How to Prevent Scope Creep | Scope Management

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Continuing from our previous post of containing creep, we have listed 10 pointers as useful reference to amplify your project management skills. Scope Creep management is primarily handled by a PM and hence it’s a fair expectation to observe the call taken to neutralize creep. Scope Creep is a way of practical life, and hence one can, at best, contain and thereby control. 

Team management must ensure some overzealous team member overstepping in reach by getting in touch with the customer, who might influence changes that might sound simple like ‘bells and whistles’, and also the peril of Gold Plating –whereby “After having met the requirements, the developer works on further enhancing the product, thinking the customer will be delighted to see additional or more polished features, rather than what was asked for or expected.”

Get the requirements clear

Sometimes, it might be iterative but unless all the stakeholders involved are the in same page, especially the client and vendor an converse in the same language and understand one another, closing all possible gaps, and if possible walk-through the requirements once again. It might burn some bandwidth but it will be worth it.

Pay attention to the detail

From the first piece of code written to a single line drawn in the wireframe, make sure everything is as per agreed terms and within scope.  From experience, it may be noted that design and development inexplicable makes way for creep. So ensure that a sign-off is sought on design aspects, and read the requirement document again before commencing coding

Divide the requirement into small logical parts

Smaller projects have a much greater chance of success, so smart PMs do a work-break-down in creating sub-tasks so that the effort estimated and actual; spent can be controlled better. It is always easy to divide the requirements into small logical parts and assign the corresponding effort against it.

 Identify priorities

You will need to decide on the scheduling as to which will go first followed by or will there concurrent tasks. And identify the deliverable and break the deliverable into actual work. In case of larger project, it might mandate upgrades which need to be factored for effort and hence breakdown of deliverable helps.

Plan for Prototype

When the requirement/solution is not clear, plan for Prototype/Spike User Story before finalize the scope

Understand the requirement

Reverse Understanding/document for the Customer to ensure that requirement/expectation is well captured

Capture revision/changes

Have clear understanding on implication of the revision/changes in the requirement and document the agreement

Change Control Board

Make sure there is a Change Control Board in place  to track any deviations from the accepted and scoped requirements. Changes, if any, need ti be recorded, communicated to client for confirmation and only upon their explicit the changes can be accommodated, that too at a timeline best suited to the project interest. Bottom line, it’s out of scope which becomes a part of development through Change Request.

Present the impact Analysis in detail

When there is request for Scope Change, Present the impact Analysis in detail as Technical or Design Impact on effort and Cost, especially through rework and lost effort

Study Intangible impact

 i.     Moral of the team

 ii.    Trust factor with the Customer

In any case, the Scope Change has to be treated as Change Request. Regular review meeting with Customer on Progress Status Vs Plan should be conducted to eliminate creep as much as possible.

Scope Creep - But Why Always | Project Management

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This is not some fictitious account but facts presented in the form of a case study. A project in the construction industry with a budget of $10 Million was overshot by 20%. One might wonder what would be the margin then, clearly marking the bottom-line in red.

Root of the problem

When the builder was questioned about the glaring rise in the overheads, that went way over the budget, "it cannot be reported as scope creep though it turned out eventually." Haven’t we heard that before? “Yes, we have. And before you ask, this is not my first project. I am an experienced hand and I speak from personal experience, and that’s why 20 percent might sound whopping to you, is inevitable to me.  You speak about creep, like a leaky water pipe.  Then imagine in a massive water plant, one spot in a particular pipe will call for a complete overhaul of the plumbing unit. Don’t assume there is a quick fix like some adhesive pasted to block the leak. That’s a layman’s understanding. What actually takes place is more complex and cumbersome. Assuming, this took away a major chunk of the work from completion, you are looking at lapse in work which translated in hours and converted in dollars and cents can lead to sever deficit financially diminishing the returns. So to identify the root cause can prove painfully expensive.

The lesson learned, amongst many, can be the plumbing factor – which we naturally pay more attention and extra-cautious in the next undertaking. Then unbeknown, in the next project there will be some other issue out of the blue – it can be a wiring issue, for all you know.

