Setting the Stage

It is no secret that our record of complex project performance is rife with failed and significantly challenged projects. This is true for virtually all types of projects. Examples abound and we offer just a few here.

In a remarkable number of companies I visit, fledgling internal project organizations revert towards hierarchical structures.  The organization becomes managed through the department or organizational structure and project managers become attached to that structure rather than an independent project office.  The PMO devolves to a reporting function and in this modern era of cost cutting becomes a prime target for evaporating altogether.

Co-written by Richard Larson

Small projects have unique challenges over larger ones. Because they're small, it's tempting to skip the planning process and start executing the work. This phenomenon is especially true if projects perform tasks similar to previous work, which in turn leads to a natural tendency to skip planning and to start doing the work. Then, essential steps are sometimes omitted, done out of order, or done later than desired. Likewise, costly mistakes can occur when risks are missed by executing too soon. A small project that isn't planned enough can also ignore critical stakeholders, causing both resentment and rework.

The Concept of TPM

The premise behind the concept of Total Project Management (TPM) is that an enterprise-wide approach to developing a successful project management system is best supported in a project-thinking organization. In a project-based culture, projects are aligned with an organization's corporate strategy and thus receive support from managers at all levels. People, process and technology are the key drivers in this environment. Excellent communication and collaboration must be developed as norms within the organization. This style of management will drive accountability into the process and create a platform for continuous corporate and individual performance improvement.

When projects fail to deliver results, ensuing conversations can often become accusatory. The division manager says, "Even with all the resources and money put into this new product, the quarterly numbers show that it's another loss. Plus, one of our competitors brought out an equivalent product before we were ready to launch ours".