Aplan Inc., The 10 Commandments Of Project Success: Correcting Faulty Thinking and Assumptions!

Presentation Purpose: Understand why projects fail Look at how faulty thinking contributes to the problem Learn the commandments to resolve 2

3 Typical Project Problems Long Time Frames Lack of Integration High Costs Errors & Poor Quality Diminished Customer Satisfaction Poor Internal Communication Commitment of Resources Long Expensive Maintenance Cycles Aplan Inc.,

4 Standish Report on Project Success: 431 or 12% - will come in on time, within budget and contain the features and functions originally specified.* 33% will experience cost overruns of 150 to 200% 33% will experienced time overruns of 200 to 300% 25% to 49% will contain required features and functions Of 3,682 Applications Under Development: Aplan Inc.,

5 Problem # 1: The Meaning of Project Success On time Within Budget To User Satisfaction Faster, Better, Cheaper Aplan Inc.,

6 Faulty Thinking: Tired Definitions of Project Success On Time Within Budget User Satisfaction Faster Better Cheaper Aplan Inc.,

Construct project to be measured accordingly vs. the value they offer Plan projects so they complete on time / within budget vs. business needs Loose focus on what counts! 7 Effect of Definition of Project Success Concerns….

Value of Definition of Project Success Black and white Measureable and clear BUT Serve long term objectives? How is value measured? 8

9 Get Real About The Meaning of Project Success Decision making Priorities reflect what’s needed Realistic budgets Value contributed to organization Aplan Inc.,

10 The 1 st Commandment: Redefine The Meaning of Project Success Growth and competitive advantage of the enterprise Add value to the business Facilitate the use of the system Reflects end-to-end process Not detract from the well being of those involved Aplan Inc.,

Commandment 1B: Redefine When You Decide If A Project Is Successful Executive dashboard, checkpoints and operational status after implementation –measuring the operating costs –continuing value –customer satisfaction –problems, issues and concerns Hold people accountable for quality and value over time 11

Problem # 2: Piecemeal Patching, Modifications and Maintenance… Patching our systems to death Don’t have time to do it right the first time Don’t build systems based on value and need In a continuous cycle of fixing what’s broken – and creating new problems all the time 12

Faulty Thinking: We Just Can’t… Resources Deadlines Priorities Technology 13

Effect Tomorrow never comes Business doesn’t get what’s needed Deteriorating quality Unhappy frustrated workforce 14

15 Project Backlogs Impact Everyone Department Budget Future Work Staffing Business Performance Stock Prices Quality of Life Aplan Inc.,

The 2 nd Commandment: Get Rid of the Backlog Temporary Staffing Outsourcing Onshore / Offshore Training 16 Get a Clean Slate ~ Clear Baseline

Problem # 3: Building a Plan Before You Know What Needs To Be Done 17 Given the Project Scope Given the Project Deadline Given the Project Budget Told Go Create A Project Plan

Faulty Thinking: Plans Typically Focus on Administration Tasks Sequence Resources Timing Completion 18

Plans Need To Reflect What Is Needed Investigation leads to more work… Bad time to make that decision… Can’t make a decision until you know what’s needed… Real problem is perception…. that it will take too long Quick win VS. long term value 19

The 3 rd Commandment: Have To Know What You’re Planning Understand problems to be solved Clarify goals to be achieved State opportunities to be realized Define requirements Build consensus 20

Problem # 4: Failure to Communicate Technical vocabulary Different backgrounds Different contexts Same terms / different meanings Different terms / same meaning Lost in translation Interpretation of “important nouns” And so many nuances to how words are strung together…. 21 ALL INADVERTANT REASONS

22 Faulty Thinking: Building and Maintaining a Project Glossary Is a Nuisance… It takes too long Everyone knows what those ‘things’ mean…. Let’s not waste any time doing the obvious!!!! Aplan Inc.,

23 Effect: Missed Communication Imprecise understanding Opportunity for confusion Information out of context Going different directions Aplan Inc.,

24 Align Terminology Terms Acronyms Abbreviations Aplan Inc.,

25 The 4 th Commandment: Always Build And Maintain A Project Glossary Align terminology Leave no room for interpretation Ensure communication connection Baseline for understanding and learning Prevents misunderstandings NOUNS Aplan Inc.,

26 Problem # 5. There’s A Lot Left To Misunderstand Aplan Inc., Concepts and content Options and alternatives Value and need Priority and sequence Approach Decisions

27 Faulty Thinking: Use Methodologies and Tools Creates Clear Specifications Aplan Inc., Ahh, Err - Solves other problems but not this kind

28 Problem: No Opportunity For Consensus Aplan Inc., Imperfect Knowledge Hear Information Out of Context Resistant to Change of Old Thinking Momentum, Interruptions and Long Time Frames Vested Interests and Priorities Disjointed, Old, Undigested Information Information limited by Exposures Thought Holes Lack of Ownership Reactionary Decision Making

Two heads are better than one It takes a team to win You can’t scotch tape ideas together 29 Consensus is a Togetherness Thing

All The Reasons Why You Can’t…. 30 Waste of time Hard to get people together Costs too much Not productive Need to be at their jobs

