Author: RMC Learning Solutions

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5 Strategies to Manage Project Communication  

Small team sitting in a conference room managing project communications.

How you manage project communication is one of, if not the most important aspects of project management. Poor communication has been cited as the biggest problem impacting projects. A great deal of a project manager’s time is spent communicating with management, the team, the customer, and other stakeholders. Proper project management requires a process to define, plan, manage, and control communication which makes it a top skill needed by everyone on projects. 

The project manager is key in establishing and maintaining an environment that allows the project team to communicate, according the PMBOK Guide, Seventh Edition,   Project managers set the tone for success by modeling behaviors such as transparency, respect, and positive disclosure and following a process to manage communications on their projects.  Following are 5 strategies you can use today to manage your project communications. management.

 

Strategies to Manage Project Communication

  1. Identify & Analyze Stakeholders  
  2. Plan Project Communications  
  3. Send & Receive Information to Manage Project Communication 
  4. Manage Stakeholder Engagement 
  5. Monitor & Control Communication 

Strategy 1: Identify and Analyze Stakeholders  

Start by identifying the people and organizations involved in or impacted by the project or the product being developed.  These individuals or entities can positively or negatively impact outcomes over the course of the project. This step is important to help manage project communication. You can read more about stakeholder identification here.  

Project managers must also understand all their stakeholders’ requirements and expectations their level of influence, extent, and length of their involvement, as well communication needs and preferences.  

Managing stakeholder expectations — the belief or mental image of the future — can differ by stakeholder.  That’s why project managers need to talk through all expectations, to make sure that everyone shares the same desired outcomes. This sets the stage for communication planning.  

Strategy 2: Plan Project Communications  

Armed with the information from our stakeholders, it’s time to start planning project communications. Planning is about considering the project’s overall communications approach. It begins by defining what actions deliver the desired outcomes such as: 

  • The right information gets to the appropriate stakeholder, is clear and understandable, and arrives in the appropriate format at the right time. 
  • Communications are measured and analyzed on a regular basis and changed as needed. 
  • Stakeholders understand what communication is expected of them and the communication they receive meets their needs on the project.

There are several benefits to having a communication plan in place including improved stakeholder engagement and a decrease in communication problems, conflict, and rework.  

As a result of planning communications, the project manager should have a document description of the communication needs of the stakeholders and a strategy to meet them. Plan components may include: 

  • What needs to be communicated, why and between whom?
  • What is the preferred method of communication?
  • Who is going to provide what information, the level of frequency and detail?
  • Who has access to what communications, who can impart information, and who can edit?
  • How to tailor communication based upon language and culture?

Once the plan is in place, we can determine how to send and receive information.  

Strategy 3: Send & Receive Information to Manage Project Communication 

The most basic communications only ensure the message has been delivered.  Excellent project communications require a more comprehensive approach that includes the sender, the receiver, and confirmation that the message is correctly understood.  Both the sender and the receiver are responsible for ensuring the message has been properly interpreted and understood.  

Reports, information radiators, and individual communications are the artifacts of project communications.  While these artifacts are updated on a regular basis, it is important to look at how each of these documents are part of and are influencing the project communication plan.  In addition to communication plan updates on project status, issues and issue resolutions, here are some other communication plan artifacts: 

  • Issue status or log
  • Project reports and presentations
  • Updated project records
  • Lessons learned documentation
  • Project document updates
  • Risk and stakeholder registers 

Strategy 4: Manage Stakeholder Engagement 

At this point, stakeholders have been identified and analyzed. You have planned and are using key artifacts that help you communicate with your stakeholders at the right time with the right information. Another strategy to manage project communications has to do with stakeholder engagement.  

The key is to establish and maintain a common understanding of the project, its objectives, constraints and how they all interact to deliver the desired value throughout the project. Each stakeholder’s needs have been planned so when changes are needed, the project manager is able to adjust and maintain high levels of engagement with each stakeholder.  

Strategy 5: Monitor & Control Communication 

While the project manager is effectively communicating on the project, they are at the same time monitoring communication to ensure information is getting to where it is needed, is clear and allows stakeholders to act as necessary. The key to monitoring and controlling our communication is to make sure that that the information being communicated is being understood, and that it’s being understood in the intended way. 

When monitoring and controlling communications, there are several ways to identify and measure compliance to the communication plan.  For example, you can review the data of the project’s status, known as work performance information. Work performance data includes: 

  • Performance
  • Metrics captured in various control processes
  • Changes, risks, and issues
  • Forecasts

Reviewing this information allows you to validate that the team is being productive and achieving the project goals.  Work performance information can be organized into project management plan updates or project document updates, each of which allow you to identify and communicate information that stakeholders need.   

Learn More About How to Manage Project Communication 

If you’re interested in learning how to manage project communications, check out RMC’s eLearning course, Project Communications and Stakeholder Engagement shows you how to manage project communications and engage your stakeholders. You may also be interested in our Leading with Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Awareness eLearning course to elevate your leadership skills.  

Sources: 

https://rmcls.com/communications-management-plan-in-project-management/

https://www.teamgantt.com/blog/why-communication-is-important-in-project-management [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

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Project Leadership and the PMP

Young members working together at a white board on a project

Previously I wrote a post about Project Leadership where I discussed the distinction between power and authority. The major take away from the post is that it’s better for a project manager to exercise leadership by obtaining “buy-in” from team members and stake holders and use a coaching leadership style when working with project team members.

