Execution and Control Occur Simultaneously

Execution and Control Occur Simultaneously
The purpose of project management is to minimize risks that results in delivering a project on time, within budget, and that meets or exceeds customer expectations, which results in a successful project. In order to minimize the risks that would prevent you from delivering your project on-time, within budget, and that meets or exceeds customer expectations, you need to have project management best practices in place. Best practices are controls that help you successfully manage risks. So, in short, when the project is executing you need to have controls in place so that the execution is successful.

Control must exist in all phases of a project life cycle
Controls must exist in all phases of the project’s life cycle, not just during the execution phase. However many managers lose control more quickly during execution due to the lack of proper focus on the gauges that communicate and foretell risks that will negatively impact the project.
When a project is executing some people become completely immersed in the day to day activity, often at levels such as subject matter expert, and as a result do not see the warning signals or stop managing the gauges that communicate a potential risk. Keep in mind that managing and doing the work are two different things and when you combine the two in a way that causes you to ignore using the required project management controls then you increase the risk of losing control.

Gauges that Communicate and Foretell Risks
There are many tools and techniques that you can use, but keep it simple. Some simple gauges include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Create and maintain a project charter
· Create a business and technical requirements document
· Create and maintain a budget
· Conduct Status Meetings (separate business and technical meetings)
· Maintain a project schedule that includes tasks and resources
· Perform a risks analysis with the SMEs (subject matter experts)
· Communicate status to the stakeholders on a regular basis
· Track Changes, Issues, Action Items, and Risks in a CHAIR log
· If you are using external vendors, clearly define deliverables, expectations, costs in an SOW

The One Constant is Change
In all of life the one constant is change. Have controls in place so that you will be successful. The lack of planning and maintaining proper controls is expensive. It will cost you in time, dollars, personal energy, stress, health, reputation and more. As a manager we plan and prepare, and have controls in place so that when change occurs, and remember it will occur, you are better able to manage and be successful. It is really that simple!

Choosing Project Templates

Please keep in mind that the project management templates you choose to use should be based on the size of your project. A small fast paced project needs different controls than a medium or large project.

Create a matrix to measure your projects. In the example below a project is "Large" when the staff is more than 6 people, more than 9 month, more than ten thousand hours and cost more than one million dollars. This is only an example. You need to identify the metrics for your organization:


Take a look at this example.

If you have any questions, or would like my consulting services to help you get started please don't hesitate to contact me.

To Your Success!
Dora Tarver
doratarver@e-projectmanagers.com