​A series of blogs of lessons learnt or re learnt from a recent project, after all we all have room and need to keep learning!

EXPLANATION

I started my working life as a designer, I’ve learnt how to do a bit of estimating, have seen a lot of builds and ways of doing things, been involved in contracting.  If needed I do all these and more to an OK level.  I’m a know it all!  But I also realise I know nothing at all compared to other people. 
 
On this project there were gaps in skill sets and people far more gifted than me available, that’s life, there is always someone better and more knowledgeable.  (it’s why I like projects; you get to meet them!) 

As tempting as it was to do the work so that it was progressed quickly or it was something I was interested in, the value of me doing the work to the project is not as much as if someone who knows better than me does the work. 

It saves costs in time and accuracy and improves quality.  It’s obvious, right?  

SYNOPSIS

A manager’s prime role is to support and get those better than them the information they need.  You are not always the expert but always the enabler.   

It’s ironic and counterproductive sometimes that those best at doing something get moved into a position to stop do it.  As a manager even waiting an extra 24 hours when there is someone more knowledgeable and focused than myself saved 36 in the long run! 

And when no one was available to do the work and I stepped in.  Because that is better than it not being done at all!  You can’t always have an expert on tap!

LEARNING
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A manager’s prime role is to support and get those better or with more time and focus, the information they need to do their jobs.  When you manage you turn from being the expert to the enabler.  

It's ironic and counterproductive to be productive that those best at doing something stop being able to properly do it. 

​But on a project, it does save you time and money in the long run to let the experts do their job! Just make sure it does get done, even if it means doing it yourself.  

​Thanks for reading
 
Simon

​A series of blogs of lessons learnt or re learnt from a recent project, after all we all have room and need to keep learning!

EXPLANATION

There were several times that the project progress in design and specification hit an impasse with both designers and client not willing or able to make a decision.  As these moments linger you lose time and money and as tempting as it is to wait to avoid making the wrong decision, they don’t go away. 
 
On this project it was not the fault of either party, they just didn’t have either the client’s awareness of what was needed or the designer’s awareness of what was possible. 
 
It's easy to put these moments off, they usually occur when there is no obviously more right answer or solution, but in directing these to a decision we were able to move on and have some certainty.  Reducing cost and program creep.
 
Looking back there is very little evidence that those decisions would have been detrimental to the project had an alternate decision been made.  The only detriment would have been if left, by the time when we came to make the decision there would have been less money in the pot and it would have caused delays to other items that relied on that decision to progress themselves. 

SYNOPSIS

As with all decisions there is too quick, to slow and not at all.  Not at all is the worst thing.  If nothing is consciously done about a decision it effects all the other decisions that have to be made because of it.  It creates extreme uncertainty which snowballs. 

This means extra time and cost is spent finding out that there is no certainty and waiting to find out what that decision will be to affect the next decision.

LEARNING
​
Here's the trick, first understand that there is more than one right decision, so most decisions are right, you can’t lose.  You can also make the decision not to decide until X is known. 

I know it may sound counter intuitive or even obvious, but in making a conscious decision until you have the right information to make that decision it allows everyone to move forward with some certainty that they must work around the lack of decision in the interim and find that X. 

If not, the uncertainty provokes blame and stagnation.

Thanks for reading
 
Simon

​A series of blogs of lessons learnt or re learnt from a recent project, after all we all have room and need to keep learning!

EXPLANATION

Working with a company with low PM maturity is fun and frustrating.  The main thing that is missing, apart from the vision from experience, are the protocols that protect them to gain certainty.  This goes the other way when they start to mature. 

You then have too many before a happy balance is reached between flexible and inflexible.  The main win on this last project was that when the project went into the home straight, we had cost certainty. 

Now this may be obvious, but this projects complexity was that it had no defined scope at the start.  Nothing to cost against.  So the project had to be flexible to define the scope that fitted into the program and cost. 

As the focus went past the cost stage and into the program stage, we had flipped the mentality and gained certainty on the more fluid design ideas and cost, ensuring that prices were fixed. 

This could have really delayed the program had this process not been integrated into the project as opposed to being a task.

