Though some teams wouldn’t consider starting a project without a workable and realistic master plan, other groups routinely begin executing tasks before their overall strategy has been finalized and communicated. For PMs wondering why a project team would start work before having a high-level plan in place, the reasons can often be traced to a…
Project Management Consulting
Manage Today’s Project Stakeholder Expectations
January 15, 2020 by
The pace of business today can be downright frantic at times. Given the scope of activities within a normal project and the number of people involved in even relatively small efforts, PMs often face additional challenges keeping up. Not only does their team have access to more technology tools than ever before, they also have…
5 Signs Your Project Might Be Unrealistic
January 9, 2020 by
An unrealistic project can happen to anyone. It’s one thing to put together a project plan that makes sponsors happy and has a good chance of being approved. It’s something else entirely to craft a plan that’s realistic and workable. Project managers are sometimes left to perform a delicate balancing act as they strive to…
Is Your Project Team Running Out of Energy?
January 3, 2020 by
The fast pace of project planning and execution can sometimes take a toll on team members. Nonstop communications, coordination across multiple stakeholders and cross-functional groups, the expectation of real-time data availability and analysis, and driving several projects through different lifecycle phases simultaneously—it can drain your team’s energy if you aren’t careful. By keeping an eye…
Achieve Project Planning Excellence
December 17, 2019 by
Every project begins with a plan. However, a good planning process—one that’s thorough and thoughtfully structured—does more than ensure your team’s can get the upcoming initiative to the finish line. Taking the right steps during the planning phase also sets you up to perform your best. Your process should cover some broader strategies, such as…
Can Your Project Disaster Be Fixed?
December 3, 2019 by
Sometimes PMs encounter an issue within a project that looks like it could be a showstopper. In other instances, you may discover too late that your initiative is already so far off track that making meaningful progress appears nearly impossible. Recovering from these events can be difficult but the risk of all-out project failure may…
6 Strategies to Manage Low-Priority Projects
November 4, 2019 by
It’s important that PMs regularly assess their organization’s entire project portfolio. Recurring reviews enable them to ensure each initiative is properly prioritized against the business’s needs and available project management support, and that any opportunities to share resources or consolidate workloads across projects have been identified and evaluated. But when time is short, you want…
Are Executives Derailing Your Project?
October 23, 2019 by
Your organization’s leadership team plays a vital role in project success. The executives are typically key sponsors of high-visibility initiatives and their participation in moving efforts from concept to reality is crucial. There are times, however, when you may discover that senior staff are standing in the way of progress rather than supporting it. If…
Uncertainty and Project Portfolio Management
October 7, 2019 by
It’s not uncommon for individual projects to encounter uncertain circumstances. Short-term hiccups could delay equipment or material deliveries, or an unexpected contraction in the company’s workforce could temporarily put a project’s scope or timeline into question. In addition to addressing these acute issues for active initiatives, PMs must also manage the potential impacts of uncertainty…
3 Reasons Projects Get Bogged Down
October 1, 2019 by
Everyone in your project team is busy but your initiative isn’t moving ahead. You may be stalled trying to get through a particular sequence of tasks or it might seem like every new activity experiences delays. Sound familiar? You aren’t alone. Even seasoned project teams occasionally run into situations where progress comes to a standstill….
