Entry Software Corporation

Entry

Mark Donais

Perfecting the project completion criteria

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project completion perfected
Project completion perfected

Detailing the project completion criteria is very difficult and is probably the most overlooked and under-documented detail written into the project definition. The results if not completed prior to starting the project can have disastrous results and create a never-ending project. In this case, the customer or the service provider seldom wins.

The question now becomes how do you know when your project deliverable has come to an end? How do you define when the project is complete? Where is the defined definition stored and most importantly what should it contain?

It may sound onerous to the project service team, project sponsor, and even the executives but the following below needs to be documented in fine detail. The project manager will require a good understanding of the project-specific requirements and can negotiate with customers, team members, and management. They will also require having the ability and foresight needed to identify possible pitfalls and risks. Does this sound like a tall glass of water? Well… because it is. That is why project managers need to be highly skilled individuals and compensated accordingly. Being a project manager is not for the faint-hearted.

Project success criteria – (Critical)

This is the definition that sets the stage for project closure. Without this, all parties including project managers, the project team, and the customer will more than likely have a mitt full of assumptions and varied definitions as to when the project is complete. Have you ever been faced with a never-ending project? If you have then you will know first-hand how defeating it can become.

In-scope items

This section should be short concise sentences in bullet point format. Review this data with the ALL of the project stakeholders for buy-in. The project team will feel more inclusive and motivated. Once this is complete move on to the next section (the one I feel can be most important) called out of scope.

Out-of-scope items 

A well-documented out-of-scope definition can eliminate most if not all assumptions and is key to finalizing the project success criteria. It’s perfectly normal to fill out the out-of-scope items while you are capturing the in-scope definition. In fact, this is more often the case. The in-scope definition process often reveals many of the out-of-scope items so document them in tandem.

There are many other areas within the project charter and project task planning that help to define the project definition in detail, but the items listed above are paramount to ensure a successful and satisfying project completion milestone. This is the most important milestone of all. The point I’m trying to drive home is you can have a perfect task Gantt chart plan, all milestones laid out, project team fully engaged and still be faced with a huge failure at the end, when you can’t seem to agree on the end.

Sample Charter Scope and Project Completion Criteria

This sample is an actual project that included creating a B2B web commerce store for the purposes of ordering fine chemical compounds from a chemical supplier. Their customers are compounding dispensaries. The dispensaries will use the website B2B store to place orders with the chemical supplier.

 Project Scope

IN SCOPE OUT OF SCOPE
Design a new background look and feel Re-scanning photographs of devices or create a new logo
Re-design and implement a new navigation bar Will not support older browser versions prior to the 2021 release
Correlate a button beside the chemical that will display the MSDS according to that chemical Access data from a thumb drive only (98% of MSDS info)
Enable shopping basket-style commerce for the general and professional compounder clients Will not facilitate online credit approval through the merchant system
Create a log-in environment at a tiered permissions level. The general customer has access to the brochure, pricing, and ordering for chemicals. Professional compounder has access to a wider range of device products Maintain HTML catalogue updates
Communicate orders as they are received to the Pilot email address Send back a response to Pilot’s customer. Pilot will have several canned responses for several situations. Pilot will respond to the customer
Host the service on an approved hosting center server at Queens Ave Dedicate one server completely to Pilot
Provide a location for the pdf file for the catalogue Create and maintain pdf file updates
Create an environment where current browsers can operate the Pilot site including Mac Solve or support Pilot customer PC-related issues including browser settings, ISP issues etc.
Create and publish a frequently asked questions page (FAQ)

 

Project Completion Criteria

This project will be considered complete and Pilot will accept the implementation when:

  1. The e-commerce website is deployed, available, and functional via approved browsers
  2. Pilot can update product and pricing database via approved browsers
  3. Pilot can update HTML content via the internet securely
  4. Pilot customers will have the ability to access a secure web session (SSL 128 bit) and place an order shopping basket style
  5. Pilot customers can communicate with Pilot via the web portal page sending an email alert.

Your customers may display visible signals that they are becoming more at ease as you go through the project charter documentation process. A strong, well-defined project definition process can make an intangible service delivery appear to be tangible. Your customers will feel more in control and have a deep understanding of the deliverables and the duties that are required of them for success. You can also effectively use this process during the sales cycle to improve your close rate.

Contact our consulting team at Entry Software if you would like to see the TeamHeadquarters project charter process and project management system in action or get a comprehensive TeamHeadquarters demo.

Why Your Help Desk Software Should Have Asset Management

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Asset Management Discussed

Many help desk software solutions don’t have the asset management feature. And while some businesses may think they can do without it, it’s proven to be a powerful tool to have. Especially now that we have so many remote users. Assigning and relating corporate assets to the employee is paramount today.

