RIGHT MINDSET FOR ANALYSIS
& IMPLEMENTATION
If you have a desire to improve the results of the projects in your organization, we can assist by executing the projects and / or facilitating the following four steps:
STEP #1
Analysis according to the mentioned eight parameters. Based on this, it will be possible to draw up a graph that shows where the company's improvement potentials lie. The analysis is finally validated via interviews with key people in the company before it is presented to management. In this way, it is ensured that there is the greatest involvement among all stakeholders.
STEP #2
In the second step, discussions are held with the company's management and selected key employees, where it pays best to improve the company's performance.
STEP #3
In the third step, an implementation strategy and plan is drawn up that includes all relevant parameters, together with the company. The strategy and plan also define the success criteria that it is desired to achieve and follow up on these on an ongoing basis in the process (sub-goals and success validation).
STEP #4
The plan is executed and adjusted together with the company, where appropriate, based on the reactions and inputs received from all stakeholders. There is no "one-size-fits-all", but rather an individual plan and strategy for the individual company - All companies and organizations are different and will require different approaches.
In the following, the eight parameters that form the framework for projects and which are often overlooked are presented, a method for analyzing the eight parameters, and an instruction on how the work with the parameters can be initiated in practice. This is defined by analysis and implementation for - Create Efficient Companies with "More value in projects".
Sommerset Engineering can contribute to the implementation of the analysis and implementation part for all eight parameters or sub-parameters at the request of the company.
Most organizations are gradually becoming good at this. There are many good project methods, and many project managers are trained who are skilled at working with these methods. This is important because it creates a necessary project technical basis for successful implementation of projects. But that in itself is not enough. If you want to create added value for the business and the organization through projects, then more is needed. Then management and project management must also take the following eight parameters seriously.
The third of the parameters that becomes important is the link between project and business. We need to get closer to use cases, ie what should the project end up with - how should the project end up creating benefits, gains, improvements, use value, etc. for the organization and the business?
Business value creation is not an abstract thing. This is concrete value that the project manager must consider in the project from day 1. Why should it happen?
It is our contention that projects are only successful when they deliver a visibly usable result for the company. The "agreed" quality, price and time are no longer sufficient measuring points. In a changing world, where changes and adaptations come faster, it is necessary to be able to adapt scope, quality, price and time along the way for the project to be successful - and therefore agile methods gain ground, among other things. Project management cannot be separated from the commercial. It does not hold that the project manager handles the project triangle while another group handles the business. This is the case, for example, in the PRINCE2 method. Here, the steering group handles the project's business case and scope. The project manager simply performs the "day-to-day" management of the deliveries predefined by the steering group.
Let's look at an example - A large company must upgrade existing products in an older project, and the task is that the upgrade must be done 1: 1. The new systems / products must replace the existing 1: 1. But the project manager quickly learns that there have actually been small changes in processes in the organization compared to the old project. The project manager states this at an early stage, and the process changes are quickly incorporated into the upgrade, so that the upgrade is 1: 1.05 - the upgraded systems / products contain improvements of small details, so that the overall system matches processes more precisely. Here, the project manager takes responsibility for the project creating value for the business.
And that is exactly the point of this parameter. The project manager needs to take care of the business to a greater extent, and the role thus changes character. The modern project manager is in fact a “business designer” because the project manager's most important task is to create business results. It may sound rather banal, but the fact is that most projects delimit themselves from having to realize the gains and therefore leave the task of change to others. But the time when the project manager is free to declare "the project succeeded, but the business died" is over.
It is crucial to take into account the culture or cultures of an organization whose projects are to create value. Culture is of great importance for behavior, and it includes, for example, the processes, communication and project method. Different cultures require different approaches to project management and different project methods.
Let us again look at a typical example. The engineering department of a large private company is leading a project with the introduction of a new IT system. They create a series of templates for user interfaces and screenshots based on their project method, and the set of templates is shared with the different sections of the company so they can see how to work. But the sections are characterized by quite different cultures. Furthermore, other departments are interested in the implementation of the IT system, where the marketing department, for example, emphasizes speed and works close to the end customer. They are relatively creative and pragmatic, and they can quickly find that very fixed frameworks for how they can perform processes will have a limiting and demotivating effect. The finance department, on the other hand, is more oriented towards fixed guidelines, thoroughness rather than speed and is more hierarchically organized. One-size-fits-all templates that outline consistent ways of working may not be the best way to make the various departments thrive and perform at their best. In most cases, it will be more fruitful to examine what the different departments and cultures really need so that they can perform their work in the best possible way.
