By Donald J. Ford, Ph.D.
President, Training Education Management LLC and
Adjunct Professor of Management, Antioch University Los Angeles

Much of the work that training professionals perform falls under the general definition of a project: “work performed one time to produce a unique outcome.”1 Examples include instructional design of new courses, Learning Management Systems (LMS) and e-learning implementations, performance improvement initiatives, and organizational change efforts. To be effective as a training professional, especially if you are consultant, you must also be capable of managing projects.

The basics of project management are encapsulated in the graphic below showing the five major phases of a project – Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling, and Closing.

Each of these phases requires skillful leadership to ensure a successful project outcome. Here are some tips to help you improve your project management skills during each phase of a project.

INITIATING – defining project goals and authorizing project startup

Many potential training projects never get past this step, especially in an era of austerity. To increase the likelihood that your project will get approved, follow these tips:

Tip One: Clarify key stakeholders’ expectations and goals to ensure the project will be able to meet them.

Tip Two: Gain approvals from key decision makers on the goals and scope of the project before moving to the next phase.

1 Horine, Gregory M. Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Project Management. 2nd Ed. Que Publishing, 2009.

PLANNING – defining the tasks and deliverables of the project and selecting the best course of action to achieve the objectives

Many experts consider planning to be the most important phase, during which the details of the project become clear. To improve planning, follow these tips:

Tip Three: Break the project down into manageable tasks and steps and then estimate the time required to achieve each one (aka Work Breakdown Structure).

Tip Four: Calculate the budget for the project based on its work breakdown structure, not guesswork. For each task and step, estimate the time required and multiply that by the labor rate for each task.

EXECUTING – implementing the project plan by coordinating people and other resources

Implementation depends on clear work assignments and efficient time management. To keep projects moving and on track, follow these tips:

Tip Five: Focus on doing the work that is in the project plan and don’t get distracted by competing priorities. If project team members are also working on other things, be sure to reflect their part- time status in work plans and schedules.

Tip Six: Be sure project team members work together effectively by including them in decision making and keeping lines of communication open.

CONTROLLING – monitoring and measuring progress to identify discrepancies from the plan and taking corrective actions to get the project back on track

The controlling phase is often mischaracterized as a rigid hierarchical pyramid with an autocrat at its peak. Instead, control should be seen as tracking progress in order to keep the project on course. Here are some tips to help do this better:

Tip Seven: Be prepared to make adjustments to the plan based on reality. As the poet Robert Burns reminded us, “The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry.” Don’t resist change, but embrace it as a natural part of the project.

Tip Eight: Collect and use project data to assess progress and plan changes. Collect regular feedback from project team members and key stakeholders to ensure the project is meeting expectations and achieving its goals.

CLOSING – formally delivering project results and bringing the project to an orderly end.

Teach

Projects should end with the same planning and purpose that started them. Unfortunately, many projects limp across the finish line or collapse short of it. To avoid this fate, follow these tips:

Tip Nine: Make sure the client has accepted the deliverables and expressed satisfaction with the outcome before closing out a project. Until we have satisfied our customers, the project is incomplete.

Tip Ten: Take time to evaluate the project’s outcomes and to learn from the project experience. The only way to get better at project management is to use every project as a learning experience.

Once you master the basics of project management, you will have a repeatable formula for planning and implementing solutions that resolve key business problems and ensure future organizational success.

You will also have one more valuable competency to add to your career toolbox, one whose worth is increasing in the complex world we occupy.