Case Studies: Project Management

Meeting Facilitation

Situation: During our daily team meetings, a recurring issue has emerged where certain team members tend to engage in lengthy discussions about specific tasks. Consequently, these extended discussions cause our meetings to exceed their allotted time, leaving insufficient time for other team members to address their planned daily tasks.

Proposed Solution: To address this issue, I would recommend implementing a revised meeting format. For example, each team member could be encouraged to share their top three tasks for the day during the meeting. If a discussion begins to delve into the specifics of a particular task, the meeting facilitator could note these points for a separate meeting focused on problem-solving or retrospectives. Another effective approach could involve scheduling one-on-one meetings with the employees engaged in lengthy discussions. These discussions could help identify potential blockers in their work or clarify any missing context.

Team Management

Situation: We are currently facing a situation where one team member consistently fails to complete tasks on time and provides delayed feedback within our general project tasks. This has resulted in dissatisfaction among both the team members and our clients.

Proposed Solution: This situation raises concerns not only about the employee’s individual performance but also potential issues within our work processes and team communication. My initial step would involve a one-on-one conversation with the team member to identify any challenges or obstacles they are encountering in their work. Frequent causes for such delays can include inadequate meetings with leadership or interpersonal conflicts with team members. In such cases, it may be necessary to involve the employee’s manager to assess whether additional support or motivation measures are required, especially if burnout is a contributing factor.

Project Management

Situation: One of the projects within our team consistently exceeds its allocated man-hours, making it less profitable for our company than initially expected. The team cites the constant addition of new client tasks as a primary reason for this overrun.

Proposed Solutions to Increase Project Profitability:

1. Client Communication: Initiate a discussion with the client to understand the reasons behind the frequent changes in project scope. Work towards reaching an agreement that acknowledges that additional labor costs will naturally increase the overall cost of the project.
2. Internal Process Evaluation: Engage in a dialogue with the project team to identify inefficiencies within our internal processes. This could involve evaluating our project prioritization methods or assessing whether our resources are being optimally utilized.
3. Sales/Account Manager Collaboration: Collaborate closely with our sales and account managers to review our negotiation process with clients. It’s possible that during the project approval stage, we aren’t adequately addressing risks or clearly defining the terms for payment related to additional team hours. This collaboration can help us refine our contracts and avoid unexpected cost overruns.