The Dirty Dozen: 12 IT Project Management Mistakes
Posted March 26th, 2013
No matter how many PMP certifications your employees have, mistakes still get made when it comes to managing IT projects. Here are six ways good projects go bad – and how to head off common problems.
1) Choosing the Wrong Manager – Too many organizations choose their PM based on availability instead of skills. Pro Tip: Make sure your project manager’s skill set matches the project’s requirements.
2) Not Activating the Bandwagon – Projects that don’t get everyone behind them from the very beginning are doomed to fail. Pro Tip: Start the project with a “fire ‘em up” meeting – and don’t forget to get C-Level buy-in as well.
3) Promising Too Much – To keep clients happy, PMs often promise unrealistic timelines, which lead to missed deadlines and mistrust. Pro Tip: Add a time buffer to your project when planning, and don’t over-promise to keep the peace.
4) Too Many Balls in the Air – “Multitasking slows people and hurts quality,” says Silicon Valley PM expert Sanjeev Gupta. Pro Tip: Reducing work in progress by 25-50% can double task completion rates.
5) Not Being Flexible – Projects are living things; failure to review and adapt can kill them. Pro Tip: View your project plan as a blueprint, not a bible.
6) Micromanaging – Rookie PMs often become enforcers instead of managers, causing hard feelings. Pro Tip: Communicate deadlines clearly and offer regular updates, but don’t babysit.
Project managers aren’t always the ones responsible for a mess, though. Here are six frequent project management mistakes that CIOs make, and how to avoid them.
1) Operating in a Vacuum – Many CIOs don’t share how a project fits into the big picture. Pro Tip: Get employee buy-in by explaining how a project fits into the overall company vision.
2) Managing Change Poorly – Projects often require change, and people are naturally resistant. Pro Tip: Overcome objections by explaining why the project result is better than the “old way”.
3) Not Budgeting Enough Time – Demanding a full result without allowing proper time equals disaster. Pro Tip: Ask for less, or allot more time.
4) Demanding Exact Costs – Estimates are needed for budgeting, but an exact figure is usually going to be wrong. Pro Tip: Manage risk by asking for a cost range that includes best and worst case scenarios.
5) Refusing to Delegate – CIOs still have technical know-how, and sometimes get caught up using it, to the neglect of their more unique skills. Pro Tip: Trust your PMs and tap their talent.
6) Hoping Instead of Planning – Assuming best case is nice but usually not realistic. Pro Tip: Actively ask about obstacles, and hold frequent “review and adjust” sessions.
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