>> straightforward in explanation, intuitive in practice, and verifiable in compliance
If you are thinking about taking your organization through a process improvement project, possibly pursuing a CMMI or an ISO certification and need to have a project management methodology in place, this writing provides some pointers. Remember, a project such as this provides an opportunity for true Organization Development and Change Management. The difference being that OD is an organization's journey to reflect and define its future, while Change Management is the discipline for getting from an As-Is to a defined To-Be state. Nonetheless, there are three tenets/critical success factors that will drive the outcome for this project:
- Developed through collaboration – stakeholders need to have a sense of ownership. This is especially true for the PM community, who will be the main consumers of our deliverables. Additionally, working in collaboration with your PMs (or middle management) will give you access to a lot more ideas and foster the culture of teamwork at the organization.
- Fosters Growth (What's In It For Me) – one way to provide a sense of ownership and energy behind this project is to clearly define and communicate the benefits to each one of our stakeholders. Following is a list if some stakeholders a brief description of what's in it for them:
- Individual employee – there is a lot in this for the individual employee (a) They don't need to re-invent the wheel every time, which has a direct impact of their ability to deliver high quality work products, while beating their deadlines; (b) Learn new skills and approaches that are proven and repeatable; (c) Approach their work in a planned, rather than a chaotic manner.
- Program/Project Managers – in addition to the benefits they get from being an individual employee, a good management methodology is a basis for a high performance team. With this methodology, PMs will be able to (a) Deliver projects with a greater probability for success; (b) Provide project governance with defined roles and responsibilities; (c) Provide the basis for performance measurement – their own and their team's; (d) Set themselves up for performance awards, promotions, and engagement in special projects at the corporate level.
- Corporate (Executives and Back-office) – (a) Provide an enhanced governance structure based on clear communication and expectations; (b) Business development – not only as an aid for proposals but also a competitive advantage in precise delivery; (c) Future capabilities development via special projects that engage high-performing employees; (d) Provide an employee leadership/development track; (e) Shift dependence from individual employees to roles.
- Customers – ultimately our goal is to maximize profits, which is only possible through satisfied customers. Some benefits for our customers include (a) Being able to deliver on their goals through a reliable partner in your organization; (b) Provide career-growth and expansion of their current individual and divisional roles and responsibilities.
- Easy to implement – last but not the least, the process needs to be simple and adoption-ready, which means to be straightforward in explanation, intuitive in practice, and verifiable in compliance.
Comments