Project traps need to be overcome to ensure success

19th July 2013

  

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Projects most commonly fail as a result of poor scheduling as many companies underestimate the time required for their completion.

That is why newly developed products often cannot be launched as planned, or why entire production plants go into operation behind schedule, says project management, process management and change management services provider Next Level Consulting MD Thomas Schleiss.

Most scheduling problems are created by the team running the project and not by outside factors, which means scheduling is a problem that can be avoided or fixed, he notes.

Next Level Consulting identified various reasons behind project delays, which include, for example, the flawed use of time buffers, a lack of cooperation with the project owner or deferred decision-making regarding urgent issues.

The company suggests the use of the six strategies used by professional project managers to keep on top of scheduling.

The first strategy is to draw up a realistic schedule, says Schleiss.

Projects need an initiation phase during which team members come together, where all the necessary resources are allocated to the project and the team is organised. “It can take a lot of time – sometimes months – until all the specialists needed for a project are fully available; however, this time is often not in the schedule at all,” he says.

What is also underestimated is the time needed for preliminary work. “A good part of this is weeks of preparation and planning for the project,” explains Schleiss.

Another time trap for projects is the tendency to adhere to standard timing methods when it is clear that the project already has its own inherent timing pattern. This is the reason why specialists recommend starting the project by thoroughly investigating and determining objectives, deliverables and work packages for the project, he adds.

“Once you are able to identify milestones and develop a timeline, you will be working with a much better understanding of how much time each step will need,” highlights Schleiss.

Secondly, time buffers should be used to good effect to ensure that a project runs on time, he notes.

Project managers insert ‘time pockets’ into their project plans, which sometimes seem unnessesary to executive management, but are often very necessary.

It should, however, be noted that timelines should not be needlessly extended, says Schleiss.

“Many project professionals dispense with blanket time buffers. Instead, they analyse the risks that can delay the project and plan buffers specifically for these risks. For example, a mechanical engineer who has to deliver a production line in India over the monsoon period might plan for additional time for the transport of machinery as roads will most probably be difficult to negotiate. The advantage of well-researched time buffers is that they have a logical, under- standable motivation if the project owner questions them,” he explains.

Just like project managers, team members include buffer time when planning their work; therefore, the third strategy is to remove these personal time buffers, says Schleiss.

These time buffers provide a safety cushion for the team member but endanger the project. “The more rigidly punctuality is enforced, however, the less time gets lost through such buffers,” he points out, adding that by changing the parameters of time pressure in exchange for an agreement with workers to keep the project timetable as close to reality as possible should solve this problem.

Implementing schedules without any buffer times can, however, be successful as project managers become transparent about any delays they have run into.

The fourth strategy entails swift decisions to be made on a project, as this stabilises schedules, says Schleiss, recommending that this challenge should be tackled by evaluating how the project is organised and managed.

“The choice of the project owner, for example, is crucial and should be made with great care. The more senior the project owner, the faster he or she can make decisions, and this keeps the project on schedule. Instead of having to wait for slow-moving project committees, project professionals prefer to work with assertive individuals – for example, the chairperson of a committee,” he explains.

For projects to be run punctually, the fifth strategy entails considering and including the client’s needs. Schleiss says many companies shy away from involving their clients in their projects; however, project specialists agree that many clients can make valuable contributions, such as defining technical specifications, furnishing data, providing samples and prototypes, and assisting with tests and logistics.

“Without such information and cooperation, the project can easily lose momentum,” notes Schleiss.

Lastly, he points out that project teams need to be motivated, which demands good planning. “Allowing too little time for tasks, for example, can destroy the motivation of a team.”

Edited by Tracy Hancock
Creamer Media Contributing Editor

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