PROJECT ISSUES OR ROAD BLOCKS ; HOW TO OVERCOME THEM

•INTRODUCTION

• Road blocks or Challenges
• •There is no project without problems or issues(“Fires”)
• •Problems if not solved completely will just keep returning and take up your valuable time. So solve the problem completely. Get to the bottom of it

COMMON SOURCES OF PROJECT ISSUES 

• •The project organization Structure; ( Pure Project, functional, Matrix, Mixed  etc)
• •The project external environment- ( I.S.F.L.E.E.P.T.H) Regulatory, Environment, Govt, Market Shifts
• •The project Internal environment - Time, Cost or Scope changes, inexperience, poor planning, staff, materials, equipment, ,resources, technical, stakeholders
• •Project Stakeholders; Senior management of the project organization, community etc
• •The client’s policies, processes & procedures
• •The skills and character of the project team members, including the PM;
• •Acts of nature;(force majeure) EG. Disease outbreak, flooding, earthquake, Tsunami etc
• •Project Baseline changes( Scope, time, budget, deliverable changes)
• •Project Documents(Project Charter, Procurement Documents etc)

PROJECT ISSUES RESOLUTION PROCESS (“FIRE FIGHTING”) _APPROACH 

•Bottom –up Approach

•Collective or team problem solving approach as part of team building effort

•If the problem cannot be resolved by the team then escalate it to the sponsors or the functional managers of the project parent org., with a report on progress or efforts made, for assistance and then follow up to obtain the solution

PROJECT ISSUES RESOLUTION PROCESS (“FIRE FIGHTING”)_ STEPS 

• Take Precautionary/Preparedness Measures against the “DOMINO EFFECT” OR RE-OCCURRENCE
• Apparent Problem; Record the problem reported on the issue log.
• Fact Finding or Investigation( What, When, How, Why, Who, Where)
• Define the real or root problem
• Analyze the problem
• Identify Possible solutions
• Pick the best solution
• Plan & Implement the best solution
• Monitor & Evaluate the best solution
• Confirm the best solution solved the problem
• If not iterate and go back and pick the next best solution

PROJECT ISSUES  PREVENTION OR AVOIDANCE 

Institute continuous and rigorous project risk management process on the project 

• Prepare the Risk Response Plan; Risk, Risk Triggers, Probability, Impact, Risk Value, Risk Response/Mitigative Measures
• •Implement the Risk Responses/Mitigative Measures in the Risk Response Plan
• •Conduct continuous Risk Re-Assessments or Risk Audit or Risk Re-Evaluation to Identify inactive risks, new risks, relationship between risks, residual risks
• •Update the Risk Response plan
• •Implement the new risk responses/Mitigative Measures

WhatsApp the PM GURU on +1 317 629 3820 if you want to know more about this