Entry Software Corporation

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project delays

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.

Demands from IT support still the number one cause of project delays

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SMB IT teams across North American are still suffering from project delays; due primarily to the unexpected demands of support operations. Structured resource management, or the lack thereof, is at the root of this issue and until it’s addressed project delays will continue.

A 2014 survey, (Entry, page 5, 2014) performed by Entry Software Corporation indicated that, in spite of the significant investment and inroads into the practices and adoption of Project Management, that 66% of the projects scheduled were delayed and the number one cause of delay was lack of knowledge of the ongoing requirements that support had for project resources.

[Read more…] about Demands from IT support still the number one cause of project delays

The Most Significant Project Management Challenges are…

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Selecting the proper project management tools

The project management and resource management survey of 151 IT executives found the most significant challenge to project management administration was using the wrong tools to perform project management processes. (IMTS Survey)

Let’s talk about the basics.  Like needing a frying pan to make fried eggs – there are certain basics that every profession requires.  When the basics are not “in” then it’s difficult, if not impossible, to achieve consistent results. If a carpenter used the wrong tools to do the job they wouldn’t be a carpenter very long would they? They would be tired and crabby, and their customers would be upset.  They wouldn’t be able to cut, fashion and fasten wood together to make houses or furniture. If they could build houses or furniture with the wrong tools, they could not do it consistently, in a timely fashion or with any elegance whatsoever.
It’s the same with IT and project management; wrong tools equal an inconsistent, challenging and rough result with unhappy, overworked staff and dissatisfied customers.
Further digging into the issues around “wrong tools” reveals that most of these tools have common challenges including:

  • They are not in use by the entire project team, or they are meant only for the project manager or just for support or DevOps.
  • They don’t include information about the other activities of their team members, i.e., support activities, project work or personal calendars.
  • They are a challenge for team members to integrate with — just another system to add to their list of systems. Buy-in on system usage then becomes a problem with team members deciding to opt out or provide minimal or spotty compliance.

These factors and other less common cultural or situational factors combine to make the Manager’s job challenging and administrative processes ineffective. When these factors are compounded the team members are scheduled on projects when they don’t have capacity, and impossible timelines are provided to customers. These two mismanaged processes alone can derail an organization; create chaos, cost overruns and impact morale negatively.

Our Conclusion:

When looking for tools for project management and resource management the two topics can’t be easily divorced – then look for the following traits:

  1. The tool needs to address the bulk of IT work across all of your IT domains.   If you have teams for support, development, operations, ERP, tech, networks, data…. However, you break them up you need to include them in the IT work management system.
  2. Get a tool that delivers the whole picture. There is no sense in deploying a project management tool that doesn’t take into account support activities. The key reason that projects are delayed is the support team itself.
  3. Adopt a system that your team can integrate with. It’s important to integrate with other systems but, critical to your success is the team’s ability to use the tool.
  4. ls and get better results. After all – using the carpenter analogy – aren’t tools used to get consistent results quicker?

Entry Software Corporation has been working with Project Managers, IT Managers and CIO’s to not only understand the project and IT administration issues but to be part of the solution to them. 

Download the results of our 2014 Survey “Challenges Facing IT Leaders when Managing Planned and Unplanned Work in Disparate Systems.”

Image credit: Frits Ahlefeldt-Laurvi, https://www.flickr.com/photos/hikingartist/
Order your demo here. 

Five warning signs an IT project is going to fail

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All the recent talk about the Titanic got me thinking about the similarities of being involved in projects that we know have hit the metaphoric “iceberg” and are now slowly sinking and falling apart around you. What are the five warning signs that your project is about to fail could we have looked for to help ensure the success of the project, rather than everyone going down with it?

 

Here are five warning signs that your IT project is about to fail

 

1: Inconsistent Timing

Timing on a project can be a delicate thing.  The Project Manager jockey’s slack and other project variables to keep the completion date fixed. Consider timing to be an issue when factoring in the scarcity of resources.  Resources will always be your biggest obstacle so, what they’re working on is of critical importance to you.

A Project Manager’s friend is the scope change.  If the resources aren’t available, or the scope has changed then bring it up in the next client update and move the completion date to accommodate the change.

2: Scale & Lack of Definition

The project is monolithic. The adage “How do you eat an elephant? “comes to mind. When you engage in a large project, it should be broken down into manageable pieces. Each objective and milestone must be well defined and achievable. Otherwise, you may find yourself going back to the drawing board over and over again to “get it right” which will impact the timing (see one above) and is a sure sign the project is not going in the right direction.

A large project that is not well defined can be very challenging to schedule using the Waterfall method.  Perhaps using an Agile method may fit the requirements better.

If you’re going to use Waterfall, then spend the time up front to define, document, meet and agree on the scope and schedule.

3: Lack of Support

Buy-in from all the stakeholders that the project will impact. Lack of support from management, department heads or from within the project team itself is vital. If any of these are going in different directions, failure is in the air. Manage support through Communication, our next point. Regularly scheduled meetings with a fixed agenda that reveals all is critical to your project’s success.

4: Poor Communication

Communication must be clear, concise and coordinated to ensure the success of the project. I use a “weekly traction meeting” to keep communication “in”.  When communication goes “out”, it’s difficult to maintain support.  A weekly traction meeting is simply a status update with a fixed agenda, every week at the same time.  Invite all the stakeholders and send out the meeting minutes.

5: Lack of formal status updates

I believe the status update is critical to a project and a Project Manager’s success. Regular status updates provided to major stakeholders, key resources, and direct management is paramount. If this process stops it generally means your project is in trouble.
We’ve created some e-books just for you, and they are free.  Relevant to this discussion is our ebook on Project Status Updates.  Download and enjoy!