IT Project manager

In today’s fast-paced, knowledge-based business world, it’s not uncommon to see project managers juggling as many as 10 IT projects simultaneously—with all types of complexities, durations, and sizes. Often, project managers handling multiple projects are simply overloaded or frustrated, and some wish for better days. But how successful are you when you face the juggling act? For starters, success in managing multiple IT projects (i.e., program management) requires that you look at three key strategies:

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• Managing time effectively
• Leveraging group skills or dynamics
• Using your individual project management skills to successfully deliver multiple projects

One person who knows how to meet the challenge of managing simultaneous projects is Mike Deutsch, who joined our organization slightly more than a year ago as a project manager in our western region. He immediately proved that he was capable of deploying almost any project. Name the technical skill, and he knew it. Talk about Gantt charts or scheduling, and he’d lead the way. His name was always at the top of the list when new project assignments were being handed out. But what made Mike really stand out was his ability to manage multiple IT projects. This was evident when one of our clients—a major film studio—needed a project manager to manage three critical projects. “They weren’t the biggest of projects but they were equally complicated,” Mike recalls. Today, Mike leads the western region when it comes to project delivery. As our client stated, “Mike raised the bar for any new guy coming in. He could juggle 20 things at once.” This article focuses on the tried-and-true recipe Mike uses to keep the balls in the air.

We all know that most project managers are able to evaluate and scope a single project, plan the implementation, communicate with team members, and manage the risks. But the moment you start managing multiple projects simultaneously, the PM's job takes on a new dimension. Problems arise because of an increase in responsibility, coordination, and additional teamwork needed. Here are some of the key challenges you face when managing multiple projects.

Challenges of managing multiple projects
Managing multiple IT projects within the enterprise can be a daunting task. It’s stressful and takes someone special to even begin managing a project portfolio. In fact, many project managers say that they would gladly scale back to only one or two projects vs. managing multiple projects. The reason is simple. Managing multiple projects is not suited for all. Experience counts! When looking at the single-project concept, the roles and responsibilities prove themselves substantially simpler than for larger projects. However, the larger the project, the more coordination and tracking are needed to ensure that project deliverables are met. You’ll undoubtedly have on average three to five team members on each project. If you have five projects going at once, you will have to manage 15–25 team members. This doesn’t even include the interaction between you and the client. The challenges here include:
 

• Not enough visibility on the detail being performed by project teams (i.e., developers, testers, etc.).
• Not enough time to attend to meetings and still track tasks and milestones (i.e., tight deadlines).
• Managing multiple risks and resolving multiple issues.
• Lack of experience in juggling multiple tasks and meetings (e.g., gets too crazy).
• Limited resources within the resource pool.
• Conflicting priorities among projects.
• Integration of all projects and their target dates not always clear.
• Communications among too many people affecting performance.

Techniques for managing multiple projects
Here are some of the techniques to try when managing multiple projects:
 

• Time management: Many times project managers who are overloaded seem to be constantly fighting one crisis after the other. It just doesn’t seem to stop. You need to quickly determine what to do when and how much time you have. You cannot micromanage every single task as a program manager, and you’ll have to start focusing on managing your time among all your projects.
• Checklist for managing multiple projects: You should create a portfolio checklist for managing multiple projects. You could use a life-cycle checklist to help (e.g., Have I received all the specs? Have I involved QA on each project team?).
• Prioritization of projects: You need to determine which projects are more important than the others. When faced with multiple projects, it’s important to decide what to do and in which order it gets done. It’s no use simply selecting any project you like and paying attention to that project alone. Careful analysis is needed to ensure that each project meets your company’s strategic objectives and that you are aware of target dates.
• Categorize your work: This strategy reduces complexity. You have to make progress on all fronts when managing multiple projects. Don’t leave one until next week and expect results. Check the progress of each project on a daily basis.
• Sequence work tasks: Ensure that for every project the tasks have been properly sequenced and that they make sense. I have seen managers run from project to project, grabbing at straws. It’s imperative that each project be clearly broken down into manageable tasks and that they be correctly sequenced.
• Create a dashboard: Use a digital dashboard to effectively capture and report on all the projects within your portfolio.

Do you often find yourself running from meeting to meeting, having one status report to do after another, and your progress really has a life of its own? Chances are you’re overloaded or just overwhelmed. If you’ve been allocated a few IT projects, it would be useful to first review what percentage of time you’ll actually be spending on each project. The estimate doesn’t have to be super accurate, merely a ballpark figure you and your project director or PMO manager can discuss. Figure A shows how you can easily determine the time allocated for each project. It’s a simple spreadsheet, which tells you if you’re overcommitting yourself.
 

