Proactively managing projects and programs is crucial to the overall success of your initiatives. Through proven methods, you can track, understand, and further adapt to the models you have put in place. Here are 6 steps to start proactively managing your programs today:
Track, Understand and Manage Project Risks Before the Squeak Begins
This is proactive project management. One does not need a week-long course in project risk management to identify and plan mitigation for project risks. Grab the threats by the horns, determine if you can avoid them, plan for mitigation/remediation if you cannot. If you wait for a squeaky wheel your risk has already become an issue. Use a Risk Log to keep yourself organized.
Provide Regular Status Updates, Conduct Peer Reviews, and Engage in Milestone Checkpoints
It is key that you – and your key project constituents – understand the health of your initiative. Tracking status that is forward-looking is an excellent proactive practice that helps you and your stakeholders. Peer reviews ensure that your blinders come off and you are made aware of alternatives, issues lurking around the corner, or areas outside your expertise. Engaging sponsors in milestone checkpoints ensures that they are up to date on where you are at and are aligned on what it will take to move forward.
Assess a Holistic Portfolio of Business Initiatives and Prioritize the List Across User Groups
If you examine your portfolio in segments or as projects come in one by one, you may be setting yourself up for unnecessary project stops and starts. And, if leaders try to commit to delivering all initiatives that are labeled urgent, the organization may sub-optimize the assignment of scarce resources. Leverage a whole-portfolio assessment method that can objectively provide your decision leaders with appropriate information to prioritize.
Flexibly Adhere to an Established Governance Model That Ensures Phase Deliverables are Complete
Project life cycles vary and depend on the type of project. Establish a framework and leverage it accordingly for the type of project you are doing. Do not abandon your framework and miss key hand-offs, decision points, or phase gates. Flexibly applying your rigorous model will proactively enable you to meet the needs of each project.
Manage Expectations Proactively
Tell your stakeholders what you are going to do. Drive for alignment. Be open to course corrections. Share news, both good and bad. Keep the appropriate people up to date. That is being proactive.
If you keep the worrisome things in the shadows, which then turn to issues, your sponsors and key stakeholders may not appreciate your management by damage control approach.
Proactive Impact Management
Stay on top of action items and issues. Know when each was raised, by whom, and by when they should be completed or resolved. Losing track of these key data points may have you back on your heels when someone comes to seek clarification. Stay out of crisis management mode and be forthright by recognizing issues and steps that may not have been in your original plan. Manage them effectively and you can be your project’s hero.
In conclusion, this is not an exhaustive list of proactive ways to manage your projects. However, this list is a good place to start if you are feeling lost.
Want to know more ways to proactively manage your projects and programs? Let’s connect!
Schedule a meeting with Carl Manello or connect with him on LinkedIn to learn more.
