© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015
www.avrassociates.com 1
Failure Proofing Projects
Northern Utah Chapter
Professional Development
Conference
May 13, 2015
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 2
Instructor Profile: Dave Dirks Experience:
AVR Associates, Ltd., • Principal
Xerox • Executive Consultant/Program Manager
Quanterra • CIO/VP IT
Corning Glass Works • Manager IT Planning and Technology
Assessment
• Manager End User Service
• CIM; Manager Engineering and
Manufacturing Info Systems
• Machine Shop: Automation Manager
Education: • BA Political Science
• BA Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Contact Information:
• 303-520-3342
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 3
WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
• Discuss how to recognize signs of possible
Project Failure
• Review and discuss some tools and
techniques that help “Failure Proof”
projects
• Internalize behaviors, tools and
techniques which lead to success.
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 13
Assumptions
• The goal of this discussion is NOT the
PMBOK. This is about what it really takes
to manage a project.
• EVERYONE has failed to some degree.
Fault is not the issue. What you have
learned is the issue.
• Discussion and sharing will make this a
much better workshop.
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 14
QUESTION
• How many of you have been involved with
very successful projects?
• How many of you have been involved in
an unsuccessful project?
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 15
FAILURE PROOFING PROJECTS
Hypothesis:
• Project Failure is a choice
• More specifically, it is the result of a series of choices related to:
– Organizational commitment
– Allocation of the correct/adequate resources
– The creation of an environment of open, honest dialog and fact based decision making
– A commitment to do the right thing
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 16
FAILURE PROOFING PROJECTS
• If you agree with the hypothesis, where
does the responsibility lie?
– Management
– Project Managers
– Everyone
• If you don’t agree with the hypothesis,
why do projects fail?
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 17
COST OF FAILURE
• Funding
– In a 15% margin business, to generate $1,000,000 for
a project requires $6,666,666 in sales
• Other Costs???
• Is there value in failure?
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 18
IMPACTS OF FAILURE
• Lost opportunity
• Lost money
• Diminished reputation of Project Manager
• Diminished reputation of Company -
Organizaton
• Lowered willingness to take chances
• Potential business failure
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 20
KEY TO SUCCESS
SIGNIFICANT
Individual Programs
Sufficient
Integrated Approach
Manage by Fact
Lean-Six Sigma
Management of Change
Project Management
Portfolio
Management
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 21
PROJECT MANAGEMENT AREAS OF
FOCUS • Project Management
– Discipline
– Methodology
– Support
• Manage by Fact: y = f(x)
• Portfolio Management
– Concentrate resources
– Focus on needs of the business
• Management of Change
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 22
MANAGE BY FACT
• Lean, Six Sigma
• Insisting on proof rather than “legend and
lore”
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 24
THE ANALYTICAL SPECTRUM
Analytical Spectrum
Data & Statistics
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 25
THE ANALYTICAL SPECTRUM
Analytical Spectrum
Data ‘ish Data & Statistics
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 26
THE ANALYTICAL SPECTRUM
Analytical Spectrum
Nuh-uh Data ‘ish Data & Statistics
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 27
THE ANALYTICAL SPECTRUM
• The power of unjustified certainty
• The quality of the argument
• Where do you go when you have no data?
• The goal is to become “reality driven”
Analytical Spectrum
Nuh-uh Data ‘ish Data & Statistics
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 28
DATA & STATISTICS
• Pareto
• Histograms
• Regression Analysis
• Statistical Process Control
• Things based on observable, repeatable,
demonstrable information
• Provable relationships
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 29
DATA ‘ISH
• Decision matrix
• Nominal group technique
• Fishbone Diagrams
• Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
• Kepner Tregoe
• Weighted voting methods
• The power here is in the building of consensus,
not the quality of the analysis
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 30
NUH - UH
• Unjustified or unsupported certainty
• Juxtaposition versus relationship
(correlation versus causation)
• I just don’t think that’s right
• The “devil’s advocate”
• We’ve looked this before and that’s not
how it is
• I don’t believe you
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 31
ONE THING TO REMEMBER
y = f(x) y is a function of x
y (output) is a function of x (input)
The only way to get “y” where you
need it is to understand, manage
and control “x”
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 32
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
• Purposeful allocation of project resources
to meet specific business goals.
