1.1 Critically Evaluate Ethical, Flexible, Inspirational, and Collaborative Approaches to the Leadership of Others in Evolving Situations The discussion emphasises the multifaceted nature of leadership within the context of project management, highlighting the need for leaders to exhibit ethical, flexible, inspirational, and collaborative behaviors. Ethical leadership involves openness, honesty, and integrity, ensuring transparency and trust within the team. Flexibility in leadership styles is crucial to adapt to varying team and stakeholder needs, fostering an environment where the project manager's approach evolves based on situational demands. Inspirational leadership focuses on motivating and encouraging team members towards achieving project goals, cultivating a sense of purpose and commitment. Collaborative leadership underlines the importance of engaging with the team in problem-solving and decision-making processes, promoting inclusivity and collective ownership of project outcomes. 1.2 Critically Analyse Ways in Which to Engage with a Diverse Range of Individuals and Teams to Agree Aims and Objectives Which Are Aligned to a Project’s Strategic Goals Effective engagement with a diverse team is central to aligning individual tasks and broader project objectives. This involves utilizing tools like RACI charts to clarify roles and responsibilities, ensuring everyone understands their contribution to the project’s success. The approach requires analysing different methods of engagement, identifying the pros and cons to tailor communication and leadership strategies that resonate with varied team dynamics. This segment also stresses the significance of establishing clear, tangible goals that are communicated effectively, fostering an environment where every team member is bought into the vision and motivated to contribute to the strategic objectives. 1.3 Critically Evaluate Environments Which Encourage and Sustain Empowered and High-Performance Teams Creating an environment conducive to high performance and empowerment involves considering both the physical and cultural aspects of the workplace. This includes decisions on co-location versus virtual collaboration, which hinges on the nature of the team and project requirements. The importance of daily or regular check-ins, such as agile stand-ups, is highlighted as a means to foster communication and accountability. The discussion also touches on the significance of the project manager's role in setting up structures that facilitate performance, including the strategic use of work package descriptions and ensuring alignment with the project's objectives. Lastly, it mentions the need for a supportive culture that encourages innovation, responsibility, and collaborative problem-solving, enabling teams to thrive regardless of their geographical distribution

In this podcast, Paul Naybour and Tom O'Shea explore the complexities of benefits management within project governance, with a specific focus on the APM's PPQ qualification. They highlight the critical nature of ensuring that benefits are measurable, meaningful to stakeholders, and align with an organisation's strategic objectives. The conversation delves into developing a benefits management strategy, emphasising the importance of setting priorities, assigning responsibilities, and defining timescales. The significance of prioritising benefits based on their contribution to strategic objectives is a key point of discussion. Naybour and O'Shea also address the creation of a benefits realisation plan, considering factors such as funding, tracking, monitoring, and scheduling. They explore strategies to maximise the achievement of planned benefits, including integrating benefit considerations into project design and management. Throughout the podcast, the importance of project managers' understanding and active involvement in benefits management is underscored despite it not being a routine task. The speakers recommend consulting the APM's guidance on benefits management and suggest embedding benefits planning into various project stages to ensure effective project outcomes and value for the organisation. The podcast concludes with a discussion on the role of benefits management in programmes, emphasising its importance regardless of project scale or complexity.

In this podcast, Paul Naybour and Tom O'Shea discuss change control in project management, focusing on four key areas: the benefits and features of effective change control processes, methods for capturing, recording, and reviewing change options, implementing and managing approved changes, and the use of trend analysis. They emphasise the importance of understanding change control's rationale, the need for structured management approaches, and the role of trend analysis in project improvement. The discussion also highlights the challenges in adapting change control processes in dynamic project environments, underscoring the necessity of clear communication and documentation updates.

In the podcast, Tom and Paul explore the APM PPQ assessment criteria related to project reviews and management. They underscore the vital importance of critically evaluating reliable and valid information to assess various project factors across its lifecycle. They also emphasise the significance of aligning reviews with organisational, legal, and regulatory requirements. Furthermore, they analyse scenarios where deviations from the project plan may arise and discuss strategies for resolving them. The podcast underscores the need for accurately documenting deviations and highlights the advantages of doing so. Additionally, they discuss change control processes and protocols, including a critical assessment of their benefits and features. Throughout the conversation, they provide valuable insights into effective project management practices.

