project management

Understanding The Differences: Software Implementation vs. Integration  

/ Jana

We’re unraveling the mysteries behind two crucial concepts in the ever-evolving realm of business technology: Software Implementation and Integration. You might have heard these terms thrown around in board meetings or water cooler conversations, but do you know what sets them apart?  

Imagine your business as a blank canvas waiting to be painted with efficiency and innovation. That’s where software implementation comes into play. It’s the process of introducing a new software system to your organization. Picture this as the grand opening of a new restaurant—new menus, chefs, and recipes. It’s all about bringing in a fresh perspective, upgrading your digital arsenal, and embracing change.  

As businesses navigate the complexities of modern technology, software integration emerges as a crucial strategy. Integration is about making different software systems work seamlessly together, creating a harmonious workflow. It’s like having the front of the house seamlessly communicate with the back of the house in a restaurant. This digital collaboration eliminates the potential for lost orders or miscommunication, transforming your business into a smooth, well-oiled machine. Much like orchestrating the flow in a restaurant, software integration ensures that various applications work in unison, optimizing processes and enhancing overall operational efficiency.   

Software Implementation:   

When you opt for software implementation, you adopt a new software system as a standalone entity. It’s like setting up a satellite office with its processes and procedures for your business operations. Here’s what you need to know:  

  1. Fresh Start: Implementation is your chance to hit the reset button. You’re introducing a new system to revolutionize the way your business operates. Whether it’s a project management tool, CRM software, or an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, it’s all about embracing the new and bidding farewell to the old.  
  1. Training and Adoption: Brace yourself for a learning curve. Your team needs to get comfortable with the new software, so training becomes crucial to the implementation process. It’s not just about introducing the software; it’s about ensuring your team can navigate it like pros.  
  1. Customization: The beauty of implementation is customization. You can tailor the software to fit your business like a glove. From workflows to reporting structures, you have the power to mold the software to align perfectly with your unique business needs.  

Integration: The Digital Harmony  

Conversely, integration creates synergy between existing software applications, ensuring they communicate seamlessly. Here’s the lowdown:  

  1. Streamlining Operations: Integration is your secret sauce for operational efficiency. It eliminates the need for manual data entry across different systems, reducing errors and saving precious time. The magic wand turns your tech ecosystem into a well-oiled, synchronized orchestra.  
  1. Data Flow Nirvana: Imagine data flowing effortlessly between your CRM, accounting software, and project management tools. Integration makes this dream a reality. No more data silos or bottlenecks—just a smooth flow of information that empowers your team to make informed decisions.  
  1. Cost-Effective Collaboration: Instead of investing in a whole new software suite, integration allows you to leverage your existing tech investments. It’s like building bridges between islands, fostering collaboration without breaking the bank.  

Software implementation is about introducing something new and exciting, while integration ensures all your existing tools play nicely together. It’s the difference between launching a brand-new spaceship and communicating seamlessly with all the spacecraft in your fleet.  

As technology evolves, understanding the nuances of software implementation and integration becomes paramount for businesses aiming to stay ahead of the curve.   

Agile vs. Waterfall Project Management: Choosing the Right Approach for Your Project

/ Jana

Project management methodologies form the backbone of successful project execution. Among the most debated and utilized methods are Agile and Waterfall. Each has its own set of principles, practices, and advantages. Determining which one is suitable for a project can significantly impact its success. Let’s delve into the comparison of these methodologies to help you decide which might be the better fit for your project needs.

Understanding the Basics

Waterfall Methodology

The Waterfall methodology is a traditional, linear approach to project management. It follows a sequential order, where each phase must be completed before the next one begins. The process typically includes phases like requirements gathering, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Changes are challenging to incorporate once a phase is completed.

Agile Methodology

Agile is a more flexible and iterative approach. It focuses on adaptive planning, incremental development, and encourages rapid and flexible responses to change. Agile breaks the project into smaller cycles or sprints, allowing for continuous improvement and adaptation. It values collaboration, customer feedback, and the ability to respond to changes quickly.

Comparison

Flexibility and Adaptability

Waterfall is known for its rigid structure. It’s suitable for projects where requirements are well-defined and unlikely to change significantly. In contrast, Agile is highly adaptable and welcomes changes throughout the project lifecycle. This makes it ideal for projects where the requirements might evolve or aren’t entirely clear from the outset.

Risk Management

Waterfall’s linear structure makes it easier to manage and mitigate risks early in the project. However, it’s less equipped to handle changes or unexpected challenges. Agile, with its iterative nature, allows for constant risk assessment and mitigation, thus being more suitable for projects with uncertain or evolving requirements.

