Bite the bullet... and just do it!

"JUST DO IT" - the Nike slogan... "Feel the Fear, and Do it ANYWAY"... "Paralysis by Analysis", "Don't lose site of the prize" and all of the other catch-phrases... all have one thing in common.  They refer to the well know fact that nobody wins a race... if they don't start... nobody builds a house unless they finish the design first, dig the first hole, lay the first block, nail the first nail, etc.

Projects are the same.

You build a project plan based on reasonable expectations, and then you execute the plan.  You continually measure to make sure you're on task... that the project is progressing as expected, and make adjustments as necessary.  It helps to get ahead... where possible.  However, DON'T change your commitments, who knows when a new requirement emerges that can't be delayed, that you missed, or another critical resource is impacted to erode any of your unexpected momentum.  Successful project management is achieving the desired state... using the expected resources... and at the expected time... or preferably earlier.

No customer will ever be upset if you deliver a product in advance of a deadline. However, if you move your deadline forward because of "unexpected progress", and then have a hurdle to overcome, and move it back to the original date, your customer WILL BE UNHAPPY.  You've turned a customer that would have been very satisfied into one that is not... because you changed HIS/HER expectations.

Some basic guidelines when managing a project... all common sense:

1. It could rain.. so build in slack... and don't let it go until the end.  (Look at your past projects, and figure out what is reasonable... are you usually 10% behind, 20%... 15% early?  That's a good basis for your slack factor.)
2. People take vacation, get sick, and have other things that pull them off task.. plan for them.
3. Know your critical path -- I've posted on this before... it can change as the project evolves, so keep your eye on the project pulse... and manage to the critical path.
4. If you're late on a specific task... this can quickly become your critical path, so see #3.
5. If new requirements arise, negotiate their impact the project timeline... these, or other tasks may be able to be moved to a future phase, to keep this phase on time.
6. Look forward, and act forward.  If you know you have upcoming requirements, make sure that they are ready when needed... and that you're ready for them as well.
7. Know when to be flexible... and even more important... know and communicate any potential impact. If a project can't succeed without a critical piece of functionality that was overlooked, taking a hard stance is suicide to the project.  If you can communicate the impact to the project, your sponsors and stakeholders may find it acceptable to either postpone other tasks, or determine that a slight delay in delivery is acceptable.

Personally, I know that in my dealings, I'd rely a tremendous amount on my instincts for what is realistic both from and effort perspective, and from a slack time perspective.  This is from years of planning, managing, and adjusting project schedules for everything from software design, MRP/ERP implementations, new product manufacturing, and building a house.  If you can learn the concept in one area... with a little help from someone with knowledge, you can transfer the skills to other areas.

I do find it particularly helpful if you actually manage your resources, or have very willing and committed partners that manage the resources.  Never try to make your crisis someone else's, nor accept their crisis as your own... at the expense of your projects... without first making sure that this is acceptable for your sponsors and stakeholders, and then use the situation to further build trust, and bank emotional capital.

Behind Schedule...

OK, it happens to the best of us... we fall behind schedule. What's next?

If you're early in the project, take a deep breath, and pat yourself on the back. It's only through the use of good project management that you've realized early that you're behind schedule. If your "OH NO" factor is late in the project, and you're way behind... shame on you. Project management strategies don't work unless you pay attention to your projects... the timeline... costs... risks... and the critical path.

What are your options?

1. Well, you could request an extension. However, some projects cannot slide. You may be managing a project on the critical path of a larger over-arching project, or one where delays cannot be tolerated. This may be because the penalties for a late delivery are so expensive that it's not a practical option to delay, or there is an immovable deadline for any variety of other reasons.
2. Ask for... or allocate more resources... these can come from other projects... other budgets, or consultants that can add a resource boost to your project. It may be that a delay in the project would be so costly that hiring extra resources would be more cost effective in the long run.
3. Refine your scope... negotiate with your customers to trim out any areas that aren't absolutely critical for this phase of the project, and move them to other phases, where possible.

I cannot stress enough the importance of solid customer service. Communications is a critical component of a successful relationship with your customer. My recommendation is to over-communicate... then communicate more. Customers will always assume that things are going well. If they are, they will welcome the reassurance... so that's great. If they are not, they want notified as early as possible, so they can communicate any potential delay to their leadership... and/or work to identify alternatives to meet the existing deadline.

Nobody will be excited when you inform them that their project is behind schedule. How do you break the news? As your parents always said... honesty is the best policy. Keep notes on your project. If there are reasons for a delay, such as scope creep... document them and explain the impact. If the reason for your delay is because you lost a key resources or skill, inform your customer immediately of any perceived impact.

Approach each project as a collaborative effort. As you identify new risks, work with your customers to address anything that could potentially cause a delay along your critical path. Ask for their feedback on how best to help mitigate the risk. Waiting until the project is due, and then saying I'm sorry we couldn't make it... and blaming everything... and everyone under the sun is irresponsible and unprofessional. It is your job to make the project happen within the allotted schedule. If you've misjudged the estimate, permitted scope creep, or resources aren't working out... be honest and accept the responsibility for any delays. After all, it is your job to manage the project. Your customer is relying on you to be professional, courteous, and to deliver results. Negotiate with your customers to slide scope creep to a later phase or rearrange scope, schedules, and priorities when possible. Otherwise negotiate for additional resources if priorities cannot be changed, and the deadline is immovable.

As a professional project manager, every setback is a learning opportunity. It is important to do a postmortem on each project. Gather your team, and ask what worked... and what didn't add value. Remember, it's your job to add value. If you require your resources to spend 2 hours a week recording details about their time spent on a project, that's 5% of their time they are not contributing to the completion of the project. The more time you request for tracking, the less time they will have to spend on the project. Find and maintain the appropriate balance for your projects to allow you to monitor project health and progress, with the least impact possible.

Ask your customers to participate in the project post-mortem. If they have suggestions, you can learn from these... and become a better project manager. If they are impressed, it's never a bad thing to receive a complement or praise for your team. Make sure to give the credit appropriately to the project team, and publicly recognize their contributions and accomplishments. You succeed, or fail as a team, and should be recognized as such. If the customer was disappointed, it's often very productive to let them vent. Your goal is to develop a long term relationship. You'll learn which customers are most demanding, and which are easier to please, and then plan appropriately. Regardless, deliver results.

Best wishes for project success!