Leadership had become an important part of the PMP.  It is a component of Domain I (People) of the Exam Content Outline and there are a fair number of questions on the exam relating to leadership.  We cover project leadership in Chapter 5 of our PMP Exam Prep book Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep.

Project Leadership

  1. Project Leadership According to PMI
  2. Project Leadership Versus Management
  3. Servant Leadership
  4. Project Leadership and Communication
  5. Emotional Intelligence and Project Leadership

Project Leadership According to PMI

The Project Management Institute (PMI) takes a more comprehensive approach to leadership.  It is identified as part of Domain 1 or the Exam Content Outline (ECO) for the PMP, and is part of a suite of “people skills” that PMI tests people on as part of the exam.

Leadership is handled as a single chapter of the PMP Exam Prep book (11th ed.).  In preparing for the exam, it is best to look at leadership as an umbrella covering all of the people skills necessary to be an effective project manager.  This is the approach taken by PMI on the exam.

Project Leadership Versus Management

In preparing for the exam, the student needs to understand the distinction between leadership and management.  As noted in the book: “Leadership involves a sophisticated approach to working with people.  We don’t manage people; we get work done through others.”

In some ways this distinction is similar to the one between power and authority described by Richard Neustadt in his book “Presidential Power.”  However, there are important differences, the obvious one is that in the context of the PMP the distinction between leadership and management is entirely business focused.

Like the power versus authority distinction, the management versus leadership distinction looks at formal versus information methods to get team members to perform necessary functions.  Whereas management focuses on things like tasks, control and efficiency, leadership focuses on things like people, empowerment and communication.

Servant Leadership

This style of project leadership is normally associated with agile project management.  In many ways, it is traditional command and control leadership flipped on its head.  Here the project manager is a servant leader.  They ensure that team members can effectively do the work needed to deliver business value.  The focus is to maximize team productivity by removing impediments.

The servant leader makes sure the team stays on track, removes impediments and continually communicates with team members.  If the team needs to increase its budget, the servant leader’s job is to get it.  If they need more people, training or physical resources, the servant leader makes sure they have those.

Project Leadership and Communication

Effective communication is an important project leadership skill. The People Domain and the exam cover many aspects of communication.  PMI covers many aspects of project communication on the exam.  The following are some, but not all of those aspects.

There are basically four types of communication:  Formal written, formal verbal, informal written and informal verbal.  These types of communication have different information densities and are appropriate in different situations.  For example, formal written could be a report to the project sponsor or a project plan while informal verbal could be an unscheduled meeting or casual discussion.  The appropriateness of a particular type of communication will vary depending on the situation.

There are also different methods of communications such as push, interactive or pull.  Interactive is reciprocal between two parties, an exchange of information in real time.  Push is where one party conveys information to another while pull occurs where one party elicits information from another party.

In addition to the types of communication discussed above, the exam extensively covers various modes of communication and tests a student’s knowledge of them on the exam.  These are covered in the leadership chapter of the book.

Emotional Intelligence and Project Leadership

Every human being needs some level of emotional intelligence, often referred to as EQ.  People with low levels of EQ often do not function well in jobs where they have to work with other people.  Unlike IQ, EQ can be taught.

EQ is about reading people, seeing changes in their expressions, how they communicate and being able to guage their feelings.  Part of EQ is the ability to “read the room.” Other times it’s knowing when to keep your mouth shut and actually listen to people when they talk. As you can see EQ has a lot in common with communication.  It’s about active listening, reading non-verbal communications and understanding the real reason behind someone’s behavior.

For the exam, EQ is considered part of the “People Domain” and an important aspect of leadership.

Project Leadership and RMC Exam Prep

Leadership is part of the exam. From PMI’s standpoint, there is a lot to it.  It’s not just directive.

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Project Manager vs. Project Leader: Which Are You?

Two project managers at table discussing a project

As a professional in project management, you don’t only manage projects, you also lead teams. So, being able to work as both a manager and a leader can help you excel and really stand out in the workplace.

It’s worth taking some time to uncover the things that differentiate a manager from a leader. After all, some people who are leaders might not make the best managers, and vice versa. But if you’re determined to be both, you can hone your skills to manage and lead more effectively.

Take a look at the information below on managers vs. leaders to figure out which one you are, and to gain a clearer picture of what you might need to do to advance your career.

Project Managers: Experts at Planning and Executing Projects

Outstanding project managers are capable of thinking strategically and solving problems creatively. And, as a manager, you need to be able to plan ahead, while also adapting quickly to changes that might occur throughout the duration of a project.

Managers are responsible for delegating tasks and responsibilities to those on their team. So they need strong interpersonal skills and communication skills to be able to get their message across, motivate others, and provide extra guidance to those who need it.

Put simply, the top managers have what it takes to get things done right. They know how to plan and organize a project, as well as how to control every part of a project until it’s completed according to stakeholders’ expectations.

Project Leaders: Experts at Inspiring and Motivating Others

Project leaders have a vision that they want to achieve. And they know how to motivate, encourage, and inspire others so that they, too, will want to bring that vision to life.

