Delivering projects on time and budget is what our customers expect. However, when it comes to defining project success, we measure ourselves against a higher standard of excellence..
Outfox Consulting measures the success of a project not just by when, but, more importantly, how the project was delivered. Even if all project objectives have been achieved, we believe we have failed if the project team does not want to work on another project managed by Outfox Consulting.
We strive to provide project delivery services in a manner that builds trust and exceeds expectations. The ability to partner with our customers to forge lasting relationships based upon a foundation of trust is our ultimate measure of success.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Project Team Recognition & Morale Building
I think it’s safe to say that everyone understands the importance of taking time to recognize and celebrate project team accomplishments, yet this is an area that is frequently overlooked.
We tend to get so bogged down in our day-to-day activities that we fail to plan ahead and either scramble to pick up something to recognize an accomplishment at the last minute, or choose to ignore acknowledging the accomplishment all together.
Small gestures of appreciation go a long way toward building team morale. There are many no cost options for recognizing excellence on the project team. A few examples are: handwritten thank you notes, performance feedback appraisal (formal or informal) to the team member’s manager/supervisor, arranging for the Executive Sponsor and/or CEO to come to a team meeting to acknowledge the team’s accomplishment, and sending a company-wide email announcing the delivery of the project and recognizing the contributions of each member of the team by name.
There are also many low cost options for recognizing your project team members. A few examples are: team celebration lunch or breakfast, movie passes, Blockbuster movie gift cards, Starbucks gift cards, bringing treats to team meetings, gas cards, go-cart racing outing, laser tag outing, and good old AmEx gift checks.
In addition to recognizing specific accomplishments, here are a few general morale-building activities to keep team members engaged throughout those long duration projects: conduct a team meeting at a nearby ice cream shop, introduce a fun project team contest (name the project contest, design the project logo contest), create promotional items with project name and logo (t-shirts, mugs, hats, stress balls, flash memory sticks, etc.), take a long lunch or schedule a “team meeting” one afternoon and take the team on an outing. Such outings could include: mini-golf, go-cart racing, laser tag, or a picnic at a local park.
I am always looking to expand my list and would love to hear from anyone that has implemented other ideas or activities that were a hit with their project team.
We tend to get so bogged down in our day-to-day activities that we fail to plan ahead and either scramble to pick up something to recognize an accomplishment at the last minute, or choose to ignore acknowledging the accomplishment all together.
Small gestures of appreciation go a long way toward building team morale. There are many no cost options for recognizing excellence on the project team. A few examples are: handwritten thank you notes, performance feedback appraisal (formal or informal) to the team member’s manager/supervisor, arranging for the Executive Sponsor and/or CEO to come to a team meeting to acknowledge the team’s accomplishment, and sending a company-wide email announcing the delivery of the project and recognizing the contributions of each member of the team by name.
There are also many low cost options for recognizing your project team members. A few examples are: team celebration lunch or breakfast, movie passes, Blockbuster movie gift cards, Starbucks gift cards, bringing treats to team meetings, gas cards, go-cart racing outing, laser tag outing, and good old AmEx gift checks.
In addition to recognizing specific accomplishments, here are a few general morale-building activities to keep team members engaged throughout those long duration projects: conduct a team meeting at a nearby ice cream shop, introduce a fun project team contest (name the project contest, design the project logo contest), create promotional items with project name and logo (t-shirts, mugs, hats, stress balls, flash memory sticks, etc.), take a long lunch or schedule a “team meeting” one afternoon and take the team on an outing. Such outings could include: mini-golf, go-cart racing, laser tag, or a picnic at a local park.
I am always looking to expand my list and would love to hear from anyone that has implemented other ideas or activities that were a hit with their project team.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Holding Accountability w/o Using the Stick
A question I am frequently asked is: how can I hold my team members accountable to their commitments without using “the stick” and looking like an overbearing heartless PM?
My response is to confront the issue from a position of support and trust rather than of power and fear.
The following approach has worked well for me in the past. I follow-up with the team member in private and mention that I’ve noticed they have fallen behind on their project commitments and I wanted to check-in to see how they are doing. I also ask if everything is ok and if there is anything I can do to better support them.
