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Rise Above the Most Common Project Management Mistakes

2/1/2013

21 Comments

 
A new year is upon us, so let’s take the opportunity to review some of the most common mistakes project managers make and decide to rise above them in 2013.

1. Underestimating your project
When you estimate a project or feature, it is very tempting to look at the sunny-case scenario and only provide best case estimates – especially if you work with a new team who is eager to please. It is also a common mistake to miss out important activities such as management overhead, documentation, rework and training. Contingency is another element which is often left out. The end result, unfortunately, is that the project runs out of money before all of the products are delivered. To read more, go to guidelines for estimating project effort.
 
2. Poor understanding of the detailed requirements
Many project managers have a superficial understanding of the product’s they need to deliver and how these products fit into the client’s business. They leave requirements gathering to the business analysts, which makes them vulnerable and dependent on subject matter experts for decision making and advice. It is true that you don’t have to be the expert in the domain, but you need enough knowledge that you can successfully steer the project and make effective decisions around risks, issues and quality reviews.
 
3. Focusing on the urgent; not the important!
We all know that project managers can be insanely busy. Busy dealing with urgent issues, defects and interpersonal conflict. But the busier you are putting out fires, the less time you will have for the really important activities such as planning, building relationships, understanding your client’s business,
motivating your team, reviewing quality etc. The reason you’re likely to spend most of your time on the urgent, is that you have not invested enough time in building up your team to handle the low level detail so that you can be freed up to focus on that which is really important. 
 
4. Failure to properly initiate your project
We all know that failing to plan is planning to fail, but even so, many project managers jump straight into project execution without knowing what they need to deliver, how they will do it, or how much it is likely to cost. I am not an advocate of a waterfall methodology, but even in agile a firm foundation is necessary before you start to commit resources and funding. You need to fully understand what you are building, why you are doing it, how and when you will do it, and how much it is likely to cost. Find out how to initiate and plan your project here.
 
5. Not keeping your promises
As the project manager it is your job to keep track of the projects activities, risks and issues, and to convey the project’s status honestly and accurately to your client. If you over-promise or say you will do things without doing them, your reputation is at stake and your client will stop believing in you. To build strong relationships with your customer and your team, and to deliver your project successfully, you MUST have accurate information at hand before you make a commitment. This is true for even the smallest of promises. 
  
6. Failure to involve the end users
One of the best ways to ensure that your project is heading in the right direction – and that it will meet your client’s needs – it to gradually show the users what you are building and to listen to the feedback they provide. Unfortunately many project manages fail to do that. They gather the user’s requirements, and then go off and build the product in isolation without incorporating regular demos, prototypes and reviews. If you manage your project in such a static way, you run the risk of building a product which may be what your client wanted, but not what they truly needed.

To improve your project management skills, and learn how to overcome the most common challenges project managers face, study The Project Management Workbook.

If you liked this post, you may also like:
Initiating and Planning Your Project
10 guidelines for estimating project effort 
6 principles for building trusting and lasting relationships
with your stakeholders

Top Tips for Gathering Requirements 


21 Comments
Khaled Mohamad
6/1/2013 14:30:36

Dear Susanne,
You are absolutely right, I totally agree with you that the PM should understand the scope details.
Khaled

Reply
Andy Taylor link
7/1/2013 11:46:29

Susanne,

I love the way you don't overcomplicate these things, and I can't disagree with any of them.

How, though did you narrow down to these 6? Is it personal experience, research? I'm curious.

I'm quite ok with personal experience and opinion, I should say. Much research is done to support opinions after all (oops Can I say that?)

Reply
Susanne Madsen link
7/1/2013 12:11:59

Thank you for your comments Andy.

My blogs are generally based on my own hands-on experience as a project and programme manager - but also from the many coaching sessions I have had with project managers over the years. It is becoming increasingly clear to me what works and what doesn't and where most project managers go wrong.

When writing this blog I brainstormed all the PM mistakes I could think of - and the list was quite long! I then grouped them, and finally chose to highlight the ones I felt were most significant and which I could communicate in the clearest way. So it wasn't a big research project ;-)

Warm regards,
Susanne

Reply
Daniel Rosenbaum
28/1/2013 03:35:02

Dear Suzanne, I don't know what is more appreciable, your kindness or your contribution.
Thank you again.

Reply
Susanne Madsen link
28/1/2013 14:00:47

What a lovely comment Daniel. Thank you for sharing. I really appreciate it.

Susanne

Reply
Chuck Durfee link
13/2/2013 06:20:20

About initiating projects: it's worth noting that in agile, people should defer decisions until the last practical moment, the moment when the cost of indecision becomes too high. Often I see what you observe, assets being built too early and locking teams into poor decisions. An agile project manager should spend early days discovering what their stakeholders value -- building that firm foundation you mentioned. I think describing the underlying principal is important, lest one get the impression that agile methods are lacking in this area.

Reply
Cert IV Training and Assessment link
21/4/2013 22:02:30

In project management I never really make "urgent" lists. I 100% agree that focusing on the urgent rather than the important is a huge mistake, one that I've learned the hard way many times. Thanks for the post, so simple, yet so effective (and correct!) - you've given me a bit of inspiration for my own blog!

Reply
for more details link
22/5/2013 03:25:12

The common project management mistakes was clearly dictated by you and it was a great help for me to realize the mistakes that I used to make while undergoing a project. This information is a helping hand for all management trainees, as they cannot afford to make such mistakes. Brilliant and thank you.

Reply
Susanne Madsen link
22/5/2013 03:35:14

Thank you for your comment. I really appreciate it and am pleased you're finding the blog to be helpful.

Susanne

Reply
Paul Tedesco link
27/6/2013 10:21:33

Thank you for posting. You are right on target. There are elements that you imply in your comments like negotiating to arrive at a valid project and then project plan. But you have covered them in your comments. Great.

Reply
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3/7/2013 02:21:16

The way you tell about things is awesome. They are inspiring and helpful.Thanks for sharing your information and views.

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kate middleton link
4/7/2013 04:20:45

The really important activities such as planning, building relationships, understanding your client’s business.

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4/7/2013 05:15:11

The reason you’re likely to spend most of your time on the urgent, is that you have not invested enough time in building up your team to handle the low level detail so that you can be freed.

Reply
αποφράξεις link
9/7/2013 09:45:36

The reason you’re likely to spend most of your time on the urgent, is that you have not invested enough time in building up your team to handle the low level detail so that you can be freed up to focus on that which is really important.

Reply
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10/7/2013 12:37:26

How, though did you narrow down to these 6? Is it personal experience, research? I'm curious.

Reply
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20/7/2013 04:12:21

This is true for even the smallest of promises.

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STRAIGHTENING MACHINE link
22/7/2013 06:24:19

This approach is excellent for engaging and empowering people and for changing the mindset of the entire team.

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7/9/2013 02:29:24

Thanks for another wonderful post. Where else could anybody get that type of info.

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9/2/2014 23:36:17

I like this website very much, Its a really nice office to read and receive info . “You have to lead people gently toward what they already know is right.” by Philip.

Reply
John Blake link
4/5/2016 06:31:26

Susanne - great article. You nicely pointed out all the major mistakes in management. If whole book is like that, I definately want to buy it.

Reply
Susannen Madsen link
4/5/2016 08:24:35

Thank you John.

My writing tends to be very direct and to the point, so yes, if that's what you're looking for, then the books will give you more of that :-)

Warm regards,
Susaanne

Reply



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