252 • Creative, Ecient, and Eective Project Management
GROUNDWORK FOR CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT
Initially, it is dicult for people to see the need for creativity during the
closing process. Nothing could be further from the truth. Collecting data,
converting it into information, and displaying it require creativity to some
degree or another. Creativity is also required in motivating team members
as a project concludes and, even more so, when capturing lessons learned.
TABLE13.2
Closing Process and Creative Abilities
Ability Example
Applying cross-domain
thinking
Balancing the need to collect statistical data while at the
same time keeping the project team excited about
completing the project
Being analytical Collecting and compiling nancial data and converting
it into information
Being self-critical Contributing to a lessons-learned session
Reasoning Reviewing the logical sequence of the schedule to
determine lessons learned
Shiing between convergent
and divergent thinking
Reviewing the vision, goals, and objectives of the project
and collecting specic data to validate their achievement
Shiing from analysis to
synthesis mode of thinking
Collecting and compiling data and information, and
generating conclusions from it
Shiing from linear to
nonlinear thinking
Reviewing the logical sequence of the schedule and then
determining all the contextual factors that impacted it
during the project’s life cycle
Suspending judgment Collecting and compiling data and generating
information before developing conclusions about
theperformance of the project
Using generalization Reviewing data and information and coming up with
some patterns of behavior
Using linear thinking Reviewing the performance of the schedule to
determine where opportunities for improvement exist
for projects of a similar nature to leverage
Using nonlinear thinking Identifying what contextual factors impacted the project
and recording them in the lessons-learned document
Verbalizing Producing a lessons-learned document in a narrative
format
Visualizing Generating graphics (e.g., histograms, trend charts, etc.)
from cost and schedule data to show the overall
performance of a project
Creativity and the Closing Process • 253
Some actions that project managers can take to lay the groundwork for
a creative environment are shown in Table13.3.
GROUNDWORK FOR INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY
Project managers will likely need the help of individuals to collect data
and generate information. Data and information will probably reside in
dierent locations, from electronic les to team members’ minds. e key
is to stress the importance of this eort because many people, especially
people building a product or delivering a service, will feel that this work
is red tape or bureaucratic. Project managers must stress the importance
of the closing process and determine an equitable expectation of time and
eort to devote to this process. ey will also need to stress the necessity
of being independent and objective.
Some actions that project managers can take to allow individuals to be
creative are outlined in Table13.4.
TABLE13.3
Closing Process and Groundwork for Creative Environment
Action Example
Align individual and team
goals and objectives with
the parent organization
Articulating how the project satised the parent
organization’s strategic plan
Build and maintain trust Following a plan for releasing resources as the project
nears completion
Counter groupthink Ensuring that a mixed group of disciplines and
personalities attend a lessons-learned session
Emphasize coordination Involving customers and other stakeholders to
participate in verifying and validating requirements and
standards as having been met prior to product delivery
Grant access to data to do
thejob
Granting access to cost and schedule performance data
and information to key stakeholders who themselves
need to generate reports
Grant access to necessary
tools
Providing the necessary tools to assess and provide data
and information for reviews
Reward risk taking Recognizing people who, during the project, look on
challenging responsibilities despite the potential for failure
Stress communications Keeping key stakeholders informed about the progress of
winding-down activities
254 • Creative, Ecient, and Eective Project Management
GROUNDWORK FOR TEAM CREATIVITY
Not only will individuals be involved in the closing process, but so will the
entire team. e team’s creative insights will likely be required to conduct
lessons-learned sessions, respond to review or audit ndings, and collect
and compile information. As with individuals, project managers must
determine the appropriate balance between completing work and provid-
ing the necessary data and information.
Some actions that project managers can take to allow a team to be
creative are outlined in Table13.5.
RELEVANT TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
Many of the tools and techniques listed in Table13.6 are used to compile
and display data and information at detail and summary levels regard-
ing cost, schedule, quality, and technical performance. is data and
information can identify patterns and anomalies of behavior about per-
formance,aswell as counter the impact of groupthink to ensure greater
independence and objectivity.
Some common creativity tools and techniques that project managers
can apply for this process are shown in Table13.6.