Forces beyond

Risk is inherent. No doubt about it. But the nature of risk? How about a team member falling sick? Or the work done by someone isn’t thoroughly checked and impacts the development made so far? Or natural calamity or a strike? These don’t constitute creep but do attribute to scope creep one way or the other. Assuming a team member falls sick and the deadline has to be met. Sometimes, driven by deadline pressure or closure on dependency, one tends to crosscut and aim for closure. There are some risks to be taken, which may not impact short-terms but make you pay with grave consequences in the long run. Well, that again is a risk. So creep need not necessarily be direct, straight and said forth.

Creep is not something that can be defined or confined to a particular category. At best it can be contained is not clichéd. Objectively assessing, that’s reality because every project closure will script its own ‘lessons learned’ and yet we observe failings in some form. Incredibly, some repeated; it may not be intentional or ignorant but things that’s possible to be overlooked as trivia can prove to be a thorn and troublesome.

To wrap it up, we would want every lesson learnt to be put into use after all what is knowledge without application. Furthermore, the client’s expectation of earning more for every penny needs to be professionally managed. Expect the customer to come up with last minute surprises, that is strictly out of scope but then you can’t say ‘no’ not wanting to offend. Hence one should draw the line somewhere without hurting either party involved. It’s a thin line that calls for a fine act. We don’t want scope creep – it just self-invites. That’s scope creep. I just gave you a long-winded definition."

Scope Creep Inevitable?

Inevitable? So there is no way out? There are ways to mitigate but Scope Creep control has everything to do with you.  We started with why is there scope creep always.  And also, we stated categorically that creep can be contained.

How do you contain scope creep? We will discuss the ways in our next posting. Meanwhile, if you have any ideas, suggestions, theories, or experience, please do share and educate our users.

Why Communication is such a Challenge | Communication Management

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Communicating with others is often overlooked or even taken for granted. Communication is an art; communication is a skill, and now what not. we say a lot and really don't mean nothing much.

The most challenging aspect about communication is to ‘tell something in a simple and straightforward’ manner. We are exceptionally talented. alongwith, we are poor listeners and hence poor learners. 

While charity counsels that what the left hands gives let the right not know, but communication commands the left hand has to know what the right has to say. But then we are so confused or even too lost in the cacophony to realize the boot is on the wrong foot. A word out of line is akin to the same.

You to be someone easy to talk to – which will give the people confidence to connect.

We try to impress with intellect by using dazzling words and difficult-to-understand terms, metaphors, idioms and what not. Corporate communication, of course, prescribes etiquette to be adhered, but it’s not to be misunderstood as something complicated just because etiquette itself isn’t an easy word. Agreed. Etiquette plainly put is rule. The standard for business correspondence is the essence of etiquette but there comes the rub. What standards? As times progressed, expressions sound and framed more informally that formal outlook is perceived as archaic. And give a thought about how the millennial relate and recognize the ‘chat’ language, as they the make up for the majority of workforce. Confluence or compromise?  Calling it a compromise would be too crude nor can we uphold colloquial language in a formal correspondence. So what is the benchmark? Well, even this commentary can be critiqued for its strong undertones.

We simply don’t communicate. Where there are barriers, aren’t there breakthroughs? Yet, the complexity with which conversation proceeds perplexes us no end.  Conflicts arise mainly due to poor communication or mismanagement when words are minced and message loses its meaning. Basically, we failed to make sense, and far worse never ever realized which only made matters worst. 

  

Cut down the chase

Employ direct lines instead of circling around. Being linear brings its own leverage to the board.  Face-to-face is most preferred, and where need be, then emphasis is on the written word than spoken. So there is no hard and fast rule and much depends on the merit of the case. That said, keep it short and straight – be it verbal or written. Stakeholder management sometimes suffers from this very shortfall when the decision makers instead of engaging directly deal through interfaces. That’s typical bureaucratic when information has to be percolate through different channel before landing on the desired destination.

How can we improve communication?

