Main challenges of project management and how to solve them
Do you dedicate yourself to managing projects for different clients? Then this post is for you. Today we tell you what the main challenges of project management are and how to solve them.
1. Lack of clear goals
This challenge is the one that generates the greatest difficulty in the development of projects. It may exist due to an incorrect explanation, a misunderstanding or a lack of commitment on the part of the team that must carry out the project. You need to put yourself in the customer’s shoes and see why he has certain needs and what is the best way to help him.
To avoid this, we recommend that you make everything clear (requirements, methodology, etc.) for the team at the kickoff meeting.
2. Communication problems
In these times, with remote work, it is quite common that there are problems in communication, since the entire team is not in the same workspace.
Avoid or prevent these problems by establishing the communication channels for each possible situation and the end of each one, in the project kick-off meeting. It also clarifies the ceremonies or meetings that are going to be held and their objectives.
3. Budget and scope changes
Usually, in all projects, there is usually some kind of deviation. However, none of them should represent a budget problem if they have been foreseen beforehand. To achieve this, you need to apply these four pillars:
- Good estimate.
- Efficient risk management (to identify them, assign them a probability of occurrence and an impact on the project, and contemplate an action plan to mitigate them).
- Experienced change control group (made up of key stakeholders, project participants from the client, team and technical side).
- Team committed to the project (focused on the same objectives).
Using agile methodologies, you can minimize risks, since you will be perfecting the product as development progresses. The key here is to reach a good budget management agreement (define, in case changes or new features arise, if they will be considered a cost or be left for the end as an additional expense).
4. Lack of capacity or commitment
It is essential that the development team is made up of members committed to the project, who have the necessary capacity and autonomy to bring the project to a successful conclusion. The leader is primarily responsible for motivating team members to achieve that commitment.
If this is not successful, it means that you should reassign the team for the project. This also applies to the client or product owner, without whose commitment it is impossible to move forward.
5. Unrealistic estimates
This problem appears more frequently in traditional life cycles, such as Waterfall, where an agreement is reached but without analyzing the entire project. Although agile methodologies work differently (you advance as time goes by and the greatest risk is to incorrectly estimate a sprint), there are deadlines related to launch dates, seasonal market situations, etc.
It is important that the team knows these dates and creates the different sprints with it in mind. Making deadlines clear is key to knowing what with no doubt must be carried out before a certain date, if there is a task that must be delayed and by when, if it is necessary to increase the team or change the task to be developed.
So far we have come with the typical challenges of project management. In a few words, we confirm that the vast majority are resolved with good management and an experienced and committed team.