Gathering project perspectives

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Effective project managers work to understand the diverse perspectives stakeholders have about a project, so they can manage conflicts and keep everyone engaged. Interviews and polling are two standard approaches. Here are other effective methods to gather different viewpoints of a project.

  • Interactive workshops. To identify project perspectives that are otherwise hard to uncover, consider brainstorming, mind-mapping, or other approaches involving rich interaction between stakeholders. The benefit of interactive workshops is that you can connect ideas to the outcomes stakeholders expect from the project. Free-flowing discussions can also generate new ideas, which might expand the value the project brings to the organization.

  • Focus groups. These meetings allow for in-depth discussions and can reveal nuanced opinions that might not come up in larger settings. Focus groups aim to gather insights, while the goal of an interactive workshop is to solve problems, generate ideas, or provide training actively. A consensus is often the target of interactive workshops, which is not the case for focus groups. For example, an interactive workshop would be appropriate to develop potential new processes for billing customers and then select the best option by consensus. A focus group would be held to collect features that various customers would want from a new version of a product. In the focus group, consensus isn’t the goal. It’s collecting a broad set of ideas for new product features.

  • Establish a sponsorship committee. A sponsorship committee can provide ongoing insights and guidance throughout the project’s lifecycle. The committee doesn’t reduce the sponsor’s decision-making power. It enables people to present other perspectives to assist the sponsor in setting project direction.

  • Job shadowing. Shadowing is a powerful approach to gathering project perspectives. Observing stakeholders at work provides unique insights into how people perform their work and the potential improvements the project can deliver. Stakeholders often don’t know the potential of new tools or have difficulty articulating business challenges.

  • Town hall meetings. Town hall meetings can reveal perspectives for projects with a broad impact on communities within and outside the organization. These events capture a wide range of viewpoints and concerns. Pro tip: Have an experienced facilitator run town hall meetings, because managing meetings with widely disparate stakeholders can be challenging.

  • Cross-functional team rotations. Implement short-term rotations where team members work in different project areas or departments. This cross-pollination of ideas can bring fresh perspectives to the project.

Think about your current project or a recent one. How did you uncover stakeholders’ perspectives about the project? Would any of these methods help identify perspectives?

For more about stakeholders, check out Natasha Kasimtseva’s Managing Project Stakeholders course or Dana Brownlee’s Managing Up for Project Managers: Working with Challenging Senior Stakeholders.

Coming Up

Office Hours Live Survival Tips for Managing a Difficult Boss, Wednesday Dec 4, 2024, 9:00 AM MT

We’ve all had at least one – a boss that makes our jobs challenging if not impossible. They come in several forms,each with their unique challenges, such as the clueless chameleon, the MIA boss, the meddlesome micromanager, the wishful thinker, and more. In this Office Hours, Dana Brownlee joins me to talk about the different types of difficult bosses, how to identify which one we’re dealing with and what we can do to work with them successfully. To sign up, click here.

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This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 81,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Integration is a people first process

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Project integration can be tricky when you combine multiple technical components, processes, or both. Most people focus on the technical side of an integration. Yet, the problems in integrations are often technical errors caused by communication and human elements. Here are some actions that help prevent technical issues with integrations.  

