Playbook: Leading Projects

Mindset

• People are stupid/lazy until proven otherwise. Expect the worse and be pleasantly surprised. It’s not your problem. Use transparency to highlight their deficiency and make it their problem.

Do

• If there are multiple competing objectives to the project, get the client to define which one takes priority.

• Make sure the backlog is sufficiently detailed. The detail removes ambiguity. Timelines become more accurate. The client cannot argue about the scope of the work. Lazy people cannot hide behind “it wasn’t defined” or malicious compliance. Breaking the backlog down into smallest possible

• Assign tasks a time such that there is accountability about workload. Make time estimates a team effort such that no one can argue that tasks are inappropriately sized.

• Underpromise and overdeliver. Build float into timelines. Multiply time estimates by at least a factor of two. Don’t give predictions that don’t have a lot of float to non-technical stakeholders and/or bean counters; they’ll hold you to it and make everyone work at breakneck speed.

• If a task is unknown/risky, give it extra time. Multiply time estimates by at least a factor of three.

• Communicate progress frequently to the client to keep them happy that work is actually being done.

• Make sure clients understand when there is risk/unknowns associated with particular tasks.

• Make sure roles and responsibilities are defined before a project starts.

• Communicate risks to project managers. Ensure there are regular catch-ups with project managers.

• If there is a lot of risk in a backlog, define checkpoints where the project point can pivot.

• Ascertain whether we have everything we need for the project?

  • Access.
  • Time from stakeholders. Holidays.

Checklist

Start of the project

1. Are roles and responsibilities defined?

2. Have check-ins been set up with the client?

3. Have internal check-ins been scheduled with the PM team?

Daily during the project

1. Do tasks have time estimates? Involve all consultants in time estimating to establish a baseline.

2. Have risks been highlighted to the client/PMs? Have expectations been set with the client/PMs? Has this been linked to specific tasks?

3. Is the backlog sufficiently defined/unambiguous, ensuring that other consultants understand the outcomes and goals of each task?

4. Review progress.

   • If progress doesn’t match time estimates, raise this diplomatically with consultants in the internal channel. Default to fact finding. Don’t let it go to DMs.

   • Are there any blockers? Can they be resolved by consultants? Do they need escalating to PMs?

   • If progress of tasks being completed would result in a change of RAG status, escalate to the PM team.

5. If the project is high risk: have checkpoints/pivot points been defined?

6. Do we have all the resources (e.g. access/people) required to complete the backlog?

7. Do other consultants know what they should be doing and have the skills to do so? Is there a plan that minimises blockers?

8. Are the overall project objectives clear and achievable? If there are multiple objectives, do we know which one takes precedence?

9. Do we have all the information/requirements needed to complete the project objective?