Connect and contact=communicate. Why fuss about fancy words when simple one will convey the meaning. Articulation has nothing to do with ostentation. In fact, it works the other way instead. The challenge today despite being well read and learned, can yo explain to a third-grade kid.is to be schooled as a sc is that 'you might be possess the knowledge of a professor but can you explain to a third-grade kid. Language is no longer a limitation. Use shorter strings. Employ simple and meaningful words. Keep the pitch polite. And learn to listen, not with an intent to counter or cross-question, but to hear and be heard. 

 ‘Houston, we have a problem’ – doesn’t that sound familiar Why? Its not astrophysics but plain English. 

Do you understand? Good. Make sure other do what you have to communicate - in a language they can understand, in words they will know, in a tone that will make them comfortable.

Carry on the conversation...

Get PMP® Certified – You Just Get Better | Project Management

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We were classmates since kindergarten.  And hung around together. Its our individual pursuits that led us into different league – and today as working adults we catch up good old times and reminisce about the days of yore. He is a seasoned professional, and the very title of ‘Director’ made me size him up and down. As small talk whittled and we started discussing professional journeys embarked, certain details shared with me were just startling.

He is employed in a fortune 500 company, and has a dedicated recruiting team. For reasons known best to him, the discourse focused on the frustration of a recruiter. Now that beats me!! With the talent in the market, it must be a breeze in the park to shop – in fact, ‘pick and choose’.  “Far from it. Reality is grim my friend. I give a mandate to the recruiter team and from the heap of resume they receive, and after vetting with due diligence, I only get to pick 30. A number I set for myself so that the scrutiny is really stiff”. Engrossed, I didn’t realize the tea was getting cold but questioned “what’s the pain point?”

“It’s the fitment. The candidate must be primarily from our domain to be completely conversant, independently handle client, responsible for end-to-end to project implementation, and toss in portfolio management….” And I was muttering “be ready to go to moon or mars in a days’ notice”, but he completes “and the candidate must be PMP^® certified.”

Phew!!  Is that all?

He smiled “I was just warming up not wanting to ruin your evening with the professional banter. Its a tough world. I will fill you more about it later. Let’s order some snack and grind good old things.”

It was an evening celebrating old times and as we parted with a promise to catch at least whenever time permits without a timeline, I took leave with the requirements he listed as ‘Job Description’ resonating in me like the clanging cymbal. Just couldn’t miss and kept playing again and again. Though he kept PMP^®  certification to the last, it was very apparent that without PMP^®  the candidate wouldn’t even be considered. The resume cast away as one among the many who couldn’t make it despite the experience bereft the PMP^® certification.

By now, every aspirant or practicing professional knows what really makes the cut above the crew – PMP^®  certification. 

PMP^® plays a pivotal role in marketing your profile. It matters much a how can grab the eyeballs and retain the attention. PMP is more than a selling point. When complemented well, it will be a slam-dunk.

PMP^® Certification holders are largely presumed to be conversant with the subject matter because of the stiff eligibility criteria, random audits and the tough exam wherein passing at the first attempt is deemed a major accomplishment.

PMP^® proves you are a qualified professional and hence eligible to be counted as a prospect to lead projects and groomed to take up larger roles and responsibilities

PMP^® provides job opportunities that are terrific because the number of certified PMPs is just a small number and hence you are in great demand

You get to work in challenging projects by virtue of the certification as it is a testimony to your education, experience and expertise.

It broadens your horizons given that PMP is globally acknowledged and instantly recognized. With every engagement, you strengthen your skills and upgrade your learning.

  

Specialize in a particular domain or expand out further depending on your appetite and areas of interest. Consequently, you speak different industry, or geography and can speaks many languages professionally – not just the vernacular but also technical.

PMP^® benefits your employers who are keen about their ROI with an eye on the bottom-line. Remember, you are a true asset to your employer as you enable the company to complete the project within time and cost, of course leading a team and as a team player. These attributes of team player and team spirit is implicit and that’s why the intent in the first place to hire.

PMP^® pays. Check your earning and see your salary soar. PMP^® certified professionals command a distinctive lead that’s difficult to catch up in terms of salary. Easily a PMP certified professionals earns 20 % more than a no-certified.

The truth is much more than that parting line. Check the report from Payscale 2016 about PMP salary average.

