Do you see any changes to Project Management post-COVID? Would it remain the same? Would it change? This article captures some of my ramblings related to this.
Short Answer: Project Management will change from what it was pre-COVID!
As captured in this article, the only uncertainty is uncertainty. The recovery from the COVID-19 crisis must lead to a different economy.
One of the jokes going around is that COVID-19 has been responsible for the accelerated Digital Transformation of organizations. This honestly is very true. Traditional/Typical IT companies have been reworking their strategies since the WFH-era began a few weeks ago. The post-COVID world will not be the same as what it was earlier.
Project Management per-se may not change, but the environment in which it will be done (home, remote, video-calls, etc.) will definitely be different. What may change:
- WFH/Remote Teams may become the “new normal”.
- Certain competencies such as working with remote teams and remote stakeholders will need to be enhanced
- Meetings over video calls may become very common
- Overall coordination may require additional effort due to the above.
- Organizations may (or may not) look for cheaper labour elsewhere because all are working remotely.
- Our plans may also need to be more dynamic given the potential for changes resulting from unplanned staff shortages or budget cuts.
- There needs to be clear communication and monitoring strategies
Remote Project Management
Successful remote project management will need to address the following:
Clear communication & collaboration
Without face-to-face Daily Status Meetings and regular “check-ins” that were so easy in office, one runs the risk of losing touch with your teams. Try to setup a similar rhythm with your remote teams. Have scheduled daily status meetings using video conferencing software like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, WebEx, or equivalent. Don’t forget your coffee breaks with your teams. Schedule informal video calls where you discuss things outside of work.
Some organizations are using WhatsApp groups to have teams communicate on a real-time basis. If your organization policy permits usage of such freely available tools, this is a good way to communicate too.
Collaboration
Make use of efficient collaboration software. Microsoft Teams as an example allows each team to have shared OneDrive folders, Planner, Group chats, Wiki’s, etc. Atlassian provides Confluence for Wiki, etc.
Ensure proper Project Management tools are used. Whether it be JIRA, Rally, etc. Ensure teams are updating the status of each task on a daily basis.
Efficient monitoring
Are your teams Productive? Do they put in the required effort on a daily/weekly basis? Are they meeting their Sprint Velocity targets? If your project bills clients by the hour, are they putting in the required hours?
Ensure you build the right KPIs and Metrics which can be tracked from a Dashboard.
Don’t fall into the rabbit-hole by thinking everything will remain the same. Some behavioural changes are required by all to ensure smooth business continuity.
Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
