Part 3: Prevention, Detection and Action
Project Control Challenges:
- Time and Cost Accounting Logistics:
- The branding project I’m working on involves different teams with different skill sets. Also there is a process in making a brand. So when the design team gets done making the new company logo marks then we proceed to make the stationary materials. This can be time consuming as long as the clients are motivated to get the brand done right.
- The cost factor comes from how much time and revisions are incurred for the project. If the client asks for an more than contracted set of revisions time to taken up and the cost of the project goes up. So that's why working closely with the client during the pre planning phases is supercritical to be on time and on budget.
- Project Manager Reluctance, Multitasked:
- This could become a problem if the PM is part of the design team. Designers are a focused bunch of people and they like to design more than manage. If anything there could be some micromanagement that happens and that doesn't help at all.
- No Change Control:
- It can be difficult not to be able to change to suit. For our project we are making a website using a CMS like Wordpress. We have to make templates of webpages then we can have the client fill in the content about their company. If the client wants each page to be different and unique then the website is not a CMS. So having no change control on the client can be challenging.
- No Completion Criteria:
- I would agree that there need to be a set of milestones of marks of completion for a project. A stakeholder could lose confidence in the PM or the project causing it to fail.
- If there was a chance of not completing the project then the stakeholders would be returned their money and resources.
- No Baselines:
- Without a control over work schedule of budget a project would fail. In the case of the project i’m working on without a baseline schedule of completion or budget the stakeholders would see this as a waste of time and money.
- No Requirements Traceability:
- Scope creep is something to worry about especially if the stakeholders are insistent on changing the project. This can be managed properly with giving assurances and a bit a statesmanship towards the client that the correct course is what is in the contract of work.
- Not Consistent:
- Having team members not communicating and do their own thing is never good for project completion. Meetings are a good way to keep everyone on the team focused and productive.
- Accurate Progress Measurements:
- This is hard to gauge for my project. If a part of the project gets done then that's progress. But that shouldn't be the only mark of progress. Breaking up parts of the project and presenting them to the stakeholders gives a sense of accomplishment that the project is getting done.
- Impact of Hidden Work:
- Make sure the stakeholders don't take advantage of change orders. Sometimes you can't foresee the agendas of people. If that gets in the way of closing the project let the stakeholders know and voice concerns.
- Virtual/Distributed Teams:
- Some of the work for our project is contracted out to other individuals. As long as there is clear communication between teams this would not be a problem.