Readjusting Project Dynamics for a Successful Outcome

Dan Williams

Director, Project Consulting

April 2012

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Averting Disaster

We’ve all been involved with a project that was in trouble.

How do you fix it?

Where do you start?

How do you avoid disaster?

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Why you Should Care

We should be involved in QA, not just testing

We are sometimes the only advocate for the customer

We need to recognize that QA is integral to the larger project ecosystem

We must be solution oriented not focused on the problem

Having a “global” view will enhance your career path

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The Project

The project was implementing a new enterprise management tool integrated with several third party vendors and customized to meet our specific business needs.

The PM lost stakeholder support and confidence; placing the project in danger

Issues were many, including:

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Issues Incomplete and missing requirements

Assumptions rather than facts Incomplete notes from meetings No follow-up with stakeholders Requirements gathering excluded entire groups Incorrect, incomplete and unclear data mapping Lack of information architecture

Requirements based on incorrect premises What do you want, not what do you need Copy of what was already in place Effort not boxed

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Issues Part 2

No Formal Test Plan Migration testing: spot checking by PM and one developer Integration testing (smoke test at cutover) Third-party functionality – spot checking by stakeholders Functionality testing – developers, self-directed UAT Pick up the pieces after conversion

No vendor coordination

Project behind schedule

Negative earned value

Documentation and training duties assigned Unclear expectations Poor knowledge transfer

Reporting was an afterthought

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Issues Part 3

Project manager Didn’t listen Talked over people Ignored stakeholder concerns Antagonistic relationship with coworkers Insulated team from stakeholders, SMEs,

and vendors– Little to no interaction

– All project knowledge centered in PM

Development team didn’t understand priorities Stakeholders didn’t have good feel for project status Fragmented team – portion of team working on

unproductive tasks

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What Determines Whether a Project will be Successful?

What do you think of your team’s execution?

“I’m in favor of it!”John Mckay

Tampa Bay Bucs Coach

1976

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Project Success / Challenge Factors

Project Success % ofFactors Responses

User Involvement 15.9%

Executive Management 13.9%Support

Clear Statement of 13.0%Requirements

Proper Planning 9.6%

Realistic Expectations 8.2%

Smaller Project Milestones 7.7%

Competent Staff 7.2%

Ownership 5.3%

Clear Vision & Objectives 2.9%

Hard-Working, 2.4%Focused Staff

Project Challenge % ofFactors Responses

Lack of User Input 12.8%

Incomplete Requirements 12.3%& Specifications

Changing Requirements 11.8%& Specifications

Lack of Executive Support 7.5%

Technology Incompetence 7.0%

Lack of Resources 6.4%

Unrealistic Expectations 5.9%

Unclear Objectives 5.3%

Unrealistic Time Frames 4.3%

New Technology 3.7%

Chaos Report – Standish Group

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Project Success / Challenge Factors

Project Success % ofFactors Responses

User Involvement 15.9%

Executive Management 13.9%Support

Clear Statement of 13.0%Requirements

Proper Planning 9.6%

Realistic Expectations 8.2%

Smaller Project Milestones 7.7%

Competent Staff 7.2%

Ownership 5.3%

Clear Vision & Objectives 2.9%

Hard-Working, 2.4% Focused Staff

Project Challenge % ofFactors Responses

Lack of User Input 12.8%

Incomplete Requirements 12.3%& Specifications

Changing Requirements 11.8%& Specifications

Lack of Executive Support 7.5%

Technology Incompetence 7.0%

Lack of Resources 6.4%

Unrealistic Expectations 5.9%

Unclear Objectives 5.3%

Unrealistic Time Frames 4.3%

New Technology 3.7%

Chaos Report – Standish Group

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Open the lines of Communication

Engage the stakeholders Make them part of the team Develop project excitement

Clearly communicate project news Newsletter Updated schedule Generate support and excitement

Be open and realistic about project status

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Baseline the Project

Assess current progress and risks

Identify known gaps

Identify areas needing further investigation

Prioritize areas and tasks

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Divide and Conquer

Assign area owners with clear, measurable objectives

Collaborate

Coordinate

Report

Follow-through

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Go Back to the Beginning

Gather/Reaffirm/Clarify requirements

Rebuild trust with Stakeholders Keep meetings focused and effective They need to know their time and opinions matter They need to know they are heard They must know you care Point out the results of their input

Replace faces where necessary

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Triage and Scheduling

Triage Evaluate critical path and overall timeline Evaluate dependencies – especially external Label items for sign-off, hot-fix, and future Push out or eliminate unnecessary items

Adjust schedule if necessary Communicate schedule issues immediately Do it once, do it right

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Get to Work

Prepare the team for tough work

Plan for a regular schedule but be ready to do what is necessary

80/20 rule Focus efforts on key areas that provide the most value Deal with the rest as time permits

Involve users in testing and acceptance

Recognize time criticality of efforts What is required for signoff What can be done after code freeze What can be a hot fix

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Win Them Over with Support

Be there

Be knowledgeable

Be responsive

Be good

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Allow for Future Phases

Deal with cut/delayed functionality

Align with proper requirements

Adjust for stakeholder/user misrepresentation of needs

Bug fixes

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Project Recovery Summary Open lines of communication

Assess Risks

Prioritize

Divide and conquer

Rebuild trust

Go back to the beginning (requirements)

Triage Cut/push out non-essential areas

Adjust schedule if necessary

80/20 rule

Schedule work according to priority

Work, work, work

Be prepared with strong support and resolve issues quickly

Allow for additional phases

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Questions

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Contact Information

Dan Williams

Director of Project Consulting

Main 425-974-6345

Cell 425-577-1192

daniel.williams@compucom.com