SYNOPSIS

If it wasn’t for laying the foundations for a shift in focus the project would have ground to a halt. That focus had to suddenly change.  A sudden change usually means someone misses out. 

In this case it would have been either the client through the quality they were getting or the contractor in terms of over delivering for the allocated costs. 

It allowed for everyone to understand and know they were getting the value that they wanted.

LEARNING
​
Looking forward and anticipating the major risks or required change in focus, helps you put the foundations in place for when they need to happen.

​This ultimately will save you money and time if people feel comfortable when those more difficult stages of a project happen.

​Thanks for reading
 
Simon

​A series of blogs of lessons learnt or re learnt from a recent project, after all we all have room and need to keep learning!

EXPLANATION

I had people on the project who performed a very important function for the business who didn’t have time or want to understand the project and what was going on.  They came across as to important to.  This resulted in countless mistakes and extra costs when they had to be involved, as they didn’t know all the detail to send out accurate information or the relationships and requirements to effectively input.  They performed these roles because they were important to the business and ongoing relationships to their perceived status.

SYNOPSIS

Everyone needs to have their importance in a business and project.  It allows them to own it and feel part of it.  But if they are independent from the project, they can’t sense check their own decisions as they don’t know the full picture.  This results in actions that aren’t the best for the project in terms of profit, quality, and program.

LEARNING
​
Project tasks that are performed as administrative exercises outside of the project need to be monitored very closely.  This is where your mistakes will have the biggest negative impact, as they are disconnected from the project goals, or the project becomes disconnected from the business’s goals.  If possible, keep those actions within the project team or at least sense checked by the project team.  If not, you could lose a lot of money or at least opportunities.

​Thanks for reading
 
Simon

EXPLANATION

To make the project a good as it could be, it needed people to think in a certain way that they weren’t accustomed to. 

On this occasion it was to take responsibility for all aspects of the project, something sub-contractors aren’t used to. The project was a fixed price with no concept.  It was a blank canvas at the start, and we had to fill in the gaps as we saw fit, as efficiently as possible before the target cost was passed. 

If they didn’t the project would stagnate and start to hemorrhage costs as nothing purposeful would be getting done.  There was no one to blame.

SYNOPSIS

Most people don’t have the time or inclination to change either how they do things or think unless they have to.  But every project is different and needs a slightly different approach to make it the best it can be. 

A cookie cutter approach to managing every project means that sometimes you over do, say, the admin or meetings and other times you under do them.  They also may need a different attitude, sometimes more defensive sometimes more open and freer. 

​To make a project the best it can be as many people as possible have to work in the best way for the project.

LEARNING

Understand quickly what the project and people need.  You will probably go down a few wrong routes at the start, but as soon as you realize the right way make sure you reinforce what is required and explain it at every opportunity to everyone.  It may not sink in the first time but sooner or later it will and help focus all parties as to what is needed. 

​Thanks for reading
 
Simon

A series of blogs of lessons learnt or re learnt from a recent project, after all we all have room and need to keep learning!

EXPLANATION

I screwed up. 

I assumed a stakeholder thought and would act the same as me.  After all my ways best isn’t it! 

Oh, how I screwed up, of course it is for me, but now I understand it's not for everyone. Assuming this ended up with walls being built and a communication breakdown as both parties didn’t understand what each other needed. 

This stakeholder’s area of responsibility on the project was the one area that was not as successful as the rest.  Not because they are not good, but because I couldn’t integrate them into the project with a way of communication they could appreciate and work with. 

​The project almost and did risk, losing a lot of money because of it.

SYNOPSIS

Everyone has a fall-back personality; they are described in different ways by people far cleverer than me.  In my simple head they can be summed up as direct, detailed, emotional, and helpful.  We all have these qualities, but we all have a leaning to one more than the other.  

You can’t fully override your main personality, especially when under stress.   You are generally under more stress at work than in any other environment and here your personality types come to the fore more.

LEARNING

Really get to understand the personalities you are working with early on.   Accept that they are different and use them to your advantage.  Work with them and try and communicate in a way that they can appreciate, especially when they are under stress.  You will get the best out of them, they will work better with you, get the best out of them and the project. 

Even if they are really, frustrating!

​Thanks for reading
 
Simon