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Effective Project Management During the Pandemic

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In one of my recent LinkedIn Live broadcasts, someone asked how project management could evolve, given new and changing rules imposed by the pandemic. Here are a few key ways in which project management could adjust to be effective during the pandemic.

Focus on using tools for remote work effectively. More than ever, project management involves people working remotely, which amplifies the need for contact and useful communication tools. Those shiny new team management tools available today provide new communication and collaboration capabilities. However, without establishing new habits, those tools might be used improperly (or not at all) leading to missed or mangled messages. To ensure tools for remote work actually work, get with the team to understand the habits and approaches they use from their home office.  Then, strive to align your stakeholders around a common set of practices.

Address work circumstances in project requirements and the requirement gathering process. The pandemic adds a whole new dimension to requirements collection. Team members and clients might work in offices, at home, or both. They might work different numbers of days per week in each location. They might work different work hours because of childcare responsibilities. These circumstances are a consideration both for the requirements gathering process as well as the project requirements themselves. The idea of belonging and inclusion that is popular thinking in the talent management world needs to be applied to projects. Project requirements should address how information and interactions are transferred and how integrations between processes and tools are managed. And the requirements process should support requirement gatherers and requirement providers working in different places and on different schedules. One things for sure — counting on people sharing information over the cubical wall is a thing of the past.

Robust communication planning. Communication needs are broader and more challenging. during the pandemic. How do you ensure stakeholders feel informed when you can’t see their reactions easily? The Project Management Institute (PMI) states the person who initiates communication is responsible for ensuring it’s received and understood. That takes serious work when stakeholders are dispersed and remotely located. In a pandemic-era communication plan, center stage belongs to follow up calls, careful scrutiny of email replies, and diligent follow-up when no response is received.

Place emphasis on integration and interaction risks. Risk plans should emphasize specific risks associated with integration, interactions between staff members, and assumptions about serving clients. For example, we can’t assume transport or product delivery will be normal until the pandemic truly subsides. While things are improving in wealthier nations, virus-related impacts and restrictions could remain in other countries for some time to come.

More focus on organizational change management. Peter Senge is quoted as saying “People don’t resist change. They resist being changed.” Organizational change planning and execution needs to have greater emphasis in our pandemic-affected world. Change can be difficult because of isolation and the stressful changes people have to make. Be sure to focus on potential change fatigue and work hard to understand the magnitude of change people need to absorb. Also, consider how to provide more individual attention to stakeholders to ensure project business outcomes are realized through organizational change.

Do you have suggestions for other ways project management needs to adjust for pandemic realities? Let’s get a conversation going in the comments! The LinkedIn Learning library has some great courses about working and building relationships when working remotely. Go to the library and then search for “remote work.”

Establish an Effective Project Approval Process

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Delayed decisions by key project stakeholders can cripple a project schedule. Here are tips for managing your project approval processes to help you stay on track:

Determine the final arbiter: Although it’s best to get multiple opinions before project decisions are made, it’s crucial to clearly appoint the final arbiter for decisions. Collaboration is effective, but it can create undue delays if decision-making is not focused, and individuals can randomly enter objections or offer counter opinions. Set a timeframe for sharing viewpoints so reviews occur in a timely manner. Create tasks for decision-making in your project schedule with a deadline for final decisions.

Define targets for approval: Typically, project approval depends upon targets being reached, such as Return on Investment (ROI). Clearly define the targets required to gain project approval. In some instances, other project benefits might give you an opportunity to negotiate different targets. For example, while a project’s ROI might not reach a published target level, the project might qualify for approval if it significantly reduces business risk. Look at quantitative and qualitative benefits to make sure you generate the greatest opportunity for your project to be approved.

Understand the data required for approval:  In addition to defined targets, you must understand the data that’s required so you can ensure that it’s collected. To achieve project approval, be sure to summarize the collected data and present it in an intuitive, easy-to-understand manner. At times, some data may be deduced or estimated when included in a business case, and it can provide additional motivation for project approval.

Anticipate issues and conduct pre-approval meetings: A project should be approved only after relevant discussion. This is true for all project — even those that obviously need to be completed. Anticipating issues and conducting discussions prior to a formal approval meeting can streamline the process and save time. Also, what you learn from listening carefully during pre-approval conversations helps you define your project approach. In addition, you can obtain descriptions of your project outcomes in terms that are meaningful to your key stakeholders.

For more about project justification, check out my LinkedIn Learning course Project Management Foundations.

This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you click my links and make a purchase.

When the Sponsor and Customer are Two Different People

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When your sponsor and project customer are two different people, you face some unique challenges. Here are tips for handling this situation:

Address differing needs. Understand the motivations and concerns of your sponsor and customer. Customize your reports and briefings to fit those needs. If they aren’t in alignment, your status updates are the best hope for creating cohesion on the project. Although it isn’t feasible to customize communication for every stakeholder, your sponsor and customer are vital and require appropriate attention.

Align priorities. Delivering scope, within budget and on time is the goal. However, issues may dictate prioritizing these critical constraints. Facilitate a discussion your sponsor and customer to align priorities. Imagine the challenge if your sponsor wants to cut scope to stay within budget, while your customer wants to retain scope and spend more. If they can’t agree, defer to your sponsor (and focus on the next two tips to keep things moving!)

Create a review committee. Your customer and sponsor may have different views of project success. Major deliverables and decisions require meaningful discussion and decision-making. Creating a committee to review deliverables and make significant decisions helps ensure organizational buy-in as your project proceeds.

Verify the approval process. Make sure your sponsor and customer are on the same page about who will make decisions and how that process will work. Determine this process in advance . The last thing you want is schedule delays because the sponsor and customer are arguing and engaging in an escalation process.

Having separate sponsor and customer perspectives and passion for your project brings many benefits – you generally produce a better product! Helping these vital stakeholder work in harmony is an important part of your role as a project manager.

To learn more, watch my course (#10 on LinkedIn’s Top 20 most popular courses for 2020). LinkedIn has made it free for September 2020.

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you click my links and make a purchase.