Fires often result in projects when there is a breakdown of trust and communication between the stakeholders: team members, project manager, sponsor(top management of your own organization), client.
Fires occur when we refuse to analyse the mistakes of past projects, when we refuse to learn from mistakes which others have already made. When you analyze the reason for the fires in the past projects, you should order them, pick up the Top 3 causes and device mechanisms to eliminate them from your projects. Do this continuously and you will find suddenly that many of your projects are smooth and peaceful.
A database of past projects’ risks, their avoidance and /or mitigation mechanisms makes life easier for future projects. Brainstorming, with inputs from all stakeholders, for possible risks that can occur also helps.
You can get a good overview of Project Risks Management at the SEI web site http://www.sei.cmu.edu/programs/sepm/risk/
Read the 7 principles of Risk Management at: http://www.sei.cmu.edu/programs/sepm/risk/principles.html
What you can do as a team member or project manager to ensure that the risks identified help avoid project fires:
1. Establish Trust with your client and stakeholders. Refer to Article #4 “5 Steps to Better Manage Your Customers’ Expectations” which teaches you to do this (customer aspect)
2. Involve the team members, treat them as stakeholders Article #3 “Reduce Schedule Pressure for Greater Employee Satisfaction” mentions 10 Steps which help you empower your team members to identify and remove the bottle-necks in the project’s progress and success (team aspect)
3. Learn effective ways to identify, plan, monitor, track the progress of work at individual and project level. Invest time in learning sound proven methodologies, tools and techniques that help ease your project management tasks.(project aspect)
4. Be a learner always. Keep your eyes open to identify and implement new and proven ways of doing things. Keep an eye on Time and Life Management techniques, Positive thinking, Your physical and mental health.(self aspect)
For effective Risk Management, you should enhance all these 4 areas equally. Strengthen your knowledge, implement good, sound techniques in these 4 areas and you will be able to make a success of your career.
Naseem Mariam is the editor of “Management that Soars” Newsletter & author of “Project Serenity – How to gain happiness and peace”. Her ritings draw life from her 18 years experience as software Project Manager. Let her guide you towards Faster All Round Success and a Stress Free, Joyous Life. Her free ebook and Newsletter tell You How. Subscribe with mailto:projectdioxide@sendfree.com Visit her at http://www.123projectmanagement.com