  • Specifically assign ownership. Two or more teams serving as owners on an integration exercise is asking for trouble. Like with project tasks, assign one owner to coordinate integration efforts and guide the teams. That way, decisions are made on time and you avoid the “left hand thinking the right hand was working on this” type of issue.  
  • Create a communication plan specific to each integration. Communication between all teams is critical for success in integrations. Create a communication plan so all parties know how, when, and who will direct integration teams. It doesn’t have to be overly detailed. Make sure that team communication is managed and kept in a version-controlled central location. Assign primary and backup points of contact. Share issues related to people or technical issues between teams with critical project personnel even if they aren’t a member of an integration team (think project manager). 
  • Create cultural alignment. Teams from different companies or geographies will have different cultural norms. As a result, decision-making, problem-solving approaches, and engagement with different companies can vary dramatically. Creating cultural alignment around how the teams operate is important for integration success, but often overlooked. Work with the people assigned as integration owners to create cultural alignment between teams in an integration exercise. 
  • Don’t skimp on travel. Integration teams must work together smoothly, and technical integrations must work perfectly to achieve project success. Allow the teams to work in the same space and examine the same technical tools and components together. This makes a huge difference when it comes to working efficiently. You can avoid expensive technical misinterpretations by co-locating integration team members at various times during their work. The efficiencies gained and the technical errors avoided will more than make up for the travel expense.
  • Assemble the best possible change management review team. Integrations are complicated. Effective change management is crucial. A review team with knowledgeable team members and management is essential. Experienced integration project managers will often have a different review team for integration changes because of the depth of knowledge required to make appropriate decisions. This often means two change reviews, one with the integration review team and the second with the standard project review team. The extra time is worthwhile to ensure the best minds review integration-related changes.

For more about project integration, check out Oliver Yarbrough’s Project Management Foundations: Integration course.

Coming Up

Office Hours Live – Survival Tips for Managing a Difficult Boss Wed, Dec 4, 2024, 9:00 AM MT

We’ve all had at least one – a boss that makes our jobs challenging if not impossible. They come in several forms, each with their unique challenges, such as the clueless chameleon, the MIA boss, the meddlesome micromanager, the wishful thinker, and more. In this Office Hours, Dana Brownlee joins me to talk about the different types of difficult bosses and what we can do to work with them successfully. To sign up, click here.

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This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 80,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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When should the sponsor address the project team?

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The project manager is the primary communicator with the project team. Sometimes, the sponsor’s presence makes a significant impact on the project team. Here are times to leverage the sponsor’s influence.

  • The Kickoff meeting. This meeting sets the project’s direction and confirms the responsibilities of the project manager and the team. Also, the sponsor can talk about the project’s purpose. It’s powerful to hear this from the manager who will benefit the most from project outcomes. That way, team members can ask business-related questions to clarify project benefits and approaches to deliver those benefits.
  • Recognizing project milestones. The sponsor is the best person to acknowledge progress. The sponsor’s recognition validates the relevance of the project and management’s interest in project success. This pep talk also confirms that the team is on the right track and boosts their motivation. 
  • When significant changes occur. Business, staff, and project conditions often change, sometimes drastically. When that happens, the sponsor must reassert the project’s business value. As a critical member of the management team, the sponsor’s reassurance helps the project team stay focused during turmoil. 
  • When a major issue occurs. Significant issues can derail a project. When a major issue occurs, the sponsor can act as an engaged participant in crisis management. This shows their dedication to the project’s success despite the challenges. The sponsor can also validate and reinforce issue response actions. The project team’s morale and dedication is boosted when they see the sponsor participate in recovering the project, rather than assign blame.
  • Recognizing outstanding performance.  Attention from a senior leader  accentuates recognition. If the sponsor is part of a recognition event, it will be memorable and powerful for the project team.
  • Town Hall meetings. Things change in the business and discoveries during a project may raise questions in stakeholders minds . Town Hall meetings are an effective way to keep everyone up to speed. Have the sponsor present status at these meetings to remind everyone of the project’s importance.
  • Project closure. The sponsor being present at closure is the ultimate form of recognition. This acknowledges the project and the team member’s contribution to the business.

Think about whether there is an opportunity to leverage your project sponsor in your current project. If so, great! Next step, discuss with them how they can help the project by communicating with the team. It’s always good to give them some hints (or direct requests) for points to make.

For more about  project sponsors, check out Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez’course, How to Be an Effective Project Sponsor.

Coming Up

Office Hours Live Survival Tips for Managing a Difficult Boss,  Wed, Dec 4, 2024, 9:00 AM MT

We’ve all had at least one – a boss that makes our jobs challenging if not impossible. They come in several forms, each with their unique challenges, such as the clueless chameleon, the MIA boss, the meddlesome micromanager, the wishful thinker, and more. In this Office Hours, Dana Brownlee joins me to talk about the different types of difficult bosses and what we can do to work with them successfully.

