Because large projects tend to take on a life of their own, and small projects tend to get lumped together to become large projects that, again, take on a life of their own, it's vitally important for project managers to ensure that every project is closely managed if they're to deliver to plan.
So says MJ Fick, managing partner at project management consultants, TenStepZA, who maintains that it really only takes simple things to keep projects on track. "This will help project managers to sleep at night," she adds.
1. Keep a decision log
Most project managers are familiar with Risk and Issue Logs and know that best practice dictates that these documents are "living documents" that need to be reviewed at least weekly, if not more.
A good practice is to also keep a decision log, which is a record of all decisions taken on the project during meetings, whether formal or informal. Often decisions are not recorded in a single document, or not documented at all, with the result that they get lost or forgotten. This leads to teams repeating the same discussions, having the same debates, making the same decision over and over, or worse... making different decisions. Keeping a decision log saves time and brings clarity!
2. Celebrate success
Identify key milestones in your project schedule and take time out to celebrate the major achievements with your team. Even if the pressure is on and people don't feel like taking time out, a 30-minute get-together with some eats and drinks and giving recognition will energise and motivate everybody.
In addition, have some small celebrations in-between to reward individuals.
3. Check in daily
Don't wait for weekly meetings to assess progress with your team members.
Find ways to gauge the progress and the general health of the project by taking a real interest in individuals. You don't have to ask about specific deliverables, or chase the team with a big stick. Simply taking an interest in people's welfare, or having a quick coffee will enable you to gain a lot of insight in how the individual is doing and more the task at hand in general. Of course, don't fake it - be real, and really listen.
4. Record a daily journal
It'll only take 15 minutes to record what happened that day on the project. This information later on contains a wealth of knowledge to share with others. Record team humour - things people say during meetings or in the corridor. Even if it is not funny at the time it is said, the "funny" side reveals itself later and is great to use during team celebrations and to relieve pressure in a tight moment.
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