 

PMP certification holders earn 20 percent more than their non-certified peers according to Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey, Ninth Edition. – source: https://www.pmi.org/certifications/types/project-management-pmp

Now that you are become a part of the exclusive global community of PMP^® holders, the future is all yours. Steer your way through and chart your own course.

Has Trust lost its ‘Trust’? | Stakeholder Management

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The word is abuzz about funds being embezzled or malpractice within company. Recent news about controversies and scandals are doing the rounds and ties that were painstakingly built appears so fragile. In the past days a CEO has stepped down, misuse of money in a blue chip company, and non-conformance of standards spells disaster in the parlance of people management.

Governance by every company is based on strong ethics and values and yet incidents like these rock the boats, sending shivers down the spine. Many exclaimed in disbelief ‘It’s just not possible”, and yet that’s exactly what happened – trust deficit.

It’s in good faith and belief that something is entrusted, but when the person manning the gate gives up blowing the cover then it’s a classic case of the ‘cats guarding the chickens.” Stakeholder Management is proving to be more critical. One might wonder if the company or the whole crew or the entire block that bungled, but all it takes is one rotten apple that makes the basket stink. And despite the foolproof security measures put in place, failure like the incidents cited can not only be frustrating but erode the confidence misplacing the faith.  The murky matters cast a long shadow sparing none from suspicion. Paradoxically, the benefit of doubt cannot be passed and things have worsened to a state where one has to prove innocence. So where went the ‘you are innocent unless proven guilty’. We live in different times that demands drastic changes and impose difficult compliances lest we face dire consequences.

What makes one misbehave? Chances, conditions, circumstances, or plainly greed. Whatever might be the motive, it shatters everything the individual stood for, and along with brings down the whole house. Integrity is imperative. Character is what you do in the dark – when no one is noticing. Integrity plainly put is ‘do what  you say and say what you do’. Hence, it becomes critical that we pay more attention to our human assets by studying behavioral aspects and identify scope for improvement. Not everyone is strong; some are susceptible. It’s up to the management to identify the grey areas and iron out the weakness. A SWOT generally helps – especially from an ethical standpoint.

Stakeholder Management involves your internal partners as well, whom at times, are overlooked. Build trust. It works both ways – employers and employees. It is incumbent on an individual to be accountable. You are answerable to your actions. So, the choice is clearly yours.  

We will like to hear your thoughts about this subject. Please do share and we welcome your inputs.

PMP® - The earning capacity from a global perspective | Project Management

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Take a wild guess about the number of PMP^® certified professionals? Save your breath – it’s just as of 723,067 as of May 2016. That’s a miniscule number against the world population of 7.5 billion.

PMP^® is one of the renowned and recognized professional certification acknowledged globally that makes the holders privileged. And if the numbers of certified professionals are anything to go by, it sure makes them the most elite and exclusive.

Admittedly becoming PMP® takes time, effort and money. But look at the returns. Its fashionable or even pretence to employ jargon in conversation without knowing the meaning or understanding the core concepts. PMP® empowers with the education the project management. one tend to infer cost expense but Cost management as a module that you will study in PMP^®   is more than mere expenditure.  It’s the learning and understanding that makes a PMP^® certified professionals stand out. For the scope of this blog, let’s focus on the earning capacity from a global perspective.

The Earning Potential is tremendous:

The ‘Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey, Ninth Edition’ presents a detailed study of the salary structures, some of which are captured as under for your reference.

for ,ore details of Project management Programs, please do visit our website http://www.icertglobal.com/ or email us at infor@icertglobal.com.

Thank you for visiting our blog and we hope the information provided was useful to you.

The Big Three and the Bounty | What you can learn for your career

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‘Big Billion Days 2016’. ‘Amazon Great Indian Festival’.

The headline grabbed as much attention as the conversation that went around it. It was a festival bonanza with the leading three e-commerce companies offering discounts at unbelievable rates which may not be possible offline.

Questions of all hue and shades came flying thick and fast. ‘Who is offering the discount? The marketplace or the brand marketed?’ that’s interesting given two of the service providers in the picture commenced e-commerce by selling books online.

