From the Archives: Successful Projects Require the Right People
I just read an article written by a consultant for PMs about avoiding project mishaps. How interesting and typical that a project management consultant would suggest the answer is to bring in more consultants and project managers to save the day. Yet, some of the concepts were right on track – too few resources, lack of skills, lack of focus and of course everything is high priority.
I submit a different picture and ask you how many times have you worked on projects overrun by project managers? Doesn’t it seem that their purpose in life is to check boxes off a list? Have you often questioned if the boxes are meaningful and actually help the project progress? I agree, a good PM is needed to drive the plan and move the project in the right direction. They need to facilitate corrective actions when needed to ensure a solution is produced within acceptable time, cost and quality. But, projects are so much more than checklists PMs use.
We don’t need more project managers; we need the right mix of people on the project. They have to be people with the right skill sets to drive the correct solution forward. We need business analyst professionals who have a vision and challenge the business to define the real needs based on future goals. We can’t limit to the business partners’ understanding based on their current systems and processes. We need developers who write efficient code and testers who understand the business.
Related Article: How to Manage the Complexities of Large, Diverse Project Teams
Successful projects happen with an appropriate mix of personnel from project management, development, quality assurance and business analysis. All of these teams must collaborate with each other and any vendors with an open communication plan and transparent goals. Senior leadership must honestly understand how cost, scope, time and quality work together on projects and how focusing on one impacts the others.
So for your next project, do you want more consultants and project managers or do you want the right mix of all project participants that are supported by management in a collaborative environment? Use a synergistic approach, focus on the end goal and collaborate for a successful project that exceeds all your expectations.
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