failure of the overall landscape or strategic objective?
Similarly, Your IT project is not a standalone structure; it’s part of a larger program of initiatives within the organization and must seamlessly integrate. A project manager needs a bird’s eye view to comprehend the strategic implications and ensure alignment with broader business objectives and organizational strategic landscape.
Example:
Consider a software company aiming to revolutionize e-commerce. Let’s say one of your projects is to build a new, fast website. However, for your project to be fully successful, it should align seamlessly with existing customer databases, inventory systems, and third-party logistics providers.
Action Plan:
- Do a thorough analysis of the organization’s mid-term to long-term strategic plans and initiatives.
- Map how your project fits into the overall program & big-picture strategic landscape.
- Draft a project roadmap, or a mind-map, to illustrate how your project aligns with the broader organizational strategy.
Stakeholders, Partners, Vendors: Collaborating with the Ecosystem
Imagery: Now, let’s add characters to our project narrative – the stakeholders. In any story, characters bring richness and depth, and in the project landscape, it’s the stakeholders.
Visualize a negotiation table with representatives from various departments. Each stakeholder has a seat, and the project manager is the mediator, ensuring everyone’s voice is heard. They are the co-authors, influencers, and critics shaping the project’s storyline. In our skyscraper analogy, stakeholders are the architects, builders, and future occupants.
Identify and understand your stakeholders. It includes your internal team, business partners, vendors, client SMEs, business users, sponsor and senior management of involved companies. Each has varied vested interests. So, it’s crucial to understand their expectations, concerns, and influence.
Know who is invested in its success and ensure their interests are considered. Plot all stakeholders in a matrix against influence/power vs interest/availability.
Read more about this Stakeholder mapping & matrix @
https://study.com/academy/lesson/creating-a-stakeholder-matrix.html ;
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/stakeholder-analysis-pivotal-practice-projects-8905
A project manager needs to build alliances and foster collaboration among all stakeholders to be successful.
Example:
In an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system implementation, stakeholders range from department heads, product managers, developers, and marketing teams to end-users. Each group has unique needs and expectations, making stakeholder engagement paramount.
Developers and architects may prioritize technical excellence, while marketers focus on user adoption and market positioning.
Action Plan:
- Build a comprehensive stakeholder list – identify SMEs, application owners, leads, decision-making & approving authorities/people – across clients, vendors, partners and at own company.
- Create a stakeholder matrix, categorizing them based on their power/influence and interest/availability. Also, observe for any of their limitations or hindrances to supporting this project.
- Clearly define roles and responsibilities (RASCI matrix), ensuring everyone understands each other’s contribution to the project’s success.
- Develop a communication plan tailored to each major stakeholder. Regularly update them on progress, fostering a sense of involvement and ownership.
Risk Management and Contingency Planning: A safety of parachute
Imagery: Picture a ship navigating through stormy seas. The captain has a map but also a plan for unforeseen challenges—risks such as the unpredictable weather on our journey. A sudden downpour (unforeseen budget constraints) or a gusty wind (key team members leaving) can throw even the best-laid plans off course.
A comprehensive risk management plan is your protective insurance shield, enabling you to handle these unexpected challenges.
In the world of IT project management, risks can be technical, external, or even interpersonal. A robust risk management plan not only identifies these potential storms but also charts a course to navigate through them.
Contingency planning takes this a step further. It’s your emergency kit, ready for deployment when the unexpected occurs. In our software development example, a contingency plan might involve having a backup team trained in the latest technology, ready to step in if needed.
Risk is the shadow that accompanies every project, and acknowledging it is the first step to mastering it. By weaving risk management and contingency planning into the fabric of your project strategy, a project manager can comfortably handle uncertain scenarios.
Read more about Effective Risk management in IT projects @ From Chaos to Control: Your first steps into Risk management in IT projects
Example:
Consider the development of a software product reliant on a third-party API. A sudden change in the API can pose a significant risk. A proactive risk management plan involves having alternative APIs in mind and a contingency plan ready to deploy.
Suppose a key team member unexpectedly resigns during a critical phase of the project. If a backup plan or successor for all key roles is well planned, it ensures that the project stays on course, even in the face of unexpected challenges.
Similarly, technological dependencies, unexpected software bugs, or sudden changes in market trends can pose significant risks. A failure to address these risks promptly can lead to project delays or even failure.
Action Plan:
- Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment workshop with your team and key stakeholders.
- Identify all potential risks and categorize them based on severity and likelihood.
- Document risk management strategy and contingency plan for each of the identified risks. This doc will help to act in case risk quickly materializes.
- Regularly revisit and update this plan throughout the project lifecycle.
Conclusion:
As you embark on your IT project manager journey, remember that understanding these TOP 5 factors is the bedrock upon which you can confidently build your success story.
Project objectives and vision provide direction, hard constraints set the boundaries, the big picture view ensures alignment, stakeholders bring life to your project, and risk management equips you for the unpredictable journey ahead.
A routine transactional manager does not usually focus on these five. Thus, as a project manager, if you can gain full control of these TOP 5 aspects, it puts you much ahead of the league.
