One thing these past couple of years have taught us is that changes may be scary and can disrupt how we do things. An example of this can be seen where the pandemic has disrupted the operations of companies across every industry. 

Though these changes may seem scary and unpredictable, it should not always be seen as a bad thing. In fact, certain changes may be necessary and can bring forth positive results. Therefore, to have effective change management, adaptability and agility are the key elements of success. For example, changes in processes can also prove to be an opportunity to improve communications and create new ways of thinking and working which may not have existed previously. With that being said, it is important to have the right mindset and look beyond the problem when a change occurs.

Sometimes project management professionals may seem like wizards when leading teams to success, reducing risks, executing projects, resolving conflicts, and many other things but, they are not invincible. As a matter of fact, not every problem can be resolved by the project manager. This is further compounded when the problem is left unaddressed for far too long. Therefore, it is crucial for the project team to recognize the problem early on and accept when it is the time to close off a task, instead of pouring even more resources into trying to fix a lost cause. 

There is no guarantee that by applying the old ways, be it applying the same techniques, tools, or methodology from previous successful projects will result in similar success of the new project. This is because each project is unique and there are too many internal and external factors which may alter the outcome of a project, such as timing, technology, culture, and others. Although certain aspects of previous projects can still be used as a reference for future projects, it should be used with due diligence and only when appropriate. 

One common expectation by the project stakeholders is that a project manager needs to be a subject matter expert to be successful. Though this may be true to a certain extent, it is not always the case. A project manager’s role is to facilitate, guide, and mentor throughout the lifecycle of a project, and leverage the knowledge of subject matter experts from other areas of the company to help execute a project. Indeed having the knowledge of the technical aspects of the project may be useful, having only the solely technical expertise does not guarantee that the project manager will be able to manage a project effectively. It is more important for the project manager to possess the necessary project management skills and qualities. 

One common argument companies usually make when it comes to the project management software is that it costs too much to be maintained and is not necessary. This argument however is invalid in most companies with many projects. As projects get more and more complex, the use of project management software such as Atlassian JIRA helps to streamline the tracking of projects, tasks, and schedules. In fact, there are even many free services available and even for a paid or subscription-based solution, your team should consider the cost benefits of the right package for the team. These tools should be viewed as an asset and a competitive advantage as without the right software, it may be practically impossible to remain competitive, and  effective all the while efficient. 

Though the budget, timely delivery, and quality are important, there are still various other considerations that need to be evaluated by the project team. Believe it or not, many projects have been executed within budget and on schedule but they completely missed the mark with deliverables. For instance, when evaluating the success of the project, final deliverables such as the manner in which the project was executed, stakeholder satisfaction, team synergy, and many other factors also play a role in the success or failure of a project. Therefore it is important to remember that, as internal and external environmental changes occur, the project budgets and timelines which are important may no longer remain the primary measurement for success. 

By the time stakeholders have accepted deliverables and signed off, many would consider the project to be completed. This belief is a misconception by many as there are still various activities that the project team has to complete before the project can officially be closed. Before moving on to a new project, one key activity the project team has to carry out would be to document the lessons learnt throughout the execution of the project. Team members may be tempted to think of lessons learned as a repetitive exercise and a waste of time but this portion of the project is critical in helping teams not to repeat the mistakes. In ViTrox’s IPD framework, this is carried out in the Project Retrospective Review which assesses each aspect of the project and what can be improved and what was done well and document them for future references.