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 80,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Is Your Compromise Reasonable?

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Negotiating reasonable compromises with stakeholders is a given in the life of a project manager. But what constitutes a reasonable compromise? Here are things to consider when assessing whether a compromise is reasonable.

  • Multiple solutions were explored. Don’t allow discussion to stop when an initial solution is identified. The best compromise discussions explore alternatives to ensure that everyone fully understands the solution’s short- and long-term implications. Make sure the team considers as many practical solutions as possible. Note: One exception to this guidance is a project facing time constraints. In this case, it might be better to move forward with the first acceptable solution.

  • Everyone can identify benefits. Ideally, the compromise is a “win-win” scenario, where all parties walk away thinking they got what they wanted from the negotiation. That’s not always possible. However, if all parties see that they achieve some benefit from the talks, the compromise may be reasonable, assuming multiple solutions were explored.

  • Nobody “owes anything” when the negotiation is complete. Ask everyone whether they are satisfied with the solution and don’t feel anyone needs to give something up in the future. If everyone feels they were treated fairly, it’s likely a reasonable compromise has been reached. If the playing field seems uneven after a compromise, future discussions will be difficult, and in the worst case, long-term relationships can be damaged.

  • The solution satisfies the project’s purpose. Compromise solutions aren’t reasonable (or even solutions) if they change the project’s purpose or reduce the business benefits. A compromise solution resulting in a change order might makes sense. But true solutions must support the outcomes the project was launched to achieve.

  • All senior stakeholders approve any precedent established by the solution. Compromise solutions could result in a change to project methodology or the risk management approach. These potentially precedent-changing solutions need to be reviewed by a broad set of leaders. This review ensures that the precedent is acceptable for future projects and that it is evaluated against the organization’s strategic and cultural goals.

Try creating a checklist of considerations to determine whether a compromise in a project is reasonable. For each point on the list, describe actions you can take to evaluate those considerations. If you have questions, post them in the comments section.

If you want to start a few steps earlier in this process, the LinkedIn Learning library has lots of courses on negotiation. Check out Chris Croft’s Negotiation Skills or Mike Figliuolo’s Strategic Negotiation.

New Course Available

Project Management: Choosing the Right Online Too. Check out my updated course on LinkedIn Learning! In this new version, I review 11 online project mgt software tools.

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This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 79,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Successful project success criteria

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The SMART (Specific, Measurable, Agreed-to, Realistic, and Time-Boxed) model is a standard for defining effective objectives and requirements, and it can also be applied to project success criteria. Beyond SMART characteristics, effective success criteria should also:

  • Be tied to the business value used to justify the project. The project’s success criteria should reflect the project’s purpose. This alignment helps keep focus on the project’s core objectives throughout its lifecycle. This also helps ensure that the success criteria address the expectations of key stakeholders, including sponsors, customers, and end-users.

  • Reflect different perspectives. Not all major stakeholders have the same expectations of a project. Effective success criteria capture those differing perspectives. For example, the sales team expects new marketing tools produced by a project to increase market share. At the same time, the finance team is looking for the new marketing tools to meet sales goals within a given budget.

  • Describe how to achieve regulatory compliance. Project success criteria must include compliance with all applicable laws. Beyond that, success criteria can describe the way compliance will be achieved, because the method may create constraints for the project deliverables, and the processes stakeholders must follow when implementing the project’s products.

  • Allow for a stability period. Business benefits are rarely realized as soon as project deliverables are implemented. The project’s success criteria should define a stability period to set appropriate expectations. This period allows for corrections to staff training, resolving issues with new business processes, and validating the accuracy of measurement tool results.

  • Define accountability. Business benefits come from suitable project deliverables and operational personnel using new business processes. Success criteria need to reflect a clear understanding of both the project and operational teams’ responsibilities to deliver business value. That is: how do the project team and operational personnel work together to ensure the project satisfies its purpose?

