Discussion Question

Here is a scenario:

Bill is a new project manager at ABC Corporation. Bill has been given a project by his director to complete a new compensation package for one of their major clients. Bill will meet with the client’s HR Director and his director to initially develop the parameters of the project. As Bill and his team continue to develop the project, they begin to develop milestones. At the end of the first quarter, they give a presentation to the HR director of the client organization. The director has invited all their managers to attend this presentation. About halfway through the presentation, the HR director stops the presentation.

The HR director of the client organization immediately contacts Bill's director.  Putting the Director on speaker phone in the conference room during the presentation, the two directors begin to actively discuss the project with the HR managers and the project manager and his team all in the room. The two directors have very different interpretations of the project scope.

Bill recounts the project meeting with the two directors three months earlier as to what was discussed. Both agree that was the project at the time. The parameters of the project have since adjusted, and there is no sign of these changes being made in the project. The two directors then turned to Bill and ask what happened? Bill response was that he was not notified of any modifications to the project scope. Bill's director advises them that they had discussed the changes several weeks ago. Bill reviews his file and finds no such documentation.

The project is taking on a new life, moving in a direction that is not clearly documented. Bill is advised by his director to meet with him first thing in the morning to discuss this communication breakdown. Bill meets with the HR managers. Bill and his team listened to the director and managers for clear understanding of what is being asked for. The next morning, Bill meets with his director to review the notes. The director states that his counterpart at the client organization is constantly changing his mind and does not know what he wants.

Bill is confused as to how he can proceed. He seeks the advice of his mentors Phil and Sam. Both men have been project managers for several years. They have also worked with both directors for many years. Bill asks them for direction and guidance.

Phil asks Bill,  “What does the project agreement say?” When the project plan was presented what was agreed on and signed off? Sam asks, “Did both directors sign of?”Bill went back to look at the project file and found the project plan had not been signed off nor had copies been distributed to the two directors.

The directors did not have a clear vision of what was agreed upon during the project planning phase. With all their other responsibilities it is possible they no longer remember what was discussed and agreed on. The project plan allows all stakeholders to have a clear outline of what the specific project will address including timelines and milestones throughout the process. Bill presented both the original and modified project plans to both directors, with amended cost structure for changes beyond what the original project stated. The two directors debated the best course of action. The decision was agreed upon. The project plan was signed by both stakeholders and the project manager. Copies were made and distributed personally by Bill.

At the next quarterly progress presentation to the HR director and his managers, Bill and his team presented the updated version of the project in accordance with the project schedule and project plan. Towards the end of the meeting, the HR Director began discussing with his managers aspects of the project that were not being met. When the director approached Bill regarding these issues, Bill was able to pull out the agreed on and signed off project plan to discuss his concerns. Several of the changes the director wanted had not been addressed nor were they agreed upon as part of the current project.

The HR director was able to review his copy. He chose to contact Bill's director to discuss the matter. All three parties were looking at the same documentation. The director stood behind Bill and his team. The changes the client was asking for were not part of this current iteration of a project. The changes the HR director was seeking would require a supplement project which would need to be discussed separate from this project. This time the documentation was in place, supporting the work of the project manager and supporting any future work in the project.

This example demonstrates a version of conversations that goes on in businesses on a daily basis. A project is decided upon and may be signed off on in the planning stages. As the project moves forward, the views, opinions, and ideas of project participants often change. It is at this point that the project manager must be able to hold to the original project plan as to what was agreed on and for what cost, and in what timeframe will the project be completed. All stakeholder parties must sign off on the original project plans to ensure clear communication and guidelines as to what the project is to accomplish.

It is not uncommon in technology projects that several advancements occur during the life of a project. The project could easily be obsolete by the time it is completed. Projected planning of a project as to where the product currently is and where the client wants a product to be at the end of the project must be clearly defined. The schedule, costs, and resources are all based on the information presented in the original project plan. Deviation from this plan will adjust one or all criteria within the project. Scope creep as is often referred to and can move the project in a different direction, utilizing different resources (including human capital or technological advances) with dramatic changes to the structure of the current project.

A project that continues to be adjusted will take on a new life. What is required of the project and its team will dramatically impact the outcomes and different variables of the project for both the client and the project manager. 

Scope creep can often kill a project due to lack of definite parameters. Scope creep has been known to run businesses to the brink of bankruptcy due to inconsistency and constant changes that are unsupported as to the intent and purpose of the project. Without proper documentation there can be room for miscommunication and misdirection. The project scope must be clear and consistent in order to be effective and achieve the desired outcomes.