Organizational project management (OPM) is the bridge between project work and operations. The enterprise is better served the more fit there is between which projects are done and strategic plan The organization benefits if high-value projects are executed well so the ongoing operations can use the project outcome.
How do project managers go about answering the question of what value does their project provide the organization? The answer to that question from a project manager is pretty tactical; just align the project to either the program goals, or the business case.
So what’s a pragmatic and practical approach to get this done? Use some standard tools available in our project management toolkit. They are:
Project Alignment Tools and Techniques
• Charter that states high-level business, mission and project requirements
• Scope alignment with business case intent and content
• Product/service requirements alignment with high-level requirements
In practice we have some challenges. Some BIG challenges. What are they?
Project Alignment obstacles
• Lack of business case
• Multiple stakeholders with conflicting needs
• Missing charter
• Adverse Internal Organizational Environmental Factors
• Challenges in Risk Analysis
o Missing, or
o Forced silence
• Organizational Change Management impact analysis isn’t included
Did I get this obstacles list correct? What is missing? I welcome your comments.
Copyright 2009 PM Perspectives LLC
Dear Rosemary,
Minting a new acronym for stated needs could be a good way to buy in new energies.
However, there are some points that, in my opinion, need to be improved:
1)Without a Business Case should be almost impossible to define the outcome.Then the project itself lack of reason.
2)Stakeholders’ definition includes different categories. Easily to add that each of them has different (if not conflicting interests).
3)The lack of Charter is the first and strong sign of problem in the organization (4)
5) Risk management is about future challenges. The cultural attitude of the organization toward risks is the biggest challenge. However, it requires the existence (at least) of a B.Case and a Charter.
6) Change management is based on a good relationship with stakeholders. It requires (again) a B.Case for measuring new costs vs. previously stated benefits.
Regards
Eugenio Magnone
Prince2 Practitioner
MoR
Hi Eugenio,
I like your suggestion on minting new language. Why? I believe that executives start to dismiss us when we strictly talk project management language and miss out on connecting with them on their “stated needs.” Yes, lots of tools and techniques that you mentioned must be in place to strengthen our discussion with them but I think it is time we talk their language to add new energy rather than forcing someone with more positional power than us, to talk our language.
Rosemary