Between SMART and this list, those are a lot of requirements for effective success criteria. Build a checklist for success criteria best practices. Evaluate the success criteria from a current or recent project with your checklist and see whether you would enhance them.

For more about success criteria and the SMART model, check out my Project Management Foundations course.

New Course

Project Management: Choosing the Right Online Tool. Check out my updated course on LinkedIn Learning! In this new version, I review 11 online project mgt software tools.

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 79,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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What Senior Leader’s Really Want

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Project management has a clear goal: to deliver business value. As a project manager, what can you do to support senior leaders on that value journey.

  • Be predictable. Project methodologies create a pathway from idea to the realization of benefits. A powerful element of a methodology is predictability — for senior leaders and the team. Everyone in a project should know what steps they’re taking and what’s expected of them. Surprising senior leaders isn’t good for your project or your career. So, establish the methodology for delivering each project and follow it. It’s OK if you need to change it. But be sure to collaborate to make the change and communicate the result to all affected stakeholders so there are no surprises.

  • Provide information proactively. Project managers need to be forward-thinking. Status reports that detail what just happened aren’t enough. Proactive reporting helps leaders stay ahead of the game instead of scrambling when things go wrong. Use risk triggers for early warnings when risks may come to fruition. Use earned value concepts to forecast project outcomes. Dive into your organization’s project history to compare past project performance to current situations.

  • Reassure leaders with tangible data. Senior managers have a lot riding on project outcomes, and a project by its unique nature might make them anxious. To reassure senior leaders, provide them with frequent, accurate, and timely status information, customized to address their concerns.

  • Discuss options with pros and cons. To determine how to deliver project outcomes, you have to explore different approaches. Most of the time, there will be more than one way to address project goals and objectives. That means researching the options, identifying their pros and cons, and making a recommendation to senior leaders. That way, management will feel confident they are making solid, well-thought-out decisions, boosting confidence in the project.

  • Represent the sponsor when necessary. Project managers must represent the sponsor in many situations (with confidence and capability). Doing this (with the sponsor’s endorsement) boosts management’s confidence that the project is in good hands.

  • Support organizational strategy. Projects are often part of an extensive portfolio intended to implement organizational strategy. It’s good practice for project managers to ensure that both the project outcomes and delivery process move the organization toward strategic goals. For example, a project may take a less than ideal approach by providing extensive technical training to team members. That training might not be vital for this project, but it is essential to the organization’s longer-term strategic goals. So, in delivering the project, the PM satisfies the project’s objectives and helps set up the successful delivery of future projects in the strategic portfolio.

No surprises, relevant information, crises avoided, and organizational goals supported. All things that make senior leaders happy!

New Course Available

Project Management: Choosing the Right Online Too. Check out my updated course on LinkedIn Learning! In this new version, I review 11 online project mgt software tools.

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 78,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Top Diagnostics for Team Peer Reviews

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A team peer review helps ensure project integrity and provides learning moments for project managers and reviewers. After confirming the existence of critical control documents like a schedule, risk management plan, and resource plan, the reviewers can search for these points. If they are missing, project management improvements might be needed.

  • All risks describe the event that will cause the risk to come to fruition. In addition, risk triggers (early indicators of a risk occurring) should be documented. For example, stating that a product delivery might be late isn’t specific enough. If the delivery is due to a truck breakdown, that could be addressed. But the truck drivers going on strike is a different event with a different response. Ensure events and responses are appropriately detailed. An example of an early risk indicator is a stakeholder group not attending meetings, which indicates they might withdraw their support for the project.

  • Task lengths in the project schedule are appropriate based on where the tasks occur in the timeline. For example, early in a year-long project, tasks with 2-week duration are reasonable. However, during the last month of a project, 2-week tasks are problematic, because an issue with one of these tasks could delay the project by 2 weeks when these is little time to recover.

