The tell-tale sign of the need to train your team to manage projects
A team that is adept in project capabilities will deliver many benefits to your business. Providing training to project teams is essential to reap these benefits. Teams are diverse, often with members drawn from different work functions. If these team members don’t have project management experience, your projects are likely to suffer. The question is, how do you know your team needs training in project management? Here are the tell-tale signs.
Your team misses deadlines
Missing deadlines consistently is a giveaway that your people need project management training. If reports get misfiled, milestones are completed late, or there is a sudden need to put ‘all hands to the pump’ immediately prior to project deadlines, your team needs specific project management training.
People don’t understand their roles and responsibilities
If team members aren’t sure of what they should be doing, they won’t do a very good job. Mistakes will be made. If your people make mistakes consistently, it could be that they don’t know their roles and responsibilities within the project management context.
Teams follow project plans to the letter
A project plan is essential for project success, but it is rare for a project plan to remain unchanged in successful projects. If your team follows the project plan rigidly, with no scope for adaptation to reflect changes as they occur through the project lifecycle, it’s likely that your project will fail. An inability to be flexible and adapt to changes – such as deadlines, budgets and project scope – is a key indicator that training is required in project management.
Out-of-control budgets
Project costs must be monitored, compared to budget, and revised when needed. Team members need training to cover this need. If budgets run out of control, the project is weakened.
Miscommunication
If your project suffers from miscommunication, it is likely that members of your team aren’t acquainted with project management terms and language. This miscommunication can lead to problems such as delays in completion of project milestones.
Lack of quality assurance
Quality assurance is a keystone of PRINCE2 project management. Poor-quality work ultimately results in cost overruns, delays, and dented customer relationships. If there is no framework or process for quality assurance, it is less likely that your project will deliver on its promise.
In summary
If your team consistently fails to deliver to time, quality and cost targets, it needs training in project management. Effective project management training will help your team understand its roles and responsibilities, and to deliver to the project plan.
Good, targeted project management training will improve team leadership, adherence to budgets, and delivery of successful projects.
To discover how project management training delivered by Your Project Manager can help your team meet its potential, contact us today:
