How would you implement this process on our project? It seems like too much to do!
PMOs are often asked this question “How would you implement this process on our project, it seems like too much to do?” This is a loaded question and calls for holistically understanding the project management landscape before trying to answer. So here it goes!
Thinking that a single company methodology or process can be implemented as-such on any given project is a recipe for disaster. Each project is unique in a way that it has different variables like complexity, requirements, team structure, team strengths/weaknesses, time-to-deliver, and results. To understand this concept; I often quote the analogy “Your pajamas cannot fit on everyone else or vice versa”. You might end up tearing it if you are fat!
Therefore, the pragmatic approach is to design/choose the process as per requirement, which is similar to the concept of custom tailoring. Each customer has different body dimensions and requirements hence necessitates first to diligently measure and then to cut the cloth. Similarly, the designing of the right process is never possible without understanding the following major parameters:
- The project itself,
- Client’s background,
- Client’s peculiar requirements including quality,
- Industry in which the client operates,
- The customers it serves,
- Client’s expectations from us,
- Project team and its core competencies,
- Level of project management control and monitoring required,
- Project management tools at-hand and Finally, the value we have to deliver to our client from the project.
Here, imagine process designing to a funneling approach, where the funnel is the parameters that I have just mentioned above. The funnel inputs may be SCRUM, Traditional, or Iterative process models but the output would be a tailored process, which fulfils the unique project management requirements of the project.
Only the most suitable and high value set of process and activities would pass through and applied to the new project in order to ensure maximum Return on Investment (ROI). [Reduced ROI in the software development industry is because of the non-productive activities including bug fixing, re-work, slippages, or even un-necessary paper work]. For some project types, even the whole framework like SCRUM might be suitable but for others we need to pick-and-choose the process and activities from the Traditional or a combination of models.
However, being cautious on aligning the objective(s) of applying any process with the company values and client’s requirement is a key to a successful process implementation.
Process Funneling Applied
I used the process funneling approach where I am currently setting up and managing the PMO; an offshore software development company having 165+ engineers allocated in teams on different projects and engagements.
a) This approach has facilitated greater co-operation by functional heads who were initially hesitant to apply the company’s project management methodology per se on their projects.
b) Secondly, this not only works for new projects but also was well suited to the on-going projects, where client-team relationship have matured and they are doing certain things in an un-usual but effective way. Such existing processes are also not disturbed.
Periodic Process Measurements
The final note is that any process applied without periodic measurements and adjustments is dead and becomes a burden on the project team. Hence, the PMO has to be pro-actively involved in these projects to periodically review and remove any process issues, which can hinder teams’ performance in achieving their project goals.
For more on how I conduct process measurements and adjustments, stay tuned for my next blog posting!
NB: Mr. Mohsin, a guest contributor to the blog, has nearly a decade of industry experience focusing project management and consulting primarily in software development, product implementations, and BPI projects. He started his career as a programmer dating back to 2001 when he developed web & client server based applications for energy and facilities management vertical for companies like ABB Inc. and CyberMetrics Corp.
Nice approach.