  • Resource availability is built into the schedule. Operational personnel rarely dedicate 100% of their time to a project. Resources should have allocations built into the schedule. For example, if Resource A is available to the project 25% of the time, the allocation of time to tasks is 25% so task duration is calculated correctly.

  • Stakeholder meetings reflect the communication requirements stated in the stakeholder management plan. As a project progresses, the focus on stakeholder updates can wane. Ensure stakeholder meetings are being held as recommended in the project’s plans.

  • Decision logs are included in the project documentation. A decision register is a good idea. Understanding the rationale and data used to make decisions during the project can avoid later debates about why a specific direction was taken, especially if the results of that decision were undesirable.

  • Project plans include both quality control and quality assurance tasks. Quality assurance tasks are project activities to ensure the product quality will meet standards. Quality control refers to inspection or testing tasks to ensure the project’s products are suitable before being turned over to stakeholders. Many projects focus only on quality control tasks and discover errors that could have been avoided if quality assurance tasks were included in project plans.

  • Lessons learned documentation are captured throughout the project. Many projects don’t capture lessons learned, while others do only as a close-of-project exercise. Capturing lessons learned at the end of a project inevitably results in many forgotten lessons forgotten. Capture and document lessons learned regularly during the project.

This is not a comprehensive list! But these shortcomings are common and easy to discover and rectify. Be sure to include them in every team peer review.

Let’s make the comment section a reference for what to look for in team peer reviews! Add your favorite diagnostic to the list.

For more about peer review, search the LinkedIn Learning library using keywords “peer review.”

 

New Course Available

Project Management: Choosing the Right Online Too. Check out my updated course on LinkedIn Learning! In this new version, I review 11 online project mgt software tools.

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 78,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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What About Timeboxing a Waterfall Project?

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Timeboxing is a powerful feature of agile. Rather than make scope static, you fix time and resources and modify scope to get the maximum value in the minimum amount of time and cost. Instead of estimating task duration, you use fixed time periods and adjust the scope accordingly. Here are the principles you can follow to achieve benefits of timeboxing in waterfall projects:

  • Principle 1: Break down phases into smaller chunks. Instead of treating each waterfall phase as one large block, divide it into smaller, manageable timeboxed chunks. For example, collect requirements for one area of the business in a two-week timebox, a second area in the next two-week timebox, etc. Within each timebox, prioritize areas for requirements collection using parameters such as importance and complexity. 
  • Principle 2: Add a buffer between timeboxes. Include small buffer timeboxes in the project schedule. This provides time to reflect, learn, and plan the scope to address in upcoming timeboxes. In addition, focusing on smaller task areas and taking time to learn and prioritize between them ensures you are working on the most important phase elements. (In this example, the most important requirements.)
  • Principle 3: Adjust scope, not time. If a task or set of tasks isn’t completed within their timebox, adjust the scope or move lower-priority items to a later timebox instead of extending the time. For example, during detailed planning, focus first on the areas deemed most important by project stakeholders and shift detailed planning for less important items to later timeboxes. If the planning phase schedule gets too long, stop planning and move forward with the project with a reduced scope (the most important ones).
  • Principle 4:Multiple sub teams work in parallel, each with a pre-determined timebox duration. Once team members get accustomed to working in timeboxes, multiple teams can work in parallel on their own tasks until the waterfall phase is considered complete. This is where timeboxes differ from sprints in agile. Timeboxes don’t have to yield a usable product, like sprints. Because waterfall projects often involve bigger scope than agile, many project sub teams can work in parallel. The need for frequent validation from management, vital for agile, might not be needed. In a waterfall environment, multiple teams can progress without that constraint, because they aren’t making frequent business-vital decisions. Yet, they still take advantage of the focused scope and periodic short reflection and learning buffer periods.

Take advantage of the timebox approach through each waterfall phase. Requirements and planning can be broken down and allocated to sub teams working within timeboxes. The build stage is also ideal for this concept: working on business processes, various tools, and documentation can be assigned to teams working in parallel. Testing can work the same way, with sub teams testing various areas or sub-products before a final testing session to validate the entire project deliverable set.

