Project Management with Purpose Series: Is This the Right Project Right Now?
If you’re in construction or healthcare, you’ve probably been there. A project that was all wrong from the start.
The team was given some issues. They didn’t ask too many questions. Nobody researched the root cause. They went to the c-suite within days. And they got approval and funding for a solution that’s all wrong.
Argh.
Engage a Strategic Project Manager (SPM)
There are multiple types of project managers, but it’s critical that you engage a strategic professional at this juncture. When? Right away. Once a visionary has an idea, it’s time. Before you start asking for money. Before you go to the board. Let’s just say it’s never too soon.
Critical thinking: They can interpret your input, clarify your goals, poke holes in your idea, assess risk with deep pools of nerdy expertise (i.e. compliance) visualize your end goal and then attempt to connect your plans with your outcomes–likely better than you can. It’s their job.
Outside perspective: You’re simply too close to the project. But with no emotional attachment to the project and an outside perspective, SPMs are not afraid to navigate politics, be disappointed or tell someone no. This helps. A lot.
Darn good questions: A good SPM asks questions most employees are too afraid to ask. What if we didn’t do this? Who’s really behind this build?
Creativity: Based on both data and the promises you may or may not have made, an SPM with construction and healthcare expertise (that’s me) is trained to think creatively and cost-effictively within your industry. Can it be off site? Can we move patients? Can we shift scheduling? Can we build two operating rooms instead of one? What if we did it in phases?
Track the Issue
This is a critical component of your due diligence. All projects stem from an initial challenge. After the complaints start coming in, begin the research process and continue it for 90 days.
Figure out the frequency. Is it weekly, daily or seasonal? Does it follow a pattern? When it does happen, what else is going on? Look for a pattern.
Mine the data. What’s measured is what matters. Mine the data that’s causing the pain and seek causation vs. correlation. Then put data into a spreadsheet. This provides credibility to your case and offers hard data when handling the c-suite.
Determine the reason. Why is this happening? Think about classic causes like demographics, weather, high-turnover and lack of process. Then consider if these are one-time anomalies or bound to repeat themselves.
Flesh out simpler solutions. Whether they’ll work or not, sketch out alternative solutions with steps, timing and cost estimates. This way senior leadership will understand that you’ve thought everything through with cost-efficiency in mind.
Timing is everything. When you get strategic from the start, you’ll have the right project for the right team, right now. And as much as it hurts to down-shift, sometimes you must go slow to go fast. Successful projects will follow.
