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Submitted by MTFER on
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Mark...I like getting the Manager tools "Things I Think I Think" and usually end up agreeing with most material. However in this one case on "The Metrics are Coming" I would like to provide this feedback:
1) Yes the workforce is shrinking/ shortage of highly skilled individuals
2) Yes "achievements", "winning" and "getting the job done" are very important.

However, too often I have had to work with other Project Managers who's only goal is to deliver a product on time. This "closed" view has always lead to the project being delivered on time but resulted in 5 years post delivery addressing "key" items that should have been completed during the project plan.

I once told my VP, "I support the PM in delivering the project and getting the puck in the net. However, I would suggest we spend a few more days to ensure we get the puck in the RIGHT net."

Best regards

Chris at home in sunny warm Mississauga Canada

nwillis's picture

With only the humble view of a coding monkey, i would fully support your feedback. Given the ever tightening budgets and a growing need to save money wherever possible esp on project costs and minimizing what is delivered in order to complete the project on time and on budget.

I often wonder whether this arises because projects have become more complex, we become more dependent on software for management, increasing pressure to cut costs

In the UK where i work, we have had an outbreak of apprentices, including project work , where the project work is repeatable etc....maybe reducing the Pm costs to lets say £18,000+ from whatever a standard issue Pm would expect.

 

Maybe we need to rediscover what a project is. So if the project was to role out  a number of desktop PCs for the 1st time , that could be a project. But the next time we get out our apprentices , equip them with checklists and tell them its a help desk ticket.... sorted....

 

Seriously though, i think that's the way its going.

Kevin1's picture

I may be misreading this.  If I have understood it correctly, then this sounds like a case of what gets measured gets done.  If the only measurement (that matters) is ontime delivery, then the projects will be on time regardless of the scope or quality.   If the only measurement (that matters) is quality, the projects will likely be continuously late.

The sweet spot is finding the right mix of measurements and weighted rewards that drive the behaviour you are looking for.  If the PM's bonus was attached to both on-time and a minimal amount of post project rework, then both would be important to him/her and you would be more likely to get a different outcome.

To take it further, finding things that can be measured during the project that are leading indicators of successful quality and on-time delivery is going to be increasingly important in the way business is run.  There is nothing you can do about a past miss, but there is somethign you can do if you find out you are trending towards a miss.

Kind regards

Kev