Look at one of your past projects or your current one and think about how you could handle it with timeboxes. Consider how you might need to change other processes like communication and reporting when you have sub teams working simultaneously,

For more about timeboxing, check out Doug Rose’s Agile Foundations course.

Coming Up

Office Hours Live – What’s wrong with project management these days? October 3, 2024  5PM MT Several aspects of project management don’t get much attention from management, project managers, and project teams. In turn, project management software sometimes ignores those areas as well. Bob McGannon and Bonnie Biafore will discuss these topics, so you don’t skip important duties. And they will talk about what to do if your software doesn’t cover them. Topics include: The 40-hour work breakdown rule (myth?) Estimating Cost management Project management versus work management Choosing the correct project management methodology Scheduling in waterfall and iterative projects Prioritizing project work versus operational work. To sign up, here

Office Hours Live – Learning Microsoft Project: Ask Me Anything October 8, 2024 1PM MT My updated version of Learning Microsoft Project is now available in the LinkedIn Learning library. To celebrate, I’m holding an Ask Me Anything (AMA) Office Hours on October 8, 2024, at 1pm MT. Whether you take this updated course now or you’re an experienced Project user, this hour is for getting answers to questions you have about MS Project. (If there is a wild outpouring of questions, I will host another event in November.) To sign up, click here.

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This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 78,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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When To Deviate from Project Methodology

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Following a project methodology ensures that your project team, customers, and sponsor know what to expect and makes the project team’s efforts predictable. However, there are times when diverging from your methodology may be the best thing to do to ensure project success.

  • Unexpected challenges occur. When market conditions or technological disruptions change suddenly, the methodology might decrease your team’s ability to respond. For example, a competitor releases an update to their product earlier than expected, and it’s better than your organization’s product. Expediting a project to stay competitive could be more important than methodology. For example, could the project team switch to agile practices even if the original plan was waterfall-based? Or you might consider shortening deliverable review periods and other time savers.
  • Constraints impact the project. Tight budgets or limited personnel might require a shift away from methodologies that require specific resources or timelines. Simplifying processes or adopting lean principles could be more effective in these situations. By eliminating non-essential tasks to focus on what’s essential, the project might progress despite constraints. Note: Reevaluate the risks associated with eliminated activities to make sure the project’s risk level is still acceptable before you proceed.
  • Team dynamics make the methodology cumbersome. The dynamics of the project team can influence a methodology’s effectiveness. If the team thrives on spontaneity and creativity, a rigid structure may stifle innovation. For example, asking a team in research and development (R&D) to follow the same methodology as other project teams could be counterproductive. That’s because R&D work needs more flexibility and creative problem-solving approaches to deliver better project results.
  • Partnerships are involved. When a project involves novel solutions requiring extensive collaboration with an external organization, deviation from the standard methodology may be needed. First, the partner organization may use a different project methodology because of the products they create. Second, the teams may be concerned about confidentiality that the methodology would expose, such as sharing test data. (Test data often derives from customer production data, which might reveal information that shouldn’t be shared.) 

Consider carefully before you make a decision like this. Do you have a valid reason to make this change? Don’t make it unilaterally. Talk to your teammates and management first.

For more about project management methodologies, check out my Project Management Foundations course.

Coming Up

Office Hours Live – What’s wrong with project management these days? October 3, 2024  5PM MT Several aspects of project management don’t get much attention from management, project managers, and project teams. In turn, project management software sometimes ignores those areas as well. Bob McGannon and Bonnie Biafore will discuss these topics, so you don’t skip important duties. And they will talk about what to do if your software doesn’t cover them. Topics include: The 40-hour work breakdown rule (myth?) Estimating Cost management Project management versus work management Choosing the correct project management methodology Scheduling in waterfall and iterative projects Prioritizing project work versus operational work. To sign up, here

Office Hours Live – Learning Microsoft Project: Ask Me Anything October 8, 2024 1PM MT My updated version of Learning Microsoft Project is now available in the LinkedIn Learning library. To celebrate, I’m holding an Ask Me Anything (AMA) Office Hours on October 8, 2024, at 1pm MT. Whether you take this updated course now or you’re an experienced Project user, this hour is for getting answers to questions you have about MS Project. (If there is a wild outpouring of questions, I will host another event in November.) To sign up, click here.