[Read more…] about Why Your Help Desk Software Should Have Asset Management

Why Centralized IT Management Improves Team Productivity

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IT team using the same system

Centralized IT Management systems store important project tasks and support ticket information, provide communication lines, and create harmonized employee assignments and schedules in one location. These systems can be used to manage your company projects and support increasing IT members’ efficiency and productivity.

Are you finding it nearly impossible to get organized and keep track of documents, schedule project tasks,  and maintain customer service satisfaction simultaneously? 

Using a centralized IT management system can solve this problem. This system consists of multiple IT services and is operated from one location. The organizational advantages provided by this system such as scheduling, messaging systems, time tracking, resource planning, and many more allow your team to successfully reach goals at a higher efficiency rate. This simplification service can provide benefits to your company’s productivity rates and here is why. 

Reduce Multiple Platform Use

Managing multiple systems can become very disorganized especially when multiple communication platforms are being utilized. Important information can be missed due to a pileup of messages in different locations. However, with a Centralized IT Management System, notifications are organized in one location for communication with ease. Each team member will be notified of date tasks and news to achieve synchrony within the project at hand.  This means all correspondence such as uploaded documents and task updates sent between team members will remain within the system. This makes referencing and locating previous work simple. This will enable you to provide a greater line of communication between you and your team. 

Effective Scheduling

As you may already know, managing your employee’s schedules can be a difficult task. Scheduling becomes daunting when you are faced with an unexpected disruption that you as the manager must mediate immediately. Without a Centralized IT Management System, this type of disruption can draw too much of your valuable time away from other important work responsibilities. However, you can swiftly take charge by determining who you can delegate to unexpected support issues and communicating these changes in a timely manner with employees via a single platform. This system allows for more complex scheduling where co-workers can view each other’s schedules to see who they are working with in advance. In turn, this allows the employees to plan their day-to-day work with team members independently, therefore simplifying scheduling.. 

Productivity Improvement

Locating documents, reports, and emails can become an extremely tedious task when using a non-centralized IT management system. The amount of time spent looking for a document could be used much more efficiently. Using productivity software you can combat this issue. Your important documents are stored systematically in folders which all team members have access to through a simple spotlight search. This rules out the headache that comes along with relentlessly searching for unorganized documents. Employees can dedicate more of their time to the task at hand, increasing overall productivity. 

Maintain ebb and flow 

Using a Centralized IT management system is extremely crucial to maintaining efficiency within your team. When such a system is not being used, small miscommunications and disagreements can continue to compile and lead to greater conflict further down the line. The use of a productivity system enables all employees to communicate with higher-ranking individuals to be heard and feel that their ideas are valuable. This leads to greater harmonization among all employees increasing the productivity, efficiency, and success of your company.

What Employees can do to Help the Boss

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Across the hierarchy of the business world, co-operation and teamwork are vital. As the crew works hard on the front line, efficiency is maximized when they do their best to assist the managers and bosses who keep the operations in check. To further improve the overall health of a business, some employees go above and beyond to help their managers handle the workload. It is this kind of employee that can send productivity through the roof, increase relationships among all types of workers, and overall profits. To these workers, benefits come in the form of favourability among superiors, increased value as an employee, and higher chances of getting a raise or promotion. To become one of these so-called workplace superheroes, follow these tips on how employees can make their boss’s life easier.

Beat Your Deadlines

While it may seem simple, one of the best things an employee can do to help out their boss is to exceed the expectations set on them for time management. By putting in some more effort, picking up the pace, and avoiding procrastination, time spent doing the work assigned can easily be reduced. As an initial goal, try to make the most out of the time you are given and cut time spent on tasks by 10-15%. Let the manager know that you have finished, and take the extra time to get started on a new task or help out your co-workers. If this is done consistently while the quality of the work is maintained, it can really help the company and will catch the attention of your superiors.

Forget the Words “Free Time”

Continuing on the aspect of time, employees who sit around and twiddle their thumbs after they have finished a task will stick out like a sore thumb to managers. Even when they have finished everything required, their bare-minimum attitude towards working will often catch them in a bad light from the boss’ perspective. In contrast, proactivity will always attract a positive opinion from superiors. Once a task is finished, ask what you can do to make better use of your time. If you can assist your manager with whatever task they are doing, then extra points for you. Either way, always be sure that you are providing as much value for the company and the best working experience for whoever is working above and beside you.

Fix Problems Before They Become Problems

To most managers, one big difference between a good employee and a bad one is their ability to think and act independently. If you see a leak that can be fixed or covered easily, do so before you alert your boss. If an angry customer can be comforted with an incentive that you have the authority to give, give it to them. The majority of small troubles within a workplace can be solved by the lowest levels of employees with some common sense. However, this isn’t to say you should hide issues from your boss. If it is a problem that could recur or an issue that requires further attention, notify them immediately after doing what you can to provide a solution. Situations are much easier for management to deal with when they have already been handled. When superiors know that you have the ability to deal with complicated matters on your own, they will see you as more capable and able to move up the ladder. Even if an issue does not need to be reported, your bosses would recognize your responsibility and will once again see you in a positive light.

