The Cambridge
Dictionaries defines a quote as, "to repeat the words that someone else
has said or written". Most people are quoted because they have something
insightful to say, something that helps us, and provides us with a better
understanding of a particular subject. Over the years a body of useful quotes
has been building up from management gurus that can help us become better
project managers. Here are 10 such quotes worthy of some thought:
1.
"You can’t keep it all in your head. Project control tools are an absolute
necessity for the control of large projects". - Louis Fried, 1992
These days most
companies use project management software to control large projects. It’s
reasonable for the customer to ask to see your project plan, RAID log, risks
register and other documents. If these aren’t readily available it gives the
impression the project is not being managed properly. Software solutions will
help you remain organised, provide up-to-date metrics, and take the time and
pain out of updating documentation and calculating statistics.
2.
"Don’t use a sledgehammer to crack a walnut, but equally don’t agree
important things informally where there is a chance of a disagreement later
over what was agreed". - Colin
Bentley, 1997
All project managers
need to find the right balance between process and pragmatism. We’ve all been
on projects where arduous processes slow work down, with seemingly little
reason other than, ‘that’s the way we work around here’. Do sign off
requirements with your customer, create a project plan, look at risks and
issues, but don’t expect your customer to undertake large ‘one size fits all’
form filling exercises. Tailor to what is needed to run your project
successfully and discard everything else.
3.
"The functional groups should not be allowed to stretch out the project
for the sake of improvement, refinement, or the investigation of the most remote
potential risk". - Meredith
and Mantel, 1995
This occurs when
people on a project take work beyond what is needed or reasonable. In a recent
project, testers were spending several extra days testing improbable use-cases
on a new website. Ask whether you are trying to build the ‘best’ product or one
that fits the requirements of your customer. Some people will indulge their own
desire to stretch out the project for their own reasons and satisfaction. Curb
this by making sure a clear set of user requirements are agreed, signed-off and
shared with all project team members. Make it clear that deviation from the
agreed requirements is unacceptable and may result in a penalty.
4.
"One good test is worth a thousand expert opinions". - Wernher von Braun, 1972
Testing is an area
often neglected or cut in projects. When nearing the end of a project where
budgets and time are tight, it’s often tempting to reduce the testing phase and
rely on the opinion of your team. However, you will never know the quality of a
product or service until you have tested it. We can all speculate on what we
think the result will be, but no matter how expert, it’s still only a matter of
opinion. Always allow enough time in your project for testing and rework.
5.
"The conditions attached to a promise are forgotten and the promise is
remembered". - Edwards,
Butler, Hill and Russell, 1997
Always document and
confirm any agreement you make with your customers and suppliers. If you
promise to deliver something as long as certain conditions are met, make sure
it’s in writing, agreed and a signature obtained if necessary. As the saying
goes, ‘What is not on paper has not been said’.
6.
"The P in PM is as much about ‘people management’ as it is about ‘project
management’". - Cornelius
Fichtner, 2007
Or to put it another
way, project management is mostly about managing people. People are your most
valuable asset. They will make a project succeed or fail. You are steering, but
they are the engine that will take you to your goal. Key to your success is to
ensure you have the right people on your project, so if work goes wrong they
will save you.
7.
"A good plan can help with risk analyses, but it will never guarantee the
smooth running of the project". - Bentley and Borman 2001
A plan is not a
project, but it goes a long way to helping projects run well. To reach a
successful conclusion, many areas of work must come together. Project planning
and risk management are just two. As project manager you are responsible for
guiding your project much as a sea captain guides his ship through different
seas, some calm and some stormy.
8.
"Projects progress quickly until they become 90% complete; then remain at
90% complete forever". - Edwards,
Butler, Hill and Russell, 1997
This is a phenomenon
where the last ten percent of a project is the most difficult and
time-consuming. This occurs because the most difficult parts of a project get
left until last. It is better to ‘eat the frog first’. If you can clear the
difficult hurdles then the rest of your project will be easier and you’ll avoid
the never-ending last ten percent.
9.
"Business is often about killing your favourite children to allow others
to succeed". - John
Harvey-Jones, 1990
We’ve all come across
projects that struggle on for months, years sometimes, with everyone knowing
they’re destined to fail. Why? Is a miracle likely to happen; a genie pop out
of a lamp and grant three wishes; or the Tooth Fairy appear and sort everything
out? Of course not. We may have invested a lot personally in the project; don’t
want it to fail and may still believe in the result; making it hard to let go.
We just plod on wasting time and money hoping that it will come right in the
end. When the writing’s on the wall, it’s best to kill projects as quickly as
possible. It’s tough, but the kindest action to take. Stop wasting time and
money and put it to good use elsewhere. Make failed projects a learning
experience that help you in your next venture.
10.
"Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into
hard work". - Peter Drucker,
1993
Most people
understand that to achieve any goal, vision or objective you need a plan.
However, writing a plan is just the start. Unless that plan is immediately put
into action your goal, vision or objective will remain a good intention.
History is littered with visions, ideas and dreams that remained just that.
In
conclusion...
These quotations are
the compressed wisdom of many years experience. Keep them in mind and let them
help you navigate your way to a successful project.