In this podcast episode, Paul Naybour and Tom O'Shea discuss the PPQ assessment criteria, specifically focusing on 1.1, which relates to governance in project management. They highlight the importance of aligning project structures and hierarchies with the organisation's structure and the chosen project lifecycle. They also discuss the possibility of proposing a different approach to project management if it aligns better with the project's nature. They emphasise the need to evaluate appropriate structures and hierarchies, considering factors like organisation structure and team setup, especially when taking over an ongoing project. They mention the relevance of the seventh edition of the Body of Knowledge as a reference and provide insights into creating governance structures, such as project boards or steering groups. The conversation continues with a discussion on establishing roles and responsibilities within a project team, ensuring formal documentation and individual acceptance. They suggest methods like mapping roles to skill sets and conducting workshops to gain team buy-in. Lastly, they touch on maintaining reporting hierarchies and structures throughout the project's lifecycle, stressing the importance of adapting to changing needs and circumstances. They mention that regular progress reporting can help reinforce accountabilities. Overall, this podcast episode delves into the complexities of governance, roles, responsibilities, and reporting structures in project management, offering insights and guidance for project managers.

In this Parallel Project Training podcast, Paul Naybour welcomes Tom O'Shea, the new leader of their PPQ programs. Tom shares his extensive involvement with the PPQ, including his role in its initial development and evolution from the previous PQ version. He highlights the PPQ's transition to a more efficient half-day assessment format and discusses his work in guiding and coaching candidates through the PPQ assessment process. The podcast delves into the PPQ's purpose, positioning it as a crucial bridge between foundational project management knowledge, as covered in the PMQ, and the advanced technical skills required for achieving chartered status. Unlike the PMQ, which focuses on theoretical knowledge, the PPQ emphasises practical application. It requires candidates to demonstrate their project management capabilities in real-world scenarios, particularly through case study assessments. Thomas explains that these case studies often involve turnaround situations, challenging candidates to apply their knowledge and experience to poorly managed projects. He underscores the importance of practical application in the PPQ, as it assesses the candidates’ ability to bring tangible improvements to real-life project scenarios. The podcast aims to provide insights and tips for candidates preparing for the PPQ, emphasizing the value of practical experience over theoretical knowledge in achieving success in the assessment.

In this episode, we discuss competence 7. stakeholder management and communication management. The professional practice criteria are PP1.1 Determined stakeholder interests, and levels of influence for a project. PP1.2 Produced a communication plan and undertaken effective stakeholder engagement based upon it. PP1.3 Monitored effectiveness of the communication plans and stakeholder engagement activities. PP1.4 Adjusted the communication plan and responded to any changing stakeholder engagement needs. PP1.5 Employed relevant communication methods and media to meet stakeholder requirements and expectations. PP1.6 Disseminated clear, timely and relevant information to stakeholders. PP1.7 Obtained, and responded to, feedback from stakeholders which may have an impact on a project. For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030

In this episode, we discuss competence 6. Risk and issue management. the professional practice criteria are PP1.1 Continually identified risks within a project. PP1.2 Created a risk register including potential impact and suitable responses. PP1.3 Assessed the probabilities and impacts of risks and planned their responses. PP1.4 Capture and recorded issues, how they were resolved, and their implications to inform planning for future projects. PP1.5 Reacted, assessed, and planned responses to issues. PP1.6 Implemented responses to risks and issues including escalation, recording lessons learned. PP1.7 Transferred and/or formally closed unresolved risks at the end of a project or phase. For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, we discuss competencies 5a. Leadership and 5b. Team management The professional practice criteria for 5A. Leadership PP1.1 Maintained a team’s understanding of, and commitment to the vision, values, and objectives of a project. PP1.2 Selected an appropriate leadership style based on the situation and/or context. PP1.3 Collaborated with others to maintain the momentum of a project. PP1.4 Encouraged others to adopt behaviours which built trust, confidence, and collaboration either within or between teams. PP1.5 Established environments which presented opportunities for empowered and autonomous working. PP1.6 Established leadership approaches to work with remote teams, colleagues and stakeholders. PP1.7 Identified and addressed difficulties and challenges through facilitating open discussions in a timely manner. The professional practice criteria for 5B. Team management are PP1.1 Agreed team objectives and ways of working to achieve the vision and goals of a project. PP1.2 Evaluated the maturity level of the team. PP1.3 Adopted a proactive approach to communication to establish networks of support and facilitate effective ownership of delegated tasks. PP1.4 Built a relationship of trust and support, taking into consideration the possible complexities of collaboration, virtual working, time zones and cultures. PP1.5 Met the demands of a project through balancing individual and team needs. PP1.6 Provided opportunities for coaching and/or mentoring to members of a team, creating an environment of learning and trust thus promoting continual professional development. PP1.7 Addressed performance issues likely to negatively impact on the success of a project whilst remaining alert to any signs of stress within the team. PP1.8 Acknowledged levels of performance through constructive feedback to individuals and teams and celebrated success when evident. PP1.9 Established a learning culture and promoted continued professional development. For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, we