There are many ways to describe and categorize a corporate or departmental culture. One example of a categorization was developed by Cameron and Quinns. It contains four main categories that are quite different and require different management approaches: Clan culture, hierarchy culture, adhocracy and market culture. Another example is Edgar Schein's method. A third method is anthropology's fieldwork method, where the project manager goes out and observes in the “field”, ie the floor in the organization, where the project must ultimately create value. It does not matter which method or categorization one makes use of. The important thing is that the project and thus and the project method take into account the organization's culture or cultures.
If projects do not manage to influence the behavior in the organization and change it in the desired direction, then the project will not succeed. That's just how it is. Behavior management and design is an interdisciplinary approach to influencing human behavior. The approach is based on the scientific knowledge we have about human behavior. Behavioral design is about designing the organization, environment or systems / processes so that they support the behavioral changes. Project managers do not have to work with and develop behavioral management if they want to create results with their projects. This means that project managers must apply the knowledge we have about people and their limitations and work with behavior management as a discipline. It also means that project managers must go specifically to the behavioral task of analyzing and designing nudges (“loving pouf”) and working with the biases that naturally occur in organizations. It is important that the project managers in their project work take an analytical approach, and clearly define what behavior they need to change in the individual stakeholders. It requires a structured process and approach to work with this and it is important that it becomes part of the project foundation.
Understanding the interests and needs of stakeholders - both external and internal - is vital for projects. Here, it is not enough that the project and the project manager "handle" stakeholders. The project must "work for" the stakeholders. There is a big difference between "handling", which the traditional approach includes, and "working for". The latter requires a special effort from both management and project management. But it also gives a significantly higher satisfaction with both the process and the end result. This parameter is closely related to the behavior management parameter, as it requires the project manager to work to a much greater extent with knowledge of how to change the behavior of his or her stakeholders.
Stakeholder involvement involves mapping stakeholder needs, interests, and behaviors; and then it involves systematic work to change the behavior of stakeholders.
The implementation of a project in the reality of the company and the organization must be considered in the project planning from day 1. It must be a central and integrated consideration throughout the project. It may sound obvious, but it is our experience that it actually rarely applies.
Many projects are oriented towards a specific delivery, and this is typically what the project manager is measured on. But a project is not finished when there is a formal delivery in the form of an IT system, a new product or service, a building or something fourth. It is only in goal when it lives and creates real value for users, which can be internal employees or external customers, citizens, suppliers, etc.
We believe that the project manager's responsibility must be extended beyond the narrow project to also embrace the implementation of the “delivery” out there in reality. We call this "everyday implementation", and it requires deep knowledge and feeling for people, behavior and behavior change. All changes in the company require that you consider how to implement the change and think about it from day 1 of the project. Change requires training, support and motivation from the employees it affects. The implementation must be thought of in parallel with the other phases of the project - and not as a final phase.
Let's look at an example again. A larger company with more than 1000 employees must introduce a new IT program. From the very beginning, the project contained a number of initiatives to ensure the implementation of the new program in everyday life. A small film trailer was produced, which presented the program to the employees. 50 superusers underwent six weeks of training in the new program and in how they teach their colleagues in the program. The 50 super users themselves helped to produce the teaching material for the colleagues, which was designed for the individual target group and was thus an integral part of the pedagogical effort. It is a good example of a project that not only takes responsibility for the delivery but also for the delivery to have a good life in the everyday life of the organization.
Leadership is many things, but the strength of one's own personal leadership is central. This applies not least to project managers who must be able to stand firm when there is chaos in the project. The personal leadership of the project manager is absolutely crucial to the success of a project.
Most project managers have completed a basic project manager training, courses in several project topics as well as certifications at several levels. They are in control of the narrow project technical foundation. Our experience shows us, however, that project managers often still lack management-based knowledge and experience, which will to a large extent be able to streamline project implementation.
It's about:
The ability to steer towards the goal
Robustness (stand in chaos)
Courage to make the right decisions
The ability to execute with authority and ownership.
With these elements in our mindset, we will be able to help strengthen project execution and value creation in collaboration with the customer.
Have a free, no-obligation meeting to talk about how your business can add value.
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