If you want to be a standout leader, others need to view you as responsible and trustworthy. Leadership goes beyond developing a plan, delegating tasks, and coming up with creative solutions to problems that might arise.

As a leader, you also need to be a good communicator and listener who takes feedback seriously. And if you can master the art of remaining positive even when things aren’t going according to plan, you can keep the members of your team going strong as well.

Key Differences Between Project Managers and Leaders

Even though they might seek the same end result, managers and leaders tend to take different approaches when working on a project.

Managers are known for:

  • Directing and instructing their team members
  • Being driven by the tasks that need to get done in order to finish a project
  • Being more controlling and rule oriented when working with others
  • Working towards minimizing and controlling risks
  • Thinking about the short-term
  • Planning details and then telling others about them
  • Having objectives that need to be met
  • Using control and consequences to get team members to complete tasks

Leaders are known for:

  • Coaching and encouraging their team members
  • Driving their overall mission and the purpose of a project
  • Being more inspirational and innovative when working with others
  • Willingness to take risks
  • Thinking about the long run
  • Setting a direction for a project and selling others on it
  • Having a vision that needs to be fulfilled
  • Trusting others to get the job done right

So, Which One Are You? And Are You Ready to Improve?

Whether you currently identify as a project manager or a leader, you can improve your skill set or change course completely when you pursue the right education and certification in the world of project management. It’s entirely up to you to decide which classes you want to take, but know that RMC Learning Solutions is there for you at every step.

The bottom line is this: managers and leaders play integral roles in business. And they do share many of the same qualities. After all, the goal of any solid manager or leader is to work effectively with others. They both strive to complete projects on time and according to expectations, and keep stakeholders and customers happy. They just happen to employ differing methods, but one type of professional isn’t necessarily better than the other, as they both hold value.

RMC offers virtual classes, along with eLearning courses and self-study products, that can help you become a more effective manager and leader. Whether you want to become certified in project management or you want to improve your skills in leading others, there’s a class for you!

Sources:

https://www.projectmanager.com/leadership-in-project-management

https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/leadership-vs-management

https://www.resourcefulmanager.com/leaders-vs-managers/

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How to Study for the PMP Exam: Best Study Tips to Help You Prepare

Woman at her desk preparing to study for the PMP exam.

Are you thinking about taking the PMP exam? Then it’s time to consider how you’ll prepare to pass the exam. The exam can be challenging.  The test lasts about 4 hours and consists of 180 situational style questions. To view some sample questions, see our PMP exam simulation free demo. It’s essential to understand – not memorize – the exam concepts to pass the PMP.

Here we share insights and tips informed by over 30 years of preparing students to pass the PMP on their first try!

How to Study for PMP Exam in 2023

  1. Use the Right PMP Exam Prep Resources
  2. Understand the PMP Exam Content Outline
  3. Know Your Study Style
  4. Determine How Much Time You Have to Prepare
  5. Choose your PMP Exam Prep Materials
  6. Use a PMP Exam Simulator
  7. Focus on Your Knowledge Gaps
  8. Test Again

Tip 1: Use the Right PMP Exam Prep Resources

When considering professional prep resources, look at how long the company has been providing PMP training. Longevity shows a commitment to the growth of the profession and the development of project managers.  RMC has shown this commitment since Rita Mulcahy published the PMP exam prep book in 1998.

Ask other certified project managers what they used to study.  As a professional training company RMC leverages its project management knowledge to develop quality materials that are aligned to the most current topics on the test. As a quality PMP training company, RMC has a proven prep method and a variety of teaching tools that fit your learning preferences.

Beware of free materials available on the internet that claim to help you study; you need to make sure these materials are based on the most current version of PMI® PMP Examination Content Outline (PMP-ECO). These providers may have good intentions, but they probably do not have the project management training expertise or up to date with the current exam information.

Tip 2: Understand the PMP Exam Content Outline

The PMP certification is based on the PMP-ECO.  It covers the content you will need to know for the PMP exam.  It is more important than ever to read and understand the ECO because it covers the domains and introduces adaptive approaches to project management and the PMP exam.

There are many resources that you can use to learn about the topics covered on the PMP exam. The current PMP exam includes content from the PMBOK® Guide 7th edition, Process Groups: A Practice Guide, Agile Practice Guide and more. These resources can aid your exam preparation. However, you shouldn’t have to read these resources cover to cover if your training company has done it for you. RMC’s materials bring together the terminology and concepts from these key resources. We synthesize the information in a way that makes it easier to understand and prepare for the exam.

Tip 3: Know Your Study Style

Begin by asking yourself if you prefer to study on your own or with others?  Do you like to create your own study plan and schedule, or would you prefer a guided approach? Do you learn best reading written materials, listening, and engaging in discussion, or working hands-on using case studies and exercises? Answering these questions will inform your PMP exam study timeline and influence how you choose to prepare.

Tip 4. Determine How Much Time You Have to Prepare

How long you have to study will depend on when you can schedule the PMP exam. If you only have a short period of time, consider an instructor-led class or an on demand, self-paced course.  Both options teach you everything you need to pass the exam. They usually include an exam simulation and other tools to enhance your learning.

Instructor-led courses are typically taught over consecutive days and students are expected to study up to 40 hours after class.  RMC’s Instructor-led classes offers a pass guarantee.   A self-paced eLearning course allows you to study at your own pace.

