De 4½ Gouden Regels van Project- en Programmamanagement

"Ben jij je bewust van vier regels die je project- of programmamanagement aanzienlijk kunnen beïnvloeden? Deze regels verhogen niet alleen de slagingskans, maar bevorderen ook de teamcohesie en verbeteren je algehele effectiviteit. En om het helemaal af te maken, is er na deze vier hoofdgerechten nog een heerlijk dessert!"

We hebben allemaal wel eens te maken gehad met projecten die ontspoorden: gemiste deadlines, uit de hand lopende kosten of, het ergste van alles, projecten die nooit hun doelen bereikten. Hoewel er soms geldige redenen zijn voor deze uitkomsten, zoals misrekeningen of veranderende omstandigheden, komt het meestal neer op een combinatie van de vaardigheden van de projectmanager en het niet volgen van essentiële richtlijnen. Hoewel er een overvloed aan literatuur is over projectmanagement, inclusief methodologieën zoals Prince2 en PMBOK, zijn kennis en certificeringen betekenisloos als ze niet in de praktijk worden gebracht.

Bij Kazarma hebben we onze ervaring gedistilleerd in vier gouden regels, samengevat in het 4C-principe: Consensus, Communicatie, Controles en Closure.

Het is belangrijk op te merken dat deze principes de fasen of stappen in methodologieën zoals Prince2 niet vervangen, maar aanvullen. Laten we ons eens verdiepen in deze regels:

Consensus

Every project must begin with consensus. This means agreement on the project's goals, the path to reach them, the time available, key milestones, and the budget, encompassing both financial resources and manpower. These crucial details are documented in the project charter, a living document that outlines the project's core elements: goals, timeline, resource allocation, budget, hardware/software requirements, and other factors critical to success. While consensus isn't set in stone, it may require adjustments due to events or external factors, which can be facilitated by a Change Advisory Board (CAB).

Communication

Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful project or program management function. It ensures that all stakeholders, whether project team members, Project Board stakeholders, or CAB members, are aware of the project's objectives, means, and steps outlined during consensus-building. Communication plays a pivotal role in maintaining project alignment. Shayna Joubert of Northwestern University highlights four perspectives influencing communication types and methods in her article. 

Checks

Regularly monitoring task and deliverable statuses is a standard practice for project managers. These checks provide essential insights into a project's progress and may trigger the need for adjustments, changes, or additional resources. In most cases, a spreadsheet with deliverables, deadlines, completion rates, and dependencies suffices. There's a debate on whether such a project dashboard should be accessible to all project members, but generally, it's advantageous as it keeps everyone informed and encourages teamwork.

Closure

Projects eventually conclude, ideally with success, but sometimes prematurely. Closure is often an overlooked phase in a project's lifecycle. Usually, project teams rush to disband, taking a well-deserved break or moving on to the next project. However, this is a missed opportunity for learning and team cohesion. At the end of a project, it's crucial to ensure the entire team shares both successes and areas for improvement. Conduct a team meeting, encompassing insights from all perspectives, and document these learnings for future reference. Start this meeting with an unlisted fifth "C": Celebration. Even if the project didn't meet all its goals, celebrating the aspects that were successful can be immensely motivating and beneficial for the next project.