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Project management isn't just for big corporations and theirflashymegaprojects.

BY

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ERISWAGER, P M P

hen i was in graduate school studying project

management, all of the case histories we read
were about high-profile, big-budget endeavors
that took years to complete.
It was easy to conclude that project management was
only for mega-corporations.
Then I made my way into the real world, where I've
worked predominantly on tather small projects for small
and medium-size organizations.
My first project involved a telecom company that had
been struggling for neatly a decade to implement a new IT
system. Many workers blamed the programmers, but my
initial assessment revealed the real problem: A lack of process
was interfering with progress. The Companys project
approach was diffuse and arbitrary, with no designated person leading the charge. On my sugestin, the CEO issued
a project charter. I then assembled a team and started
approaching the project in a more systematic, cohesive
way. Not only did we meet budget, time and quality goals,
the company fmally got the system it desperately needed.

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Over the years, I have managed many more projects of

similar small scale and discovered some alarming patterns:
Overconfidence. Organizations think they know about
project managementand don't fmd out otherwise until
after they initiate a project.
Underestimating the challenge. Organizations conclude that they dont need project management because
they consider their project too small or simple.
Attempted cost savings. Even when companies realize
the need for project management, they talk themselves
out of it because they don't want to spend the money.

Sell, Sell, Sell

You could find yourself up against a tough audience, so
here are some ideas for promoting project management to
small and medium-size organizations:
Educate everyone who will listen. The terms project
and project management often get bandied about without
real clarity, leaving many people confused. Take the time
to explain project management in plain language and illustrate your point with examples of how it can benefit both

26

PU NETWORK MAY 2010 WWWPUI.ORG

team members and management. Also, spell out the role of

a project manager. Organizations often try to leverage
existing resources, such as administrative assistants and
technical leads, to handle project management. Let them
know that just because someone has been assigned the
tesponsibility to expedite a "project" doesn't mean that
person is a qualified project manager.
Learn to say no. Sometimes organizations think they
need project management when they actually require a
new assistant or new operational processes. If that's the
case, steer clear. Using project management in the wrong
arena could lead to an unfevorable outcome and leave people questioning ts value.

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Join the discussion on

PMI.org/Voices
Lynda Bourne, DPM. PMP, sparked a lively
conversation around her post "Hey Boss.
What About Work-Life Balance?" She's
seeking advice from readers on how to
deal with executives who don't seem to
understand that not everyone wants to
keep long hours.
And in "The Secret To Career Success?
Relationships." Jim De Piante, PMP, discusses how he devised his career recovery
plan upon finding out his position had been
eliminated. "Beyond technical skills, we
need to develop people skills, and the
essence of people skills is relationships,"
he writes.

Scale down. Don't overwhelm with overly complicated

terminology or analysis. Full-blown project management
practice cati be beneficial to some organizations, but may
he overkill for others, so start with only the essentials.
Remember, you can always scale up, but if people are put
off by excessively complex project management, you probably won't win them back.
Caution Ahead
Once you're in the trenches, how do you avoid project
pitfalls?

a project charter. You may need to counter

resistance from functional managers or other workers, and
going in armed with a project charter can impart authority.
Get it in writiag. The need for documentation
remains the same for projects of all sizes. Although you
may not need a 50-page project plan, critical information
needs to be documented and distributed.
Don't succumb to scope
creep. Even on small projects,
it's human nature to want more.
Have a system in place to conrrol
change requests.
Set ground rules for communication. Aasertiveness and
PMP. is
confrontation can actually be
president
of
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more demanding at smaller
an
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companies, where everyone
Houston.
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members understand that feedUnited Nations' Principles
back is not a personal attack.
for
Responsible Investment
Deliver results. Actions
and
is a member of the
speak louder than words. Once
PMI
Houston and Tokyo.
youVe shown what project manJapan
chapters. Read
agement can do, companies will
her
expanded
lake on
come back for more.
Bigger doesn't have to mean project management
better. It's up to you to make the for small and mediumcase that no matter how small the sized organizations in
project or organization, project the Knowledge Shelf
at PMI.org.
management can help, PM

YUUK VUlL-t
No one knows project management better than you. the practitioners "in the trenches." So PM Network launched its Voices on Project Management column.
Every month, project managers will share ideas, experiences and opinions on everything from
sustainability to talent management, and all points in between. If you're interested in contributing,
please send your idea to pmnetworkOimaginepub.com.

MAY 2010 PM NETWORK

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