Guiding
projects
when they begin and as they progress
Successful projects require efficient
relationship management involving a
number of parameters:
- Adapting
processes and tools to team architecture and needs,
- Resource-efficient
meetings (both face-to-face and virtual),
- Effective
internal and external communication strategies,
- Impeccable
budget and timeline discipline,
- Interfaces
between multiple teams, companies and locations, perhaps including
international:
- Language flexibility
- Cultural openness
This
"whole
system" approach, which quickly identifies the aspects of a
project screaming for attention, is helpful for small, local projects
and
becomes critical for international
deployments and developments.
Traditional project management techniques (GANTT, PERT) are used to
support milestone planning.
Communication methods are adapted to the project needs,
ranging from email lists to more evolved intranet and audio-visual
tools.
How can this be
achieved?
The pre-mission
audit allows the consultant to make contact
with the project environment, its teams and their tools. The initial
analysis results are evaluated with the client and audit reports are shared with
decision makers.
New and existing processes for
information sharing are used to improve communication which is essential
for the successful coordination of the project,
especially between remote teams perhaps speaking different languages.
Guided by the leadership vision of the organisation, the internal and external
project team coordination includes:
- A
clear and negotiated planning for the events of each project;
- Regular
and efficient meetings;
- Systematic
reports of
meetings and all significant events;
- Recurring
coordination
events, such as teleconferences associated with material
deliverables
(minutes, planning updates) which bring the project to life;
- Meticulous
planning tracking with frequent updates;
- Liaison
meetings between all players key to the various aspects of the project
(see also Expert Interface);
- Engagement
of the responsibility of project partners, both internal to the client
system and external, such as suppliers;
- Integration
of new project partners.
Existing
processes and tools are enhanced and adapted to the optimal
satisfaction of their users. If necessary, new processes and
tools are deployed.
Benefits
Dynamic
interteam commmunication helps you to reach budget
targets and to honour delivery deadlines. This
service is particularly useful for multi-site projects, local and
European partnerships.
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For a European
consortium.
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| Length: |
14 days |
| Delivery: |
3 months |
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The consortium leader requests assistance with the
integration phase of a development project which is apparently going
off schedule. Prioritising
of deliverables is validated through careful analysis of
the project requirements with the project leader.
A detailed audit of the existing
planning enables it to be validated and used as an efficient
communication tool in teleconferences with remote partners.
On
a number of occasions, presenting the overall picture in the
mother-tongue of the remote teams facilitates greatly in motivating
their participation. Using nothing more than
email and telephone calls, a dozen development groups are mobilised
and the project timeframe is realigned successfully.
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For an SME
in Brittany
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| Length: |
5 days |
| Delivery: |
6 weeks |
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A local company is involved in the
planning
stages of a new European
project. The consultant is asked to study
of project management tools available on the market and those used
by the European Commission. In particular, the feasability of the
adaptation
of an innovative web-based project management tool for use in the new
project is analysed.
This mission drills down to the finer details of
project management tools available for local and national enterprises. It is also a good example of Expert
Interface through the role of facilitator played by the consultant
between the project
management team and the editor of a specialised project management tool.
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A multinational
corporation deploys IT services internally as an on-going
support activity.
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| Lengths: |
Ranging from 4 to 20 days
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| Deliveries: |
Typically 4 to 9 months |
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A number of pan-European deployments of
network
infrastructure are coordinated. Although an excellent example of ICT Integration,
this
mission also demonstrates all of the parameters relevant to project relationship management.
In its most basic form, the success of the mission depends upon the
communication of user requirements to the engineering team who, in
turn, need to express their supply requirements to the corporate
purchasing organisation. In this system of interacting teams,
successful infrastructure deployment depends upon adapting the
resources of each team to the strategic requirements of the
organisation, which
means understanding in detail how each team functions.
The
professional cultural differences are more significant than the
international country cultural differences.
Of the resources to be managed, the most significant is not the web or
email communication tools, nor is it the budget, although, of course,
these are all highly important. It is time,
that is, people's
availability for teleconferences, supplier's ability to deliver on
schedule, process delays within a mutating customer organisation.
Indeed, an entire methodology of project management has been developed
together with a specially adapted web site.
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An
integrational
approach
covering all levels of
interaction:
organisational strategy,
technical adequacy,
team guidance. |
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