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Implementation

By now you should know the project inside out and be able to answer every question authoritatively.

Unless your business is a charity its priority is to make a profit, therefore you need to keep business priorities in mind.

You now need to translate the plan into action. This involves focusing on the goal and motivating the team members to do likewise. By helping them to develop their own skills, both as individuals and team members will increase their effectiveness.

Now is the time to draw a line in the sand for everything that has passed before. Make sure that you keep a good relationship with stakeholders and run regular team meetings. Make sure you clearly communicate at all levels every step of the way. Its now when you really begin to administrate and co-ordinate.

The project team will possibly change at this stage. Make sure you welcome them to the project and bring them together. Bringing the team together is an opportunity for them to feel as they belong (as they should) and to provide a building block for a working relationship. A project manager is also a leader, should be seen as a motivator and able to inspire others.

Quality decision making is paramount. Start a logical process that you follow each time. Using a decision making process may seem to take time initially but speed will improve with performance. Make sure that the sponsors and stakeholders are aware of this process. People will implement decisions much more willingly when they have participated in them. If necessary ask an objective critic to look at your decision and provide feedback.

Making S.A.F.E. decisions

	Suitable. Is the decision the most suitable one, given the current state of the project?
	Acceptable. Is the decision acceptable to all the stakeholders who have an interest in it?
	Feasible. Will the decision be practical and feasible to implement the solution, given the projects time and resource constraints?
	Enduring. Will the solution endure to the end of the project and further into the long term?

Review meetings should be held at regular intervals throughout the project life-cycle. Reviews are required to discuss progress, achievements and mark milestones. Its only necessary to have attendees at these meetings that need to report in person, record the events and provide strategic advice. Wherever possible you need to provide regular attendance in person. Make sure you apply discipline to each meeting. Make sure you are tough on latecomers. Make it clear that this unacceptable as one persons lateness can waste everyone's time.

Make sure there is an agenda sent to each attendee before the meeting (make sure there are spare copies available at the meeting). Send the agenda out early enough for the team to do their preparation work too.

Always keep focused on the agenda and meeting objectives. Never hold back from reminding the meeting when they are steering away from the agenda and objectives.

Always try to end the meeting on a positive note.

PROBLEMS

No matter how well you have planned, once you start to operate in the real world, problems will occur. Always encourage team members to bring any problems to your attention as soon as possible.

A useful problem solving technique is to home in on four key areas

	People. Is the problem because the people do not have the correct skill sets or support?
	Product. Is there something wrong with the design of what you are producing? Is there something wrong with the method?
	Process. Would an improvement in one of the processes cure the problem?
	Procurement. Is it something to do with the products or services that the project is buying or has bought?

Do keep in regular touch with suppliers.

Do correct a recurring problem by changing a process.

Don't start to resolve an issue unless you understand the problem

Don't assume that team members have problem-solving skills.

Don't forget to update the plan and check the consequences of the problem

Implementation