If you have several months to get ready, an on-demand PMP course or self-study materials are great options.  If you don’t have that much time to get ready, an instructor led course might be a better solution for you.

Tip 5: Choose your PMP Exam Prep Materials

An in-person class or eLearning course, usually includes an exam prep book with purchase. RMC recommends when you read the prep book for the first time you complete all the exercises in each chapter.

After you have read through your PMP exam prep book once or completed your prep course, you consider joining a study group. Working in a small group of no more than 3 to 4 individuals will shorten your study time and make studying more effective. You can find a study group through your local PMI chapter. Facebook and LinkedIn also have ways to connect with study groups.

Finally, consider supplementing your study options with practice tests and flashcards.  We go into further detail later, but as you think about your plan, know that both are invaluable tools that allow you to interact with the exam material in different ways.

Tip 6: Use a PMP Exam Simulator

When you are comfortable with the test material, it’s time to take a full exam simulation using an exam software, like PM FASTrack® Cloud.  Simulated exams allow you to get comfortable with the question types and exam timing.

We recommend using a PMP exam simulator with a large database of questions to experience a variety of question types. This step will provide you with a baseline against which you can track your progress.  You’ll quickly discover what you know and where you need to study more.

Review each question you got wrong in the exam simulation. Write down the specific reason for each wrong answer, creating a list. Assess why the correct choice is correct and why the other answers are wrong. Again, look for trends in your understanding and add problem areas to the list. Refer to the chapters in your prep book to fill in your knowledge gaps and correct any errors.  This is an excellent time to take targeted exam simulations by specific topics to fill your gaps.

Skim the sections or chapters on which you did well to keep those fresh in your mind. If you are using flashcards, remove the concepts you understand so you are singularly focused on your knowledge gaps. RMC’s PMP exam prep flashcards include this filtering option.

Tip 7: Focus on Your Knowledge Gaps

A good PMP exam simulator will analyze your performance and help you identify where you need to concentrate your studies.

As part of your process, build in time to work on your knowledge gaps.

Tip 8: Test Again

Limit yourself to no more than two full PMP exam simulations before you take the actual exam. Don’t fall into the trap of memorizing versus understanding the answers.

If you don’t score over 70 percent the first time you take a full exam simulation, you need to identify your knowledge gaps and study those before taking another simulated exam.   Once you score over 75 percent, you should be ready to take the real exam.  Continue to use your list, flashcards, and other helpful materials to retain what you have learned leading up to the test.

Use These Study Tips to Help You Prepare

It all really boils down to time, resources, support, and practice. Set aside the time required to tackle the topics covered on the PMP exam and use the highest quality resources, such as RMC Exam Prep products.

Lastly, here are some things to consider about meeting the PMP requirements and details about the exam itself. If you have additional questions about the exam, consider attending one of RMC’s free webinars called Taking the PMP Exam: What you need to know.

Good luck!

Sources:

https://www.ais-cpa.com/how-to-increase-pmp-exam-score-and-pass-pmp-exam/

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Satisfying Stakeholders with Agile Requirements

People in stakeholder meeting about agile requirements

Traditional approaches to detailed requirements documents are being modified to accommodate faster, more lightweight communication methods. Business analysts must adjust their work styles and deliverables to fit into project development life cycles and methods.

As part of the process, it is important to understand if agile requirements differ from plan-driven requirements.  It’s also good to know if a mind shift is required to develop successful requirements.

Agile Requirements

  1. How Do Agile and Traditional Requirements Differ?
  2. Shift in Mindset for Agile Requirements
  3. Tips for Creating Successful Agile Requirements

How Do Agile and Traditional Requirements Differ?

Agile requirements are not as different as you would expect. In a traditional environment, BA’s create detailed requirements.  In an agile environment, the documentation becomes a lot less important.  Most of the tools and analysis techniques that BAs have in their tool kit are still valuable and applicable in agile.  In fact, having an assortment of different tools to analyze is powerful.

As analysts, it is important to be aware of how a product or service will be used. You must also know the environment the product is expected to function in. This understanding comes from doing the analysis. You can still use techniques like swim lanes, workflow documents and process models to define the value.  The difference with agile is those insights can be documented at a high level using general sketches or holding a workshop to define information on a whiteboard. The requirements documentation must be sufficient to create a shared understanding for team.

Shift in Mindset for Agile Requirements

In agile you still document your requirements, but you may document them differently using post it notes on a wall, or on a flip chart with a picture of the flip chart to share with others not in the room. In other words, think about the way you document requirements in more creative ways.  You want to retain the analytical and thinking processes, including elicitation, and collaboration.   Importantly, it is not about NO documentation, it’s about AVOIDING overly detailed documentation.

If you get push back on the level of documentation within your organization, consider asking questions as to why documentation is needed to ensure what you are producing serves the needs of the company and the project. This will help organizations let go of old habits and intentionally reduce the rigor in the requirements to bring value to the organization.

Tips for Creating Successful Agile Requirements

Here are some helpful tips to try as you document agile requirements.

  1. Agile requirements don’t need to be perfect

The key to success is agile requirements and documentation should be barely sufficient.   Your requirements do not need to be perfect.  Do just enough to meet the need and create a shared understanding.  Force yourself to let go of perfectionism when it doesn’t add sufficient value. Remind yourself as you work, is this the best use of your time.  It will help you step back and evaluate key tasks and outputs to deliver value.