discuss competencies 4a. Integrated planning and 4b. Schedule management The professional practice criteria for 4A. Integrated planning PP1.1 Considered constraints and assumptions when creating an integrated plan. PP1.2 Considered dependencies and governance arrangements, when creating an integrated plan. PP1.3 Demonstrated compliance with organisational practice when establishing the size, structure, and contents of an integrated plan. PP1.4 Included other relevant components, plans and documentation to support a comprehensive integrated plan, and ensured formal acceptance of it. PP1.5 Completed formal sign off and acceptance of an integrated plan. PP1.6 Continually monitored the progress of a project against the integrated plan. PP1.7 Adjusted the integrated plan utilising a change control process PP1.8 Applied configuration management to a plan once it had been formally accepted. The professional practice criteria for 4B. Schedule management are PP1.1 Defined tools and techniques for creating and updating a schedule. PP1.2 Established units of measure to accurately define activities and events to be completed during a project. PP1.3 Developed duration estimates and critical dates for each activity and event. PP1.4 Determined relationships and dependencies between activities and events, when constructing a schedule. PP1.5 Documented a schedule of phases, milestones, and reviews to support project monitoring and progress reporting. PP1.6 Agreed a schedule baseline, exceptions, and tolerance thresholds. PP1.7 Communicated regular schedule updates to internal or external stakeholders. PP1.8 Refined a schedule of activities based on effective monitoring, implementing the change control process when required. For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, we discuss competencies 3a. governance and 3b. reviews. The professional practice criteria for 3A. Governance are PP1.1 Defined reporting, decision-making hierarchies, and levels of authority for a project. PP1.2 Established the relationship between a project’s governance and the organisation’s governance structures. PP1.3 Designed the project governance structure taking into account context, complexity, and potential impact. PP1.4 Adapted or adjusted the governance structure as required PP1.5 Ensured clarity of ownership and levels of authority by agreeing the responsibilities and accountabilities with relevant individuals. PP1.6 Ensured effective decision making through maintained governance structures. PP1.7 Ensured effective reporting through maintained governance structures for appropriate staffing and maintenance The professional practice criteria for 3B. Reviews are PP1.1 Considered factors which need to be evaluated during a review. PP1.2 Established and implemented a schedule of reviews incorporating key milestones. PP1.3 Obtained appropriate information from valid sources to inform the reviews. PP1.4 Maintained records of any deviations from plans to include reasons for and responses to, the deviations. PP1.5 Communicated the outcomes of reviews to relevant stakeholders. PP1.6 Confirmed stakeholder understanding and acceptance of proposed actions. PP1.7 Implemented agreed actions and updated lessons learned. PP1.8 Conducted and documented a close out review. For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, we discuss competencies, 2a. Change control and 2b. Conflict management. The professional practice criteria for 2A. Change control; PP1.1 Established a suitable change control process. PP1.2 Implemented and maintained a suitable change control process. PP1.3 Captured and recorded proposed changes to the agreed project scope. PP1.4 Determined the high-level impact of proposed changes to the project scope including reference to relevant sources. PP1.5 Determined the detailed impact on time and cost estimates of options relating to a proposed change. PP1.6 Reached justified recommendations on the approval, rejection, or deferral of proposed changes to a project and updated stakeholders as necessary. PP1.7 Updated plans and schedules reflecting the approved changes to a project demonstrating configuration management. PP1.8 Used trend analysis to help determine the performance of the current and future projects. The professional practice criteria for 2b. Conflict management; PP1.1 Taken a proactive approach to identifying and addressing potential conflict situations which may have impacted on the project. PP1.2 Taken an impartial approach to investigating the cause of conflict. PP1.3 Evaluated and implemented conflict resolution measures, seeking assistance from others when necessary. PP1.4 Responded appropriately and promptly to conflict situations where intervention was required. PP1.5 Monitored the extent to which conflict resolution measures have been successful. PP1.6 Sought to resolve conflict respecting the views, opinions, and concerns of all parties. PP1.7 Supported others to resolve conflict. For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, we discuss the first two competencies, 1a. budgetting and cost control, and 1b. financial management. The professional practice criteria for 1A. Budgetting and cost control are; PP1.1 Established estimates for different project costs. PP1.2 Established and gained agreement to a project budget. PP1.3 Set up funding drawdown arrangements based on cash flow forecasts. PP1.4 Applied metrics to establish cost trends within a project. PP1.5 Refined budget allocations based on cost analysis, applying change control processes as required. PP1.6 Produced financial reports for stakeholders based on financial performance monitoring. PP1.7 Upon project closure, produced final financial reports and distributed them to relevant stakeholders. The professional practice criteria for 1B. Financial management are; PP1.1 Established estimates for different project costs. PP1.2 Established and gained agreement to a project budget. PP1.3 Set up funding drawdown arrangements based on cash flow forecasts. PP1.4 Applied metrics to establish cost trends within a project. PP1.5 Refined budget allocations based on cost analysis, applying change control processes as required. PP1.6 Produced financial reports for stakeholders based on financial performance monitoring. PP1.7 Upon project closure, produced final financial reports and distributed them to relevant stakeholders. For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, Parallel Project Training discuss some further details around the application process for ChPP. We also start to look deeper