TIME WASTER 4: NO PROCESSES OR TOOLS FOR
PROBLEM RESOLUTION
Dave calls an emergency team meeting that afternoon. A few of the team members are off site with their business managers. He begins by blowing off some pent-up steam, which takes the team by surprise. After all, Dave has not voiced any concern about the schedule slips so far. Posting the original project schedule on the wall, he uses red ink to show how far they were from their milestones. He turns to the team and asks them why they thought they had fallen so badly behind.
He hears a chorus of replies:
§ “The scope kept changing and we never knew when to say ‘
no’
.”
§ “We had different ideas about who does what, and some things haven’
t been
getting done.”
§ “The guy I report to had some really critical problems only I could help solve.”
§ “We figured you didn’
t have a problem with what we were doing.”
Dave is once again shocked by what he hears. He realizes his team members are right and that he needs to quickly demonstrate leadership.
“Okay,” he says. “I hear you. And I am sorry I didn’
t hear you long before this. We
haven’
t had great communications and I accept responsibility for that. Now, how can we work together to get this project going back in the right direction? I have promised that I would give Belinda an action plan for getting on track by the end of the week. Now, who has some ideas?”
Team members look around the table. Some shrug. Others blink. None knows how bullish they can be in making recommendations. The team has never established precedence for surfacing or tackling problems. All wait for Dave to take the lead. And he waits for someone else.
HOW FACILITATED SESSIONS CAN AVERT PROJECT
SINKHOLES
Can a single facilitated session, even if executed superbly, help overcome all of these project time wasters? Probably not. But if planned and implemented thoughtfully, a
“project jump -start” session, combined with ongoing facilitated meetings, can address many of these issues before they have a chance to grow into full-blown problems.
Why is a facilitated session so important? A facilitated session:
§ Establishes a structured, formal forum for two-way communications
§ Accelerates problem resolution and clarifies likely areas of confusion up front
§ Provides an environment where all team members can contribute ideas and raise questions
§ Ensures that the team meets critical objectives in the allotted time
§ Uses session output as a communication vehicle to inform all interested project stakeholders
“RECOVERY WORKSHOP” GETS PROJECT BACK ON
TRACK
Dave knows he needs to act fast to save the project — and quite possibly, his career
— from imminent disaster. He calls for a two-day emergency session starting tomorrow at 8 a.m. sharp and adjourns the meeting to prepare.
He enlists the help of Sally McGuire, an ace facilitator from Human Resources, who drops everything to bail out Dave, an old friend who has helped her in the past.
Together, they review the steps Dave needs to take, along with the intended outcome. Given the urgent nature of Dave’
s “Project Recovery Workshop,” he must
compress these steps into just a few hours, rather than the few days that would typically be needed.
1. Dave meets informally with a few key team members and solicits their input regarding what elements they consider most critical for a successful project recovery workshop. Based on these conversations, Dave creates a draft agenda (see Exhibit 3).
2. He sits down with Belinda and with the key business sponsor for the ERP
project and works with them to map out an executive project overview
document (Exhibit 5), ensuring that they agree with the workshop objectives and the agenda. Dave secures their commitment to kick off the session, reviewing key points and assigning each a precise time slot.
Exhibit 5. Workshop Overview Document
RECOVERY WORKSHOP
PURPOSE: To evaluate the current ERP project environment and build a revised project plan and processes to ensure successful completion
SCOPE
Team Members
Project Definition — nondefinition factors
Reality check (Where are we now?)
Revised Project Plan
Schedule and deliverables
Dependencies
Roles and responsibilities
Priority-setting mechanism
Executive commitee involvement
Critical Succes Factors
Contingency Plan
Communication Plan
Within the project team
For executive commitee
To business units
To external stakeholders
Problem-resolution process
Next Steps (Action plan for 30 days and 60 days)
Exclusions: War Stories
References to specific individuals
DELIVERABLES
Every member of the team will contribute to and agree to support the Revised Project Plan.