Good Boss, Bad Boss: What’s the difference?

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What’s one thing that almost every person in the working world loves to complain about? Here’s a hint: it’s one of the most popular things to talk about on first dates, has become a cliché in western movies, and it’s the primary source of conversation between co-workers behind closed doors. In case you haven’t guessed, it’s bosses! It could be an unreasonable manager who doesn’t show any empathy when something goes wrong. Or a short-tempered time bomb who explodes on employees who don’t deserve it. Sometimes it is even a bad leader who leads a team to failure or kills any sort of progress within a company. Whatever the reason, employees love to complain about those in charge. There seems to be some sort of backwards rule that authority comes to those who least deserve it, and bosses who rise to the top aren’t the best for the well-being of employees and customers. So what traits are present in a leader that brings them to this position? What makes a good boss good, and a bad boss bad?

First, it should be clarified what a good or bad boss is. An effective leader is someone who inspires people to work hard and achieve company goals, but also who makes employees feel like they can be comfortable in the work environment and have a say in the company. Defining a bad boss is much easier: someone who is unfair, treats people poorly, is bad for business, or who don’t fulfill their duties and responsibilities as a manager. A good boss maximizes the experience for the business, the employees, and the customers all at once. When one of those segments are neglected, they become a bad leader. So how can those with authority make sure there are no compromises in those big three areas of a business?

Well, the way the business world works in a capitalist market is always putting the customer first. The responsibility of most managers is to ensure that customers get the highest quality product or service that the company is capable of offering. When the customer’s needs are met and exceeded, bosses then look after the company. Margins must be maintained, profits maximized, and extra costs kept to a minimum. This is how businesses sustain themselves and are the reason that employees keep their job in the first place.

Meeting these two goals are not easy, but possible for most people. A manager can push themselves and their employees to meet the needs of both customers and the company’s bottom line. However, when balancing the needs of those two, the needs of the workers are often left out. Authorities are pushed to achieve, and therefore must push the workforce they oversee to do the same. This is truly where great bosses are separated from the rest because leadership skills are tested to the extreme. Managers need to maintain the customer’s level of satisfaction while producing income for the company and preventing employees from becoming overworked or having low morale. It is harder than it seems to do so, and that is the reason why it seems there are so many “bad” bosses out there. Those rare leaders who balance the needs for profits, satisfied customers, and happy employees are the good ones.

How to Incentivize Productivity

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The last thing a manager or workplace wants is laziness or a lack of productivity. When workers aren’t properly motivated to get a task done, there’s a high chance the company will not succeed. Therefore, a solution can be inspiring the workforce to be as productive as possible, and doing so will improve the health of the workers, managers, and the company as a whole. Businesses who master the art of incentivizing productivity are those who can rise the quickest and achieve the most success in the fast-paced market we live in. Below are a few tips on how to motivate workers to push their productivity to the next level.

Set Quotas

One of the essential motivators for everything that humankind has accomplished in the modern world is neccesity. Using this strategy can help to get simple tasks done better and faster as well. This doesn’t mean employees should be scared while working, but quotas can be important for keeping track of everyone’s productivity and helping workers realize when they are slacking off. Start by measuring the current rate at which each employee gets work done, and set a goal or requirement for the next month that is higher than their current output, or one that is more realistic to make the employee of value to the business. When standards are set higher and employees know that they will be rewarded or penalized based on the amount of work they complete.

Make it Competitive

Humans have the instinctive nature to be on top, or to at least be as good as those who surround them. In the office, if multiple employees are doing the same job or are measured in the same way, (friendly) competition can have a huge positive effect on the amount of work that each individual completes. Having a simple tally board that displays how many units sold, projects completed, or clients attained by each worker in a given time period will push those with a competitive mindset to go further. Better yet, offer an incentive for the top 1-3 performers like a bonus, gift card, or material gift each month to set their drive on fire. If there is an opportunity to move up the company’s ladder, tracking results publicly will also show employees what it takes to get a promotion or raise over their co-workers.

Offer Rewards along the Way

While financial rewards for small goals like commision and bonuses don’t work for many companies, there are tons of ways that employees can be rewarded for completing lots of quality work. Even work that doesn’t directly correlate with revenue can come with incentives, which can grow for larger achievements to push employees even further. Take, for example, a janitor at a restaurant. They have no direct impact on sales, nor do they have a target laid out for how clean the restaurant should be. if a building starts to get dirty more often and customers complain about it, then it is often most effective for the restaurant to increase the janitor’s motivation through small or non-financial rewards. For example, a new rule could be set so that every time a customer compliments the cleanliness of the business, the worker gets credit for a free meal or side item of their choice. If a month goes by without a single complaint, then the janitor could be recognized publicly with an employee of the month signs or another award of recognition.

Here is a tool that can help.