And then the conversation veered off ‘what about the competition? How will the small business survive this onslaught of deep cuts engineered in the form of discounts that will leave many retailers bleeding? Won’t they be crushed under the might of the online companies that have the money and muscle to move around?

And another inquired “Well, why would the west look at east? “ Apple teams up with Flipkart to sell iPhone 7 in India’, Wal-Mart Is in Talks to Invest in Indian Startup Flipkart. Does it mean the well has dried up? Not necessarily, just that another source of stream has been spotted and sellers want to make the most of the opportunity. Market research and consumer behavior might sound as marketing jazz and jargons, but closer scrutiny would help to analyze the information other than those matters that meets the eye. 

 

Bank of America estimated Amazon could increase its market share to 37 percent by 2019 from 31 percent now, approaching the 44 percent held currently by Flipkart.

 

Essentially, looking east speaks about synergy. Apple teams with Flipkart for a win-win engagement.  While online sales range from anything to everything, the festivity seemed to focus more on the consumer electronics and large appliances categories.  Chinese mobile manufacturer Xiaomi reported selling half a million smartphones in just 72 hours by riding on the high wave of online shopping festivals.

 

With the  kind of financial backing or by virtue of their own strength, the top three can turnaround the game with a price pitch that others won’t be able to match.  Is it all over for the small business? We have to accept that trade and commerce has evolved from wholesaler to retailer to E-tailers.  Market penetration is still a challenge – and so is internet connectivity.  For instance, Italy has one of the lowest internet penetration rates in Europe. It would be presumptuous to credit every sale to be online.  There is market for offline or brick and mortar – apple store is a telling testimony. And market out there is big enough to accommodate but you have to bet on your brand as there is no guaranteeing your slice of the share. End of the day, does the consumer care about the competition? NO. It would be after-sales service.

 

Read through the above passage as an analogy and place it in the perspective of your career.  Corporate shop for talent – and your place of origin is irrelevant so long you deliver. You can be a native or expatriate – how does it matter when visa can be arranged, in case required. But the topline is talent.  

Reskill – Empower through Education | Professional Certification

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It can sound so ironical when the soldiers  safeguarding the borders endure rigorous drills routinely, even in peace time to be ever ready – war footed, as it is known – why are those civilians enjoying the serenity of the surrounding, buoyed by the security at the borders, lowering their guard?

There was a time when a renowned industrialist lamented “we haven't done well is in reducing the number of people who suffer from inadequacy - in terms of education.” So what’s our weakness? Inadequacy.

Not so far away are the days that the jobs that exist today will be completely wiped out. That’s the bad news. Don’t despair. There will be new jobs that will be created. That’s the good news. The question unanswered is “are you prepared?” It is not suggested, even remotely, that you are incompetent. But in the coming days, would you be capable enough to compete with Bots, automation and artificial intelligence?  What will be the odds on your chances against these competitors? 

Don’t fret. Help yourself. Start all over again. When you can catch up with the changing times, can’t you toe in line with the ? Yes, you can by rebooting. Start first by dusting off.

Any threat perceived, or present, like the ones in the form of these Robots coming to chew your job away or gobble you down is to shake you up from the slumber, the comfort zone that ensconces from the emerging challenges. It isn’t a shield if you can’t defend; rather it leaves you weak and vulnerable. A complacent mind is the most susceptible to fall apart. Shocking as it might be, but if you have learnt anything new of late, then the same flour is ground. The most difficult of all is to learn. Education doesn’t come with an expiry and neither is there a timeline for learning. Sadly, your stock of accumulated knowledge has a shelf-life, while learning is for a lifetime. Brutal facts.

“Ninety-five percent of my assets drive out the gate every evening. It’s my job to maintain a work environment that keeps those people coming back every morning,” according to Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS Institute (#6 Best Employer 2016).

What drives you to your desk every morning?

What makes you wanted at your workplace?

What is your worth? Present and future. Do the math.

There comes a moment in our lives when we reflect at the days that passed by and wonder why didn’t we make the most of it. You never know unless you lose it might sound so clichéd but that’s the truth. 

Study today for tomorrow' needs.  Succeed.