into the Technical Knowledge and Professional Practice statements. These statements are written on a number of mandatory and elective competencies, and we set the scene for the upcoming podcasts on each competence. For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, Parallel Project Training offer an introduction to some APM ChPP topics. We cover; What is ChPP, and why might someone want to become chartered? The application process What is different with the new version of the Chartered Standard. An introduction to technical knowledge and professional practice. For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this APM Project Management Qualification (BoK7) podcast Paul and Jan discuss quality control, quality management and quality assurance. This podcasts aims to address the following APM PMQ assessment criteria; Explain what is meant by quality planning Differentiate between quality control and quality assurance This podcast is just part of the parallel learning system for the APM Project Management Qualification. This approach includes a wide range of learning resources including a printed study guide, on-line e-learning, a tutor lead study group and a wide range of project management courses Here is a summary of the different aspects of quality within a project management environment: Quality Planning A project manager will always need to create a quality plan detailing how the project will produce products of the required quality. Included in the quality plan will be the following: Roles and Responsibilities related to quality issues The processes to be followed for both production and testing procedures A description of how continual improvement will performed Details of quality assurance such as supplier vetting Details of quality control techniques such as Pareto Analysis How to establish and manage interactions with other project processes such as configuration management Quality Assurance Quality assurance demonstrates how the necessary quality will be achieved and in doing so instils confidence in stakeholders regarding quality levels of the final outcome. The typical components of quality assurance are: Training Are members of the project team competent and fully trained to complete the work assigned to them. Audit A formal, external audit of processes provides reassurance that the project will be carried out as expected. Supplier Accreditation When goods and materials are supplied to be used in creating the products that will form the project deliverables then those goods or materials must be assessed to be of the required quality. Lessons Learned Lessons should be learned throughout the project and effectively communicated so that any problems are resolved at the point they are being made. This ensures the root of the problem is identified rather than issues recurring again and again. Quality Control Quality control measures will vary widely depending on the type of project and the type of project deliverable. The key similarity, however, will be a comparison of the final deliverable with the original specification. Some of the quality control techniques that might be used in a project management environment include: Pareto analysis Walk-throughs Process control charts Visual inspection and measurement Continuous improvement And here is a transcript of this podcast: Introduction Welcome to a parallel project training APM project management qualification podcast based on the APM body of knowledge seventh edition, you should be using this in conjunction with our elearning podcasts, and potentially a tutor led course. For more information, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com Paul Hello, welcome to another Parallel Project Training podcast today we're doing quality podcasts with Jan. Hello, Jan Jan Hi there. Paul Very good. Very good. So this is based on the seventh edition of the body of knowledge with PMQ. So the learning so the assessment criteria in this question section are explained what is meant by quality management and differentiate between quality control and quality assurance? Jan Right? That's a mouthful Paul Explain what is meant by Quality Management, I suspect we have two definition of what quality is first. Jan Okay, so it's going for the body of knowledge. It says qualities assessment of a product's fitness of purpose. While the definition appears to be limited the products that the project will produce. It also implies not only to these products is the process and procedures deployed in managing the project iself. Paul So there's two things, Jan There's two things Yes, because quality to the to the product itself, you can see why it conforms to specification. And of course, the specification is set out when we have to do things like scope management and kind of requirements. So does it meet or does not meet the actual requirements. And of course, that has to be kind of agreed and kind of baseline. And then we talk about change control and all that sort of stuff. But qualities can be very, very subjective as well. So quality to you like a quality car to you may not be To me, that's what I want to use car for. But also, its terms around people's experience of the project management and the processes itself is how we manage, it's like the work we do, we can actually get a lot of people through a course and get the exams passed. But what they'll actually remember is our interaction with those people our service, if you like, and once you start talking about that it's our processes, how we actually took the order, how we had to get a production sorted out how we actually manage the classroom into managing any sort of queries or problems, or maybe issues about have had is around experience. So there's two sides of it, you can actually have something like a fantastic stadium that is built and is fit for purpose. But it's a project management, everything Oh, my goodness, you know, the experience was so bad. The processes weren't there. We did lots of changes in the project, we didn't know what quality was, or all the requirements was he can actually set up for a bad experience. So it's Paul two sides summary qualities, two things. It's the delivery of the output. Yes. Fitness for purpose. Jan To specification. Paul Yeah. to auto specification. Yes. And it's to the quality of the process that got us there. Jan Yes. Good. Yes, it is. And it also, it can be against the processes, because projects don't just deliver products, they can deliver processes, especially when you start talking about quality in the service sector