  1. Understand the timing

In an agile environment, how do you deal with completed requirements at the last responsible moment?  This doesn’t mean procrastinate. What it really means is, if you define some things too early in the process, the requirements will have to change, requiring unnecessary rework.

For example, if you create detailed models of what the product will look like before you know exactly where each feature is going to fall in the release plan, you may have designed something that isn’t needed until the last release if ever. In that time, some elements will have likely changed. The idea of letting things fall into place at the last responsible moment is a great time saver.  In the meantime, you can still be creating smaller increments of value that the team can consume. Knowing what can benefit from waiting allows you to learn along the way and gain more information and perspective.

  1. Define a process to document ideas

Have an organization system for future ideas.  It’s an excellent way to capture a thought that might not be ready to explore and develop.  If you have documented the idea or an important finding at the time, you can come back to it when it may be more appropriate or beneficial.  The other benefit is that you won’t have to start from scratch. One way to keep track of these ideas is to write them down on a future date in your calendar to keep the idea of top of mind.

  1. Balancing the high level and the details

Knowing when to focus on the high level and when to get into the details is a constant challenge of a business analyst.  When working on an agile project, in the early stages when you are doing product visioning, you need to focus on a high level.

However, there are times when a topic will come up and you must let the team talk at a detailed level to make sure everyone is understanding the vision and goals in the same way.  An idea may surface, and the team needs to go deeper into the details to determine it if the idea should be a part of the vision.

Over the course of a project, you will cycle through guiding the team through the details and then back to the high level to align with the larger project vision and objectives.  Don’t be afraid to go deep when the team needs to so that everyone feels comfortable there is a plan that will work and a shared understanding of the product or service features.

  1. Be nimble

In agile projects, analysis requires you to define work slightly ahead of the development team.  You need to be able to continuously get more detail about the business needs and desired requirements.  At the same time as you are working ahead, you need to be able to respond to a change in the current iteration to help the development team adjust and prioritize.

Developing agile requirements means you have to be open and nimble to keep the present iteration moving while planning for the next set of work.

Still Interested in Developing Effective Requirements?

To help you adjust your analysis practices to a more agile style, RMC offers a case study-based course teaching professionals working on agile teams to develop effective agile requirements.

Contact us about this two-day, virtual session to learn how you can become nimbler while continuing to satisfy stakeholder needs on your next project.

You can also listen to my podcast with Dave Saboe.

Sources:https://www.batimes.com/articles/agile-requirements-documentation-what-s-really-needed

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How to Choose a Project Management Methodology?

Close up of two business people talking about project management methodologies

While attending an Agile conference, I heard a lot of discussion about the types of project management methodology from pure agile teams, waterfall teams, and a combination of the two. Several presenters stressed the importance of being a 100% dedicated agile team. They stated that the only way to be successful is to make sure your team or company follows the Scrum/Kanban/XP/etc. methodology in its purest form. Other presenters called out these statements as false and went on to discuss numerous examples of blended approaches that have worked at their company or with their clients.

How can an organization trying to understand agile figure out the best approach when so many experts in the field have different opinions?

Best Project Management Methodologies

  1. Project Structure
  2. What About a Blended Approach?
  3. Benefits of an Adaptive Approach
  4. Choose the Methodology that Works Best for your Organization
  5. Sharpen Your Agile and Hybrid Skills Sets

Project Structure

If we, as an organization, want our projects to be more successful in our customers’ eyes, we need to start asking the right questions.  How do we create a project structure that works for our current environment, team, and clientele? Is this a product we need to get to market faster? How can we get our stakeholders/customers more involved? What really defines success?

In today’s environment, many organizations are trying to figure out how to be more “agile” or adaptable. Many organizations are transitioning to the agile approach, kicking off agile pilots, and having great success. Wonderful! But just as many are failing. This is why I’m suggesting that we need to ask the right questions to determine what will be successful within our organizations. What really is the best approach for our environment, on a particular product or project?

What About a Blended Agile Approach?

It is possible to blend agile and traditional project management practices together in the right proportions to fit your project and environment. Blending some of the structure of traditional project management with the fluidity of agile can be quite liberating. I have seen this type of approach work in organizations where there’s resistance to agile among the leaders and mid-management. Leadership support is key when making any type of organizational transition.

Change is very scary to many individuals. It is easier for leaders to buy in to agile practices when the project team is asking, not to throw out all the current processes (which usually have been in place for ten or more years), but to blend the approaches in a way that means more value, quicker release to market, and more satisfied customers and employees.

Benefits of an Adaptive Approach

If you are interested in taking more of an iterative and adaptive approach to project management, consider the following key points:

  • Collaborate daily with your key stakeholders.  Communication is critical. Consistent collaboration with your key stakeholders can only make your project more successful. Increased visibility is never a bad thing, and it enhances your ability to succeed on the next three items.
  • Emphasize maximizing business value. How can we get to the market more quickly with a minimal viable product?
  • Reduce unnecessary documentation. Using an agile approach does not mean there’s no documentation, but there is less documentation than in traditional project management. Figure out what level of documentation is necessary to ensure your leaders, team members, and customers feel comfortable.
  • Be more adaptive to change. Customers tell us they know what they want, but they discover what they want when they experience it. Using an iterative approach makes us more adaptive to change requests, but also allows the customer to experience the product as the team is building it.