31 Collaboration is the ONLY Means to Achieve Consensus Allow thought digestion Demonstrates management commitment Align terminology Single vision Expanded understanding Pride of ownership and buy-in Builds Camaraderie Improved productivity Cultivates team spirit Reduces time and cost Resolves politics and personalities Sets realistic expectations Exceptional quality Confidence in results Aplan Inc.,

32 The 5 th Commandment : Collaborate To Ensure Consensus Address electronic, verbal and written communication modes Ask, answer, see, hear, say, try, refine - INTERACT Uses experiential, audio and visual learning styles Aplan Inc., Until everyone connects with ideas in the same way

33 Problem #6: You Gotta Have the RIGHT People Collaborate Aplan Inc., Cross functional stakeholders Technical representatives Experienced business users Movers and shakers Decision makers

34 Faulty Thinking: SME’s Can Fill-in For Business Users Can’t speak on behalf of the business No substitute for first hand knowledge Stale information Aplan Inc.,

35 The Value of IT SME’s Analysts that communicate well Understand business challenges Understand the business systems Interpreters and catalysts Provide technology improvement suggestions Aplan Inc.,

The Value of the Business User Team member vs. intermittent player Intimate knowledge of operations First hand knowledge Vision of how it could / should be! 36

37 Faulty Thinking: I Don’t Want Charlie On This Project Rude Controlling Disruptive Bossy Makes life miserable Aplan Inc.,

38 Invite Charlie To Be On Your Project Take away his/her power Wear them out Listen to them Part of the solution Contributor to the process Promoter of the cause Aplan Inc.,

39 The 6 th Commandment: Involve the Best, the Brightest and the Naysayers The quality of deliverables will be proportionate to the range of involvement Nobody understands the issues better than those who are actually involved Successful projects required cross functional teams Aplan Inc.,

Problem #7: Right People Have To Develop The Right Solutions 40 Merely recreate what you already have? Fine tune it Modernize it?

Maximize investment Avoid lost opportunity 41 So, How?

WARNING 42

Brainstorming 43

44 Faulty Thinking: Brainstorming Is A Waste of Time Leads to scope creep Blue sky ideas Sets unrealistic expectations Hard to get people together Aplan Inc.,

Underrated Misunderstood Practice 45 Access to alternative ideas Process to examine options Compare perceptions Challenge the status quo Forum to express thoughts Put information into context

The 7 th Commandment: Brainstorm For Quality 46 Flush out ideas Encourage creativity Build on one another’s thoughts Never expose what you don’t know Learn from one another

47 Problem #8: The Quality of “The” Specification Pages of random bulleted thoughts Gothic novels that rot on a shelf Hotbeds of misunderstanding Don’t explain process logic Neglect complete data definition Don’t promote traceability Aplan Inc.,

48 A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Most people are visual Thoughts come in waves Negotiate for understanding Straw model - second hand experience Do it live to remember Final product as memory aid Aplan Inc.,

49 Specifications Should Enable Traceability Match test plans to requirements Confirm functionality and expectations Involve the business user Mandatory with outsourcing model Not possible with Gothic Novel Aplan Inc.,

50 Faulty Thinking: Don’t Make This More Complicated Than It Has To Be Models are hard to do Which tool should I use? Who’s going to keep them up? Aplan Inc.,

51 The 8 th Commandment: Demand 1 st Class Specifications Model driven approaches Integrated tool sets Owned by everyone Understood by all - training Check and verify Aplan Inc.,

52 Problem #9: Too Many Projects Spiral Out of Control Time alters perceptions Refine ideas Things change…. Acknowledge it Deal with it Be agile Aplan Inc.,

53 Faulty Thinking: Iterative Development Is Really Hard Not understood well Not mainstream yet Fear of change Rationalized as a fad Aplan Inc.,

54 Iterative Development Distilled – Why? AnalyzeDesignBuildTestDeploy Waterfall – Sequential – Really Hard To Turn Back… Investment to Keep Going AnalyzeDesignBuildTestDeploy AnalyzeDesignBuildTestDeployAnalyzeDesignBuildTestDeployAnalyzeDesignBuildTestDeployAnalyzeDesignBuildTestDeployAnalyzeDesignBuildTestDeployAnalyzeDesignBuildTestDeployAnalyzeDesignBuildTestDeploy Iterative – One Component At A Time – Flexible, Agile, Accommodates Change Aplan Inc.,

55 The 9 th Commandment: Go Iterative Attack risk early and continuously Plan for change Focus on executable software Baseline an architecture early Keep business users engaged Focus on quality throughout, Work as a cross-discipline team Process modeling and SOA Aplan Inc.,

56 Problem 10: A Bad Attitude Will Doom You Thought precedes action Positive attitude Ban negativism Stimulate challenge Breed pride of work Counter attach the serious “I don’t care” attitude prevailing out there! Aplan Inc.,

57 Faulty Thinking: Donald Trump’s, “It’s Just Business”…. Good for the business owners but what about the people? Efficient, but do you really get the best? How long can people sustain in FUD? Competition as a way of life Aplan Inc.,

58 10 th Commandment: Cultivate Cooperation vs. Competition Inspire others Fun, Challenge and Excitement Promote cooperation vs. competition Learn from one another Build on each other’s ideas Leave out the negatives Appreciate others Aplan Inc.,

59 Questions???? Contact Information” Inez J. Marino Aplan Inc Office