A company can’t develop and become more profitable by putting all its hopes in old business ideas and practices. Its management needs to experiment with new concepts to adjust to the ever-changing market. Products and services can then be developed based on those ideas. Sounds simple enough, but the reality is much more complex. Coming up with an idea is one thing, but creating a project around it is entirely different.
Things can become so chaotic that only a third of all projects are completed on time and within the initial budget. This occurs due to mistakes by inexperienced project managers. We present 5 common management problems that arise from neglecting certain areas of project planning. Once you overcome these, you’ll be able to manage projects effectively.
Not defining the project’s goal is the biggest mistake made by managers
According to several research papers by the American Project Management Institute, one-third of projects fail because the people developing them have no clear vision. It’s one of the most common management problems. That's why it's essential to have a clear picture of what you're trying to achieve, how it will benefit the company and why customers would want to use it. Otherwise, any further work will be pointless.
Let’s take, for example, a small mobile app company that wants to expand into the mobile video games market with a puzzle game. In this case, developers would likely discuss the following things:
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What are our target age groups?
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Should we create a 2D or 3D game?
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How many developers will we need to work on various aspects of the game, e.g. mechanics, level design, concept art, sound design, etc?
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What kind of game engine should we use and will we have enough funds to get it licensed?
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How much will the game cost the customer?
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How much of our profit will go to the company that developed the engine?
All these questions need to be addressed during initial and subsequent company meetings. Managers and employees should agree on the best way to achieve project goals and the estimated time frame required.
Top mistakes managers make – lack of requirements
When planning a project, it's important to understand what the final result will look like. This is one of the biggest mistakes made by managers. Managers are responsible for making a list of requirements for the project and providing it to employees. The list should include the following information:
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The number of employees required for different stages of project development
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Criteria for evaluating the quality of the project and its components
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The principles of dividing the workload among workers
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The project schedule
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The list of objectives the project will achieve for the company
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How often the project will be altered
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Initial budget size
This list also includes the final product that will be developed. In the case of a mobile video game, these can include concept artwork, audio samples, code for various elements of the game, e.g., mechanics, physics, visual effects animations, etc. Each listing must include an approximate release date.
Making up estimates is another common mistake managers make
Deadlines are one of the common management issues that arise during project development. A good manager must stay in touch with their team and request updates on the progress within each team. Are they meeting their deadlines or do they need more time to do everything properly?
Unexpected events can arise, causing the entire project to be delayed. If you fail to make the necessary calculations, you'll risk constantly postponing the deadline. To avoid future problems, it is best to meet with every team member and evaluate their work in a timely manner.
Neglecting risks is a common management problem
In theory, all your plans would fall into place every time, but in reality, any project can be subject to delays, missed deadlines, sick employees and other unfortunate events. Having a proper risk management program significantly decreases the chances of project failure. This process isn't difficult but does require outlining many factors that could go wrong when working on a particular project. Your list of risks should include events such as:
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Failure to meet deadlines
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Working on additional features beyond the original project scope
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Project scope changes. Alterations in project goals, deliverables, tasks, costs, and deadlines
A project manager’s task involves assessing risks and determining their impact on the project. For instance, ensuring a deputy project manager is appointed to replace the head of the project should they be absent. You might also face technical challenges, such as a sudden change in used hardware or software requiring additional employees. A contingency plan must cover all potential issues that could go wrong with the project.
Mistakes made by managers – having a rigid schedule
There is no better way to ensure a steady workflow than by scheduling your team. The timetable must provide clear information about the workload and deadlines. All schedules should offer some flexibility for unforeseen situations. If anyone working on a project needs time off due to illness, family matters, injury, or other circumstances, they should be able to do so within reasonable terms. In such cases, someone needs to replace them in an emergency to maintain the pace of project development.
It is vital to give your team members the same flexibility when proposing new ideas to project managers that could benefit the project overall. Currently, there are various solutions that facilitate project management, including Social Shared, Wrike, Slack, Procore, and many others.