Client Involvement and Feedback

Agile encourages constant client involvement and feedback, leading to high customer satisfaction as the product can adapt to changing needs. In Waterfall, the client’s involvement usually occurs at the beginning and end of the project, potentially leading to misalignments between the final product and customer expectations.

Project Visibility and Progress Tracking

Waterfall offers clear milestones for tracking progress but might lack visibility until the end of each phase. Agile, with its regular iterations, provides frequent updates and transparency into the project’s progress.

Choosing the Right Approach

The decision between Agile and Waterfall depends on various factors, including the project scope, requirements clarity, client involvement, team structure, and industry standards. Consider using Waterfall for projects with fixed, well-defined requirements and where changes are expected to be minimal, such as construction and manufacturing projects. On the other hand, Agile is recommended for projects with evolving requirements or where constant client involvement and flexibility are vital, such as software development or creative projects.

The choice between them isn’t about declaring one superior to the other but rather understanding which suits the project’s needs and environment best. Some projects might even benefit from a hybrid approach, taking the strengths of each methodology to suit specific project phases. So before making a decision, it’s crucial to assess the project’s unique requirements, team capabilities, and the overall organizational context. By understanding the nuances of these methodologies, project managers can make informed decisions that ultimately lead to successful project outcomes.

Effective Stakeholder Management: Navigating the Key to Project Success 

/ Jana

Stakeholder management is like the compass that guides a ship through uncharted waters. In the world of project management, the success of a project often hinges on how well you manage your stakeholders. These individuals or groups can significantly influence the project’s direction, making stakeholder management a critical aspect of project success. In this blog, we will explore some valuable tips for managing stakeholders effectively, ensuring your project stays on course and reaches its destination. 

Understanding the Importance of Stakeholder Management 

Stakeholders can include anyone with an interest in your project, such as team members, clients, suppliers, investors, and end-users. Their support, involvement, and satisfaction can make or break your project. 

  1. Identifying Key Stakeholders 

The first step in effective stakeholder management is identifying who your key stakeholders are. This involves creating a comprehensive stakeholder list that covers all relevant parties. While some stakeholders are obvious, others may be less apparent. Consider who might be impacted by the project, who can influence it, and who holds a vested interest. 

  1. Categorizing Stakeholders 

Once you’ve identified your stakeholders, it’s essential to categorize them. Group them based on their level of influence and interest in the project. This will help you tailor your engagement strategies to each category. Common categorizations include: 

  • High Influence, High Interest: These stakeholders are the top priority and require close and continuous engagement. 
  • High Influence, Low Interest: Keep these stakeholders informed but minimize their involvement to prevent scope creep. 
  • Low Influence, High Interest: Keep them satisfied and informed, but their influence is limited. 
  • Low Influence, Low Interest: Monitor these stakeholders, but they may not require significant attention. 
  1. Building Relationships 

Effective stakeholder management is built on relationships. Establish open lines of communication and trust by: 

  • Regularly updating stakeholders on project progress. 
  • Listening to their concerns and feedback. 
  • Addressing their issues and queries promptly. 
  • Involving them in decision-making where relevant. 
  1. Engaging Stakeholders 

Engagement is more than just keeping stakeholders informed. It’s about involving them in the project, so they feel invested in its success. This can be achieved through: 

  • Collaborative workshops or meetings. 
  • Seeking their input on critical project decisions. 
  • Involving them in pilot testing or feedback sessions. 
  • Acknowledging their contributions and feedback. 
  1. Managing Expectations 

Clear and realistic expectations are a cornerstone of effective stakeholder management. Ensure that stakeholders have a clear understanding of what the project aims to achieve, the potential challenges, and the anticipated outcomes. This helps prevent misunderstandings and disappointment down the road. 

  1. Flexibility and Adaptability 

Projects rarely go as planned. Effective stakeholder management requires the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Be prepared to adjust project goals, timelines, and resources based on stakeholder feedback and changing requirements. 

  1. Continuous Monitoring and Feedback 

Stakeholder engagement is an ongoing process. Regularly assess stakeholder satisfaction and make adjustments as necessary. Be open to constructive criticism and use it to improve the project. 

Effective stakeholder management is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It requires adaptability, strong communication, and the ability to build and maintain relationships. When executed effectively, it can lead to stronger support for your project, reduced risks, and a smoother journey to project success. So, make stakeholder management a top priority in your project management toolkit, and watch your projects sail smoothly toward their intended destinations. 

Corporate CPR Episode 86: How Organizations Need To Get A Stronger Change Discipline

/ Jana

On today’s episode we are talking about how organizations need to get a stronger change discipline. 

