Resolving Project Problems

Every project has its share of problems, which can be classified into the following categories:

• People: your team lacks skills required to accomplish the project activities correctly. In this case, consider the following:
  • Train your people if your project’s schedule and budget allows for it. Ideally such training requirements should be identified and factored into your project plan when you were selecting project team members.
  • Consider calling in an outside consultant or vendor.
• Your project is falling behind schedule:
  • Review the priorities of tasks and see if all of them are really necessary.
  • Do not accept additional tasks. This is easier said than done, but there are times when you have to say NO.
• Project costs are exceeding the established budget:
  • Regularly monitor costs throughout the project so that you are aware of any potential cost overruns as soon as possible.
• The scope of the project keeps changing (refer to “Controlling Change”  post).

The causes of many project problems are as follows:

• Poor scoping – the scope and objectives of the project are vague. Maybe some of the stakeholders never really read the scope requirements.
• Poor planning – activities are unclear, the processes are not well-documented, risks have not been well identified and prepared for, the project manager lacks experience, ineffective project communications, and so on.