Re: Getting Users to USE MS Project
- From: AndyB <AndyB@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 03:42:02 -0700
All good advice coming from this thread for what is a typical and very
frustrating issue. I guess there is no simple solution but to try some of
the approaches that have come forth so far.
I am a single planning analyst for a PMO with 108 PM's with around 200
projects and a further 300-400 workstream plans. I have rolled out the
planning function to all of them collectively and at individual 1-2-1's.
Still the same comments (of course not excuses) come back that, with all
their other work, they do not have enough time to devote to the planning
function.
It is one thing to create a pretty step diagram (Gantt) that depicts an
ideal project scenario but when adding the full functionality that comes with
a dynamic planning process, (resource management, accurate cost data, R&I,
dependancy management, etc.) it is an exponential leap that, quite frankly,
scares the be-jimbo's out of them.
The successes that I have had are not necessarilly Project related, by that
I mean it is not the tool that has helped sell the planning process but the
project management methodologies. We operate Prince2 methodologies through a
6 milestone common gated process which is where the governance comes in to
play. For each gateway there is a defined set of deliverables that must be
met. One of these is a fully resourced stage plan to get to the next
gateway. With the introduction of mandatory SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley)
deliverables it was simply a case of registering the stage plan deliverable
as a SOX deliverable. This was fairly easy to sell to the Board as the stage
plan directly relates to financial expenditure which rolls up to group
(company accounts) level.
With this approach I was able to sell PMO planning support to the Board for
additional and dedicated planning resource. At this stage I have managed to
aquire a planner per Programme to deliver a detailed planning strategy for
each one. I have purposely avoided being too prescriptive with the Programme
Managers and allowed them to develop their own strategy within a set of
guidelines that I expect the planners to deliver. All of this took off when
the Board applied the executive demand.
I guess my ramblings here summarise to a single word 'Governance'.
Thanks for reading,
AndyB.
"davegb" wrote:
.
Jim Aksel wrote:
Gary raises some great points. What I find is that the program management
types do not have the time or skill set to be good at Project. Face it, this
application is a lot of hard work, even on a good day, if it is to be useful.
In our circles, we have professional schedulers
Excellent advice! I've been urging my clients this way for years.
(to Gary's point -- the
enterprise as made a financial commitment to do scheduling professionally).
A good scheduler is not a cheap investment. The enterprises we deal with
task us to write policies, procedures, etc. on the entire scheduling
function. Again, the ISO people love it as long as people live by the
published rules.
Not knowing your complete situation, I might suggest that IT is a tool
provider, not a Program Office. It is the PMO that must get the religion to
use the tools -- All you can do from a staff organizational function is to
say, "Gee folks, IT has the tools. Once you are truly committed to using
them long term we can provide you all the training necessary." Perhaps you
need to do something to create some Program Office Evangalists .... until
that happens your cycle will repeat.
Do you have access to a any "influentials" in the PMO that you can educate
and offer assistance? Once you get a market leader on your side, the
remainder of the crowd might follow this lead if they are a respected
influencer in the organization.
Hope that helps.
I want to jump up and down and holler "Haleluja!" This is some of the
best advice I've seen on the subject.
"Ryan" wrote:
We've had MS Project and Project server installed and available for use for
a number of years (currently running MS Project 2003 w/ Project Server), the
problem I'm having is getting users to USE it.
Every year or so management comes to us (IT) searching for a better way to
manage their projects. I've helped them along creating a few Gantt charts,
explained how to setup Enterprise Resources and how to coordinate with other
Project Users. I've done 1 on 1 training, group training, and I've even
bought handfuls of books (Project 2003 Step by Step) which I hand out to
users who I think could benefit from them. Well there must be something
wrong with the way I'm training them, because they use the tools for a month
(sometimes two) before their Project use peters out again, usually with the
excuse "there's not enough time".
That time of the year has come around again and I'm getting ready (yet
again) to point our Management users to the capabilities and benefits of
using MS Project to manage their projects. How to get them to continue to
use it and integrate usage into their daily schedule is the issue. How do
you motivate users to use the tools MS Project provides? Any tips
appreciated.
Thanks.
- References:
- Getting Users to USE MS Project
- From: Ryan
- Re: Getting Users to USE MS Project
- From: davegb
- Getting Users to USE MS Project
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