How to monitor and control project progress
13-January-2025
What services and IT systems are needed to support a project?
13-January-2025
21 – DEALING WITH PROBLEMS
Every project encounters lots of problems that need to be solved. Most are small – even trivial – but some are so big they threaten the project’s very existence. The project manager and the team must therefore know how to deal with project problems.
The variety of problems a project faces can be mind-boggling. Sydney Opera House went through crisis after crisis yet still got finished.
It is necessary to have a logical approach to handling problems – insisting on as clear a definition of a problem as is possible, considering alternative potential solutions, and implementing the most promising one.
It may well be that the nature of the project must be altered, in the light of new circumstances.
Find out about various ways to create possible solutions to a project problem, such as mind mapping and TRIZ. See how some problems can actually lead to opportunities to get a better project result. The ultimate project problem is a full-blown crisis.
See how to rescue a project that has hit a crisis – such as the partial collapse of the Old Courthouse in Cockermouth in the UK seen in the video titles.
Projects face all kinds of problems
21.1 – What is a problem?
Understand how to recognise where there is a problem. Learn about the basic ways to tackle it. Recognise the option of doing nothing.
You will learn:
- What is a project problem.
- How to prioritise project problems.
- Where project problems come from.
- What are clear problems and fuzzy problems.
- What are tame problems and wicked problems.
- How to tackle a clear problem.
- How to tackle a fuzzy problem.
- What are the styles of problem solver.
- How to think outside the box.
- How to apply innovative thinking to a problem in a project.
- Why you might deliberately do nothing about a problem in a project.
Being clear about exactly what the problem is
21.2 – Identifying the problem
Understand that finding a solution is only possible once a problem has been properly defined. Learn about some of the ways of doing that.
You will learn:
- How to define a project problem.
- How to use cause effect cause analysis on a project problem.
- How to use the Ishikawa model on a project problem.
- How to use the fishbone diagram on a project problem.
- How to use graphics to understand a project problem.
- How to use primary research to understand a project problem.
Being creative about how to solve a problem
21.3 – Devising a solution
Find out about different ways to come up with potential solutions to a problem.
You will learn:
- How to use the what if technique to solve a project problem.
- How to use brainstorming to help solve a project problem.
- How to use rapid idea generation to help solve a project problem.
- How to use the Delphi technique to help solve a project problem.
- How to use experts to help solve a project problem.
- How to use mind mapping to help solve a project problem.
- How to use role play to help solve a project problem.
- How to use simulation to help solve a project problem.
- How to use a solution catalogue to help solve a project problem.
- What is TRIZ (the theory of inventive problem solving).
- How to use TRIZ to help solve a project problem.
- How to use force field analysis to help solve a project problem.
- How to use weighted scoring to help solve a project problem.
- How to use modelling to help solve a problem.
- How to use team-based problem solving techniques.
- How to use a workshop to solve a project problem.
- How to use a laboratory to help solve a project problem.
Dealing with problems in a disciplined way
21.4 – Dealing with issues and changes
Solving a problem by making a change somewhere can have knock on effects. Learn about how a formal issue management process can work.
You will learn:
- What are project issues.
- How to make a change to a project.
- How to manage a change in a project
- What are the real costs of changes in a project.
- How to reset the project baseline following a change in a project.
- What is configuration management.
All sorts of things can impede project progress
21.5 – Delays and disruption
Understand the difference between delays and disruption. Recognise how to reduce the chance of them in the first place through better preparation. Learn the basic principles of how to deal with them if they occur.
You will learn:
- What delays and disruption a project can face.
- How to avoid delays and disruption in a project.
- How to deal with delays and disruption in a project.
Dealing with conflict in projects
21.6 – Harnessing conflict
Conflict can be a good thing or a bad thing. Understand how to manage conflict so that the best solutions are produced, but working relationships are not destroyed.
You will learn:
- What types of conflict occur in a project.
- How to direct the conflict in a project.
- What are the stages in a project.
- How to resolve a project conflict.
- How to handle disruptive protests.
When you absolutely have to finish on time
21.7 – Accelerating the project
Sometimes the project simply has to go faster. Learn about project crashing. Recognise the trade-offs involved with crashing the project.
You will learn:
- Why might a project need to go faster.
- What are ways to accelerate a project.
- What is crashing a project.
- What are the challenges of crashing a project.
- How to crash a project.
- What are the trade-offs from crashing a project.
- What are the rules for crashing a project.
What to do if the very worst happens
21.8 – Confronting a crisis
Learn about the kinds of things that can put a project in jeopardy. Learn what approach can be taken to stand the best chance of rescuing the project. Recognise that the rescue may involve significant compromises against the original plans.
You will learn:
- What is a project crisis.
- What are types of project crisis.
- How poor leadership can lead to a project crisis.
- What are the ways to avoid a project crisis.
- How to carry out a project rescue.
- How to manage through a project crisis.
- What is the project recovery path.
- What is the aftermath of a project crisis.