industry is a process like your experience of a restaurant, for example, you remember the experience, and the food, the food being the product. Okay. Paul Okay. So we need to differentiate between quality control and quality assurance, right? I spoke about talk about quality planning to really hadn't we aspect. Jan So that's what we need to do at the very beginning. So sorry. So we talked about quality planning at the very beginning is how we actually and it should be should be sorted out as a separate product or separate entity is embedded in what we do. The minute we start to talk about scope of the project, or even the parameters of the project in terms of the time, the cost, the scope, quality, I often put into the middle part of triangle, we deliver it, it's fit for purpose as… Paul …the quality plan. Jan A quality plan will be the roles responsibilities, often, you know who's responsible for the quality of the project will actually pretty everybody is, and we actually has interaction with it to how we're going to actually define quality criteria, what tools and process of going to be using to manage the quality, what sort of resources we're going to be using, what sort of testing can a specialist test equipment, specialists, people to do the testing, what assurance we're going to put around that to make sure that we are doing what we think we should be doing. We can carry out audits and interactions to other processes. We talked in other podcasts around change and configuration management to what we often called managed The the baselines of the projects and together with the assets, the configuration version control of the project. Paul So it's part of the PMP. Jan Yes, certainly is developed by the project manager with the teams. Okay. Okay. So that's done early in the project lifecycle? Yes, yes, certainly, actually, quality may be kicking off. Sitting around the concept, we started the business case, but certainly will be teased out as we go into definition. Paul So how's that different from quality assurance, as quality assurance, different from quality planning, Jan the quality assurance might be a higher end it often I call that the umbrella of quality incorporates a planning and control. And it's making sure the organisation and city qualified experienced people have scripts, that we have processes in place that will manage the process, run the project, like we have a risk management process, change management process, this is how we actually do the requirements, we actually will have testing, certain organisations have testing labs or procedures. There's certain laws and legislation we have to follow, like your health and safety and other legislation. And we have to make sure that these procedures are being followed through an audit certifies assurance provides confidence to stakeholders that we can time after time, deliver a quality product to the customer, we have the infrastructure, if you like or the structure to do it. Paul So I like the idea of the assurance being an umbrella. Yes. So the bit how's that different from quality control for control is you control the quality that we deliver? Jan The quality is around inspection, testing, measuring, okay, whatever that from the requirements, you actually define the quality criteria of each of the products have the output and does it or does not meet specification. Okay, so we may have tolerances Paul so each product gets right quality assessed in some way. Jan Is that measuring something that that item needs to be four centimetres, is it four centimetres, yes or no plus or minus and plus or minus tolerances? Paul Good. And as different techniques, you can use walkthroughs? Or Jan Yes, we offer his walkthroughs within parallel project training, when we actually walk in through both sayings, especially mission testing very much in engineering environments or software environments. You can use process control charts, there's 101 different quality control techniques. But when we're doing resource management for the project, there's but he ran the policy planning is what resources do we need? What facilities Do we need to actually carry out the testing? Paul Good, as short and sweet. So to summarise quality is the delivery the fitness for purpose for the project? Yes, performance, the specification and who decides that? Yeah, it's it's about the control of the products. Yes, making sure those products meet the specification. Of course Jan specification is control for configuration management, and then change control. Paul It's about that overarching quality assurance umbrella. Yes. And it's about project quality plan as part of project management. Yes, Jan what we need to do for this project specifically to do quality management, and of course, within the quality plan, we may be drawing down certain key process procedures from the quality management, the quality assurance bit, okay, you know, if you're going to do a testing, this is how we do testing. This is how we, you know, do risk risk management within this organisation. Excellent, good fracture. Okay, thanks very much. We hope you enjoyed this podcast and found it informative. To find out about our training courses elearning or tutor led course please go to www.parallelprojecttraining.com

It is always difficult to be precise about the causes of project failure for a number of reasons. Our human inclination is to avoid any blame being attached to us, no matter how much we might proclaim the benefits of a no-blame culture, when it comes to our own career on the line, we don't want to stand up and take full responsibility for the failure ourselves. So clients will blame the project manager, the stakeholders will blame the business analyst for inadequate requirements, the project manager might blame the client for a poorly articulated business case but none of this helps to define the real cause of the failure. Questionnaires can be used to gather information on the causes of project failure, but the questions are usually too general and the answers given to the questions are biased depending on the role the individual played in the project. There are also, frequently, several different reasons which contributed to the project failure so such questionnaires make it difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons for failure. Add to this the fact that many projects are completely unique: with objectives, scope, technology etc that have not been experienced before and it is understandable that assessing the true reasons for project failure is extremely