Jennifer Ayres, founder, and CEO of Senscient, is a culture and change expert. She and her senior-level team design and deliver deliberate, calibrated engagements that optimize meaning at work for every individual and ignites peak performance throughout the organization. Jennifer has over 20 years global management consulting experience, much of it focused helping leaders in organizations unlock the magic in their organization. She is results oriented with a proven track record for partnering with leaders to define vision and align cultural behaviors to business outcomes. Jennifer is often engaged to lead complex, challenging organizational transformations in unstructured and emerging situations. She specializes in leadership alignment, executive coaching, organizational development, and change management.

Top 10 Takeaways:

  1. Case studies are essential for understanding the reasons behind failed change initiatives and improving change management practices.
  2. Unsuccessful change initiatives often result from inadequate planning, unclear business outcomes, and poor stakeholder engagement.
  3. Pressure from leaders and urgent business needs can lead to rushed planning and exclusion of key stakeholders.
  4. Properly explaining the “why” of the change during project kickoffs is crucial to avoid confusion, apathy, and disengagement among employees.
  5. To overcome resistance and improve projects, organizations should provide training and awareness for technology-focused teams and promote an IT business partner mindset.
  6. Re-engaging stakeholders and thorough planning can lead to successful change implementations and improved project outcomes.
  7. Transparency and acknowledging challenges are vital for successful engagements.
  8. When facing difficulties, leaders should pause and gather more perspectives from stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the project.
  9. Managing naysayers, especially influential individuals, requires empathy, curiosity, and psychological safety to foster trust and open communication.
  10. The psychological impact of change on employees must be considered and nurtured throughout the project to build a positive culture.

Additionally, the conversation provided the following insights on effective communication and the role of change teams and champions:

  1. Effective communication requires considering different channels and subcultures within the organization to reach all stakeholders.
  2. Holistic change management goes beyond just training and communications, involving intentional communities like engagement networks and change agent groups.
  3. Ensure that change teams and champions understand their remit and have visible support from senior leaders to increase their effectiveness.
  4. Regular touchpoints and recognition for their efforts can help engage change teams and champions in the project’s success.

Top 3 Takeaways:

1. If you are a leader responsible for change at your organization, make sure you really focus on the “why.”

2. There is a cost to addressing change, but a bigger cost to not implemented change. 

3. Assume positive intent for people going into these programs. There is a reason they are resisting change. 

How to get in touch with Jennifer:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercahillayres/

Website: https://senscientglobal.com/

Email: hello@sencientglobal.com

Project Rescue Series: Project Processes

/ Jana / Leave a comment

You may be asked at some point to take over a failing project. When joining a failing project, you will have to assess the people, processes, and tools. Today, I want to focus on processes. 

When I join a failing project, the first thing I want to understand is whether the scope is clear? I look at the documented scope, but I also take time to understand what people believe the scope is. I frequently find there is a mismatch between what is expected and what is documented. At that point, we take the time to align on scope, clearly defining what is in scope as well as out of scope for the project. 

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Project Rescue Series: To Kill or Rescue?

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When you have a failing project you are faced with the question of whether to perform project CPR or let it die. There are times when a project shouldn’t be resuscitated, even if it’s not failing.

I had a client that had spent $1.5 on an HCM implementation. They were faced with a product that wasn’t aligning to their needs and a software provider that wasn’t responding to the issues. As painful as a decision as it was, they decided to kill the project and go back out to market for a new solution.

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Project Rescue Series: Portfolio Size

/ Jana / 1 Comment

Companies are faced with a need to constantly be evolving and improving in order to effectively respond to the market. This pressure to evolve usually results in a long list of projects the company wants to complete in order to stay competitive, improve profitability, or respond to regulations. When I joined the board of the PMI Mile Hi Chapter, there was a list of 20 great projects we needed to undertake in order to improve the value we were delivering to our customers and ensure we were staying relevant. The team tried to take on all 20 projects. At the end of the year, how many were delivered? None. Companies must reduce the number of in process projects. Do less to do more. Too many projects result in:

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Project Rescue Series: The Sponsor

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When I once joined a project as a recovery consultant, the organization had already spent $10 million on a Salesforce implementation. Despite the amount of money invested, nothing was yet in production. It was one of the top three initiatives in the company. One of the first things I do during a project rescue is to understand the project org chart. As the team was walking me through it, they mentioned that we were to meet weekly with the sponsors. Sponsors? As in more than one? On this project, there were three, each from a different department.

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5 Times to Get a New Project Manager

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The project was struggling – over budget and behind schedule. It was a critical subproject of a larger program and delivery was critical. Senior leadership decided it was time to change the project manager, and I was brought in to lead a turnaround effort. As I was digging into the details of the project, I came to the conclusion that my predecessor wasn’t a bad project manager (thankfully he was just transferred and not let go). The project needed a different leader with a different style and set of skills. If you have projects in your portfolio that are struggling or the team is burnt out, here are some reasons it may be good to change the project manager: Continue reading →