| The following list has itemized some of the most | | | | can be done best is to carry out as many testing as |
| common project management mistakes which people | | | | we possibly can to stimulate and validate before the |
| tend to make in driving projects. We were hoping that | | | | real deployment is here. |
| this list helps to identify some of the common areas | | | | 5. No proper planning |
| where errors and mistakes normally occur. All these | | | | Impact: Planning is crucial. The project scope and |
| mistakes can surely be avoided if each of us pay | | | | objectives need to be clearly defined during the |
| additional attention to important details. Avoiding these | | | | planning phase. Without a proper plan( which both |
| common mistakes inevitably increase the success rate | | | | party have buy in, such as the project manager and |
| of a project. | | | | the stake-holders) No project can move ahead as |
| 1. Lacking of resources with the appropriate skill-sets to | | | | there is no synergy among the team members and |
| assist in the project : | | | | there is no firm strategy where the team can tightly |
| Impact: improperly allocating resources is one of the | | | | hold on to. |
| most critical mistakes made in project management. | | | | Proposal : One way to develope more potential |
| Getting the right people with the right skill-set in the right | | | | managers is to equip them with the rightful knowledge |
| place ( job / task ) at the right time is essential and | | | | by registering them into Project management courses |
| necessary. In time of resource constraint, management | | | | and provide them with the essential knowledge. They |
| will try to pull in anyone to run and drive for any adhoc | | | | will leverage from these programs on how effective |
| project as long as he/she has the bandwidth at that | | | | and powerful 'planning' is and how they should be |
| time. | | | | carried out. |
| - Proposal : Management need to support this by | | | | 6. They fail to see the dependencies between |
| providing the necessary support such as : hiring | | | | projects. |
| consultants, out-sourcing vendors, hiring of contractors, | | | | Impact: 99% of the projects in an organization are |
| proper and rightful resource and sent their potential | | | | interdependent among each other. Project managers |
| people for useful and effective trainings. People | | | | need to take this into consideration whenever they ask |
| managers and organizations will need to synchronize | | | | for any new requirements or changes as these may |
| the people and the projects as best as they can. | | | | impact others as well. |
| 2 : Lack of experienced project manager with the | | | | Proposal : Project managers need to carry a high level |
| necesary project management skill | | | | wholly view on what's happening in the organization, |
| Impact: Projects can easily get out of control without | | | | Apart from that, consistent engagement with the |
| having a good project manager watching over the | | | | stake-holders, key business teams will add value in the |
| progress of the project closely. | | | | organization holistic projects' planning. |
| - Proposal : An experienced project manager with | | | | 7. Communication Issues. |
| accredited Program management certificate will | | | | Impact : Communication is the key to every project. |
| definitely add value in driving for the success of the | | | | Good communication is essential for any project, no |
| project. From experience and exposure, an | | | | matter it is big or small. Everyone has the responsibility |
| experienced project lead can easily call out some of | | | | to ensure the messages that they communicated are |
| the potential areas where gaps usually surfaced from. | | | | clear and correct among the project teams. |
| A good project manager excel in people management | | | | Proposal : a project manager needs to have great |
| and communicated well with different level of people | | | | communication skills with the right attitude. However it |
| across the organization. | | | | is almost impossible to avoid communication issues in a |
| 3. Lack of Traceability on the frequent changes made | | | | project team, especially in a big project with many |
| to the project | | | | participants. Thus, building an easy and open |
| Impact : The budget, resources and timeline will be | | | | atmosphere among the team members and the |
| impacted because of this. | | | | project lead is important so that the communication are |
| Proposal : No changes can be added into the scope | | | | of both ways. |
| after the cut off date. After the cut off date, any | | | | 8. Some key dependencies have been over look, |
| urgent changes / requirements will need to go through | | | | Impact : The key dependencies with their impacts |
| the proper process to get all the necessary approvals | | | | might be : |
| before they will be reviewed. only urgent request with | | | | - Resources engagement : such as testing & |
| good justifications backups will be considered. The | | | | development resources will be badly constraint if |
| change request committee will review only the | | | | proper planning has not being taken care of ahead of |
| prioritized change requests. | | | | the projects. |
| 4. Problems Get Ignored | | | | - Testing environment readiness : many a times, people |
| Impact: Problem areas which were ignored or left | | | | realized that they do not have a testing environment or |
| aside will not dissappear over night. Any trivial issue | | | | the testing environment is not ready one or two |
| might turn into severe problem if it has not being | | | | weeks before the testing commence. This will cause |
| resolved earliest possible. | | | | terrible issues to the whole project project milestone. |
| Proposal : Problems are inevitable in any project. What | | | | |