Managing Projects (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

How to ensure quality? A few guidelines will help:

• Determine quality benchmarks in the planning phase. Consider the quality policy of the organization, stakeholder requirements, the scope of the project, and any external regulations or rules.

• Don’t rush quality checks to meet deadlines. The cost of fixing problems after the fact is usually far greater than the cost of confronting and solving problems early on.

• Examine deliverables using the most appropriate tools—for example, detailed inspec‍

Milestones are, simply put, the points

Be prepared to take corrective action when something goes off the rails; otherwise, all you’re doing is monitoring, not exercising control.

Ideally, you’ll be updated in real time so you always know exactly where the project stands. In many cases, however, you’ll have to rely on weekly updates. Just be sure those come in on time and accuratel

Keep asking yourself the following questions to maintain a big-picture view:

• What do we need to accomplish with this project?

• What activities are essential to its overall success?

• Which elements are the most important to monitor?

• Where are the major bottlenecks?

• Where must we place controls to keep things on track?

s as people complete them. No single monitoring system works for all projects. One that’s right for a large project can easily swamp a small one with unnecessary complexity.

Before designing the new system, you need to know what outputs people are looking for, how they will use these outputs, how soon they must have the redesign, and so on

Schlesinger, Leonard A., Charles F. Kiefer, and Paul B. Brown. “New Project? Don’t Analyze—Act.” Harvard Business Review. March 2012 (product #Rl203R).
How do you get a new initiative off the ground in an unpredictable environment? For insight, the authors look to experts in navigating extreme uncertainty while minimizing risk: serial entrepreneurs. These business leaders act, learn, and build their way into the future. Managers in traditional organizations can do the same, starting with smart, low-risk steps that follow simple rules: Use the means at hand; stay within an acceptable loss; secure only the commitment needed for the next step; bring along only volunteers; link the initiative to a business imperative; produce early results; and manage expectations. You gain momentum by acting on what you learn in each step

Lewis, James P. Fundamentals of Project Management, 4th ed. WorkSmart Series. New York: AMACOM, 2011.
Based on best practices of experts in the field, this book explains how to set up project plans, schedule work effectively, establish priorities, monitor progress, and achieve performance objectives, while working faster and more profitably.
Lewis, James P. Project Planning, Scheduling, and Control: A Hands-On Guide to Bringing Projects in on Time and on Budget, 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
This application-oriented guide can be used to manage many different types of projects. Topics addressed include: how to decide if project management is needed; setting up the seven components of a project management system; applying the method of paired comparison to establish priorities and objectives; the eight areas for planning; and the project manager’s role

Klein, Gary. “Performing a Project Premortem.” Harvard Business Review. September 2007 (product #FO7O9A).
Projects fail at a spectacular rate. One reason is that too many people are reluctant to share their reservations during the all-important planning phase. By making it safe for dissenters who are knowledgeable about the undertaking and worried about its weaknesses to speak up, you can improve a project’s chances of success