Each individual on the project team will know how key processes are to be managed (such as priority setting, contingency planning, communication, problem resolution).
There will be a clear Action Plan to move forward from this session.
ASSUMPTIONS
The project deadline is fixed; no further time extension is possible The current budget is approved; the Revised Project Plan is not expected to
increase the cost of implementing ERP.
The selected vendor is contracted to deliver the porduct; no alternatives will be considered.
The skills required to complete this project exist in the current team members.
TEAM MEMBERS
Dave Doyle
14 full-time team members
6 of the “extended” IT porfessionals
1 vendor rep
2 business reps (HR and Marketing)
1 document manager
1 (trained and experienced) facilitator
3. Based on the objectives, Dave realizes that he should include not only the core team members and all remote team members, but also one or two representatives from key business units. He also realizes that because he himself must contribute fully to the discussions, he needs a skilled facilitator to keep the meeting on track and ensure that objectives are met. Sally has already agreed to perform this role. He also needs a document manager whose job is to capture and communicate all workshop output. Dave taps a newly minted junior project leader for the task.
4. Dave sends each participant an e- mail, which includes the workshop overview document as well as a personal message, underscoring how important this workshop will be to the success of the project. This session will also set the stage for more such sessions as an important forum for ongoing communication. He attaches the project proposal Belinda had created for the executive committee, as well as a memo from the CEO, discussing how vital this project is for the success of the company.
5. Dave asks his administrative assistant to arrange for a comfortable working space removed from the office, with plenty of light, a U-shaped table, lots of flip charts and wall space, and adjustable temperature settings. His assistant also arranges for copies of all needed documents and audiovisual equipment and supplies.
6. At 8 a.m. the next day, Dave welcomes the team and relaxes perceptibly as Belinda and the business sponsor kick off the day with an inspiring vision of what Cenemex can become with the new ERP application. Looking around the room at his newly energized team, Dave knows that he can count on Sally to capitalize on the momentum and lead the team on the first step of a successful recovery.
CONCLUSION
Even the most well-planned project can be derailed. Sometimes the factors lie beyond the ability of the project team to control, such as a sudden downsizing of budget or staff, or a last-minute “
critical” business requirement that must be
accommodated.
But just as often, project derailments can be avoided by the project team. One key: a facilitated launch workshop where members reach consensus of vital project elements, such as scope, responsibilities, problem-solving process, dependencies and risks, and process for managing changes. This way, all team members quickly reach a shared understanding of the desired end state, as well as the “journey” they will be taking together to get there. Issues can be deflected and areas of confusion can be resolved. This kickoff session models the kind of open communications forum the team can expect to partake in for the duration of the project.
Such facilitated sessions should not begin and end with the project kickoff. (And with good planning and open communications, a “recovery workshop” should not be needed.) Many project team meetings would benefit from facilitated sessions, especially when problems need to be resolved, teamwide commitment or agreement is needed, or well-informed decisions must be made quickly.
A relatively small amount of time allocated early in the project life cycle can pay huge dividends later. Establishing structured, facilitated workshops helps ensure that team members work interactively and build shared comprehension and commitment throughout the project.
With the appropriate people, tools, and processes in place, project management can actually be fun. Team members and the project manager will gain confidence, enhance their professional reputations, and deliver results that actually make a difference.
THE TRADE-OFF BETWEEN ADDED VALUE AND
INCREASED PROJECT COMPLEXITY
The question to ask, relative not only to the use of new technology or approaches but to any other project encumbrances, is How will this, in terms of lengthening the project or adding complexity, affect the project? If the answer is that the effect will be negative or the answer is not clear, caution should be exercised with regard to opening the project to include those additional items. The argument should not be allowed to move to the validity of the requests or their value. It should be recognized that the proposed additions to the project would all probably be beneficial. The issue is what, in terms of time and complexity, will those items add to the project. The focus must be on the balance between adding the requested items whatever they may be and the potential cost in terms of project risk associated with accommodating those requests.