If you want to establish a new project management methodology in your company, you are initially faced with many questions and challenges. The organizational and cultural changes are often more profound than initially expected. They affect two levels: on the one hand, the individual people involved; have to deal with new tasks, roles, and responsibilities. On the other hand, the change is also noticeable in the higher-level structures of the company. Should the new methodology be anchored in the company in the long term? Then it would help if you familiarize yourself with typical obstacles before the introduction to avoid them or to be able to react to them quickly.
The Introduction Of Project Management Is Itself A Change In The Project.
One of the often recurring initial difficulties is, for example, the attitude that a project management methodology can be “put on.” Those responsible send the employees to a training course, distribute templates and then introduce software that is supposed to solve everything – unfortunately, it takes a lot of work. Each tool must be able to control the management process, and no perfect manual that solves all problems. Management must understand and accept the principle of project management much more and, above all, be able to assess the degree of maturity of the existing project management in its organization. This can then be used to weigh up how intensive the preparations (training courses, appraisal interviews, workshops) have to be. It is also not enough to train only one area (e.g., IT), the interface departments and the rest of the company must also be involved in the process. If the degree of maturity of the project management is low, but the project to be managed is large, the greater the effort involved in introducing the methodology.
Let Go And Give Up Responsibility.
It also becomes problematic when the board of directors wants to be on the steering committee for all projects. Most of the time, he is so busy with his tasks that he can’t afford them. A process of knowledge is required here: authority to make decisions must be handed over to the intended position, roles must be clearly defined and areas of competence must be precisely defined to develop a smooth process. The top management must also prepare for the new situation and be trained like the other employees. The decision-maker should also consider successors so that they learn crucial project management skills from the start. In principle, people open to project management should be employed in critical positions.
Choose The Right Start Setting.
The new methodology should not be introduced in an already ongoing project but in a new one. It makes sense to test the project on a pilot group. A crucial factor in selecting the right employees. It is best to select the participants specifically for this rather than only involving volunteers. It is advisable to involve supporters of the methodology and skeptics and opponents. Anyone who explores their pain points and fears can explain the advantages and show them that project management involves extra work at the beginning and added value in the long term. Once the ball has started rolling, success will set in – and that should not be withheld from those involved: it is crucial to communicate and to show all those involved.