difficult. Nevertheless, if you take note of some of the reasons regularly cited for project breakdown they might help you to avoid disaster in your own projects. The most commonly identified reasons are: Deadline missed Budget exceeded Poor communication Requirements not met Inadequate quality of final product/service Poor planning with respect to risk management, estimates and schedule Poor client - supplier relationship Final deliverable not acceptable to the client Lack or professional / technical skills within the team Failure to manage client expectations or unrealistic expectations Poorly defined or incomplete requirements Frequent changes to requirements and/or specification Weak business case New technology did not live up to expectations No support from senior management No involvement from end-users Limited Resources Lack of focus on the business needs Some of these reasons are the result of an underlying failure. For example, a poor client-supplier relationship is usually the result of poor communication or communication that lacks detail and fails to manage client expectations. A factor that could be improved by developing project managers via professional courses in project management. And some of the reasons are not actually the reason for the failure but simply the outward manifestation of the project failure such as a deadline not being met. The reason the deadline was not met is actually the reason for the project failure and that could be any number of things such as failure to understand new technology, staffing issues, skills issues etc. So if we accept that there are problems in genuinely determining why a project failed, we cannot fully understand the failure and so avoid making the same mistakes again. All the more reason why an experienced project manager is vital on major projects and why that person should have undertaken professional project management training. The experience will assist in avoiding problems that have occurred before and the training will provide the skills to deal with those problems that are unexpected and new to everyone. So next time you are conducting, or involved in, a post-project review to analyse the causes of a project failure, try and look below the surface of the standard answers and resist the temptation to rush on to the next project and put the failure behind you. You just might learn a worthwhile lesson that could help you during your next project.

I met up with an old colleague recently who I worked with when we were both IT Project Managers for a large blue-chip corporation. Our conversation got me thinking about how often the opinions of end-users in IT projects are dismissed as of little importance or, worse, ignored completely. The stakeholders, senior management, project manager, suppliers and vendors all have a voice in IT projects – they can articulate their needs and requirements and their opinions are duly noted and acted on because of their importance within the organisation and within the project hierarchy. And yet it is the end-user who will be using a new software system on a daily basis. It is the end-user who knows and understands the data in the legacy system, who knows how to work around problems with the current system and understands how to get their job done quickly and efficiently. So why don't more project managers take more notice of the comments and concerns of this important group? Is it that the group itself does not believe their opinions carry any weight and, therefore, do not speak up when given the opportunity to do so. Is it that they are never fully involved in the project and so don't have the opportunity to speak up? Whatever the reasons might be, don't ignore users' concerns and comments throughout the project. In my experience it is often the user who can identify a potential problem before it happens. If it is proving difficult to get feedback from the everyday user of a system then it is in the interests of the project manager to elicit that information by the best means possible. There are many approaches to obtaining feedback from users. Informal brainstorming sessions, formal meetings and questionnaires all may work well for different projects and different individuals. The best project management training courses will suggest other ideas for gleaning the information you need to ensure the new system delivered can actually be used effectively from day one and hence make your project a success. I have personally found that cultivating a good personal relationship with key users is the best way to do this. Talk to them informally and on a personal level about their concerns – perhaps at a casual lunch or over coffee. Find out what their day-to-day tasks are now (on the existing system) and understand what they do. I have often shadowed a key user for their typical working day – it can be hugely revealing and throw up information that is almost impossible to find out in a more formal session. So involve key users from the outset of the project. This is particularly important if a legacy system is being replaced with new technology or software to ensure the wealth of information in the existing database is not lost through incorrect handling. Data conversion can be a huge stumbling block if not done properly – I know of new IT systems that have been implemented without the full suite of data required for the users to perform their jobs. These are new IT systems that looked good, went live on time, had all the required features but the databases were incomplete so the systems were effectively useless. This sort of project will always have a poor reputation even if the problems with the data are quickly rectified. I have also found that in many IT projects the most resistant user to the new technology can become the greatest advocate given the right involvement, training, encouragement and a good deal of hand-holding. The benefits of this effort on the part of the project manager are enormous. The chances of a highly successful project are much greater, the "reputation" of the software is immediately a good one, as soon as it goes live. And we all know it is much easier to get people to accept a few faults in an otherwise good system than to rescue the reputation of a system that starts off badly. So learn from previous project problems and failures, take the advice of more experienced project managers and ensure you attend one of the professional project management courses available but never ignore the comments and concerns of the end-users in IT projects. You do so at your peril.

