Project Management Blackboard

 

Managing a Project without a Project Manager

 

By Tracie Loudermilk, Manager, Professional & Consulting Services

 

The MDT Project Managers regularly speak with credit union staff and managers that are leading projects without a project manager.  This can pose some challenges, especially if the people managing the projects have minimal project management experience.  Quite often, project leaders ask us for tips and recommendations on how to run a project at their credit union.  Below, I have detailed the phases a project typically goes through to help guide you and your project to a successful completion.

 

Initiating Phase – Where do you start?

In this phase, the project has been given the green light to move forward and has been turned over to the project lead at the credit union.

  • The project is authorized and contacts are signed.
  • The project lead identifies the important parties or stakeholders for the project. Stakeholders can be involved individuals or those who have an interest in the project.
  • The project’s end goal is defined and confirmed.

 

Planning Phase – Time to start planning what needs to be done

Identify the scope of the project:

  • Define the what, when, how, and who.
  • Review contracts to understand what vendors will be delivering.
  • Talk with vendors and stakeholders about the deliverables.
  • Start building milestones (high level list of the important parts of the project).

Organize and plan:

  • Create the project management plan. Start with your milestones and add detailed line items on what needs to be done, who will be doing it, and when it needs to be completed.
  • What other vendors should be involved?
  • Who should be involved from the credit union?
  • Start outlining cost estimates.
  • Are there any other resources needed to complete this project? Resources can be human resources as well as equipment, hardware, etc.
  • How will you communicate project status updates and how often?
  • Think about what risks may be encountered over the course of the project.

 

Executing Phase – Time to do the work

  • Who will be responsible for what? You must manage the project work internally and with your vendors.
  • Develop and manage the project team. What does your team need to make this project a success?
  • Do you need to acquire additional resources? Do you need to consider outsourcing some of the work?
  • Be sure to communicate! I’m a firm believer that you cannot overcommunicate.
  • Remember your stakeholders. Communicate and work with stakeholders to manage their expectations. Also, consider what pertinent information your CEO may need about the project.
  • Have any risks been identified and, if so, what mitigation plans are in place? For example, it’s flu season and half of your project team is out of the office sick. How do you keep the project to track?

 

Monitoring and Controlling Phase – Check the Work

  • Check your project scope against the progress of the project. Are you staying within the scope of the project?
  • Check your costs.
  • Check your resources.
  • Check your schedule to determine if the project is on target or running behind.
  • Ensure that changes are being tracked.
  • Check your communication.
  • Check your risks.
  • Check in with your stakeholders.

 

Closing Phase – Ending the project

  • Have all project objectives been met?
  • Evaluate the success of your project.
  • Document lessons learned:
    • What went well?
    • What new things did you learn?
    • What could have been improved upon?
  • Sometimes ending the project means a cancelled project.
    • Project resources may have been reallocated to more important projects.
    • Funding for a project may have been cut.
    • A different solution may have been proposed.