The proverb “failing to plan is planning to fail” has made its way into project management lexicon so much that it is considered a rule of thumb because of the importance of planning.
Rules of thumb like this are ever present. We hear them, we say them and we nod in agreement. Specifically, this rule of thumb teaches us if we don’t plan a project, it will fail. This suggests, of course, if you plan a project it has every chance of success.
Often rules of thumb are in fact icebergs. They only provide a minimum amount of guidance while the majority of information remains below the surface, unsaid and often unknown, much like an iceberg.
If this rule of thumb was in fact a rule of law, the profession of project management would give way to that of project planning as there would be no need to manage and oversee projects once they had commenced.
However, inaccurate and outdated planning can lead to failure, project managers can ask the following questions to determine if their planning remains current:
- Communication – are there any new stakeholders since the project commenced?
- Contracting – could you utilize a more efficient contracting method to encourage progress and efficiencies?
- Change control and configuration – are you experiencing scope creep due to unapproved changes?
- Single point of failure – is there a constant road block or impediment to progress?
- Risks – could your risk management plan and mitigation strategy be more effective?
- Resources – has the project staff availability and allocation changed?
- Time – have project milestones or schedules compressed?
- Quality – have requirements and or expectations changed?
If you answered yes to any of these questions your planning should be updated to reflect the current status of your project in accordance with any changes. To get your project back on the road to success the following steps will help:
- Take action – be responsible for your project in a timely manner.
- Ask for help – contact a mentor or experienced colleague that could be of assistance.
- Lessons learnt – look back through project closure reports to identify information and experiences that could be of benefit to you and your project.
- Communicate with stakeholders – inform them of approved changes to project elements and update planning documentation accordingly.
Noting PMI’s research that little over half of projects “meet their goals and business intent”. Planning is not a once off that ensures success. Project success is influenced by a combination of factors. Planning should be considered an input to project success, not a sole determinant of success.
— by Sam Finch (PMI Thailand Chapter Volunteer)