If you are not a project manager, you may feel the whole process of project management with all its methodologies, techniques, meetings, reports and other assorted documentation is just a thorn in your side. You may even feel you would be better off without it - but I suggest you read these 10 benefits of project management and they may just change your opinion. Project Management is simply a series of strategies that help to turn an idea into reality and get you from the ideas stage to a finished product or process as efficiently as possible and with least risk of failure. It's a process that can be used on any type of project in any industry. From major infrastructure projects, construction and healthcare through to IT, web development, digital marketing and search engine optimisation projects. If you are the client you know that the budget will be well-controlled and that the final product will meet your requirements and expectations. But it is only by applying formal techniques and using the skills and knowledge of the project manager that this will be the likely outcome. So here's my 10 benefits of project management: Meeting Requirements: By clearly defining the business requirements at the outset and staying focussed on those requirements even when changes occur and risks arise, the end result will meet the client's needs. Client Satisfaction: Project management provides the tools and techniques to help deliver projects that not only meet the client's needs but are on time and on budget which naturally leads to client satisfaction. Flexibility: By incorporating change management processes into the running of the project and anticipating the need for changes, there can be the opportunity for flexibility in the client's requirements without risk to the project's success. Minimising Risks: Risk Management is an integral part of project management and, as such, risks can be anticipated and dealt with easily as they are not unexpected. Schedule: The detailed plans and schedules that are part of all good projects enable you to pre-empt scheduling conflicts and over-runs and deal with them by either modifying the project tasks or agreeing a revised schedule with the stakeholders. Controlled Costs: Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of controlled and organised project management is that you can spot problems with escalating costs before they become a major issue. You can then deal with them relatively easily because you have the detailed information to do so. Efficiency: Well trained project managers have learnt from the accumulated knowledge of projects that have gone before as well as those they have personally been involved in. They know what works well and what does not. Quality: Efficient projects that treat quality control and quality management as an inherent part of the project process result in higher quality end products. Communication: Everyone involved in the project, from team members, right through to the client will be kept well-informed of progress, change and risks. Good communication is a vital for a successful project. Team Motivation: When everyone involved in a project can see (from the plans, schedule and reports) what has been achieved, and by whom, then this will motivate all members of the team. They will get the recognition they deserve for a job well done. So next time you are thinking about taking (or sending someone on) one of the many project management courses available and what you might learn, think about these benefits. They are all essential project management skills that will help your project be a success and that is good news for your company and good news for your career.

