Large complex projects run a number of processes in parallel. They all produce numerous actions which prioritization and timely closure is essential to the success of the project. Still most projects do not centralize these actions and do not prioritize them effectively.
Shouldn’t you invest in a slightly better action tracking system?
Having a good grip on the actions to be taken and effectively prioritizing them would increase significantly the effectiveness of project leadership. Centralized action tracking and prioritization is a way to increase project management effectiveness significantly and that can easily be implemented. Our new White Paper “Action Tracking: a Strategic Process for All Large Complex Projects that Can Easily be Centralized and Rationalized” [2012-21] addresses this important project management issue.
In our consulting assignments we find again and again that these processes are not identified as important and are not managed accordingly:
Persons in charge are not aware of the actions there are responsible for, or forget that they need to take some action later in the project
People are left to themselves to prioritize the actions they are in charge of, which often leads them to choose to do the easiest first, which are not necessarily the ones that are critical for the project.
The solution is to centralize and rationalize actions, using a central actions database that regroups all actions from all the project processes. Nowadays it is simple and easy to do.
What is really key in the process is to make sure that the actions that are really important for the success of the project are effectively implemented in a timely manner. To achieve that it is important that the project management team has a view at any time on what are the top 5 or 10 actions that need to be taken at the present moment. These actions will receive proper attention, and once closed, can be replaced by the next action in line. In our consulting assignments we generally encounter weak prioritization processes, and one of our main contributions is often to challenge the project management team to determine its actual priorities.
Ensuring that the project team is effectively working on what’s really important at the present moment is all what will make the success of the project.
Read our new White Paper “Action Tracking: a Strategic Process for All Large Complex Projects that Can Easily be Centralized and Rationalized” [2012-21]
