The core objective of project management is delivering initiatives on time and on budget. In order to do this, a Project Manager must possess a combination of interpersonal skills, forecasting, risk management, problem solving and more! Regardless of skill level or experience, however, a Project Manager will have trouble delivering an initiative on time or on budget if the project wasn't properly scoped to begin with. In this context, scoping relates to the estimation of work effort and hours allocated to a given project for all the resources assigned to it. At a core level, it is the 'make or break' element that will drive a project from start to finish, and it is, without question, an art.
How do you scope?: Scoping happens very early on in the project life cycle - ideally before a client commits to the project. In order to properly scope an initiative, the person responsible must have a deep understanding of the production cycle, as well as the role of each contributor. In other words, who will touch a project, at what point, and how intensely. This information will determine how many hours each resource will need. This requires a grasp of the 'big picture', and an appreciation for the nuances and risks of the project. The person who is scoping a project must ask themselves 'what if...?' for any number of potential scenarios that could upset the original breadth and depth of the project. As an example, what if the client-provided content isn't written in a manner that's appropriate for the web? Who will be responsible for structural editing, and how intense will this effort be? If your team will edit the content, it will change the scope of the project because additional hours will be needed to complete this task. Identifying these project pitfalls is a key component of the scoping process, which leads to the next point....
Necessary companions of scope: Anyone who has worked with me will know I am as focused on project assumptions and exclusions as I am on the actual scope of a project. I describe scope as drawing a box around project deliverables. Scope is about identifying what will and will not be done to deliver a project, so that the client and project team agree to the end product. In order to do this, the scoping exercise must result in a definition of what is included, as well as what is excluded and what is assumed to be true. These are fundamental elements in the equation which will help clearly solidify the commitment of the agency and client alike. As a rule of thumb, a Project Manager should never provide a quotation or project scope without accompanying assumptions and exclusions.
Scoping is a complex and critical skill, which needs to be developed over a long period of time. Remember these fundamentals when you scope, no matter how small a project may be - you will do your company and your clients a disservice if you take any shortcuts. Practice by scoping smaller initiatives and by identifying assumptions and exclusions for them. After some time, you will feel confident enough to tackle larger projects. The test for any scope is to execute the project and compare actual work effort (typically measured in hours) to the hours you originally scoped. Identify the differences and learn from them. Doing this will ensure that each project you scope is estimated more accurately, resulting in improved profitability for your company.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Effective Resourcing
In the world of interactive Project Management, the definition of resourcing is the estimation and scheduling of appropriate team members, based on the project timeline, requirements and budget. Resourcing is one of the most critical elements of Project Management, with the potential to ultimately affect the final delivery to client. If resourcing isn't done regularly and methodically, it can impact the entire origanization.
The software market is flooded with applications that support resource allocation. As a PM, you may work at a company that utilizes this type of tool, but it's important to understand the mechanics of resourcing whether you use an application or not. In this entry, I will share my own approach, which you can and adapt and implement in your own environment.
Regularity: Regardless of the type of projects you manage, the number of resources that make up your team, or the size of your organization, it is crucial that resourcing occurs on a regular basis. Ideally, resource allocation is forecasted for many weeks in advance. In other words, each Project Manager will allocate specific resources to tasks on a given project as far into the future a possible. This allocation will be calculated based on the initial timeline, scope and budget of a project. Together, these elements must be utilized as the blueprint for the management of the project. If this is done correctly, a project will likely be delivered on time and on budget, the hallmarks of success for any Project Manager. Timelines are fluid and often change, so your resource plan may need adjusting and readjusting.
While extensive forecasting is ideal, in many cases, a Project Manager may only resource for a single week at a time. This scenario works best for smaller teams of resources that are shared among a group of Project Managers. The objective is this case is to ensure all projects are given equal weighting and attention through Project Manager concensus, so that one project isn't neglected for another.
Communication: Resourcing will likely be done among the Project Management group, but it's important that the plan gets communicated out to the larger team as frequently as possible. Because Project Managers are responsible for project delivery, they are inherently responsible for the resources that contribute to the project and their overall utilization. This means the Project Management team must communicate what resources will work on what initatives in advance. There are numerous methods you can use to communicate the resource plan to the team, as long as a few rules are adhered to-
1. Communicate regularly so that any adjustments to the timeline or resource allocation plan are flagged to the team.
2. Put it in writing! A paper-based or electronic calendaring system that details who is working on what is an absolute requirement. Verbal communication is needed, but it must be reinforced through documentation, to avoid any misunderstandings that could lead to delays or under-utilization.
