Project Failure

Why do Projects fail?

• Project fail mainly because of two reasons:

• Failure of estimation and
• Failure of implementation.

• Other reasons are:

• Initial cost and schedule estimates are not revised when more information becomes available as the project progresses.
• Plans are not used correctly or used to guide the project forward.
• Project managers are not trained to acquire the necessary skill base; subsequently, the same mistakes are made repeatedly.
• The theory of project management is not put into practice. This point can be seen in the attitude of many managers who view theory as a waste of time—yet time is found to repair errors later. Isn't that a sure sign of the wrong approach?
• The project scope changes.
• The incorrect project methodology is used.
• Requirements have major changes.
• Communications are poor.
• Testing and/or inspections are poorly done.

Project Administration

What is Project Administration?

• Project administration refers to support, documentation, time recording, cost monitoring, billing and evaluation for projects.

Project Management Failure

Why Project Manager Fails?

• Failed to address issues immediately.
• Reschedule too often.
• Ignoring quality.
• Too much focus on project administration and not enough on project management.
• Micromanagement.
• Adapt new tools too rapidly.
• Monitor project progress intermittently. OR
• Project managers who fail let important issues worsen, fail to focus on quality, get too involved with administration and neglect management, micromanage rather than delegate, rearrange tasks or schedules too often, and rely too heavily on unfamiliar tools.

Project Management Challenges

What are the common Project Management Challenges?

Challenge	Questions Facing Project Managers
Competition gaining ground	How do we develop projects faster than before?
Constantly changing requirements	What do we need to meet both project and client needs?
Larger and more complex projects	How do we ensure quality is built into our projects?
Inaccurate designs	How do we ensure our methodology captures an effective design?
Ineffective documentation	How do we know which templates to use per project type?
Inadequate resources	How do we address resource requirements and plan for them?
Postproject support	How do we address handoff of our project to operations?

How to Succeed as Project Manager

What are the principles to steer Project Manager?

• Be conscious of what you are doing.
• Invest heavily in frontend spade work.
• Anticipate the problems that inevitably arise. These includes:

• Missing interim milestones
• Having resources withdrawn midstream.
• Team members are not up to the mark.
• Project objectives altered midstream.
• Falling behind schedule.
• Over budget.
• Losing motivation etc.

• Be as flexible as possible.

What are seven ways to succeed as Project Manager?

• Learn to use project management tools effectively.iphone
• Be able to give & receive criticism.
• Be receptive to new procedures.
• Manage your time well.
• Be effective in conducting meetings.
• Polish your decision making skills.
• Maintain sense of humor. OR
• Project managers who succeed are able to effectively give and receive criticism, know how to conduct a meeting, maintain a sense of humor, manage their time well, are open to new procedures, and use project management support tools effectively.

PM Roles & Responsibilities

What is the Project Manager’s role?

• Planning – mapping out how project will be undertaken. Responsibilities
• Anticipating obstacles & roadblocks.
• Continually determine how to allocate human, technology & monitory resources.
• Provide training to the team.
• PM should be a motivator, cheerleader, possibly a disciplinarian and an empathic listener.

What are Project Manager’s duties & responsibilities?

• Draw up the project plan.
• Interact with top management, line managers, project team members, supporting staff & administrative staff.
• Procure project resources, allocate them to project staff, coordinate their use, ensure that they are being maintained in good working order, and surrender them upon project completion.
• Interact with outside vendors, clients, and other project managers and project staff within your organization.
• Initiate project implementation, continually monitor progress, review interim objectives or milestones, make course adjustments, view and review budgets, and continually monitor all project resources.
• Supervise project team members, manage the project team, delegate tasks, review execution of tasks, provide feedback, and delegate new tasks.
• Identify opportunities, identify problems, work out appropriate adjustments, and stay focused on the desired outcome.
• Handle inter team clash, minimize conflicts, resolve differences, encourage a team atmosphere, and continually motivate team members to achieve superior performance.
• Prepare interim presentations for top management, offer a convincing presentation, receive input and incorporate it, review results with project staff, and make still more course adjustments.
• Make the tough calls, such as having to remove project team members, ask project team members to work longer hours on short notice, reassign roles and responsibilities to the disappointment of some, discipline team members as may be necessary, and resolve personality-related issues affecting the team.
• Consult with advisors, mentors and coaches; examine the results of previous projects.

Project Management - Basic Questions

1. What is Project?

• A Project is a temporary endeavor to provide unique product or service.
• Project is a temporary effort of work, a one-time event that meets the following criteria:

• Has a start and an end date.
• Has schedule, cost, and quality constraints.
• Is a unique endeavor and contains risk.

2. What is Project Plan?

• The project plan is the fundamental document directing all activities in pursuit of the desired objective.
• The plan may change as time passes, but nevertheless, it represents the project manager's continuing view on what needs to be done by whom and when.

3. What is Project Management?

• It defines project management as "the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements."
• In the project management triangle we are concerned with the management of the project's time, cost, and scope.
• These concerns lead us to manage the project's quality, risk, communications, integration, schedule, performance, stakeholder needs, desires, requirements, and expectations.
• The project management processes—initiation, planning, execution, control, and closeout—take place in each of the project phases, and the phases of the project must use all of the project management processes.

4. What are Project Management Objectives?

Objectives	Responsibility	How
Obtain the user requirements	Analyst/PM, client	Interviews, URS
Define the project	PM, Client	Definition report, Business case, Feasibility study
Plan the project	PM	PBS/WBS, Gantt
Negotiate for resources	PM, Sponsor	Resource plan
Create the project team to perform the work	PM	Team contract, R&R
Execute the project, including changes	PM	Implementation plan, Change requests
Control and monitor the actual versus planned	PM	Status reports, Issue and Risk logs
Close the project and release the resources	PM, Client	Closure report
Review project and support postproject	PM, Client	Questionnaire review

 

5. What makes a good Project Manager?

• A Project Manager is active doer, not bystander.

Supervision Skills - Interview Questions

1. What is the most influential reason for attrition?

• Most influential reason for attrition is bad bosses (supervisors)
• Generally people leaves bosses(supervisors) not the company.

2.  What is Supervision?

• Supervision is formally defined as relationship between senior and junior member(s) of the profession that is

• Evaluative
• Extends over times
• Serves to enhance skills of junior member
• Monitors the quality of services offered by junior member
• Acts as a gatekeeping the profession

3. What are the Core Skills in supervision?

• Planning
• Delegation
• Employee Performance Management
• Motivation Coaching
• Mentoring

4. What do supervisors do?

• Conducting basic management skills (Planning, Delegation, Motivation, Coaching, Mentoring etc.)
• Organizing their departments and teams
• Noticing the needs for and deigning new jobs in the group