Rookie Mistakes

I was reading my March PM Network today, always a source of thinking about project management. There was an interesting article on the six common rookie mistakes by Ashley Richardson.

Mistake number 3, Skipping the Charter or Initiation Process. I suspect this is not a mistake limited to rookies. Ms Richardson suggests eight questions that should/ must be answered during the early phase of the project:

·         Why are we doing this project?

·         What is the problem?

·         Is this the best way to solve the problem? (for me, if I have been assigned the project manager it is probably a little late to ask this question)

·         What are the risks?

·         Do the benefits outweigh the risks? (again, a little late to ask)

·         Do we have adequate support?  

·         How will success be defined?

I assume that when you’re at the initiation stage of a project, management has already decided the benefits outweigh the risks, it is the best way to solve the problem and the project will have adequate support.

During the initiation I am focused on aligning the project team. I typically pull the team and key stakeholders together for an alignment session. The agenda, length and makeup of the alignment process will depend on the profile of the project. I have participated in alignment meetings that lasted a week and alignment meetings over an extended lunch. The common focus for each of the session was the development of three areas of the project:

·         The development of a common understanding of the project purpose (mission, vision, values, roles, barriers)

·         A common understanding of the means and methods (policies, procedures and major work processes ie change management)  

·         Trust; being the development of team trust and set the stage creating an effective team.

Project alignment and develop trust on you’re a project will be good fodder for future posts.

Best

Russ