Why use GDPM?
Research says that 80 - 90% of projects fail so “Why keep doing what you’re not doing well”?
Goal Directed Project Management (GDPM) is light-touch, non-bureaucratic and is expressed in simple terms using a language that can be understood and adopted by people who are not professional project managers as well as add value to those that do have a project management background. So why might you want to use it?
- Your existing project management approach or methodology may not appear to be successfully delivering projects. You may not have an approach or methodology or only have an ad-hoc one which you or your company has outgrown.
- You want to improve Project Management skills and capability as part of career development plans.
- You want to be in a position to improve your overall business and personal performance using the GDPM approach coupled with the progressive development of project management capability.
- You may be a volume, business as usual organisation suddenly required to implement a major change programme or series of changes. There may be uncertainty regarding your ability to manage these changes successfully.
What if you already have a Project Management methodology?
You may already use a recognised external methodology such as PRINCE2, APM or PMI. Alternatively you may have developed your own derivative. These may be supplemented by software planning packages such as Microsoft Project. Our GDPM based approach is completely complementary and can be used to increase the project management effectiveness of other models or methodologies.
While these other methodologies have a sound basis many organisations still fail to deliver their projects using them. Why? Well this may be caused by the level of competence of their people, using a methodology for the sake of it or a combination of both. Smaller projects often suffer from a bureaucratic overload when trying to adopt the same methodology for all types and sizes of projects. This mechanistic approach can often be an end in itself where people spend more time delivering the process rather than delivering their projects.
As frustration grows management request more and more levels of planning detail which, rather than helping gain tight control, does the opposite as the volume of information makes it difficult to see the overall picture and also detracts from the activities which are needed to deliver.
Collaboration and team working is the key ingredient for successful project delivery - not a complicated and bureaucratic set of plans. The Fast Forward PM approach ensures those that deliver, plan the project and a good test of understanding is that anyone from the team can articulate what the project is about. This increases the level of engagement, understanding and buy-in from the team as well as allowing them ample opportunities to raise any issues or concerns.
How do I embed GDPM?
To achieve sustained results in project delivery an organisation needs to have not only the skills of those people responsible for delivery but also the organisational support, structure and governance around the application of those skills whether it be through individual projects or larger programmes. Active senior sponsorship and support of the approach is essential.