Project X Discussions

Complex Project Sponsorship

Often in IT Projects, the sponsorship of a project is not simple.  Often there a many stakeholders who have a significant interest in the project.  This is common when we are working on a data warehousing project.  Many different groups have vested interest in the project.  These interest might also come in conflict.  In particular problems will arise if one group is responsible for the requirements and another for the budget.   What are some actions you can take to mitigate the problems?

My first advice is to try to simplify things.  Harvey used to say "I am a simple man so you must make it simple for me."  That means in your mind deciding who really cares and make sure they are supporting your activity.  They will go to bat for you and clear away obstacles.  In addition some of the people have more influence and power in an organization.  I have found it does not necessarily follow from the organization chart.  Some people just know how to get things done.

I have also taken on a role of communication medium between all the various interest especially if the group do not meet with each other for various reasons.  Often groups have history which inhibits good communications and trust.  By focusing on the objective of the project and repeating it frequently sometimes you can get people all looking in the same direction.  I often visualize the objective as something which you can point to on a wall or in the centre of the table and metaphorically getting them all to look the objective as oppose to each other.  Shuttle diplomacy really works. 

Another thing to remember is that nobody means to do the wrong thing.  It may appear wrong to you, but from their perspective it is right.  The problem is to see it from their perspective.  I often become very confused and admit it.  I then asked for help in joining the points along a logical path.  Often the explanation will clear up the confusion and you have better idea why the apparent conflict exist.  Then you can set about getting the players to focus on the goal.

Usually complex projects means that many people in an organization have to change the way they have always done things.  Some people may not even understand why they do things they do but just know it works.  For them to step into the unknown is scary.  These people need support and help from the people they trust who can help them make the change.  Often simplifying things will help because many people do not need to understand the complete system just their part.   Make it simple and low risk.

We all know on complex projects not everything will be exactly as we expect even with extensive testing.   By letting people know that things may not go exactly as they hoped and giving them ways of getting help is important.  Eventually as they gain experience with the system they will learn the things that do not work well and avoid them. 

A real key to success of a project is for people to know that the project is important to their "real boss".  A note or email from the project sponsor or sponsors telling people how important the project to the sponsor and thanking them in advance for their support will help.

I am sure there are lots of ideas and experiences people have.  Like to hear some ideas.

Hidden Factors

Are you often perplexed by why people do the things they do?  Often I oversimplify the reason by simply thinking they are incompetent.  I suspect they do not see things the way I do.  Often the reasons are hidden from you.

These hidden factors could be simply be things like they could just had a fight with their spouse or a bad review from their boss.   I keep reminding myself I cannot see things through their eyes.

After that reminder, hopefully I become more curious about their point of view and listen more carefully to discover what is really going on.

I remind myself that nobody intentionally makes mistakes.  If they appear to intentionally make a mistake, I must remember to did deeper.  

 

Setting Positive Goals

"I am going to lose weight," "I am going to quit smoking,"    Why don't these resolutions work?  

I think our unconcsious does not recognize negatives because it sees things as images.  The only images these thought evoke are images of weight and smoking.

A simple example is to asked yourself not to think of blue.  Everything that comes to mind is about blue.

A similar idea is that we cannot "not do" something.  We can do many things but what do we do to "not do" something.   I learnt this very graphically when I was disturbing my wife's sleep by snoring. She would tell me to stop snoring and I would breifly stop and then start again.  I was asked whose problem it was.  Clearly it was her problem so I tried to think what she wanted me to do.  Finally I concluded she wanted me to sleep quietly.  So when she is disturbed by my snoring she says, "Jim, you are snoring, sleep quietly."  It has work amazing well as I now know what to do.  

Instead of being frustrated by what you do, think of what you would like to do and set a postive goal.  You will be amazed at the success if you perist and really want to change.

 

7 Consulting Lessons Learned

These lessons have been learned in school of hard knocks in consulting.  Would like to see my scars? 

1. Readiness - People only do what they are ready and willing to do.
2. Hidden factors - Many important factors are hidden.
3. The clients are always right - Even when they appear to be wrong.
4. The client success - The only measure of success in a consulting work.
5. Change is the product - The product of a successful consulting project is not a great report.
6. The Best interest of the client - Always act in the best interest of the client.
7. Go the extra mile - Give the client 10% more than they expect.