Resourcing can be a very complex system affected by many factors. The size of your organization and the amount of overall work in the pipeline will determine the approach, but regardless of the details, the methodology must always be driven by project timelines and budgets. By taking these into consideration, you will be able to define a resourcing system that will support project profitability, fluidity and success.
The software market is flooded with applications that support resource allocation. As a PM, you may work at a company that utilizes this type of tool, but it's important to understand the mechanics of resourcing whether you use an application or not. In this entry, I will share my own approach, which you can and adapt and implement in your own environment.
Regularity: Regardless of the type of projects you manage, the number of resources that make up your team, or the size of your organization, it is crucial that resourcing occurs on a regular basis. Ideally, resource allocation is forecasted for many weeks in advance. In other words, each Project Manager will allocate specific resources to tasks on a given project as far into the future a possible. This allocation will be calculated based on the initial timeline, scope and budget of a project. Together, these elements must be utilized as the blueprint for the management of the project. If this is done correctly, a project will likely be delivered on time and on budget, the hallmarks of success for any Project Manager. Timelines are fluid and often change, so your resource plan may need adjusting and readjusting.
While extensive forecasting is ideal, in many cases, a Project Manager may only resource for a single week at a time. This scenario works best for smaller teams of resources that are shared among a group of Project Managers. The objective is this case is to ensure all projects are given equal weighting and attention through Project Manager concensus, so that one project isn't neglected for another.
Communication: Resourcing will likely be done among the Project Management group, but it's important that the plan gets communicated out to the larger team as frequently as possible. Because Project Managers are responsible for project delivery, they are inherently responsible for the resources that contribute to the project and their overall utilization. This means the Project Management team must communicate what resources will work on what initatives in advance. There are numerous methods you can use to communicate the resource plan to the team, as long as a few rules are adhered to-
1. Communicate regularly so that any adjustments to the timeline or resource allocation plan are flagged to the team.
2. Put it in writing! A paper-based or electronic calendaring system that details who is working on what is an absolute requirement. Verbal communication is needed, but it must be reinforced through documentation, to avoid any misunderstandings that could lead to delays or under-utilization.
Resourcing can be a very complex system affected by many factors. The size of your organization and the amount of overall work in the pipeline will determine the approach, but regardless of the details, the methodology must always be driven by project timelines and budgets. By taking these into consideration, you will be able to define a resourcing system that will support project profitability, fluidity and success.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Listen To The Buzz
I was privileged enough to attend the recent IAB Social Media Marketing Course in Toronto. Mitch Joel was the presenter, and he did a fantastic job of engaging the group of 175 for nine hours.
Mitch covered many topics related to social media, but the one that had me thinking most was how social media has allowed consumers to affect brands. With blogs, wikis, and sites like YouTube, consumers have taken marketing by storm. They are creating new brand messages, elevating brand awareness, and changing brand voice. In many ways, consumers have taken marketing into their own hands by shaping the messages which are broadcast over the internet and ripple into the real world. This feedback loop is tremendous and can be leveraged to strengthen a brand if harnessed in the right way. In order to do this, however, we all need to shift our mindsets to embrace a more transparent, open marketing dialogue - one that may not be completely controlled by a corporation. It's a paradigm shift in our approach to traditional marketing because it exposes a brand to ideas and opinions which aren't controlled by the corporate team.
The fact is that the internet has provided avenues for expression that can't and shouldn't be controlled. The discussion around a brand may be a negative one, but at least it's being discussed in a forum where the brand team can not only see it, they can actually react and respond to it. What an opportunity to connect with consumers and gain invaluable insight that can be leveraged to tweak and strengthen marketing strategies.
Ultimately, the message to marketers is to listen to the buzz - put your ear to the digital ground and understand how consumers truly view your brand. Pick up on nuances and utilize them to your advantage. If you respond to discussion and create a sense of efficacy and openness, you will set your brand apart from the competition, who will likely be running the other way.