This typically results in one of two responses. The team member either realizes that the PM is actually doing their job and monitoring the progress of the project and they kick their performance in gear, or it opens the door for them to share their frustrations around everything that’s been piled on their plate, the lack of support they’re receiving, or a concern that they’re in over their head in terms of the competence required for the project.
In either case, the next step is to discuss suggestions on how I can help them get things back on track. Depending on the situation, the preferred course of action by the team member may be for them to go to their Manager/Supervisor to discuss their allocation to the project/capacity/training needs/etc.
I then follow-up with the team member to discuss the results of the meeting with their Manager/Supervisor and confirm that the issue has been resolved. If the issue is not resolved, the next step is to approach the Manager/Supervisor as the next level in the issue escalation process to discuss an alternative corrective action plan.
Tip: Establish an issue escalation process at the start of the project. This takes emotion out of the equation especially when you are faced with people related issues. It is much easier to separate the issue from the person when you’re following a previously established process.
My response is to confront the issue from a position of support and trust rather than of power and fear.
The following approach has worked well for me in the past. I follow-up with the team member in private and mention that I’ve noticed they have fallen behind on their project commitments and I wanted to check-in to see how they are doing. I also ask if everything is ok and if there is anything I can do to better support them.
This typically results in one of two responses. The team member either realizes that the PM is actually doing their job and monitoring the progress of the project and they kick their performance in gear, or it opens the door for them to share their frustrations around everything that’s been piled on their plate, the lack of support they’re receiving, or a concern that they’re in over their head in terms of the competence required for the project.
In either case, the next step is to discuss suggestions on how I can help them get things back on track. Depending on the situation, the preferred course of action by the team member may be for them to go to their Manager/Supervisor to discuss their allocation to the project/capacity/training needs/etc.
I then follow-up with the team member to discuss the results of the meeting with their Manager/Supervisor and confirm that the issue has been resolved. If the issue is not resolved, the next step is to approach the Manager/Supervisor as the next level in the issue escalation process to discuss an alternative corrective action plan.
Tip: Establish an issue escalation process at the start of the project. This takes emotion out of the equation especially when you are faced with people related issues. It is much easier to separate the issue from the person when you’re following a previously established process.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Business Start-up Resource List
As promised, here is a list of business start-up resources that were tremendously helpful when we launched our company:
Small Business Administration (SBA) http://www.sba.gov/
Indianapolis Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) http://www.indyscore.org/
Chamber of Commerce – Mainstreet Institute Seminars & Classes, Group Health Insurance Discount, and Networking Events http://www.indychamber.com/
Quickbooks Accounting Software http://quickbooks.intuit.com/
Google Email (Gmail) http://mail.google.com
Google Documents and Spreadsheets http://docs.google.com/
Google Talk (Instant Messenger and Internet Chat) http://www.google.com/talk/
Basecamp (Project Collaboration) http://www.basecamphq.com/
Highrise (CRM/Contact Management). http://www.highrisehq.com/
'The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It' by Michael E. Gerber http://www.e-myth.com/
'Duct Tape Marketing' by John Jantsch http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/
'Good to Great' by Jim Collins. http://www.jimcollins.com/lib/books.html
'The Success Principles' by Jack Canfield http://www.thesuccessprinciples.com/
‘Eat That Frog!’ by Brian Tracy http://www.briantracy.com/catalog/product.aspx?pid=49&cid=18
Does anyone have other helpful resources to share?Monday, April 23, 2007
Following Our Passion
Many people dream about starting their own business, yet for whatever reason, they never get out of the starting blocks and do it. I have heard that actually taking the leap into starting a small business is half the battle in and of itself.
You’ve heard the story of the five frogs on a log, right? No? Well, five frogs are sitting on a log and three decide to jump off. How many are left sitting on the log? The answer is five. That is because there’s a difference between deciding to do something and actually doing it!
My partners and I decided to take this leap (and actually jumped!) after working for, and having great success, at several medium-to-large sized companies. During this time, we developed proven systems and techniques for building tremendously synergistic and successful teams.
We came to the realization that the experience and skills we had amassed and the services we provided were highly valued and sought after in the marketplace. There was definitely a market for our services.