I have written about many of these items in previous blogs and in a Knol called Harvey Gellman Pioneer Computer Consultant.   Project X strives to use these lessons on every engagement.  Tell us how we do.

Comments and additions are welcome.

 

 

Be Curious and Understand Context - Ask Questions

Do you know the context for the work you are doing?  

How does it fit in the great scheme of things?  

I am often amazed how little we appreciate how the projects we are doing fit with the business.

 Example - Value of Outsourcing

An interesting personal example might help.  I worked with CGI for several years after they bought Gellman, Hayward and they started to do outsourcing of IT departments.  I thought at the time the motivation was to improve the functioning of the IT activity.  Reading the book, Dealing With Darwin, gave me a completely new perspective.  For a company to evolve, resources and capital are needed.  If an organizations IT function is not core to how the company differentiates themselves, then becoming more productive in that area can be a source of resources and capital.  An organization that can sell their IT equipment and operations to another company in exchange for a long term service agreement will create resources and capital to be invested in evolving their business.  That concept really places a completely different spin on oursourcing.   I, now, understand outsourcing in an entirely different way.

Example - Motive for Reorganizing

I often wondered why companies move to a decentralized organization and then after several years, move to a centralized model.  I suspect that senior management want to shake up the status quo and get people to rethink things.  Often organizations get so set in their ways that a rethinking is necessary.  I often thought that it was a waste of time but maybe in the bigger context it makes sense.

What Abbreviations Mean

Another example, many organizations have abbreviations for many things.  These abbrevaitions take on a life of their own and people forget what they mean.  I found in the telecom business to understand the context of a project, I really had to look into the meaning of these short forms and abbreviations.  Asking questions about these commonly used phrases can reveal some interesting things.  Often the questions and the answers increase your understanding and perceptions of the project.  I am shocked how little we know about the business.

How Does Your Work Fit

I encourage you to be curious about how your work fits into the company strategy.  Maybe if you understood the issues driving your project, you may find even better ways to help.

Alone And Afraid In A World I Never Made

I do not think we understand the world we live in.   During early 1900's people thought that science would be able to explain everything and there was a limited number of things left to learn.  Then scientist discovered rerelativity and quantum mechanics that turned the scientific world on its ear.  We now realize we know very little and much of what we know may be wrong.  

However the engineering side of us all allows us to use many things we do not really understand.  We use cyberspace without knowing really how it works.  We use computers with only the vaguest idea how they work.  

Thus we feel scared to ask questions about the context of a project because we are afraid we fall down a rabbit hole and end up in wonderland with Alice in a world that makes no sense.  I think the lesson from Alice is do not be afraid, enjoy this world and explore.  You will learn more than you ever imagined.  You will understand more than you ever imagined you could.  You will make a bigger contribution than you imagined. 

Change and new things can be scary but they also can be exciting.   The more we welcome uncertainty; the more we will learn.

COMMENTS WELCOME

Why Are You Reluctant To Write

Through out my consulting career of thirty five years I wrote very little because I did not think I could write well enough to meet Harvey's standards.  Harvey, my business partner, was very particular about the quality of written documents.  

However Stephen and Graham encouraged me to write on their blog and I have written more in the last three or four years than I wrote in my whole career.  I have discovered my writing voice.  

Start writing and finding your writing voice.  As you get more experience you will improve and become more comforable.  

I wrote the story of my business partner, Harvey Gellman, some time ago but only recently I had the courage to make it public.  If you are interested see Harvey Gellman - Pioneer Computer Consultant  I realize that the only way to improve is to experiment and have the courage to be imperfect.   Stephen also encouraged me that I have some valuable things to share.  Suggestions are welcome on the story.

If you would like some help editing something, send me a message and I will help in any way I can.

 

"Can I Do It?" "Yes I Can!"

Reminder to self, "Remember to ask and answer 'Can I do it?' "  I am an avid golfer and often my performance creates doubt.  If I apply Bob the Builder's motivational technique, I play much better.  Putting improves dramatically when I use this technique.

I wrote a blog about this Learn from Bob the Builder and when I use it my performance improves.

When we doubt, asking and answering this question improves performance better than simply positive thoughts.

