Download 2 How to Rescue Sick Projects

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Jan 19, 2006
How to Rescue Sick Projects
Frank Howard, PMP
TRSC/Robbins-Gioia, LLC
703 767-1220
[email protected]
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Jan 19, 2006
What is a Sick Project?
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A Project that can not seem to get started
A Project that is breaching thresholds
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Over cost
Over budget
Under performing
A Project that is being deserted by
stakeholders
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Should We Rescue this Project?
Is the function still needed?
 Are there still sponsors?
 Do we have the time/resources to help?
 Is recovery possible?
If not,
Put the project out of its misery!
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Jan 19, 2006
How can we rescue these projects?
Approach the problem like a doctor!
 Collect project’s vital signs
 Form a diagnosis
 Prescribe a treatment
 Monitor progress
 Adjust as necessary
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Vital Signs
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Basic measures of health
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Stakeholders
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Cost
Schedule
Performance
Expectations
Circumstances
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Symptoms
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Where does it hurt?
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Cost
Schedule
Performance
Operations and Maintainability
Stakeholders
Expectations vs. Reality
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Diagnosis
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Core project causes
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Vaulted expectations
Poorly defined requirements
Loss of baseline
Uncontrolled costs
Uncontrolled schedule
Poor/missing management
Combinations of the above
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Vaulted Expectations
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Double speak
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White lies
Tomorrow is new day
The sky is the limit
It slices, it dices, . . . it does windows!
I know that you don’t care, but . . .
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Poorly Defined Requirements
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Ambiguous
Not testable
Not documented
Not sponsored
Unachievable
Unnecessarily complex
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Requirements
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An agreed upon set of needed testable
functions
Testable through:
Test
Demonstration
Stakeholder Buy-in
Similarity
Inspection
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Loss of baseline
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Contract baseline – Casual direction
Technical baseline – Uncontrolled changes
Functional baseline – Stakeholder creep
Test baseline – Problems upon problems
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Uncontrolled Costs
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Cost multipliers
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Uncontrolled baseline changes
Administrative confusion
“Club Program Office” travel
We can go faster, farther, higher, lower, bigger,
smaller . . . .
It will just take a little longer
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Poor/Missing Management
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No processes
No decisions
Tyrannical
Bureaucratic bottlenecks
Go with the flow
Consensus rules
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Baseline Control Tools
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Contract baseline – Contracting Officer
Technical baseline – Change Control Board
Functional baseline – Change Control Board
Test baseline – Structured testing
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Functional Configuration Audits
Physical Configuration Audits
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Cost Control Tools
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Cost controls
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Earned value management processes
Specific spending limits, no exceptions
Program Office discipline
Performance based reimbursement
Restricted travel, each trip and traveler justified
How good is enough?
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Managed Expectations
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Say what you mean
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No sugar coatings
Keep your promises
Limit project to achievable goals
Don’t oversell goals
Obtain Stockholder buy-in
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Management
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Use management tools
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Risk management
Earned Value management
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Cost performance baseline
Integrated Master Schedules
Configuration management
Communications management
Identify and track management metrics
Accept the responsibility for failure
Use structured testing techniques
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Treatment Strategies
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New Program Plan
Start with the simple solutions
Monitor results closely and frequently
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Inch-Stones
Instill schedule and cost discipline in all project
participants
Recognize success
Make failure distasteful
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How do we determine treatment?
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Realistic assessment of current project status
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Compare current status to expectations
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Is the “possible” enough in the interim
Identify all gaps
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What is possible?
Develop logical plan to fill gaps after project is
back on track
Learn the “Art of the possible”
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What is the treatment?
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The “Art of the possible”
A realistic course of action
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Expectation Management
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Crawl before you walk
Each Small step is a big thing
Effective use of management tools
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Risk Management
Earned Value Management
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Cost Performance Baseline
Integrated Master Schedules
Configuration Management
Communications Management
Get Stakeholder buy-in before you implement
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Monitor Treatment Progress
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Implement treatment
Keep your finger on the pulse
Frequent reports to all stakeholders
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Claim success upon success
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Generate enthusiasm for small steps
Integrate Stakeholders into the solution
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Realistic Cost, Schedule, and Performance
baselines
It Pays to Advertise
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Release Project into Normal
Management Processes
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The program is healthy when it has:
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A documented achievable plan
Is demonstrating successes
Shows competent Management oversight
Has a satisfied stakeholder base
Jan 19, 2006
Take Aways
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Primary areas of failure
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Primary remedies
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Vaulted expectations
Requirements definition
Baseline control
Cost control
Strong consistent management control
Realistic program goals, met on time, within cost
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Any Questions
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Jan 19, 2006