Choose the Methodology That Works for Your Organization

In conclusion, with proper planning, coaching, and training, organizations can choose a project management methodology that works best for their project teams, customers, and environment. At the conference, most presenters really stressed the importance of working with a qualified agile coach to help assess your organization’s maturity and determine the best approach for your project and environment. Waterfall, agile, and blended approaches all work!

Planning, coaching, and training for any type of project transition are the key to success with any methodology. We all need to drop our preconceived notions that one particular methodology is better than another. Find the one that will make your team and project more viable, productive, and collaborative.

Sharpen Your Agile and Hybrid Skill Set

Regardless of methodology, having a comprehensive understanding of agile and predictive approaches allows you to adapt based upon the project and your business environment.

If you want to run more projects using agile practices or a hybrid approach, RMC has options for you to discover.  RMC has many offerings including our Agile Fundamentals book, available in hard copy or in an online subscription format.  RMC also offers a self-directed Agile Fundamentals eLearning Course that teaches agile project development, practices, tools, and techniques. Our Hybrid Agile eLearning course teaches you what you need to know to combine predictive and agile approaches.

Sources:

https://www.teamwork.com/project-management-guide/project-management-methodologies/[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

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Project Vision and Mission

Two Business colleagues standing around table discussing

Project managers are expected lead, engage, and empower their teams and stakeholders toward outcomes that deliver value to the organization and your customers. Defining a clear project vision and mission for the project gives direction and meaning to the team to deliver the project goals. This leads to greater accountability for the” why” and “how” of the project.

Establishing the mission and vision is key, whether you are executing a predictive or agile project or using a hybrid approach. Let’s define what’s in a vision and mission statement and how to craft one of your own.

Vision and Mission for Projects

  1. What is a Vision and Mission for Projects?
  2. Why is the Project Vision and Mission Important?
  3. Connecting Work and Achievement
  4. How Do You Create a Vision and Mission Statement?

What is a Vision and Mission for Projects?

Project Vision Statement – The Why Project Mission Statement – The What and The How
  • Communicates where the organization or customer want or need to be at the end of a project.
  • The vision helps state the expected benefits and the future state where the benefits will be realized.
  • Defines the problem we are trying to solve or the goal we wish to achieve. It includes the purpose, focus and the objectives for what we are trying to do.
  • The mission describes how the team will work to deliver the product, service, or result.  It focuses on the approach to achieve the objectives.

Why is the Project Vision and Mission Important?

The vision empowers the project team by answering “why.”  Team members are tired of just executing without a sense of the bigger picture.  They want to be a part of the solution, making a difference through their contributions.  Vision gives direction and meaning to the work.  It helps fosters growth and engagement in the effort.  It lends focus to the project and can lead to better ideas and fewer fire drills.

The mission confirms the benefits and value of the project. It answers the “what” and “how” question. The mission helps motivate your team to move forward, allowing each team member to own their work and decisions to support the common goal.  It provides the basis for performance metrics and evaluation. When the team understands the direction, it informs their analysis and decision-making. Mission also establishes a framework for work behaviors and responsibilities.

Connecting Work and Achievement

The communication of the project vision and mission is an ongoing part of the plan. The vision and mission need to be shared with project stakeholders. Regularly refer to them in meetings and other communications to maintain alignment and identify possible misunderstanding.  Link them to efforts, deliverables, and milestones through the project. Use them to inspire and motivate the team.

How Do You Create a Vision and Mission Statement for a Project?

Prepare the Team:

Set the stage by preparing them for what will happen and its value. The investment in the team’s knowledge inspires their commitment.

  • Define what the team will be doing, why and when?
  • Communicate how the vision and mission statements will be used.
  • What are known project objectives.
  • Prepare for resistance.
  • Understand the needs and of introverts and extroverts.

Create the Project Vision Statement:

Describe the desired future state of the project. It answers the “why” question. Your vision statement can be written out or it can be mapped out to give the team guidance and direction. Include the following key elements:

  • What are the final project goals? What are you trying to achieve through the project?
  • List examples in broad terms of what the future will look like. Ask what is the greater good you are trying to solve for? What is the need?
  • What are you organizing your efforts to change?
  • Imagine the risks if the project is unsuccessful.
  • Describe each example in terms of “I wish” or “Wouldn’t it be great if?”
  • Refine the statements that should stay in the vision.
  • Imagine it as reality and capture the data for strategy development.

Develop the Project Mission Statement:

Your vision needs a strategy! You need a summary of the purpose, the focus, and the aim that we are trying to achieve today. The mission statement answers the following:

  • What is the project?
  • Who are we doing this for?
  • What are the objectives?
  • What does it take to reach the objectives?

Review for the Mission for Changes:

The mission is likely to go through some changes during the project. Schedule a periodic evaluation informed by the following questions:

  • Do our efforts align with the vision and mission? (Are we off-track)
  • Do we still have a shared vision?
  • What have we learned?
  • What should be adjusted?