Both founders of Project X Ltd. demonstrate amazing courage as they tackle the complex world of Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing.  I am sure they both often say to themselves "Yes we can!" 

 Use the question and watch the improvement.

Readiness, Motivation and Rapid Results

Why people do and do not do things?  Readiness determines the why.   People only do what they are ready and willing to do.  How can we apply this idea to our work?  

An example might help.  The IT group in an organization wanted to give new and better systems for inventory management for example.  However the people who manage the inventory were reluctant.  The IT director tries to explain just in time inventory and the organization reluctantly agrees to "try" a new system.  One can predict that this project will fail.  I have seen so many of these great ideas suggested by consultants and IT directors fail because of a lack of readiness.  However the same concept applies to the IT director.  Is he ready to accept the risk of failure or listen to his client? 

To effect major change in an organization, the management group must be ready and willing to sponsor and support the change.  I always look for the quality of management support for a change to assess the success of an initiative.   

If for example the responsibility for scope and budget are split between two executives.  The only hope for the project is that their boss really wants the project to be successful and does not give them a place to hide.  I think using a rapid results approach will reveal problems with such a project before all the budget has been spent without anything to show for all the money. 

How many times have we seen these type of projects where the organization is willing to go through the motions, without the ability to change.   As the song goes, "when will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?"   

 

Facilitating Problem Solving

How can you most effectively help somebody solve a problem?  A simple question produces the most amazing results.  The question evokes very creative answers and ones the person is ready to do.

As great problem solver, I eagerly offer solutions but find they are ignored.   I decided to take a different approach and asked a simple question.  

"What would you like to do?"

"What would you think would work?"

"How do you want to proceed?'

These and similar questions ellicit the most amazing answer and insights.  The person really knows at some level the solution and your questions brings the solution to their consciuosness. 

As you help the person flesh out the solution with more questions, listen to their readiness to act.  The next great question is "So what is the next step?"

Try it and come back and tell me how it went.

 

Actions That Defy Logic

Often people do things which defy my logic and understanding.  Hidden factors are things that are unknown to me which explain people's behavior.   Remember that you do not have the whole picture from that person's point of view.  To understand another's behavior, we must walk in their shoes.  Each person has a unique set of experiences that bring them to this point and determine their private logic.

One technique I have used which helps I call "contecting the dots."   The dialog goes something like this:

• X says "That is not the way we do things here."  (or some other apparently logic defying statement.
• Jim says, "Could you help me? I am confused.  Help me connect these points, first you say you want to change and then you tell me it is not the way we do things.  Could you clear up my confusion."
• X replies, "Some time ago we tried to do that and it got shot down by senior management."  or "I guess I mean it is not the way I want to do things." 
• Jim says, "So how do you think we should proceed?  What are you willing to do?"
• X says, "I think if my boss bought in to the change, it would make the difference.  Maybe I could check with him." 

I was discussing recently how much difficulty the North American car manufacturers have in adapting to the new world. I recalled a book  called The Machine That Changed The World .  The book described research done by MIT on the changes in the automobile business over the years.  The book predicted that GM would have great difficulty adapting to what they called the "Japanese Way" which the book calls "Lean Manufacturing."  They cited how much difficulty a Ford plant in the UK had chnging to Mass Production. A Ford plant in England still paid for peice work for fifty years after Ford introduced mass production.  They would not change because it was "the American way." 

The strange thing is the book clearly states GM's problem.  The GM people likely saw the book and some would read it.  Why did GM not change?   I conclude their private logic  led them to a different conclusion.

Then my friend brought up the case of Caterpillar Tractor.  The Autoworkers Union represented the Caterpillar workers and treated Caterpillar just like the car companies.  Caterpillar was not protectied like the car companies and competed internationally.  A new CEO, promoted from within, took the company through a radical change process.  They had to go through an eleven months strike and radical management changes but they are now doing much better. The new CEO surprized everybody by what he did but really changed Caterpillar. 

So many of these things defy most analysis because of hidden factors.  Other people's private logic of people  will be quite different than ours.  GM and others clearly need some sort of a revolution if they are going to survive. 

I recall some marvelous consulting reports that I have produced that were praised by the client and nothing changed.  I now conclude that my great report was very logical and well written, but beyond their ability to change because of the hidden factors.