– Management planning
– Tracking
– Accountability
• The alternative: “Go Forth, Do Good,
Avoid Evil, Make Money”
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 33
MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE
• What is it?
• How important?
• How often is it done well?
• ??????
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 34
PMBOK
KNOWLEDGE AREAS • Project Integration
• Scope Management
• Time Management
• Cost Management
• Quality Management
• Human Resource
Management
• Communications
Management
• Risk Management
• Procurement
Management
• Stakeholder
Management
PMBOK = Project Management Body of Knowledge
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 35
D2 Topic Areas
“Failure Proofing Projects” • Why Projects Fail
• Project Management
• Corporate Diplomacy
• Managing Objectives
• Team Management
• User involvement
• Project Sponsor Mgmt
• Stakeholder
Management
• Management Oversight
• Management of Change
• Communications
• Specifications
• Development
• Review Processes
• Training
• Rollout Planning
• Layered Support Model
• Contracting
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 37
Why Projects Fail
• “It can’t be THAT difficult!”
• “It can’t cost THAT much!”
• People are talking but no one is REALLY listening
• Hard s&!# is hard. There are few shortcuts
• Fundamentally it is a failure of management: project & business
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 38
HOW TO RECOGNIZE IMPENDING
FAILURE
• Individually, write down factors that
would signal to you that a project is in
trouble.
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 39
HOW TO RECOGNIZE IMPENDING
FAILURE
• Class discussion on tell tale signs?
• Map to:
– Communication
– Organizational commitment
– Decision making
– Involvement (mgmt, team, receivers)
– Deviation from plan
– Spec ooze
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 40
YOU SENSE FAILURE – NOW WHAT?
• Discuss – if you are the PM, what is at stake
– You bet your job, career, company
• What is management expecting
– PM and the Alpha Wolf (Andy Crowe)
– Who knows the most
• Class discussion
– Communications techniques
– Corporate diplomacy
– Tips and Techniques
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 42
PROJECT MANAGEMENT: • NOT functional management
• NOT a cheerleader for the system
• Manage for time, cost and functionality
• Actively deal with risk management
• High level enough to have access to senior management (within the context of your project)
• Senior enough to have credibility
• More PM skill than SME
• Authority to get the work done
• Mastery of “soft skills”
• “Leadership”
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 43
PROJECT MANAGEMENT 2:
• Organizational placement – Functional has access to resources, but may not be
able resolve issues
– Large project, should report to Executive Sponsor or Executive Steering Committee
– Report to level appropriate to resolve issues and remove barriers.
• Energy behind communications – Kick-off meeting
– Reviews
– Information Repositories
– Linking People and Personalities
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 44
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• Roles: When should you be what? – Facilitator
– Super Worker
• Areas of Practice: – Communicator
– Psychologist
– Ethicist
– Entertainer
– Politician
– Leader
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 45
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• Is Project Management:
– A set of tasks?
– A career?
– A necessary management skill?
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 46
SO THE SILVER BULLET
• Does not exist!
• The secret to success is for everyone to
do their job. The Project Manager must
be the energy behind the scene to ensure
the work gets done right.
• Remember where the spotlight shines
when failure does occur.
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 48
CORPORATE DIPLOMACY :
• It’s not politics, it’s how work gets done
• You bet your job/career/company
• Whose project is it?