Learn More on this Topic

Developing a project vision and mission is a worthwhile exercise for project leaders.  Taking the time to do so can positively impact your team’s understanding of what you are trying to achieve and how the team will work to solve the need.  If you want to learn more about mission and vision, RMC offers a Strategic Business Management Best Practices eLearning course.  This course is worth a total of 33 PDUs (2 Technical, 4 Leadership and 27 Strategic).  We also cover this topic extensively in Rita’s PMP Exam Prep book which is a great project management reference guide

You can also listen to our webinar Empowering Your Project Team with Vision and Mission and earn 1 Free PDU.

Sources:

Current PMP Exam Content Outline

https://www.lytho.com/blog/the-case-for-a-project-mission-statement

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Communications Management Plan in Project Management

Communication in business and in project management can be difficult, especially when you’re collaborating with virtual teams or working on global projects, but clear communication is a critical component to a project’s success.

Did you know that a project manager spends 90% of his or her time communicating? Indeed, most problems on projects relate, to some degree, to issues surrounding communications. Yet, our studies show that communication issues are the most preventable problems on projects.

What’s the secret to good communication? Communications must be planned, managed, and continuously monitored throughout the life of a project. This requires the development of a project management communication plan.

Project Management Communications Plan

  1. What is a Project Management Communications Plan?
  2. Create a Project Management Communications Plan
  3. Ideas to Consider in Your Communications Plan
  4. Set Your Plan In Motion

What Is a Project Management Communications Plan?

The Communications Plan is an easy tool to create that you can use to improve communications with everyone on your team, as well as with clients and stakeholders. It outlines the methods used to deliver important information relating to you’re working your project, from start to finish.

  • The goal of a project management communication plan is to establish guidelines that everyone who’s involved in the project will follow to share information with others.
  • A communication plan defines how often information will be shared, who will be responsible for sharing it and details on how information is to be delivered.
  • It’s best to create a new project management communications plan for each project you start. That’s because every project is unique, with its own timeline, deliverables, team, and budget, so the same communication plan won’t work on all projects.

Create a Project Management Communications Plan

A good project management communication plan, starts with stakeholder management. This includes the identification of stakeholders, their requirements and expectations.

You’ll also use the project management scope statement and the WBS (work breakdown structure) that have been created as part of the project. As you create your plan, ask questions like the following so you can move in the right direction:

  • Would it be better to communicate the information more formally in an email or a phone call?
  • Is this an issue that is best discussed in person or virtually?
  • Is the communication important enough to call a meeting, or is it fine to simply create a report?
  • How quickly and how often does the information need to be communicated?

A key aspect of planning communications is determining the optimal technology for communicating information. Agile emphasizes more face-to-face communication while more formal written communications are necessary when utilizing a predictive approach.

Ideas to Consider in Your Communication Plan

Communications should be efficient (providing only the information needed), effective (providing information in the right format at the right time) and add value to the project. When creating a project management communications plan, here are some questions to consider:

  • What needs to be communicated, and why?
  • What information do stakeholders need and when?
  • What is the best method for communicating: What reporting format does the sponsor require? What reporting format do you want from the project team? Who is responsible for sending information? You’ll also want to consider when and how often should information be sent?
  • How will you clearly delineate project roles and responsibilities?
  • What methods should the team use to bring problems or issues to your attention?
  • Where does the project fit into the organizational initiatives, portfolio, and programs?
  • How to communicate changes
  • How will factors such as location, culture, security, privacy, and language impact project communications?

Consider project risks, status, the project charter, stakeholder expectations, the project management plan, and WBS. And don’t forget to also consider problems, changes, and updates to components of the project management plan, as well as upcoming work and delays.

Set Your Plan in Motion

Remember that, in project management, good communication must be planned into the project and managed throughout. The methods and frequency of communication must meet the needs of your stakeholders.

In the end, what your plan looks like will depend on the needs of the project itself, as well as the people involved. Writing down your project management communications plan is wise, it can serve as a valuable reference throughout your project. The best part is that it doesn’t need to be too formal either, yet it will certainly help you and your team succeed.

All of these elements can be found in much more detail in Rita Mulcahy’s PMP® Exam Prep book, so definitely check it out if you want to learn more.

Sources:
A white paper by RMC Learning Solutions, “6 Essential Elements to Effective Project Management.”
https://www.teamgantt.com/blog/project-management-communication-plan

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Six Tips for Planning Your Project Communications

Two coworkers planning their project communications plan on their computer

Having a well-thought-out and documented plan at the beginning of a project is important. The plan can often mean the difference between success and failure. As a project manager, you need to care about project communication. Too often project managers (PMs) approach their projects without planning communications. They may focus all their efforts on issuing status reports. Status reports are important. Unfortunately, all they do is describe where your project currently stands. Status reports don’t address the communication needs of the project from beginning to end. Given how crucial communication is to the project and project team, a failure to plan can lead to misunderstandings, rework, and other problems.

Planning communication on the project doesn’t have to be elaborate, but it does require some thought. You need to consider all the exchanges of information required of you and everyone involved on the project. Doing so will keep the project deadline on track. A plan can help you prepare for any obstacles the project encounters along the way. Such planning will guide you and the team in creating information that is clear and understandable. It will help you reach the right people and allow stakeholders to act when necessary.  Here are six ways to consider as you plan your project.

