Norms for Projects
Take advantage of these actionable project norms to ensure that your PS projects are following PSP best practices:
Clear Project Governance: Establish a clear governance structure that defines roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes. This includes having a project manager, steering committee, and defined escalation paths for resolving issues
Effective Communication: Maintain open and transparent communication with all stakeholders. Regular updates, status reports, and meetings help ensure everyone is on the same page and aware of project progress and any potential issues
Detailed Planning and Documentation: Develop comprehensive project plans that outline the scope, timeline, budget, and resources required. Document all project requirements, milestones, and deliverables to provide a clear roadmap for the project
Risk Management: Identify potential risks early and develop mitigation strategies. Regularly review and update the risk management plan to address new risks as they arise
Resource Management: Allocate resources effectively and ensure that team members have the necessary skills and tools to complete their tasks. Monitor resource utilization and adjust allocations as needed to avoid bottlenecks
Stakeholder Engagement: Engage stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. Gather their input during the planning phase, keep them informed during execution, and involve them in the review and approval of deliverables
Quality Assurance: Implement quality assurance processes to ensure that project deliverables meet the required standards. Conduct regular reviews and testing to identify and address any issues early
Continuous Improvement: Encourage a culture of continuous improvement by regularly reviewing project performance and identifying areas for enhancement. Use lessons learned from previous projects to improve future project management practices. Many PS organizations perform after action reviews by capturing what went well and what didn’t after the project is completed. We recommend proactive reviews throughout the project lifecycle to enable you to make improvements where needed and capitalize on things that are going well during the project, before it’s too late
Flexibility and Adaptability: Be prepared to adapt to changes in project scope, requirements, or external factors. Maintain flexibility in your project plans and be willing to make adjustments as needed to stay on track
Customer Focus: Keep the customer's needs and expectations at the forefront of project planning and execution. Ensure that the project delivers value to the customer and meets their requirements