GANTT CHART Gantt charts are the most generally useful tool in project planning. They are used for scheduling and monitoring tasks, for showing costs and expenditure at all stages throughout the project, for communicating progress and producing reports. They show, on a simple block diagram, the activities and costs over time in an easy-to-understand way. They can be created in a range of software tools or even in a spreadsheet. The project is broken down into individual tasks which are listed in rows on the chart. Each task has a timeline extending out to the deadline of the task. Overlaying the timeline is a progress line, showing how much work has been done on the task so far, and also the important milestones along the way. Estimated and actual costs to date can also be added at the end of the timeline. Because the chart covers the days, weeks and months of the whole project it is simple to track progress of the project provided the chart is updated regularly and accurately. PROJECT SCOPE Project Scope is a definition of the limits or boundaries of a project and the reason it is so important is because poor management of the project scope is one of the major causes of project failure. Good management of the project scope by the project manager involves 3 key factors: devote adequate time to fully defining the requirements reach a formal agreement on the scope with the stakeholders avoid scope creep Scope creep is when un-authorised or un-budgeted tasks lead to uncontrolled alterations to the documented requirements during the course of the project. There is, of course, a tendency for changes to be requested during the life of a project. As projects progress, the end-users inevitably see areas where additional features could provide increased benefits. And the purpose of scope management is not to prevent such changes either being requested or implemented, but to ensure that all changes bring substantial, well-defined benefits. RISK MANAGEMENT In order to deliver successful projects that come in on-budget and on-schedule and meet the needs of the business, it is critical to manage the risks inherent in every project effectively. Managing risks within a project involves identifying and analysing the risks then designing a strategy to deal with the risks. No project is ever without risks, but it is the nature and complexity of the project that are likely to determine the impact of the risks on the overall success of the project. The main tasks involved in Risk Management are: Identify and analyse the risks. Establishing and maintaining a Risk Log listing the risks and their severity. Analysing the probability of each risk occurring and its impact Developing a strategy for responding to risks that occur Allocating contingency funds and time in the schedule BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS Every project needs a business requirements specification document because it is the formal agreement between the client, the business stakeholder and the project manager. It states exactly what will and will not be included in a project and what the client can expect once the project is completed. Fully analysing your business requirements before embarking on a new project will lead not only to improvements but to a transformation of the business. So instead of ending up with a new business process, policy or system you could actually enable a substantial change in the business. PRINCE2 PRINCE2 is a methodology for managing projects effectively. It stands for Projects In Controlled Environments and is a flexible process with a strong focus on the business justification of a project and an emphasis on dividing the project into small manageable and clearly defined stages. It also has a defined organisation structure for the project management team. It is a framework that focuses on the delivery of products rather than carrying out specific tasks and has a finite lifecycle. PRINCE2 is used to ensure the following: Effective use of available resources Effective management of risks Early identification of issues Good communication Lessons are learned from every project APM PMQ APM PMQ (previously known as APMP) is a knowledge based project management qualification for which a project manager needs to be able to demonstrate knowledge of all aspects of project management and understand how they interact and how a project fits into the strategic and commercial environment. It is an internationally recognised qualification sponsored by the Association for Project Management (APM) aimed at those wishing to achieve a broad level of project management knowledge. The breadth of knowledge required includes budgeting and cost management, conflict management, communication, earned value management, leadership, negotiation, procurement, sponsorship and teamwork. PMP PMP is an internationally recognised project management certification sponsored by the Project Management Institute (PMI). It is designed to objectively assess and measure professional knowledge and candidates must satisfy educational requirements and demonstrate a defined level of experience before embarking on the course. To achieve the certification a project manager must demonstrate a high level of understanding and knowledge about project management and those granted the PMP certification must also demonstrate ongoing professional commitment. Anyone applying for PMP Certification must hold a university degree and have a minimum of 4,500 hours of project management experience in Initiation, Planning, Controlling, Execution and Closing. They must also have at least 3 years of project management experience within the last 6 years and at least 35 hours of project management education. SWOT ANALYSIS SWOT is an acronym of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats and is used to help with decision-making in the planning and risk elements of large, complex projects. But it is not purely a method used for controlling areas of planning and risk - it is also used to highlight areas of the project that could be maximised to the benefit of the whole project or individual areas where some competitive advantage may be gained. It is used to evaluate particular activities of the project in order to optimise their potential as well as to evaluate risks in order to determine the most appropriate way of mitigating those risks. SWOT analysis is normally performed during the initial project start-up phase so that the elements of the analysis can form the basis of the project plan, but it can also be used later in the project if the project is running into difficulties with scheduling, deliverables or budget and needs to be brought back on track. SMART Smart is a method within project management designed to ultimately achieve a goal or aim. Goals have a much greater chance of being accomplished if they follow the Smart philosophy which is a mnemonic for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reasonable, Time-bound Goals or tasks must be clear and unambiguous so the project team knows exactly what is expected, why is it important and who’s involved. Clear criteria for measuring progress must be set so you know whether the team is making progress towards successful completion. The goals must be achievable – if expectations are too high (or too low) then they tend to be ignored. They must also be reasonable or realistic, given your specific resources, so they represent an objective towards which the team can work. Lastly, every goal should be set within a time frame and have a target date. Without deadlines it is difficult to focus on completing a task. PEOPLE Remember that the people involved in the project are the key to whether it is delivered successfully or not. Develop, encourage and motivate the project team because an enthusiastic, committed team of people can often achieve more than expected. Deal diplomatically with the stakeholders to ensure that business politics do not become a risk to the project and communicate clearly with the client or end-users to ensure they understand fully what to expect when the project is completed.