Six Communication Planning Tips

  1. Think How to Communicate: Think through the different types and methods available.  Make sure you choose the best approach for each item that needs to be communicated. Information can be communicated in different ways—formally or informally, written or verbal—and through a variety of methods. It’s important to consider what approach to use for the different information exchange needs of the project.
  1. Analyze Stakeholders’ Communication Requirement: Keep in mind the phrase “to each their own.” Ask your stakeholders how they prefer to give and receive information. Try to follow their preferences within reason. As the PM, you will likely need to communicate to individuals on your team using several different methods. Although this may mean extra work, it can be worth the effort if it prevents problems. Miscommunication can be avoided by asking a simple question like, “How would you like me to pass this information to you?”
  1. Consider the Company Culture and Existing Systems: You also need to take the company’s culture and expectations into consideration when planning project communications. If people in the organization are resistant to technology, for example, that will impact your thinking about what types of tools or software to include on the project. Similarly, the company may already have existing systems and programs in place. You’ll want to make use of for communicating.
  1. Refer to Lessons Learned from Past Projects: There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, draw on existing procedures, issues, and lessons learned from past projects. Assessments of what has and has not worked in the past can be a great help for planning.
  1. Take Advantage of Available Technology: Modern collaboration tools such as Trello and others can help keep project communication and the team organized. Such tools help the team track progress on deliverables. They allow the team to communicate about the schedule and other project concerns. These might document deadlines, ownership of tasks, updates, and the time required to complete tasks.
  1. Follow the Plan: Make sure everyone knows about the plan and how important it is to the project. Then, follow the plan in your own approach. Constantly refer the team back to the plan until the habit becomes ingrained.

RMC is Here to Help

You can’t plan for everything, and many unique situations will surface throughout your projects that you may not have anticipated. But planning and documenting in advance how you’ll communicate on a project—including how you’ll communicate around these unexpected situations—will help your projects run more smoothly.  Whether you are a new or experienced project manager, project communications can be a struggle.   If these tips aren’t enough, check out RMC’s Project Communication and Stakeholder Engagement eLearning course.

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PMP Exam Tool: Master Rita Mulcahy’s Process Chart

Image of Rita Mulcahy's Process Chart game

If you are preparing for the Project Management Professional exam, having a proven PMP Exam tool to support the learning process is key.  One such tool is Rita Mulcahy’s Process Chart game. Rita’s game is an important tool to learn the project management process in more detail, quickly and effectively.  It helps you understand what should be done when.

PMP Exam – Rita Mulcahy’s Process Chart Game

  1. An Introduction to Rita’s Process Chart
  2. The Process Domain and the PMP Exam
  3. What You Need to Understand to Pass the PMP
  4. Study for the PMP® Using Rita’s Process Chart Game
  5. Prepare for the PMP

An Introduction to Rita Mulcahy’s Process Chart

When students discover Rita’s process chart game, they often ask, “Which parts should I memorize?” It’s a simple question, right? Unfortunately, the answer isn’t so straightforward. It’s more than just memorizing―it’s realizing that to pass the exam, you need to thoroughly understand each process.

Let’s start with some basics. Understanding the overall process of project management is integral to learning the terms and concepts for the exam.

PMI® has defined five process groups in Project Management. Rita’s Process Chart is our interpretation of those groups and the associated actions that result in unique outputs attributed to each process.

Rita’s process chart game is not intended to map to other management resources. Its function is to state the efforts involved in management a project.   The game helps you learn the five process groups of Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling and Closing.

The Process Domain and the PMP Exam

Prior to January 2020, the PMP exam was generally focused on planned project management.  Planned project management revolves around five process groups and nine knowledge areas.  This is still the case; however, after January 2020, the PMP exam dramatically changed.

Now the exam is organized around three Domains. These are People, Process and Business Environment.  Planned project management is part of the Process Domain along with agile and hybrid project management methodologies.  Process represents 50% of the exam content.

Planned project management remains an important part of the Process Domain.  For this reason, you still need to understand planned aspects of project management to pass the exam and why Rita’s Process Chart Game is an important tool for passing.

What You Need to Understand to Pass the PMP

The PMP exam may ask questions that present a situation which requires you to which process group the project is in.  Rita’s process chart game lays out what specific actions are in each process group and why these actions occur.  There is no specific order for the activities in most of the process groups.  The exception is the planning process group which has a set order of actions.

Rita’s Process Chart game will solidify your understanding of the overall project management process and help you identify and focus on gaps in your knowledge.

Study for the PMP® Using Rita Mulcahy’s Process Chart Game

A typical exam question will only give you some of the information. For example: “You’ve just gained acceptance of interim deliverables from the customer.” Because you’ve done some memorization, you’ll know this action occurs in the Monitor and Control process group.

Now you know where you are within the process but that’s only half the battle. The question then asks, “What should happen next?” The exam is testing your knowledge of the process and outputs associated with the action. In this example, the process is Validate Scope, and the outputs are: work performance information, accepted deliverables, change requests, and project documents updates.

If you understand the actions associated within a process, and what process groups they primarily align with, then you can use logic to quickly analyze and select the best answer.

If you know where you are in the process and understand why processes, actions, and outputs occur you’ll be better prepared to pass the exam.

Prepare for PMP Exam

The process groups are key to planned-driven project management. Rita understood this which is why she created the process chart game to help break down each element to help you more quickly learn the process groups and actions.