Project Delivery | PM in a Nutshell: Deliver Your Project | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Learn the essential disciplines for managing a project during the delivery stage, including monitoring, reporting, risk management, quality control, team meetings, team morale, lessons learned, stakeholder engagement, change control, and the next bend process.

Key Insights

• 🚚 Monitoring and controlling projects during the delivery stage is crucial for catching and addressing issues early on.
• 👻 Reporting allows project managers to communicate progress, request decisions, and ensure transparency and good governance.
• 👣 Continuous risk and issue management helps prevent problems from escalating and keeps the project on track.
• 🎮 Quality assurance and control ensure that deliverables meet specifications and are fit for purpose.
• 😤 Regular team meetings foster communication, problem-solving, and a sense of ownership among team members.
• 😤 Team morale plays a significant role in maintaining productivity and motivation, especially during high-pressure times.
• 😤 Frequent lessons learned meetings enable the project team to recognize successes, share practices, and address challenges promptly.
• ❓ Ongoing stakeholder engagement is essential for maintaining stakeholder enthusiasm, addressing concerns, and capitalizing on stakeholders' knowledge.
• 💱 Change control processes are necessary to manage requests for changes while considering the evolving needs of the project.

Transcript

hello I'm Dr Mike Clayton founder of online PM courses and this is the third of our series of four videos about managing projects in the first we saw how to define your project and in the second how to plan your project in this one I want to look at how to deliver your project and in particular the 10 project heartbeat functions of a project manage... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is the Monitor and Control cycle considered the beating heart of a project during the delivery stage?

The Monitor and Control cycle involves constantly monitoring project progress, comparing it to the plan, and intervening to bring the project back on track. By catching problems early and making subtle interventions, project managers can ensure the project stays healthy and avoids spiraling out of control.

Q: How does risk and issue management contribute to successful project delivery?

Risk and issue management involves reviewing emerging risks and issues, updating the risk register, and getting the team's input. By being constantly alert and proactive, project managers can address potential problems before they escalate, ensuring the project's smooth delivery.

Q: Why is stakeholder engagement vital during the delivery stage of a project?

Stakeholder engagement ensures ongoing enthusiasm and momentum for the project. It allows project managers to address concerns, leverage stakeholders' knowledge and learning, and adapt to new opportunities or problems that stakeholders may encounter during project delivery.

Q: What is the significance of the next bend process in project management?

The next bend process involves taking dedicated time to think ahead and consider what may be coming up in the project. This personal discipline allows project managers to identify potential blind spots, check up on overlooked aspects, and potentially open up new streams of work to ensure project success.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Monitor and Control cycle is the beating heart of a project during the delivery stage. By constantly monitoring and comparing progress to the plan, a project manager can intervene early and keep the project on track.

• Reporting is essential for putting project progress on record, ensuring good governance, and facilitating communication. It also allows project managers to request decisions, guidance, and resources.

• Risk and issue management involves identifying and addressing emerging risks and issues, updating the risk register, and periodically gathering the team's input.

• Quality assurance and control are vital to ensure that deliverables meet specifications. Project managers should oversee the process and sign off on all released deliverables.

• Regular team meetings are crucial for keeping team members informed, solving problems, and maintaining morale. The nature and style of team meetings may change as the project progresses.

• Team morale extends beyond meetings; project managers should take the time to visit and listen to team members, acknowledge their challenges, and provide support.

• Lessons learned meetings should be held frequently to address problems and share successful practices. This helps the team develop good habits and improve project outcomes.

• Stakeholder engagement throughout the delivery stage is crucial for maintaining enthusiasm, addressing concerns, and leveraging stakeholders' knowledge and learning.

• Effective change control processes are necessary to manage requests for changes that may impact project budget and timeline. However, project managers should also be open to revising project requirements to meet evolving needs.

• The "next bend" process involves taking time to think ahead and consider what may be around the corner for the project. This personal discipline can lead to new insights, ideas, and actions.