Basic Project Management Success Factors and Why They are Often Overlooked Nashville PMI Symposium April 10, 2013 Stephanie Dedmon, PMP Director, Business Solutions Delivery Department of Finance & Administration State of Tennessee April 10, 2014 1
Welcome! Introduction Today s Speaker Stephanie Dedmon, PMP Director, Business Solutions Delivery State of Tennessee April 10, 2014 2
Session Agenda Today s Learning Objectives What Is a Project Management Success Factor? Seven Key Project Management Success Factors Analysis of the Success Factors Socializing Your Project Management Success Factors Summary and Wrap Up April 10, 2014 3
Today s Learning Objectives Explore seven project management success factors and understand their importance Understand why these success factors are often overlooked Identify ways to help ensure success factors are given appropriate attention and management April 10, 2014 4
What Is a Project Management Success Factor? An element that is necessary for project to achieve its mission "Critical success factors (CSF) are those few things that must go well to ensure success for a manager or an organization, and, therefore, they represent those managerial or enterprise area, that must be given special and continual attention to bring about high performance. CSFs include issues vital to an organization's current operating activities and to its future success. * April 10, 2014 5 *Boynlon, A.C., and Zmud, R.W. 1984. "An Assessment of Critical Success Factors," Sloan Management Review (25:4), pp. 17-27.
Seven Key Project Management Success Factors 1. Project objectives are established 2. Business sponsors are fully engaged 3. Project resources are fully committed 4. A project methodology is being followed 5. A communications approach is established 6. Organizational change management is being addressed 7. Scope and change control are being closely managed April 10, 2014 6
Success Factor Analysis 1. Project objectives are established Why establishing project objectives gets overlooked In a hurry to implement a solution Leadership assumes everyone understands the project objectives Lack of discipline Someone wants to implement technology for the sake of technology Ways to ensure project objectives are established Schedule and conduct a session to identify the objectives Ensure the project charter includes the project s objectives Require formal sign-off of the charter Publish the project objectives frequently; ensure they are baked into the communications plan April 10, 2014 7
Success Factor Analysis 2. Business sponsors are fully engaged Why business sponsor engagement gets overlooked Project is driven by IT Business sponsors don t understand their role in sponsoring a project Business sponsors rely on IT because they believe the solution is a technical solution Business sponsors aren t fully supportive of the project Ways to ensure business sponsorship happens Require a project charter be reviewed and approved by business sponsors Document the sponsor s role and responsibilities for the project; review and explain to ensure they understand Help sponsors understand what could happen if project is not driven and owned by the business Establish frequent meetings with key sponsors April 10, 2014 8
Success Factor Analysis 3. Project resources are fully committed Why committing project resources gets overlooked Lack of budget Lack of resources Too many competing priorities Lack of understanding of the importance of subject matter expert and end user participation Ways to ensure project resources are committed Outline key project roles and develop an HR Plan Explain the need for full-time project resources and their impact on success Develop an approach to back fill key project team members so that may be full-time on the project Sell the investment in the solution April 10, 2014 9
Success Factor Analysis 4. A project methodology is being followed Why a project methodology gets overlooked Lack of understanding of the importance of a methodology Perceived as adding too much time to the project schedule Inexperienced project resources Fear that a methodology will be too prescriptive or cumbersome Ways to ensure a project methodology is followed Explain the benefits of using a methodology Describe the industry standards for project management Build the discipline into your organization for all projects (PMO, Governance) April 10, 2014 10
Success Factor Analysis 5. A communications approach is established Why communication gets overlooked Lack of formal planning for communications Lack of project management discipline and experience Perceived lack of budget for communications Sponsors assume communications will automatically happen Ways to ensure communications happens Ensure the project charter outlines high level communications approach Encourage appropriate communications experience on the project team Give examples of when communications didn t go well or had room for improvement April 10, 2014 11
Success Factor Analysis 6. Organizational change management is being addressed Why organizational change management gets overlooked Lack of understanding of the impact of change Lack of experience in planning for and managing change Viewed as not important for technology projects Ways to ensure organizational change management happens Explain the importance and benefits of planning for change Enlist consulting experience to plan and manage organizational change Identify key change agents and involve them in the entire process April 10, 2014 12
Success Factor Analysis 7. Scope and change control are being closely managed Why effective scope management and change control get overlooked Lack of project management experience and discipline Unrealistic demands are made by sponsors or other executives Everyone wants to please the boss (and therefore, never says no ) Ways to ensure scope and change control are closely managed Develop and document formal change control process before the project gets started Ensure everyone understands their role in change control Ensure everyone understands the project budget and over/under thresholds April 10, 2014 13
Build Trust Socializing Project Management Success Factors Sell Your Experience Tell Stories Develop Ideas to Address Each Factor Be Creative Introduce with the Sponsors Build Support and Momentum Review with the Stakeholders and Project Team Don t Take No for An Answer April 10, 2014 14
In Summary These seven project management success factors are critical for any project there are more/others as well Should be documented and discussed early in the vision stage Should be understood by all Sponsors should be committed to helping achieve the success factors Should be communicated and measured throughout the project April 10, 2014 15
Questions or Feedback? Contact Info: Stephanie Dedmon (615) 253-2725 stephanie.dedmon@tn.gov April 10, 2014 16