Sooner or later your project will be in trouble, it happens to even the best project managers. We don’t like it when it happens to us, but our task when our projects begin to spin out of control is to identify and resolve the root cause of the issues or problems that are plaguing the project so we can get it back on track.
The key is to be able to identify the root cause so you can develop and implement a solution to the problem. Fortunately, we as project managers have many tools that can to help us pinpoint the culprit including, but not limited to fishbone diagrams, force field analysis, brainstorming, and Pareto Analysis.
Sometimes, however, we try to make the problem more complex than it is and overlook the universal problems that are common to most projects.
Here are some common project problems and their possible solutions:
| Problem | Cause | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Behind Schedule | Scope Creep | Confirm project scope baseline and implement a change control system |
| Behind Schedule | Assigned staff do not have appropriate expertise | Assign staff with appropriate skills. Adjust schedule to allow for training. Assign additional staff |
| Behind Schedule | Inaccurate estimates | Re-estimate and revise schedules |
| Over Budget | Poor initial estimates | Re-estimate and re-baseline the project. Revise the project plan and request approvals for new budget, schedules and project plan. |
| Over Budget | Cost increases | Consider alternatives including make/buy analysis, outsourcing, etc. Justify the budget increase and re-baseline the budget |
| Over Budget | Project charged with unrelated expenses | Document the overcharges and report to sponsors. Update and maintain the budget |
| Poor Staff Performance | Poor communication of work packages or expectations | Revise communications plan |
| Poor Staff Performance | Project schedule poorly defined | Re-plan work breakdown, resource estimate, and assignments |
| Poor Staff Performance | Poor communications | Evaluate and revise communications plan. Implement regularly scheduled team meeting |
| Poor Staff Performance | Poor communication of project information between team members | Implement a project management information system (PMIS). Evaluate and revise communications plan |
| Poor Staff Performance | Poor Project Management | Assess project management competencies; identify weaknesses. Provide training or mentoring. Assign a new project manager. |
| Poor Staff Performance | Poor Project Management | Assess project management competencies; identify weaknesses. Provide training or mentoring. Assign a new project manager. |
| Poor Staff Performance | Lack of user involvement | Cultivate mutually beneficial relationship |
| Poor Staff Performance | Roles and responsibilities not defined or communicated | Define and document roles and responsibilities. Review with the project team |
| Poor Team Performance | Conflicting priorities (common in matrix organizations) | Reschedule project consistent with staff availability and organizational priorities |
| Poor Staff Performance | Lack of executive support | Seek support through project sponsor. Seek support through performing organizational management if appropriate |
| Poor Staff Performance | Changed priorities; project no longer funded or needed | Cancel project |
| Poor Project Progress | Lots of activities, no definable deliverables or project milestones | Redefine relationship between work packages and project milestones. Organize activities into work packages with defined deliverables and staff responsibilities. |
| Poor Project Progress | Unrealistic expectations | Manage expectations |
| Unexpected Obstacles | Unforeseen issues | Re-evaluate cost/benefit and determine if project should proceed. Add to risk register and manage per plan |
| Unforeseen Obstacles | No risk plan | Define and implement a risk management plan |
From the internet. Author unknown.