Individuals and organisations looking to adopt Best Practice to succeed in project and programme management might start with adopting and adapting the standards set out by international project management industry bodies. These include the Association for Project Management (APM), and internationally, the Project Management Institute (PMI).
There are also relevant sector standards for professionals and firms working in real estate and construction from organisations such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
Any organisation at any level of maturity can tap into this body of Best Practice resources. Projects of all sizes and all types share many similar characteristics and Best Practice approaches truly have something for everyone.
There are many good resources out there to help organisations and individuals map where they are now and plan their route to Best Practice. Although the benefits of a Best Practice approach might be obvious to those looking to implement them, organisations should be prepared to address barriers to adoption. Here are some practical tips and points to consider:
“Not invented here!”
In many organisations influential stakeholders will use this tactic to resist the introduction of Best Practice simply on the grounds that they or the solution developed elsewhere will not reflect the complex nature of their own business – so therefore it must have limited value.
How to overcome this barrier: To get people onside, use existing systems and terminology that already work. The aim is to develop a common language using existing conventions, as long as the existing tools can be aligned with best-practice principles.
“We already do that”
This is a common response. In regulated industries where standard operating procedures proliferate, they will already comply with documented standards which may appear to offer comparable controls. However, you must be ready to challenge these assumptions. Best Practice demands progress reporting, for example, but a regular meeting to discuss issues may not meet the required reporting formality that is missing and which is the critical factor to achieve better control and improve project outcomes. If you allow people to say “we already do that” and it goes unchallenged the expected improvement may not materialise.
How to overcome this barrier: It is vital to understand the whole picture – directors may have a different view from project managers, for example. When you hear the assertion “we already do that” then get the perspective of other stakeholders and ask those challenging you to provide documentary evidence.
Cultural barriers
Different cultures have different approaches to project management. Management in some regions depend more heavily on discussion to reach a consensual approach. In this type of culture managers aiming to introduce Best Practice will have to consider carefully how to incorporate written documentation. Elsewhere there is a cultural focus on written documentation as a focus of decision-making.
How to overcome this barrier: Empowered and influential leadership, not only at the very top but also throughout the organisation, is key. Target and win over leaders who have the respect of their peers, so that they can model the behaviours that the organisation wants to embed.
Local conventions
When multinational organisations or enterprises engaged in merger and acquisition activities are putting in Best Practice frameworks across territories, each local area will have its own way of doing things. There may be many different ways of accounting for project spend. It is vital to unify this before attempting to introduce an overarching project management framework.
How to overcome this barrier: Develop models and high-level Best Practice principles that people can refer to for local governance. Local champions are useful here too, but the key is to have a single version of the truth for reference.
What’s in it for me?
People are reluctant to change. Individual project managers may not necessarily see any personal benefit from the introduction of a project management framework, which may bring with them an expectation of a higher workload, more accountability and more visibility.
How to overcome this barrier: Focus on the benefits relating to the business drivers for bringing in Best Practice. Make sure staff understand the need to change behaviours. Motivate staff to ask themselves, what will happen if we do nothing? What is the personal or local impact of continuing as we are? This might range from job losses if there is no change to – more positively – getting to do more projects that we are good at and fixing common failings and frustrations.
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