Putting People Back Into Projects

The number of people involved in our projects continues to grow. There are our customers, our stakeholders (some more visible than others), our teams, and of course our users. The iron triangle of project management has always been scope, budget, and timeline. Focusing on these three areas makes a lot of sense from a project manager’s viewpoint, but it’s easy to forget that behind each of these three key ideas is a group of people. That “iron triangle” isn’t much help if we don’t consider the humans involved.

While we can’t turn our backs on the scope, budget, and timeline, we can start to shift our perspective of each to consider the people involved. When we do this, we’ll see the long-term sustainability of our work increase and the happiness of our teams grow.

During this session, we will have an open discussion on how we can keep pulse on the important areas of our projects—including the people—so that both the people and the projects thrive. Come prepared to share with each other how you are supporting your humans and the challenges you are facing as you try to put the people back into your projects.

TOPICS COVERED:

Understanding that the people are the largest indicator for success

How to facilitate effective collaboration

Discussion of unique people-centered project metrics

How your business model impacts your humans

Transcript

1. Rob Harr PUTTING PEOPLE BACK INTO PROJECTS @robertharr
2. HELLO!
7. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DPM SUMMIT!!!!
9. YMMV!
10. WARNING!!
11. Projects don’t fail for technical or design reasons. They fail because of the people involved.
12. Projects should be designed as human experiences.
13. Scope Budget Timeline
14. Project Manager Client Team
15. The best part of project teams is that they are made up of humans. Humans sometimes suck. The worst part of project teams is that they are made up of humans.
16. Putting People Back Into Projects ALL THE PEOPLE
17. Project Manager Client Team
18. Team
19. Team
20. Resources Talent Team
21. We are in the talent business. Team
22. People are our biggest asset. Team
23. Decide as a team what to experiment with on a project. Team
24. Project Drag Team
25. Process vs. Team Experience Team
26. The business model also has an impact on the team. Team
27. Client service focused: Team
28. Client service focused: Putting client needs first. Team
29. Team focused: Team
30. Team focused: Putting the team needs first. Team
31. When we focus on taking care of each other we have the capacity to take better care of our projects and clients. Team
32. Trusting our team. Team
33. Team Happiness = Shipping + Predictability Team
34. Invest in the team. Team
35. How are you investing in your teams? Discuss Team
36. Client
37. Client
39. Not talking about something gives it more power. Client
40. The best way to make sure your project does not hit budget, timeline, and scope is to not talk about it. Client
41. People are scared of things they don't understand. 
 We can take the mystery out of things by talking about them a lot. Client
42. The best predictor of project success is how our stakeholders feel about it. Client
43. Client Happiness = A small delta between project expectations and project reality. Client
44. Client
45. Managing Client Expectations Client
46. Setting Client Expectations Client
47. Research Vendors Vendor Selection Negotiation Project Expectations Set Client
48. Research Vendors Vendor Selection Negotiation Project Expectations Set Expectations Managed Client
49. Collaborative Pricing Client
50. Collaborative Pricing
51. There will be dragons. Client
52. Invest in our clients. Client
53. How are you managing client expectations during a project? Discuss Client
54. Project Manager
55. Project Manager
56. Project Manager
57. We have to take care of each other. Project Manager
58. PM Buddies Project Manager
59. PM Buddy. Project Manager
60. Embrace your super power and understand your blind spots. Project Manager
61. Limited Control Project Manager
62. Take care of yourself. Project Manager
63. Optimize for sustainability and sleeping at night. Project Manager
64. Learn to say NO. Project Manager
65. DPM Happiness = Happy Team + Happy Clients Project Manager
66. Invest in each other. Project Manager
67. How are you investing in the DPMs around you? Discuss Project Manager
68. Putting People Back Into Projects EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION
69. If you can’t say no, it’s not collaboration.
70. Often we confuse getting along for effective collaboration.
71. Conflict can be healthy.
72. Have difficult conversations.
73. Diversity
74. Diverse teams help make collaboration more valuable…
 while also increasing the potential for conflict.
75. Our clients are wanting to be collaborated with.
78. “We want to work with you,
 rather than for you.”
79. People Over Process
80. Communication is the most important part of making any project work.
81. Treating people like humans should not be a differentiator in our businesses. But it is.
83. My long term business plan is to have happy, healthy, well-adjusted humans and families.
84. If we want to be better at our jobs, we need to work on being better humans.
85. Let’s chat.
86. THANKS! @robertharr rob@heysparkbox.com