How to Fix Major Project Management Problems
For project managers, there’s always a new problem around the corner. Whether it’s a looming deadline, inter-colleague tensions, or funding issues - every project has significant obstacles to completion.
Luckily, you can deal with several project management problems easily. In this guide, we’ll look at some key problems in project management, and your best methods for resolving them.
Photo by Anna Shvets
1. A lack of clear goals
One of the main project management problems is when we don’t have a clear sense of what we’re working towards. This is often due to poor planning or failing to tie the project to a broader business strategy.
In order for a project to work, the team working on it needs to clearly understand the objectives at the center of it. They also need to understand what expectations the stakeholders have of these objectives. Without this information, your team won’t know what success looks like. This can lead to wasted resources, creating something that doesn’t work as intended, or inviting new problems like scope creep.
To avoid this problem, try working out a project’s specifications before you begin in earnest. Make sure this is a team effort, as this approach is most effective. You can also establish a clear timeline of project work at this point. Use the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely) to guide your goal-setting process.
If your project team is spread over a large area, you may want to look at a voice over internet phone to aid communication.
2. A lack of accountability
Even with the best intentions, mistakes can be made during project development. If you don’t have a clear process for holding people accountable, it’s easy for people to start pointing fingers and shifting blame onto colleagues. This impacts morale and slows productivity, which makes project completion harder to achieve.
In some cases, these project management problems might be the result of a mistake made earlier on. Your team may not have been clear on their individual responsibilities.
You could fix this problem by assigning clear tasks, and conveying responsibilities to every team member and stakeholder. They also need to explain how different tasks fit together; one task may only be completable when another one is finished. In a way, project managers are like call monitors—providing their colleagues with the support they need to work properly.
Above all, make it clear that mistakes aren’t the core issue here. Failing to take responsibility is.
3. Unrealistic deadlines
Sometimes, a team might get a deadline that seems impossible to meet. These kinds of deadlines are produced by multiple factors: pressure from leadership or stakeholders, a desire to beat a competitor or a poor sense of how long tasks take.
An unrealistic deadline can make a project take longer. This is because the morale and productivity of a team take a hit, and they are forced to perform tasks in shorter time frames. This results in work that fails to meet expectations, needing revisions to meet the required standards.
To avoid this, it’s a good idea to talk about deadlines with stakeholders before the project begins. Ask if there’s a reason for a particular deadline, as you may be able to find a more realistic solution. Doing so may be awkward, but if you’ve ever had to hire an architect you’ll know that asking questions is essential.
Another solid strategy is to build some extra time into a schedule. This helps you deal with mistakes and unforeseen obstacles more effectively.
4. Bad budgeting
Projects can have different problems when it comes to budgeting. Sometimes the problem is spending too quickly – implementing fancy features that cause you to exceed your budget, or failing to make a proper estimate. In other cases, the problem is external. A stakeholder may push a project manager to work miracles with an unreasonably small budget.
Going over budget is - naturally - going to draw the ire of the people you’re working for. This in turn can have broader ramifications for your business. If you can’t work to a budget, you’re not going to be too popular with new clients going forward.
To ensure you avoid these budget woes, you need to make sure your estimates for project costs are accurate. If you don’t know if you’re on the right lines, consider looking at similar projects, or speaking to an experienced colleague. These can help to point you in the right direction.
Other things you may want to try include, limiting the use of particular resources within a project. In extreme cases, you might need to reassign a project’s resources, or even move to a more cost-effective supplier. These kinds of issues crop up in jobs like home renovation, which - if you’ve ever undertaken it - can give you a sense of what to expect here.
Bringing it all together
While every project is different, there are a few ways project managers can keep on track. Many project management problems relate to communication: making sure people understand what’s expected of them, and what they can expect from one another. Other issues in project management can be solved with experience, or consulting people who have it.
By understanding the common problems faced during project development, you’ll be better positioned to deal with them when you encounter them.
Author Bio: Tanhaz Kamaly
