Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1181966
46 SMT007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2019 If the answer is no, create a one-page execu- tive summary of the project that contains all of the essential information. The content of your executive summary might look something like this: • Project name: Give it a name that brings it to life • Start and finish date: Everyone needs a target • Project leader: The right person for the job • Objective: Make it clear and concise • Business potential: Agreement at every level • Ideas summary: An outline of what it is • Major issues: What are the stumbling blocks? • Timeline: Hit the milestones • Resources and materials: Everyone likes to know up front • Budget: What do you need, and who signs it off? • Evaluation: Measurement of the project and outcome • Ideas for improvement: Set you up for your next project Circulate this summary to all of your stake- holders before you start the project. 3. Monitor and Control Now that the project is underway, you must deliver the plan. Communicate progress and manage resources. Here is where you earn your money: • Stick to the plan, examine it regularly, and then adjust • Provide regular updates, and don't let the project slip • Hold everyone accountable • Get work done no matter what happens • Trust but verify • Keep the end-users involved • Deliver • You've created something new; now people must use it 4. Ensure Gains Are Sustainable To ensure that gains are sustainable, do the following: • Gain cross-functional support • Have an executive sponsor eliminate roadblocks to the implementation of the project • Train, train, and train on new changes introduced by the project • Involve QMS personnel to ensure procedures are properly updated, and records are kept in the quality system structure of the organization 5. Prevent Bureaucracy Watch out for these commonplace proj- ect management pitfalls that can drag down a project and give a perception of bureaucracy. Do not do the following: • Create a 50-page plan that you'll never carry out; a good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week • File project assets incorrectly, and, as a consequence, waste time looking for them • Allow people to involve themselves in areas where they have little or no knowledge; their involvement wastes time and money, so avoid this at all costs • Create bottlenecks that slow your project down; instead, remove them Important Tips Here are some final tips you need to bear in mind before, during, and after project delivery: • Create the right environment so that people will take ownership of their part of the project • Baseline your project plan so you can see progress over time • Evaluate project progress by continually asking, "How are we doing?" • Add some slack to your project plan because some things will take longer than you think