– Who is identified as “THE PM”
– What sort of “corporate memory” are you dealing
with
– If you are “IT”, realize the stakes and act accordingly
– Andy Crowe, “The Alpha Project Manager”
– Grace Hopper
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 49
GRACE HOPPER
• Grace Hopper (1906-1992) She graduated at age 22, Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College, went on to attend Yale University earning an MA in Mathematics and Physics and a PhD in Mathematics in 1934. In 1943 she joined the Naval Reserve and is credited with being a co-author of the COBOL programming language because she “couldn’t balance her checkbook”. In 1985 by a special act of Congress she was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral in the US Navy. She was a unique person in US history and an example of a great Project Manager.
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 50
CORPORATE DIPLOMACY 2:
• Your personal capital is your most precious
possession. Spend it wisely. Accumulate more
by delivering (Oh Shoot : Atta girl/boy)
• DON’T hide – MANAGEMENT HATES SURPRISES!!!
– Problems – state issue, ALWAYS have an intended
course of action. If you ask for input, you’ll get it.
You may not like the results.
– If you need help, ask for exactly what you need and
why. The goal of management is to give you those
things you need to succeed. Use them correctly.
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 51
CORPORATE DIPLOMACY 3:
• Any negatives – you take the hit publicly
• If there are issues, work them behind the scenes
• GOAL: never go into a situation where you have
not pre-wired the outcome
• Look for opportunities for meaningful, positive
recognition
• The larger the effort the greater the need for
MBWA
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 52
CORPORATE DIPLOMACY 4
• Speaking truth to power
– What are the stakes?
– What are the possible consequences?
– Crafting the message
– How to deliver
– Individual versus group meeting
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 53
MANAGING UP
• Getting those above you to work on your agenda
• “My job is to make my boss look good”
• In their terms, what’s in it for them
• Be specific, pre-wire but be willing to modify
• No whining, ALWAYS be professional and consistent
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 55
PROJECT SPONSORS
• The Project Sponsor is the executive in whose
organization the work is being done or who is
most responsible for the overall effort.
• Play a key role in determining project success.
• The Project Manager and Project Sponsor must
work together on many tasks.
• Provide link from project team to Executive
levels
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 56
STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT
• Name
• Position/responsibility
• Professional interest
• Personal interest
• Personality
• Your relationship
• Key allies
• Positives
• negatives
• How to communicate
with them
• Who can talk to them
• How does project relate
to them
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 57
SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES
• Scope definition
• Specifications
• Change Management Protocol
• Plans match budget and time constraints
• Appropriate representation of all parts of the organization
• Adequate review processes
• Adequate training and testing programs
• Good relationships with suppliers and vendors
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 58
PROJECT SPONSOR
Unique Responsibilities • Removing barriers to
success
• Be the public voice of
the criticality of the
project
• Ensuring integration
to the rest of the
organization
• Positional Credibility
• Ensuring truth in all
discussions
• Creating the
environment for open
honest
communication
• Facilitating
productive problem
solving
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 59
PROJECT SPONSOR
Typical Areas for Improvement
• Must be proactive and involved
• Create the right environment for
communication and problem solving
• Help in project management issues, if not
experienced, get outside experience
• Do those things which only the Project
Sponsor can do
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 60
PROJECT SPONSOR
Successful Characteristics • Be proactive
• Be interested in the
process
• Be committed to getting
the work done right
• Understand unique role
in creating a healthy
environment
• Be sensitive to the needs
of the project team
• Demands facts, not
rumor, hearsay
• Integrate details into the
overall strategy
• Get to “truth” without
fear and intimidation
• Integrate from multiple
sources and inputs to
provide the complete
picture
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 62
MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT :
• Team and management MUST be able to
have collaborative and open dialog
– Bring up and discuss issues without fear
– Commit to being absolutely honest
– Come with well thought out solutions and
requirements – not just issues
– Be realistic and sensitive – in both directions
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 63
MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT 2:
• Executive Steering Committee Behavior: – Actively listen to the needs of the Team
