There are a number of reasons behind why a project fails. It can boil down to going over budget, failing to deliver the promised result or being abandoned due to unrealistic requirements. Avoiding all of these mistakes is part of a project manager’s job. Here are 7 of the most common mistakes managers make:
- Not recognising support from key influencers.
Certain people make a real difference to a project and should be recognised as doing so. Their support should be documented meaning they are less likely to back out at a later date. - Too much changing scope.
As a project progresses, there are inevitable changes made to its scope. Change is good up until a certain point, but if they veer out of control, it can become harmful. To prevent this, make stakeholders sign off on the scope and justify any mandated changes. - Not involving end users.
End users know what end result they are hoping for better than the project managers, so they should be encouraged to specify business-driving objectives instead of managers believing they know best. - Too many team members.
The maximum number of people a single project manager can supervise effectively is eight. - Wrong team line-up.
Even with a properly-sized team, the distribution of roles is key to success. To do it right, set up competency evaluations for each team member beforehand. - Overwhelming project size.
Team members tend to lose motivation when the project seems endless. This is why leaders should break down lengthier projects into suitably sized sections. This way members can get a sense of fulfilment every time a new section is completed. - Defining the project as a side responsibility.
Project managers cannot expect team members to fully commit to a project if they have been told it is merely something to do alongside their usual duties.
