LeftField - News in Project Management
www.project-management.com.au
Welcome to the latest news and views from LeftField Project Solutions.
Sharp words, clear outcomes
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The crispness of the winter air is a timely reminder for us to sharpen our pencil, focus the mind, and with renewed vigour revisit our project aims and outcomes.
By making our project aims clear and measurable we can focus on effective outcome generation and realise a better return on investment. If the target outcome is vague we can become lost.
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Consider these typical target outcomes:
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Group 1
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Group 2
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Improved client experience
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Increased client satisfaction
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A safer workplace
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Reduced OH&S incidents
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More effective work practices
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Lower operating costs
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The list on the left is quite vague. If you were to ask five people what one of these outcomes meant to them, you would probably receive five different answers!
Through discussion and exploration each outcome in group 1 above may ‘translate’ into the corresponding outcome in the right hand column. Each outcome in group 2 can be specified quite precisely, including setting target thresholds, for example, for “reduced OH&S incidents” we might easily set a goal such as “to reduce lost time incidents by 50%”.
There are a range of benefits to having clearly expressed project outcomes:
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Greater consistency across stakeholder expectations
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Increased clarity around project scope
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Key messages for communication plans and change management strategies
So hats off to each of you who can find some time to review your project outcomes, and give them a good crisping up for winter!
Fluff busting - mind your language
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Behind every clear message is sharp language.
At times (and particularly in times of stress and pressure) we can assume others know what we want and what we expect – yet this isn’t reflected in the language we use. Fluffy language can be confusing and cause misunderstandings.
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Have you heard any of these statements in your project environment?
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“We’re behind time, we’ll just make it up”
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“Trust me, it’s under control (I’m a project manager)”
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“We’ll break the project into two parts – ‘must haves’ and ‘nice to haves’”
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“Everyone is fine with this project”
We find it useful to identify the specific words that could be “fluffy”.
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Generalisations – “everyone”, “they”, “we always”, “they never” - (who specifically?)
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Unarticulated Rules – “we have to do it this way”, “it must occur” - (what would happen if we didn't?)
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Nouns – “equipment” - (which equipment?)
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Verbs – “doing, having, producing” - (how specifically will it be done?)
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Comparators – “Better than, worse than” - (worse than compared to what?)
By genuinely enquiring and busting the fluffy words we can gain greater insight into the speaker’s meaning and support crisp communication.
Speaking of speaking, our favourite quote from the last few months is “It’s like a beauty contest for outcomes”. Followed closely by ”It’s on time and on budget, but will it in any way deliver what we want done?”
"The Book"
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Yes, it has hit the shelves! The long-awaited book by John Smyrk and Ofer Zwikael is available and is an excellent reference for anyone involved with projects. Details are as follows:
Zwikael, OY & Smyrk, JR, “Project Management for the Creation of Organisational Value”, Springer, London 2011
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IPMA Project Management World Congress
As mentioned in the last newsletter, the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM) is hosting the 25th IPMA World Congress in Brisbane in October. Sharyn and Bronwyn will both be presenting papers at the conference.
Sharyn’s paper “Project Steering Committees: Accountable for project results or accidental tourists?” will provide an overview of an initiative undertaken by an organisation to enhance the performance of its Project Steering Committees.
Bron’s paper “ICU – Is your project heading for an Intensive Care Unit? Or will Interaction, Communication & Understanding support your project’s success?” highlights the importance of the people side of projects by outlining some practical examples where projects have succeeded – or not – as a direct result of the ability of the project manager to engage with clients and stakeholders.
To view the full program follow the link http://www.ipma2011.com.au/
AIPM Better Practice Forum
Sharyn and Bronwyn are facilitating a half day workshop for the Tasmanian chapter of the AIPM on 22 September 2011. The focus of the session is on the practical application of change management concepts to projects. If the topic is of interest and you would like to share your experiences and explore ideas with like minded colleagues, then this professional development forum is for you. Further information can be found on the AIPM website or email us and we will email you a flyer containing further information and registration details.
Pssst...don't forget!
International Project Management day is on Thursday 3rd November so don’t forget to pre-purchase your party poppers and get together with like-minded stakeholders.
About Us
LeftField Project Solutions is a boutique Tasmanian firm of project practitioners who have complementary skills in the area of project management. Our firm comprises two principal consultants – Bronwyn Cross and Sharyn White – combining strong technical knowledge with leading-edge expertise in people management.
Why you?
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