Another factor that led to this decision was what we perceived as a gap in the market when it came to competent consulting firms that could be trusted to do what was best for the customer. We had firsthand experience engaging other consulting firms to augment our capacity and assist with our strategic initiatives.
Unfortunately, we were underwhelmed and disappointed by many firms that lacked the integrity and willingness to admit when they were in over their heads and come forward with a recommendation that was best for their customer (to either walk away or reduce the statement of work to align with their area of expertise).
Just think of the trust that could have been established by that level of honesty and commitment to customer service. Sitting on the other side of the table and working with several different consulting firms over the years has given us great insight into what the customer values and expects from their consulting partners.
We had the competence, saw an opportunity in the market for our services, and were confident that we could build a reputation of trust with our customers so it was time to take action. We did our homework and found that the most successful small businesses and small business start-ups that were most likely to succeed had one thing in common. They began with the end in mind.
These companies developed the systems and processes necessary to franchise or sell their business, even if they had no intention of doing so at the time. We learned about this and many other helpful concepts in the book ‘The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It’ by Michael E. Gerber. http://www.e-myth.com/
We also spent several weeks collaborating on our vision for the company. We had an amazing breakthrough when we each shared the one thing we were most passionate about.
Our passions are: helping our customers achieve their strategic objectives; cultivating a culture of trust, innovation and fun; and building a company that systematically produces predictable, consistent and measurable results.
As a result, we finalized our vision statement for the company.
Vision: “To build a predictable, effortless and profitable global franchise business model that transforms the way companies deliver projects, while protecting and preserving our unique company culture.” There are many good small business start-up resources out there in addition to the one I mentioned above.
Coming soon: a list of the resources that were most helpful to us during our first year of business!
You’ve heard the story of the five frogs on a log, right? No? Well, five frogs are sitting on a log and three decide to jump off. How many are left sitting on the log? The answer is five. That is because there’s a difference between deciding to do something and actually doing it!
My partners and I decided to take this leap (and actually jumped!) after working for, and having great success, at several medium-to-large sized companies. During this time, we developed proven systems and techniques for building tremendously synergistic and successful teams.
We came to the realization that the experience and skills we had amassed and the services we provided were highly valued and sought after in the marketplace. There was definitely a market for our services.
Another factor that led to this decision was what we perceived as a gap in the market when it came to competent consulting firms that could be trusted to do what was best for the customer. We had firsthand experience engaging other consulting firms to augment our capacity and assist with our strategic initiatives.
Unfortunately, we were underwhelmed and disappointed by many firms that lacked the integrity and willingness to admit when they were in over their heads and come forward with a recommendation that was best for their customer (to either walk away or reduce the statement of work to align with their area of expertise).
Just think of the trust that could have been established by that level of honesty and commitment to customer service. Sitting on the other side of the table and working with several different consulting firms over the years has given us great insight into what the customer values and expects from their consulting partners.
We had the competence, saw an opportunity in the market for our services, and were confident that we could build a reputation of trust with our customers so it was time to take action. We did our homework and found that the most successful small businesses and small business start-ups that were most likely to succeed had one thing in common. They began with the end in mind.
These companies developed the systems and processes necessary to franchise or sell their business, even if they had no intention of doing so at the time. We learned about this and many other helpful concepts in the book ‘The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It’ by Michael E. Gerber. http://www.e-myth.com/
We also spent several weeks collaborating on our vision for the company. We had an amazing breakthrough when we each shared the one thing we were most passionate about.
Our passions are: helping our customers achieve their strategic objectives; cultivating a culture of trust, innovation and fun; and building a company that systematically produces predictable, consistent and measurable results.
As a result, we finalized our vision statement for the company.
Vision: “To build a predictable, effortless and profitable global franchise business model that transforms the way companies deliver projects, while protecting and preserving our unique company culture.” There are many good small business start-up resources out there in addition to the one I mentioned above.
Coming soon: a list of the resources that were most helpful to us during our first year of business!
Monday, April 16, 2007
You Can't Do It Alone
What makes you a successful Business Analyst? Years of experience, education, technical background, communication skills? All of these come into play. However, we believe you are successful when the business seeks out your expertise, and the technical and quality teams look forward to working with you on their next project. In other words...it goes way beyond YOUR accomplishments.
