Mistake One: A Poorly Created Project Plan

A poorly created plan is a plan to fail. If you begin a project with only a general idea in mind, execution becomes an uphill battle. People, schedules, tasks, and resources are all likely to be mismanaged. Without a clear plan, you open your team to confusion and chaos, which can prevent you from achieving your project goals.

Mistake Two: Ineffective Communication

Projects rely on effective communication for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and task division. When information is withheld, key players question what’s been done, what needs to get done, and what’s planned next. Plus, with no communication processes in place, project managers will likely waste valuable time personally following up on and tracking down information.

How to Solve It

Expand the rows below to learn how to avoid this common project management mistake.

• Automated Tools
• Open Dialogue
• Regular Check-Ins

Mistake Three: Poor Risk Management

If you don’t consider risks before they happen, they can derail your project. First, without close monitoring, issues may go undetected. Second, even if you spot problems in time, your approach will be reactive instead of proactive. When you’re working against the clock, reactive techniques are often not well-thought-out, and they can leave projects vulnerable to even more issues.

How to Solve It

The best way to manage risks is to plan ahead. Expand the rows below for three tips:

• Identify Risks
• Mitigation Plan
• Monitor Regularly

Mistake Five: No Change Management Process

You can’t plan for everything, and project plans will inevitably change. Without a proper process for managing changes, you risk project failure. Instead of adapting to new circumstances, you may waste time trying to salvage a plan that has become irrelevant. Alternatively, you might handle changes too leniently. When small changes are left unchecked, they can accumulate over time and lead to scope creep, straining your resources, time, and budget.

How to Solve It

You can effectively manage project changes by following these tips:

• Monitor Scope: Regularly review and assess the project scope to ensure it aligns with current objectives.
• Remain Flexible: Be prepared to adapt your plans and processes as necessary while keeping project goals in focus.
• Analyze the Impact: Evaluate the potential consequences of changes before implementing them to understand their effect on the overall project.

Summary

Successful project managers identify and solve issues as quickly as possible. While no two projects are alike, by understanding the most common problems that plague projects, you can achieve greater success.

Remember the top five common mistakes and their resolutions:

1. A poorly created project plan can be solved by developing a scope statement, breaking down tasks, and consulting with others.
2. Ineffective communication is best managed by using automated tools, encouraging open dialogue, and holding regular check-ins.
3. Poor risk management can be solved by identifying risks, developing a mitigation plan, and regularly monitoring risks.
4. No continuous progress measurement can be resolved by establishing KPIs, tracking progress, and adjusting your project when you find red flags.
5. No change management process can be solved by monitoring your project scope, remaining flexible, and analyzing the impact of changes before implementation.

Resolving Issues

While it’s best to avoid these mistakes altogether, don’t panic if you’ve already made one or two of them. Instead, go back. See if there’s an implementation step you missed. Remember the tools and techniques you have at your disposal and focus on resolving the issue as quickly as possible.

Next, learn how to manage an often intimidating but necessary aspect of project improvement: client feedback.

What Should You Do?

You’re working on a complex project and struggling to manage your resources.