Figure A

A recommended process
If you really want to make an impact when managing a portfolio of projects, you’ll need a method of prioritizing and categorizing all projects. Figure B illustrates a process for managing multiple projects, and I’ve found that it works rather well. Based upon your available time and your current workload, prioritize each new project handed to you. This prioritization allows you to determine exactly when to start the project and how it affects your other project timelines. Assuming all is okay, you proceed to categorize the project tasks into categories (A, B, and C), which assist you in figuring out which tasks are more important than the others. Please note that other valuable techniques such as network diagrams or PERT charts could also be used, but I’ve found that a simpler way is most effective when managing multiple projects. These tasks are then captured into a centralized enterprise project tool such as these:
 

• Kidasa Milestones Professional
• Project.net
• Pacific Edge
• PMOffice
• Project Arena
• WorkLenz

These are a few of the great tools to use for to use for tracking and coordination. After all, if a task does slip, you want it to be visible so you can inform the client about its impact to the project.
 

Figure B

You should also:
 

• Determine how much time you have available for each project (use the technique in Figure A).
• Prioritize your projects according to the client’s business and IT strategies.
• Rank all project tasks into A, B, and C categories.
• Spend enough time and effort on tasks A for each project, and then proceed to categories B and C as deemed necessary (e.g., technical meetings or workshops).
• Notify the client if you cannot meet a deadline or complete a task.
• Capture all issues and risks into a centralized project database for efficient reporting.

IT Requirement Analysis

Generally, the project manager or requirements analyst gathers initial requirements from the client. He or she then starts developing the architecture/design etc. and creates a framework so that, the development team can start working. The important thing is that, it is essential that, requirements are checked with the client on a regular basis

The requirements analyst / PM should keep on asking the client at each stage, if there are any changes in the requirements. What happens is that, when requirements changes, the client is not aware in advance. Hence, when the client comprehends that requirements are changing, he rushes to the contractor with a new sets of requirements.

This can also be towards the conclusion stage of the project and then, it becomes extremely difficult to complete the project on time. Then, there is no schedule or planning it just becomes fire fighting. Of course, the new requirements are fulfilled but with all kind of pain, delays and sacrifices by the team. In the end, all are happy but nobody thinks that there could have been a better way. Everybody thinks that, it was the fault of somebody else!

Good requirement analysts visit their clients, communicate and discuss their requirements in great depth. By doing so, many times, it becomes evident to the client that, he is missing something; he crosschecks and finds that there is more to the requirements. The shortcomings are identified well in advance and work becomes much smoother. The total effective time spent is much less compared to the earlier case.

Resource Management

A lot needs to be arranged before the start of a project and also during execution. Mostly PMs do this very well. Sometimes however, they miss on something such as, people getting sick, or leaving the job etc. Hence, the schedules suffer. This results in dissatisfaction from the client. The client is ready to accept that, people can be sick or, they can leave the job. What the client is not ready to accept is the effect of this on the project. Backups should always be provided in sufficient numbers to avoid such situations. Resource in terms of hardware or infrastructure is not discussed here as it is normally managed very well.

“What is many times seen is that, project managers do resource management activity very well but are not able to provide suitable attention to other activities or are not skilled enough to carry out other activities. Many think that, once the resource management is done, everything is done. People will do the rest. This is not true. Each area in project management has to be addressed amply.”

Process & Methodologies

There are advantages in having processes present to guide the development and execution activities in a structured manner. Many a time it is obvious that the person following the process does not know why he or she is following the particular process; they just do it so because his or her boss has told them to do it that way. At times, there are a bunch of processes that may not suit the needs but are there because someone wants to show that, they are following all the processes in the book. This is not the right approach. Employees are forced to follow processes whether applicable or not! What is required is that, process should help to save time and improve the quality but eventually, the reverse happens.

IT Knowledge Management

Everyone knows that, “Knowledge is spread by giving” but we are not inclined to pursue the same. We believe something else and do something else. A good PM ensures proper flow of knowledge and also encourages employee trainings to carry out the required job. Training should always be available for the latest technologies. This gives the company an upper hand from the perspective of the clients.

Risk Management

Risk management is a balancing act. It involves the cost calculation for various risks, prioritisation of risks, taking appropriate steps and efforts to minimize the risks. If you do not handle them now, then you have to deal with them later, in a much bigger degree and spending more energy. A smart PM is one who decides to choose the first solution.

Budget

Neither lavish nor meager budgets work. In today’s world, where high optimisation is the way to go, one should not forget that, good investment helps to increase profitability.

People Management

People management is a vital feature to achieve sure success in project management. People working on projects are not routine workers. They have special skill sets. They should be handled with an improved understanding of the situation.

Avoiding conflicts in advance

The project manager typically addresses the conflicts, as and when they appear. A good PM always smells conflicts in advance and does not allow them to grow although no one can get complete rid of the conflicts. There are also positive conflicts that can bring greater efficiency in the way of working. The key to manage conflicts is to support the right attitudes with a good amount of competency.