– Probe for completeness, understanding and commitment
– Provide helpful, supportive, guidance and help
– Make sure the needs of the enterprise continue to be met
– Act only when you have the facts – not assumptions and prejudices
– Be actively involved – not a rubber stamp
– PM should negotiate a performance agreement around the items listed above
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 64
MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT 3:
• Executive Steering Committee
– Should include:
• User leaders & staff
• Functional leaders
• Development staff leaders
• Project Management
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 65
MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT 4:
• ESC critical tasks – Attend key meetings (kick-off, training) provide real, visible
support
– Provide a venue for escalation
– Eliminate barriers
– Ensure adequate funding
– Ensure appropriate staffing
– Definition of essential business goals and objectives
– Support for change
– Training
– Making tough decisions
– Establish and maintain environment for productive dialog, NOT fear and intimidation
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 66
GAINING MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT
• Communicate in their terms
• Lessons from Six Sigma – DMAIC
– Training on Roles and Responsibilities
– Public Reviews and Commitment
• Kick off meetings – RACI Diagram (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed)
– Public Commitment to Tasks & Behaviors
• Executive Steering Committees – Set the overall tone and environment
– Solutions to intractable problems
– Long Range planning and implications
– Plan and pre-wire
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 67
GAINING MANAGEMENT
COMMITMENT2
• Training for Sponsors & Executives – Specific training in their unique roles and
responsibilities
• Closed door sessions – “Heart to Heart”
– Use of mentors or friendly champions
• Outside expertise – Third party impartial help
– Audit and advise
– Train and mentor
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 68
TALKING TRUTH TO POWER
• Be confident, professional and prepared
• Make sure of your facts
• Be specific
• Issues not people or personalities
• Have a clear idea of the outcome you are trying to achieve
• DO NOT do it as a reaction
• Consider risk and rewards
• Goal is diplomatic discussion, not war
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 70
Goals of Communication
• Build rapport with individual or group
• Elicit information
• Provide information
• Test the waters
• Ask for assistance or guidance
• Get a decision
• Resolve a problem
• Have a general discussion
Do all of these
work with the
same method?
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 71
Characteristics of “Good”
Communication • Occurs face to face
• Real dialog: – Active listening –> strive to understand
– Focus on ideas not personalities
• Clear and concise
• Don’t “flog the moribund equine”
• Both parties share understanding of what was said and agreed upon
• There is a shared recollection, perhaps written, perhaps not, depending on nature of communication
• Trust exists between the parties
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 72
Communications Summary
• How you communicate is nearly as
important as what you communicate
• Pick the right method for each person and
each message
• Use each method to its best advantage
• How well you do this will, as much as
anything, determine your overall success.
• Attention to detail is vital
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 74
MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE
• What is it?
• What are the essential goals?
– Agreement versus Buy-in
– Positive Proactive versus Negative Inactivity
– Local ownership
• Is there a delta between how much effort
IS expended and how much SHOULD BE
expended?
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 75
MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE
• Tools and techniques – Communications
– Involvement (up and down)
– Sensitivity to issues of individuals and groups
– Honesty
– Openness
– Practicality
– Valuing involvement and input
– Accept good ideas from any source, recognize and encourage
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 76
SUMMARY
• Failure is a choice!
• There are no silver bullets!
• It is the responsibility of EVERYONE!
• The Project Manager must provide the energy to
drive the process!
• At the end of the day, management must accept
and complete the tasks only they can perform.
• It’s YOUR world: MAKE it work
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015
www.avrassociates.com 77
Dave Dirks
303.520.3342
QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION
© AVR Associates, Ltd. 2015 www.avrassociates.com 78
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
• The role of management – Supporting the project
– Providing decision making and problem resolution
• How much are you willing to risk – You perform best when you have no fear of being
fired – should this be your attitude?
• Confronting difficult topics – Calm assertive
– Data, fact driven
– Professional
– No whining, just winning