TABLE13.4
Closing Process and Groundwork for Individual Creativity
Action Example
Be destructive Encouraging individuals to look for opportunities to perform
their responsibilities more eciently and eectively to
reduce costs by eliminating non-value-added processes and
activities
Be theoretical and
experiential at the same
time
Encouraging individuals to keep the vision of the project in
mind when performing activities in a way that expedites
theschedule but requires cutting corners
Have a diverse
background
Encouraging individuals with diverse backgrounds to ensure
quick xes to meet the schedule without causing collateral
damage aer the product is delivered to the customer
Have the ability to be
self-critical
Encouraging people to question their assumptions about the
output of their work as the rush to completion accelerates
Creativity and the Closing Process • 255
TRADITIONAL CREATIVITY LIFE CYCLE MODEL
Within the closing process, project managers can apply the ve phases of
the creativity life cycle model. Each phase plays an instrumental role in
clarifying and resolving an issue or problem.
Preparation Phase
e purpose of the preparation phase is to learn as much information as
possible about a topic and to compile any necessary information that will
prove useful in coming up with creative ideas. is phase focuses largely
on process and performance.
For example, a project manager needs to gure out a painless way
to collect data and information from dierent sources. e primary
challenges are that most data and information reside within incom-
patible systems, while the remainder is in hard, rather than electronic,
form. e project manager decides to interview other project managers
and some subject matter experts as well as review lessons learned from
similar projects.
TABLE13.5
Closing Process and Groundwork for Team Creativity
Action Example
Adapt Allowing teams to adjust to working together as people
begin leaving the project
Allow for open discussion
and have tolerance for
ideas
Preventing the intensity and momentum of a project
coming to an end to curtail dierent opinions and
insights
Be curious Encouraging the team to come up with better ways to
perform work until the product or service is delivered
Have a diverse membership Continuing to populate the team with individuals having
avariety of backgrounds, knowledge, and experience
Have facilitative and
supportive leadership
Helping the team by removing administrative obstacles
asthe project nears completion
Have no fear of the
unknown
Keeping the team motivated even in the presence of
everyone eventually departing
View failure as a learning
experience
Trying to prevent the tendency of giving up if something
goes wrong at the rst attempt as the completion
milestone approaches
256 • Creative, Ecient, and Eective Project Management
Concentration Phase
e purpose of the concentration phase is to focus on exactly dening a
problem or issue to address. e project manager will need to distinguish
between what is and is not relevant and, just as importantly, what is and
is not signicant.
Continuing with the data and information example, the project manager
briey describes the problem he faces and then lists the possible options.
TABLE13.6
Closing Process and Tools and Techniques
Tool and Techniques Example
Anity diagramming Collecting data about the cost and schedule performance and
placing them in related categories
Benchmarking Comparing the performance of the project with that of another
to determine what went well and what areas need improvement
as a basis for performing a lessons-learned session
Brainstorming Assembling team members and other key stakeholders in a room
and listing what went well and what needs improvement to
create a lessons-learned document
Brainwriting Having individual team members and other key stakeholders
record on a piece of paper what went well and then passing it
onto another colleague for review and revision
Checklists Using a listing of ideas to expedite the closing of a project
Devil’s advocate Assigning someone during verication and validation meetings
to counter prevailing thinking
Idea bulletin board Setting up a white board to capture remaining ad hoc
responsibilities to nish before the project can end
Interviewing Meeting individually with key stakeholders to capture lessons
learned
Nominal group
technique
Assembling team members and other key stakeholders to
compile lists of what went well and areas for improvement, and
then voting for those considered to have the most impact
Osite Holding a lessons-learned session o premises to lessen pressure
to hold one’s thoughts, insights, etc.
Role playing Taking the perspective of a key stakeholder to ascertain what
statistical data and information they can provide related to
thecost, schedule, and quality performance of the project
Scatter gram Plotting the relationship between two variables over time to
ascertain any important patterns or anomalies
Statistical process
control
Plotting discrete data over time to identify any anomalies, such
as defects, that could require postimplementation analysis
Trend chart Plotting discrete data over time to ascertain improvement (e.g.,a
decline in defects)
..................Content has been hidden....................

You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.
Reset