We all use our work experience to a greater or lesser extent and often the most recent project is recalled as it is at the forefront of our minds. However, is it the most relevant if we try to adapt our most recent, and hopefully successful, experience to meet the current situation.? Continue reading
Firstly, what is ‘good communication’? Many people have views, but my definition is “the effective and efficient transfer and receipt of information by the right people, at the right time, in the right medium, at the right place and in the right amount”.
The key word though is ‘efficient’. A voluminous report to the right person on time covering everything may be effective but will the recipient be able to synthesise everything and make a decision; or would an email, letter, SMS, ‘phone call, or face-to-face meeting be the more efficient? Continue reading
Most of us are aware of the old saw “the operation was successful, but the patient died!” which has been around since 1829 and used to describe medical, as well as military and business failures. There are many reasons for failure but is ‘over-management’ one of them? Can too much ‘project management’ be applied to the point that the aim of the project, i.e. the product, is compromised? Continue reading
The PMC Role
In a nutshell, many people think that the role of the Project Management Consultant (PMC) is to look after the Client’s best interests. But what are the Client’s best interests and does this just amount to keeping the Client happy and not upsetting him?
I would suggest that completing the project in terms of time, cost and quality prevail and that this is the PMC’s real role. This requires the PMC to let the Client know that his best interests are (1) being met, (2) not being met, (3) what needs to be done to meet those interests, and (4) explain why the Client needs to pay or be delayed, or fail. Continue reading
How often do we hear or read that some organization or other purports to aim to exceed their Clients’ expectations? Are such statements mere puffery and sales pitch by some top-line grabbing salesman or are they genuine goals in line with the mantra of continuous improvement? And if we exceed somebody’s expectations are they happy about it? Continue reading