Motivation for the Right Candidates

Good candidates should be motivated through increase in salaries, promotion, recognition, providing more challenges and backing the right cause. The project is the prime looser if the right candidate quits the job. Of course, the job will go on but no one can replace the same person in exactly the same way. Also the rich experience and maturity goes away. Management has to reinvest and rotate the wheel again. More money is lost in this process with loss of credibility.

Tracking People’s satisfaction - IT

The project manager cannot wait for the team member to come to him and pronounce that, he or she is not satisfied. A good team member is an asset to the project and thereby the organization. The PM should keep his or her eyes and ears open to track the satisfaction of team members otherwise, it builds negative thoughts in the mind of even a right member. The Project Manager is then no longer, a respected guy. People start working out of compulsion, and loose enthusiasm thereby, loosing the quality and output, which can end with the member leaving the organization.

Accessing People’s Delivery in Terms of Benefits brought to the Project

The ideal project manager will value the contribution of employees in many dimensions e.g. a candidate providing training to other team members, establishing superb relations with client, motivating others, taking the lead and bringing results, introducing and practicing the right procedures and ways of working, showing the way to others. If the PM overlooks these abilities and only concentrates on technical abilities of team members, he will be discouraging effective team members to benefit the project and thereby the PM.

Planning - IT Project

A well-defined plan with facts and practical aspect to it is the key to success. Not all managers are good planners. Planning and executing are two different aspects. While planning, it is strongly recommended that, you consult people who are actually going to execute the plans, crosscheck with facts and calculate using a spice of practicality.

Planning should also consider the availability of good resources along with commitments to customers and the organization. If commitments to the customers are broken, whatever may be the reason, it becomes one cause for the client to move away from you. In the other case, even if there is pressure on the client, it will become extremely difficult for client to move away from a “High Quality Service Provider”. Also cost factors should be considered and balanced. Planning should also take into account previous experience and best practices.

Sub-contract Management

This should be undertaken in the same spirit as you handle clients. Contractors should be identified keeping in mind their ability to perform, commitments, attitude etc. It is as if you are recruiting a competent member to carry out tasks in your own team.

One of the most important things to judge the sub contractor is their dedication to work. Also their orientation towards, quality, timeliness, budget and behaviour are equally important. Working in tandem with the sub contractor can yield great results. They should be provided with all the help and information they need to carry out the assigned contract. Treating them as a part of your team gives them motivation to perform better and stop them hiding things. They should feel free to come and discuss their issues openly with you, which is a better way to handle critical situations. Getting their confidence is extremely important. Proper and realistic planning can be carried out and accomplished, if you are working effectively with sub-contractor.

Deadlines - for IT project manager

Missing deadlines is a failure of planning and execution. It is a failure of a team to deliver. No excuses are sufficient (except natural calamities) to cover failures. What is important is the promise to the customer, and having a “Right on Target” attitude.

Client Communication

Effective communication is saying “Yes” to opportunities and “No” if there is no chance of delivery but suggesting an alternative “Win-Win” situation. Those who do not accept “Win-Win” situations are not worth doing business with in the long term. The client is always seeking a solution. Permanent solutions help you get a pat on your back and more high-end work. One should not get into trivial and repeated work unless it is impossible to give a permanent solution by enhancements and automation.

Communication techniques are not discussed here. What is discussed here is the basis of communication. The best communication is your work, your abilities, skills and most important your attitude. Regular timely information to the client is important in the same way. Conflicts with clients should be solved with patience explaining clearly the benefits for client. Nobody can deny the proposal where all seems to be a mixture of success. Not even your boss!!

Lessons learned
Here are some of the key lessons we have learned:
 

• Determine whether you are overloaded or overwhelmed. If you are, the chances are likely that any new project you take on will fail.
• Habitually and constantly prioritize project tasks.
• Ensure that you have committed enough time for each task or milestone.
• Learn to delegate and work as a team.
• Be able to track multiple tasks at the same time.
• Create a master project calendar with a timeline for each project—identifying the major project milestones and their dates. You will then be able to determine which projects’ milestones to concentrate on.
• Don’t use different reporting formats for each project. Use an integrated project-reporting tool, which allows you to capture and report using one standard.
• Create a single master project schedule (e.g., using MS Project, Primavera, Artemis, etc.) for yourself. This gives you a better sense of what’s going on.
• Don’t sit in your office or cube and expect results. As program manager, start wearing sneakers, and move among your teams on a daily basis.
• Provide regular reviews of your progress to your executive team. Project priorities or other things may change, and you may want to hear the news directly from the top.

sources:  techrepublic ,  projectperfect