If you are embarking on any kind of project - no matter how large or small - it is essential to plan and manage it effectively or there will be a high risk of your wasting money, losing valuable time, failing to hit critical project deadlines and ultimately the complete failure of the project.

At ley hill solutions we have people who are very experienced at successful delivery of large and small scale projects, with programme and project management being one of the key aspects of support we provide for our customers. Below are some tips on how to manage projects successfully, or for more detailed help and support contact us.

Planning  the project

Budget

Set limits from the outset to minimise unwanted or spiralling costs. There are two main ways to estimate costs:

• a top-down approach where you consider previous comparable projects and use them as a benchmark
• a bottom-up approach where all team members agree with one project manager the costs they expect to incur and the project manager will then estimate the total cost

 Timeline

At the very least you need a list of dates with corresponding actions to achieve a deadline. Ideally you should draw up a critical path for the completion of critical tasks on which other project tasks depend, so you will be able to monitor progress against this at key stages. SMART (specific, measurable, agreed, realistic and time-limited) objectives can help to control and co-ordinate the team's progress along this path.

Flexibility and contingency must be built into your plans. Any number of unknowns can come into play and result in, for example, a change in the project's specifications or expected completion date.

Scope of work

Set the parameters of the aims of the project in a clear, written brief. What is it supposed to achieve e.g. provision of a customer or employee benefit, reduction of cost or wastage, reduction of time taken to complete a process, deliver a new product.

Kicking it off

This is always done most successfully with a meeting of parties involved. The aim is to ensure understanding and clarity. Include the following on your agenda.

• The brief - it should include the deliverables and target outcomes, so all can see "what success looks like"
• Roles and responsibilities - team actions should be allocated according to people's strengths, styles, personalities and preferences. If you feel you are lacking skills to complete the project then consider using short term contractors who are specialists in their field 

All agreements from the kick off must be documented - the brief, financials, timings, status and responsibilities - as a reference point for the project.

Administration and day to day management of the project, including project documentation and record keeping

For the smallest projects one project manager might do all of this.

Large scale projects and programmes (i.e. a number of linked projects) might require a project support team of several people, some with high level project management skills and experience.

Keep project meetings purposeful by defining the required output before each starts. The project manager should always set an agenda and not hesitate to intervene to prevent people deviating or rambling. Where people cannot agree on a point, move on and park the discussion for a later date.

Risk management

Rather than prepare a lengthy list of potential things that can go wrong and then never refer to it, ensure open and honest communication about threats which have been identified. Don't just rely on email. Ensure there is communication face to face or by telephone at regular intervals.

Handling failure

While most problems can be avoided with contingency planning, some failures may be inevitable. If it happens, put your hand up and say sorry immediately. Do not however accept an environment where failure is an accepted occurrence - focus on making it unacceptable and learning from mistakes.

Leadership

Once the strategy is set, it is the job of the person owning and leading the project - who may or may not be the same person as the project manager - to motivate others by focusing on the overall purpose of the project rather than getting bogged down by details of functionality.

Especially in multi-functional projects, do not overlook the human aspects of a team needing to feel a sense of community within the project. It may help to introduce team building exercises, particularly early on.

Tools

With an organised approach, simple projects may be managed with lists, moving onto spreadsheets and Gantt charts for financial control and timelines. When projects start to require multiple deadlines and intersecting targets for work streams, you may need to consider adopting project management software and methodologies such as PRINCE II. If so, it is worth getting training on how to use these most effectively for your own purposes even if you only need to use, for example, a fraction of a software programme's functionality to achieve your targets.

For more information on how ley hill solutions can help with programme and project management, click here.