Your #1 role is to support the members of the project team
and help them to be successful.
You organize and document what needs to be accomplished but you rely on the other members of the team to actually do the work. By chasing down answers, removing distractions, recognizing their contributions and providing the support they need, you encourage them to focus and leverage their areas of expertise. The result...less stress, more synergy and collaboration. And, you'll truly reap the benefits when it's the 11th hour and the team is struggling to make a deadline.
Your #1 role is to support the members of the project team
and help them to be successful.
You organize and document what needs to be accomplished but you rely on the other members of the team to actually do the work. By chasing down answers, removing distractions, recognizing their contributions and providing the support they need, you encourage them to focus and leverage their areas of expertise. The result...less stress, more synergy and collaboration. And, you'll truly reap the benefits when it's the 11th hour and the team is struggling to make a deadline.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Role of the Business Analyst throughout the Project
If you were to ask three project management experts to describe the role of a Business Analyst, you would probably receive three different answers. This role can wear many hats and much of the time the BA is also required to take on activities usually owned by the Project Manager.
It's been our experience that the BA and PM roles should not be combined into one. While on the surface it appears the same skills are required, when you dig deeper, you find that each has their area of expertise. When those skills are leveraged and brought together the BA/PM team is much more successful than the combined role.
What Outfox Consulting looks for in a Business Analyst:
Skills:
Meeting Facilitation
MS Office Applications
Motivation
Conflict Management
Verbal and Written Communication
Detail Oriented
Process Improvement
Coaching/Mentoring
Character Traits:
Initiative
Thoroughness
Dependability
Accountability
Discernment
Flexibility
So how do we summarize the differences between the BA and PM roles throughout the project? The PM is responsible for the successful delivery of the project, communication with the sponsors and for holding the various team members accountable for their contributions. The BA is responsible for the deep-dive, lower-level detail, the “glue” that holds the project together.
From initial planning through requirements gathering, development, testing, deployment and training; the BA is the only constant who understands the detail of the entire project and can ensure all the pieces are on track.
There's no tossing the requirements over the wall to the development team hoping the final result meets the business' expectations. The BA is in the trenches collaborating with the business and development teams to help provide clarity as questions arise and ensure that all parties are focused on their areas of responsibility. The BA also participates in the testing, deployment and training phases of the project for the same reasons.
For a BA to be successful, they must develop a very synergistic and collaborative relationship with the members of the project team. A smart PM will rely on their BA to provide them with weekly “gut checks” and will take seriously any concerns they have regarding the performance of team members or milestones.
It's been our experience that the BA and PM roles should not be combined into one. While on the surface it appears the same skills are required, when you dig deeper, you find that each has their area of expertise. When those skills are leveraged and brought together the BA/PM team is much more successful than the combined role.
What Outfox Consulting looks for in a Business Analyst:
Skills:
Meeting Facilitation
MS Office Applications
Motivation
Conflict Management
Verbal and Written Communication
Detail Oriented
Process Improvement
Coaching/Mentoring
Character Traits:
Initiative
Thoroughness
Dependability
Accountability
Discernment
Flexibility
So how do we summarize the differences between the BA and PM roles throughout the project? The PM is responsible for the successful delivery of the project, communication with the sponsors and for holding the various team members accountable for their contributions. The BA is responsible for the deep-dive, lower-level detail, the “glue” that holds the project together.
From initial planning through requirements gathering, development, testing, deployment and training; the BA is the only constant who understands the detail of the entire project and can ensure all the pieces are on track.
There's no tossing the requirements over the wall to the development team hoping the final result meets the business' expectations. The BA is in the trenches collaborating with the business and development teams to help provide clarity as questions arise and ensure that all parties are focused on their areas of responsibility. The BA also participates in the testing, deployment and training phases of the project for the same reasons.
For a BA to be successful, they must develop a very synergistic and collaborative relationship with the members of the project team. A smart PM will rely on their BA to provide them with weekly “gut checks” and will take seriously any concerns they have regarding the performance of team members or milestones.
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