Getting started with project management (2)-10 Success Principles of Basic Principles

Translation Source:

A project management Primer
Or "A Guide to making projects work (V2.0 )"
By Nick Jenkins

 

10 principles of success

 

We start with ten truths (self-Proofs:

I. Know your goals

Obviously, if you have no end point in your mind, you will never be there. You should clearly describe the project objectives in one sentence. If not, the possibility of project success will be slim.

Ii. Understand your team

Your team is the most important resource available to you. Their enthusiasm for work will determine the success or failure of the project. Organize your team to make the team look like a whole, rather than a collection of individuals. Communication is very important. You need to think about how to enhance mutual trust and ensure that each member knows what contribution they should make to the Great Blueprint. Clear rewards and punishments are required to provide a good working environment and set an example.

Iii. Understand your stakeholders

Spend some time on your stakeholders. The political and commercial sponsorships that the stakeholders provide with expertise and contribute are the basis for success. Put oil on the wheel of the bureaucratic machine as appropriate so that your project can be easily used.

 

Iv. Spend more time on Planning and Design
The common mistake is to start work before preparation. When you are under pressure to deliver the product, you must start it ". The ball is very large and heavy, and it is difficult to change its running track once started. Therefore, it takes a lot of time to determine how you can solve the problem in an efficient and concise way.
V. Less commitment and more work
Try to create happiness and surprises, less commitment (understanding your goals), and more (doing more than promised ):

• Improve Self-confidence in itself, projects, and teams

• When a problem occurs, you must stand up.

• Create a positive and acceptable atmosphere

Consider: if everything goes well, the project will be completed ahead of schedule; if there are some changes, it will still be completed on time; if there is a bad problem, you may not be able to deliver what you expected, but it is better than making too many promises.

Vi. iteration, increment, and perfection
Most of the problems worth solving are relatively large and cannot be solved in one step. Some important projects need to break down the problem into several blocks. You must pay attention to how each part meets the overall needs. There is no system method. you will end up with hundreds of different solutions, rather than a big one.

VII. Maintain the correct route
There is a final goal in your mind. You need to move toward the goal in an orderly manner and provide leadership (decision-making ). This principle can be applied to senior project managers who manage 20 people, or web developers who are only one person. Learn to use tools such as schedules and budgets to ensure proper routes. Consistency is a standard for distinguishing between professionalism and amateurs.

VIII. Management Changes
Changes are everywhere. The temptation to deviate from the plan will be unavoidable during the project. Gradient or drift is the main cause of project failure. To succeed, you need to manage or control changes. This does not mean that a single permanent plan should be recorded, and all other ideas should be ignored. You need to build a flexible way to absorb changes and let it go. There is a compromise-if you are too flexible, the project will be winding like a horse without a rider; if you are too rigid, when the first project stakeholder throws you a new demand, the project will be like a piece of glass.

IX. Early and frequent tests
The project is creative and contains assumptions and errors. Therefore, you need to do a lot of valuable work to prevent incorrect introduction. Errors are human nature, so errors may be introduced in the final product. testing is the best way to discover and evaluate errors.
X. keep your mind open

Relax! The ideal result is that the customer is satisfied with the project delivery results. To achieve this goal, we can adopt any method, not limited to the above principles. In specific circumstances, we even need to break the above principles.

Do not be constrained by the methodology.

Focus on project delivery and use all available resources. Follow the schedule and adjust your expectations and plans to adapt to the specific situation. Deliver the final product, promote the use of the product, celebrate your success, and continue to start the next project.