Bridging the Gap Between Project Management and Stakeholders

This talk discusses the importance of focus and identifying the real problems a given business initiative is trying to solve. Why it is important and a framework for identification.

Transcript

1. Bridging the Gap between Project Management and Stakeholders Susan Thomas Senior Business Systems Manager sthomas@gilt.com @SusanTh97835407
2. Inspiration The Hot Dog Stand
3. GILT’s Hot Dog! Hub of Luxury eCommerce
4. GILT Core Values How we make the Hot Dog! • Trust • Autonomy • Decentralization with emerging centralization
5. Challenges in the kitchen • More cooks • We have lots of things to do • Constant evolution of the business • Big things are hard to manage!
6. We tried. POD Model (Project Organized by Demand) Unpredictable SWAG-athons
7. We had the same problems, and... +CHURN +CHAOS +DEMAND +VICIOUS CYCLE OF ESTIMATING There has to be a better way...
8. Introducing PMO The Brain!
9. Dispel the Myth ✗ Book meetings ✗ Align resources ✗ Take notes ✗ Track budget ✗ Status updates
10. What does the PMO do for GILT? ✔ SME ✔ Tech Partner ✔ Analyzer ✔ Driver ✔ “Is this our hot dog?”
11. How? Define the Hot Dog
12. Communication •No Project Plans--please! •Roadmaps are ok •KPIs •Transparency •Smaller, attainable milestones BUILDING TRUST
13. FOCUS
14. FOCUS on the future... • Lots of problems, lots of smaller bodies of work • Continuous improvement • Being flexible • “Fail fast, Fail often” • MVP: Minimal Viable Awesome Product
15. Always ask... Is this our Hot Dog?
16. Questions? ? sthomas@gilt.com Twitter @gilttech Facebook facebook.com/gilttech tech blog tech.gilt.com