Project Management Articles
Managing Project Risks (Part 1): Don't Be Snared by These 6 Common Traps
When your enterprise decides to undertake a new endeavor -- whether it's designing a new training program, planning a new service, or revamping an existing product -- this endeavor is called a project. It involves people, funding, resources, schedules, requirements, testing, fine tuning, and deployment, plus a host of other activities.
You may have seen this phenomenon by now: projects are risk magnets. Why is that?
There appear to be several factors involved. Managing project risk is a process that seems to be poorly understood by business owners and project managers. As a result, projects frequently experience problems with understaffing, schedule overruns, cost overruns, and unmet requirements. This article (the first of a series) explains six common traps that, when not fully recognized, can lead to unpleasant surprises.
Here's what I've observed over many years as both a project leader and participant:
1. Each project differs in some way, shape, or form from the last one.
If all your projects were exactly the same, you could simply use a cookie-cutter approach to crank 'em out without losing any sleep at night. Although projects may share some similarities, a new project could very easily...
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17 "Must Ask" Questions for Planning Successful Projects
Why do some projects proceed without a hitch, yet others flounder? One reason may be the type and quality of the questions people ask at the very start. Below are 17 insightful queries that can expose the uncertain aspects of your project, and thereby help you avoid expensive surprises later on.
1. How Would You Describe Your Project?
Explain as expressively as possible the ultimate, "big picture" vision and purpose of your completed endeavor. How will it look, feel, taste, sound, perform, increase productivity, help your customers, or otherwise benefit human kind?
2. What Are Your Goals and Objectives?
What are you trying to accomplish? List the project goals and objectives in terms that are clear, concise, achievable, and measurable. Example: "Produce a four-hour video training series on self-defense along with a training resource guide and database, to be accessible by college students on the Internet by May 2006."
3. Who Will Benefit From Your Project?
Examples of audiences or beneficiaries include: Clients, customers, customers' customers, local communities, wildlife, students, and specific population segments.
4. Will You Be Creating Any Products?
Examples include: Books, publications, studies, reports, manuals, video, audio,...
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