10 steps to a project disaster

Ten Steps1010To A

Project Disaster

Resource your

projects with only

your favorite people.

Resource your

projects with only

your favorite people.

1“Shiny, happy people…”

Unqualified

Overbooked

First-Timer

Yakky

OddlyRound

Resource your

projects with only

your favorite people.

Resource your

projects with only

your favorite people.

1“Shiny, happy people…”

Unqualified

Overbooked

First-Timer

Yakky

OddlyRound

Keep that sales

pipeline well-

hidden.

Keep that sales

pipeline well-

hidden.

2

Where

there’s

smoke…

Keep that sales

pipeline well-

hidden.

Keep that sales

pipeline well-

hidden.

2

Where

there’s

smoke…

“Time keeps on slippin’ slippin’…

The Steve Miller Band had it right: Collect hours if & when the team feels like

posting them…

The Steve Miller Band had it right: Collect hours if & when the team feels like

posting them…

3

…Into the future.”

“Time keeps on slippin’ slippin’…

The Steve Miller Band had it right: Collect hours if & when the team feels like

posting them…

The Steve Miller Band had it right: Collect hours if & when the team feels like

posting them…

3

…Into the future.”

Post time. Anywhere.

Someone will pay.

Post time. Anywhere.

Someone will pay.

4Who cares if it’s posted to

the wrong client, task or

project?

Post time. Anywhere.

Someone will pay.

Post time. Anywhere.

Someone will pay.

4Who cares if it’s posted to

the wrong client, task or

project?

So lump everything on that invoice, and don’t bother breaking

it out.

So lump everything on that invoice, and don’t bother breaking

it out.

5

Clients trust YOU more

than anyone else.

So lump everything on that invoice, and don’t bother breaking

it out.

So lump everything on that invoice, and don’t bother breaking

it out.

5

Clients trust YOU more

than anyone else.

Never seek or review

any periodic status

reports– wait until the

project ends, and the

books close.

Never seek or review

any periodic status

reports– wait until the

project ends, and the

books close.

6Don’t know.

And pretend you never knew. (Hey, it works in Congress.)

?

Never seek or review

any periodic status

reports– wait until the

project ends, and the

books close.

Never seek or review

any periodic status

reports– wait until the

project ends, and the

books close.

6Don’t know.

And pretend you never knew. (Hey, it works in Congress.)

?

So always act like it’s

your first project–

ignore any history

that guides scope, best

practices, or lessons

learned from past work.

So always act like it’s

your first project–

ignore any history

that guides scope, best

practices, or lessons

learned from past work.

7

You always remember your first.

So always act like it’s

your first project–

ignore any history

that guides scope, best

practices, or lessons

learned from past work.

So always act like it’s

your first project–

ignore any history

that guides scope, best

practices, or lessons

learned from past work.

7

You always remember your first.

You can’t get arrested for

speeding...

On a road with no posted

speed limit.

You can’t get arrested for

speeding...

On a road with no posted

speed limit.

So hide

expectations like

utilization, margin or

billable rate.

So hide

expectations like

utilization, margin or

billable rate.

8

You can’t get arrested for

speeding...

On a road with no posted

speed limit.

So hide

expectations like

utilization, margin or

billable rate.

So hide

expectations like

utilization, margin or

billable rate.

8

Ignore any means to

calculate current

workload or future

capacity.

Ignore any means to

calculate current

workload or future

capacity.

9 only so many

hours in aday…

There are

Ignore any means to

calculate current

workload or future

capacity.

Ignore any means to

calculate current

workload or future

capacity.

9 only so many

hours in aday…

There are

work your people endlessly.

…So many, in fact, that you can

Pull him on the Allan Parsons project!

Pull him on the Allan Parsons project!

Ignore any means to

calculate current

workload or future

capacity.

Ignore any means to

calculate current

workload or future

capacity.

9 only so many

hours in aday…

There are

work your people endlessly.

…So many, in fact, that you can

Pull him on the Allan Parsons project!

Pull him on the Allan Parsons project!

So spend lots of time

on it– at the expense

of “real work”– and

then bill them.

So spend lots of time

on it– at the expense

of “real work”– and

then bill them.

10“Valueless admin work”– like planning, staffing, or

invoicing…

–is work that clients

value less.

Useful

Work

Scope

Bill

Plan

LostTime

Sta

ff

So spend lots of time

on it– at the expense

of “real work”– and

then bill them.

So spend lots of time

on it– at the expense

of “real work”– and

then bill them.

10“Valueless admin work”– like planning, staffing, or

invoicing…

–is work that clients

value less.

Useful

Work

Scope

Bill

Plan

LostTime

Sta

ff

InConclusion

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.1

Not This!! This Instead

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.

Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.

1

2

Not This!! This Instead

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.

Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.

Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.

1

2

3

Not This!! This Instead

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.

Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.

Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.

Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.

Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.

1

2

3

4

Not This!! This Instead

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.

Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.

Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.

Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.

Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.

1

2

3

4

5

Not This!! This Instead

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.

Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.

Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.

Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.

Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.

Consider dashboards and scheduled

reports with current project status.Consider dashboards and scheduled

reports with current project status.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Not This!! This Instead

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Ignore history when scoping new work.Ignore history when scoping new work.

Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.

Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.

Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.

Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.

Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.

Consider dashboards and scheduled

reports with current project status.Consider dashboards and scheduled

reports with current project status.

Put access to past client work & the

results at everyone’s fingertips.Put access to past client work & the

results at everyone’s fingertips.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Not This!! This Instead

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Ignore history when scoping new work.Ignore history when scoping new work.

Keep performance targets unknown &

current status unclear.Keep performance targets unknown &

current status unclear.

Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.

Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.

Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.

Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.

Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.

Consider dashboards and scheduled

reports with current project status.Consider dashboards and scheduled

reports with current project status.

Put access to past client work & the

results at everyone’s fingertips.Put access to past client work & the

results at everyone’s fingertips.

Publish firm-wide, job-specific, or

individual targets accessible to all.Publish firm-wide, job-specific, or

individual targets accessible to all.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Not This!! This Instead

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Ignore history when scoping new work.Ignore history when scoping new work.

Keep performance targets unknown &

current status unclear.Keep performance targets unknown &

current status unclear.

Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.

Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.

Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.

Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.

Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.

Consider dashboards and scheduled

reports with current project status.Consider dashboards and scheduled

reports with current project status.

Put access to past client work & the

results at everyone’s fingertips.Put access to past client work & the

results at everyone’s fingertips.

Publish firm-wide, job-specific, or

individual targets accessible to all.Publish firm-wide, job-specific, or

individual targets accessible to all.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Not This!! This Instead

View resources interchangeably and

don’t forecast future capacity.View resources interchangeably and

don’t forecast future capacity.See current capacity in real time

against WIP & future “soft” bookingsSee current capacity in real time

against WIP & future “soft” bookings

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Ignore history when scoping new work.Ignore history when scoping new work.

Keep performance targets unknown &

current status unclear.Keep performance targets unknown &

current status unclear.

Spend costly administrative time at

the expense of billable work.Spend costly administrative time at

the expense of billable work.

Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.Disciplined resource planning brings

balance and fairness.

Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.Offer a wide view of the current

forecast through a shared CRM tool.

Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.Enforce disciplined time-capture with

prompts, alerts, & mobile access.

Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.Ensure time can be posted only to the

proper client, job, and task.

Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.Offer numerous billing options &

formats per client preferences.

Consider dashboards and scheduled

reports with current project status.Consider dashboards and scheduled

reports with current project status.

Put access to past client work & the

results at everyone’s fingertips.Put access to past client work & the

results at everyone’s fingertips.

Publish firm-wide, job-specific, or

individual targets accessible to all.Publish firm-wide, job-specific, or

individual targets accessible to all.

Streamline administrative process with

modern, automated workflow.Streamline administrative process with

modern, automated workflow.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

10

9

Not This!! This Instead

View resources interchangeably and

don’t forecast future capacity.View resources interchangeably and

don’t forecast future capacity.See current capacity in real time

against WIP & future “soft” bookingsSee current capacity in real time

against WIP & future “soft” bookings

Seeing any of these in

your organization?

Why not call on us at

Proven solutions.

Years of experience.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

10

9

Not This!! This Instead

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Ignore history when scoping new work.Ignore history when scoping new work.

Keep performance targets unknown &

current status unclear.Keep performance targets unknown &

current status unclear.

Spend costly administrative time at

the expense of billable work.Spend costly administrative time at

the expense of billable work.

View resources interchangeably and

don’t forecast future capacity.View resources interchangeably and

don’t forecast future capacity.

Seeing any of these in

your organization?

Why not call on us at

Proven solutions.

Years of experience.

Helping professional

services organizations

get better results from

their people, their work,

and their time.

www.deltek.com

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

10

9

Not This!! This Instead

Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.Ignore skills- staff projects with your

favorite people.

Don’t share the sales pipeline.Don’t share the sales pipeline.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t regularly (or promptly) capture time.

Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.Don’t have a structured process for

time registration.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Offer lump-sum invoices- no task-level detail.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Don’t seek or review any status reports.

Ignore history when scoping new work.Ignore history when scoping new work.

Keep performance targets unknown &

current status unclear.Keep performance targets unknown &

current status unclear.

Spend costly administrative time at

the expense of billable work.Spend costly administrative time at

the expense of billable work.

View resources interchangeably and

don’t forecast future capacity.View resources interchangeably and

don’t forecast future capacity.