People4Projects

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  • Reviewing Projects

Reviewing Projects

Has your project turned into a Monster?
You were in charge of what seemed like the dream project, this was your opportunity to shine, this was the project that was going to make you, you would become a master project manager, a project director.

You lead with conviction, you were committed to the goal, you had everyone working together, the team spirit was great, your journey had been relatively smooth, your destination was in sight, the movie was in the can and then disaster struck, it was not going to work.  You were targeting the wrong audience, the quality did not stand up, you were going to lose money, and your crew had taken off for other exotic places.  Your project had turned into a Monster.  What do you do?
 
Firstly you must recognize that it is a monster and that can be very hard to do.  We can’t all be directing movies but we all know when our projects are going wrong.  You are now feeling angry, frustrated, fear and desperation.  You come up with all different sorts of excuses, ensuring you are not to blame.  You did not get the right direction from senior management, you did not get the right people, you did not know the quality standards, etc etc.  Your project needs rescuing.  

Rescuing projects is very like starting again.  You do need senior management’s agreement that the scope of the project must be examined, reviewed and changed.  It is always the bravest of us that shouts “STOP”.  This is not a time to review documentation, to determine who did what, to lay blame, it a time to get on with it and tame the monster.

Quick Project Rescue – 4 steps

1. What was the original goal?  Is it the same goal now?  Determine a realistic/ achievable goal?
2. Diagnose the situation – What can be saved?  What needs to be thrown out?   What can be rescued?
3. Determine the risks. These are not the same risks you started with.
4. Re-plan the project – what are the benefits?  What will be achieved and when? What will it cost? Who will do it?

We are People4projects can help you to rescue projects.