Mitch covered many topics related to social media, but the one that had me thinking most was how social media has allowed consumers to affect brands. With blogs, wikis, and sites like YouTube, consumers have taken marketing by storm. They are creating new brand messages, elevating brand awareness, and changing brand voice. In many ways, consumers have taken marketing into their own hands by shaping the messages which are broadcast over the internet and ripple into the real world. This feedback loop is tremendous and can be leveraged to strengthen a brand if harnessed in the right way. In order to do this, however, we all need to shift our mindsets to embrace a more transparent, open marketing dialogue - one that may not be completely controlled by a corporation. It's a paradigm shift in our approach to traditional marketing because it exposes a brand to ideas and opinions which aren't controlled by the corporate team.
The fact is that the internet has provided avenues for expression that can't and shouldn't be controlled. The discussion around a brand may be a negative one, but at least it's being discussed in a forum where the brand team can not only see it, they can actually react and respond to it. What an opportunity to connect with consumers and gain invaluable insight that can be leveraged to tweak and strengthen marketing strategies.
Ultimately, the message to marketers is to listen to the buzz - put your ear to the digital ground and understand how consumers truly view your brand. Pick up on nuances and utilize them to your advantage. If you respond to discussion and create a sense of efficacy and openness, you will set your brand apart from the competition, who will likely be running the other way.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Keeping Up With The Geeks (They Rule the World)
I've spoken many times in this blog about the various subject matter experts a Project Manager will work with on web initiatives. From Information Designers to System Architects, each team member will bring a unique and deep skill set to the table. While a Project Manager will work closely with these people, the Project Manager themselves remains on the periphery of each contribution, overseeing scope and time lines without necessarily doing the actual work. In order to continue adding value to each account, however, it is important for a PM to stay current with technology and trends - something I call 'keeping up with the geeks'. In this blog, I will share my personal approach to keeping up with the latest and greatest technologies and trends.
Buddy up: The best way to stay current is to rub elbows with the people who live and breathe technology. One of my closest colleagues is Steve Giles, the finest geek I know. Steve is continually sharing links and articles on emerging applications and technologies. I click on every link he sends me and follow-up on the things that I find most interesting. I also have long chats with Steve about what he thinks will have impact and what will never see the light of day. I learn a tremendous amount from him because he is my personal subject matter expert for all things technical. So, my advice is buddy up with a geek who will keep you close to breaking tech news. You'll be amazed at what you learn. If nothing else, at least you'll be able to nod intelligently when someone begins speaking in techno-babble at the lunch table.
Read: There are hundreds of online tech/ internet magazines that offer free subscriptions to their e-newsletters. Sign-up for email or RSS feeds from sites such as ZDNet to receive regular updates. If you're reading this entry, you already know that blogs are also great sources of information, and many often explain more complex concepts in understandable terms. Check out Tech Blog for articles that discuss technology and how it impacts the business world. This is a particularly good source for Project Managers who want to stay current on IT and business.
Following these pointers will really help a PM who wants to keep up with the geeks. Geeks are our friends and they have a lot to offer - embrace them! If you're a PM who is a geek, even better! Just remember to share your knowledge with the other Project Managers you may work with. Staying on top of technology that changes this quickly is daunting - in the name of team work and commeraderie, help one another keep up. It will go a long way towards our contributions at the lunch table...
Buddy up: The best way to stay current is to rub elbows with the people who live and breathe technology. One of my closest colleagues is Steve Giles, the finest geek I know. Steve is continually sharing links and articles on emerging applications and technologies. I click on every link he sends me and follow-up on the things that I find most interesting. I also have long chats with Steve about what he thinks will have impact and what will never see the light of day. I learn a tremendous amount from him because he is my personal subject matter expert for all things technical. So, my advice is buddy up with a geek who will keep you close to breaking tech news. You'll be amazed at what you learn. If nothing else, at least you'll be able to nod intelligently when someone begins speaking in techno-babble at the lunch table.
Read: There are hundreds of online tech/ internet magazines that offer free subscriptions to their e-newsletters. Sign-up for email or RSS feeds from sites such as ZDNet to receive regular updates. If you're reading this entry, you already know that blogs are also great sources of information, and many often explain more complex concepts in understandable terms. Check out Tech Blog for articles that discuss technology and how it impacts the business world. This is a particularly good source for Project Managers who want to stay current on IT and business.
Following these pointers will really help a PM who wants to keep up with the geeks. Geeks are our friends and they have a lot to offer - embrace them! If you're a PM who is a geek, even better! Just remember to share your knowledge with the other Project Managers you may work with. Staying on top of technology that changes this quickly is daunting - in the name of team work and commeraderie, help one another keep up. It will go a long way towards our contributions at the lunch table...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