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This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 77,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Key Qualitative Values in Project Management

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The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines value as “the worth, importance, or usefulness of something.” To stakeholders, usefulness is more than quantitative measures of how deliverables satisfy a business case. Qualitative value comes in many forms. Here are several key qualitative values to consider for your projects. 

  • Deliverables must work with existing processes. Project deliverables might work well in isolation, but things can get awkward when deliverables need to work with current business processes. Qualitative value can be the consistency of data formatting, how it’s passed from process to process, how it’s displayed onscreen, or how a new deliverable facilitates decision-making. A new business process should be easy to understand and use not only by people whose job focuses on only that business process, but also by other users who focus on the bigger picture, like end-to-end cash flow, which spans multiple processes.
  • Using deliverables should be intuitive. Deliverables should be easy to use and provide a seamless customer experience. This includes intuitive design, ease of navigation, and accessibility, which all contribute to the overall user experience. A significant indicator of intuitiveness is the time and effort it takes to train project customers to use the deliverable. Early versions of a deliverable should be shared with customers, while the team documents any questions the customers ask as they learn to use the deliverable. These questions can guide how to improve the deliverable and increase its intuitive nature.
  • Deliverables, particularly physical deliverables, should generate an emotional connection. With a physical deliverable that customers use, a deliverable that resonates emotionally can increase its success. For example, the value of clothing and toys increases dramatically when they generate emotion. The desire to use a product and feeling good when doing so makes the difference between moderate and exemplary success. This emotional connection can be developed through storytelling, brand values, the ability to join or create a trend, and comfort.
  • The deliverable has aesthetic appeal. A deliverable’s visuals and aesthetics can enhance its value. A computer system with easy-to-use screens that are also attractive generates greater value. A well-designed product that is visually appealing also attracts customers and improves overall satisfaction. Imagine standing in front of a mirror with new clothes and thinking, “I’m looking good!” Aesthetics, alongside usability and comfort, offers significant qualitative value.
  • Customization. Deliverables that offer customization or personalization options provide significant value to customers. This allows project stakeholders to tailor the product or service to their needs and preferences, increasing its relevance and utility. For example, in mobile phones, the ability to add, delete and arrange icons allows these devices to suit individual needs. The perceived value of a mobile phone would significantly diminish if everyone was stuck with the same set of icons and settings.

Think about a deliverable from your current (or a previous) project. Create lists for how the deliverable might provide value both quantitatively and qualitatively. Can you think of other factors beyond the above list that increase qualitative value? How would you determine whether the deliverable successfully produces that value?

Coming Up

Office Hours Live – October 3, 2024  5PM MT –  What’s wrong with project management these days?

Several aspects of project management don’t get much attention from management, project managers, and project teams. In turn, project management software sometimes ignores those areas as well. Bob McGannon and Bonnie Biafore will discuss these topics, so you don’t skip important duties. And they will talk about what to do if your software doesn’t cover them. Topics include: The 40-hour work breakdown rule (myth?) Estimating Cost management Project management versus work management Choosing the correct project management methodology Scheduling in waterfall and iterative projects Prioritizing project work versus operational work. To sign up, here

Office Hours Live – October 8, 2024 1PM MT –  Learning Microsoft Project: Ask Me Anything

My updated version of Learning Microsoft Project is now available in the LinkedIn Learning library. To celebrate, I’m holding an Ask Me Anything (AMA) Office Hours on October 8, 2024, at 1pm MT. Whether you take this updated course now or you’re an experienced Project user, this hour is for getting answers to questions you have about MS Project. (If there is a wild outpouring of questions, I will host another event in November.) To sign up, click here.

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This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 77,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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