Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Well perhaps not frequently asked but certainly occasionally asked. These are a set of questions that people have asked, mainly about applying the project management approach to their normal work situation. We have tried to give what we feel are "best practice" answers but cannot pretend that our answers are definitive.

Have you any tips for a project manager?

First and foremost, make sure that you have a sponsor - that someone or some group is acting as client or sponsor for the project. Just as if you take a job you want to know who you report to - who is you boss. If there is no one, then establish who you would like it to be and then suggest to them that they should act in that capacity for you.

Second, if your sponsor is a large (above six people) steering group, project board or management team; try to ensure that someone in that group is acting on your behalf - in fact is acting as your sponsor on behalf of the group. Preferably, the person most interested in your project.

Third, find a means of getting agreement to carry out a Project Scoping Study - or if that fails carry out the study and present your project scoping report anyway. This should only take a short time and the project plan need only be two or three pages long. Otherwise, you are simply accepting the objectives, timescales and resources that others think are necessary.

Fourth, get organised. The first thing an experienced project manager will do is open a slim project folder, not to contain all the paperwork but simply to contain the current state of play of the project. Often only an update of the project plan. If you need to go to a meeting to update a sponsor or a steering group, that project folder should contain all you need.

Fifth, build in time in your diary to keep up to date on progress. If the project is a really large one then this may mean getting people to do progress reports on their area. However, with most projects the best way of keeping in touch is by talking to people. Get you project sponsor to do the same at the strategic level. However many reports, meetings and systems are used, much of project management still comes down to progress chasing.