Leading software teams, I’ve started to spot what the successful projects have in common. It’s almost always good communication between teams. The methodology used seems to have very little to do with whether a project succeeds.
This post covers the methods I’ve used to manage projects well.
Kick-off meeting
For a project to succeed, every stakeholder needs to agree on the expected outcome. The easiest way to get there is to bring everyone together for a kick-off meeting.
The meeting needs to leave everyone clear on why the project is being worked on, what the goals are, and how it will be approached. If you find yourself fielding a lot of questions, go round again. Don’t start the project until the team agrees.
Continual check-ins
Project timelines slip easily. Unexpected things come up, and before you know it you’re weeks behind.
Short, regular check-ins keep everyone on the same page. You want a culture where people tell you the truth, so don’t point fingers when the news is bad.
A check-in can be as simple as a status update over email where you ask for complete honesty. It does two things. It gives you the information you need to correct problems early, and it keeps the work visible for the rest of the project.
Over-communicate
Over-communicating is not micromanaging.
Repeating things helps people hold on to the information that matters. It prevents misunderstandings, and it means you’re not relying on someone having been in the room the first time.
Now that most teams work remotely, this matters more. You have fewer chances to notice that a message didn’t land.
Write up what was said after every call or meeting. That gives you a few things:
- You can refer back to the document later
- People can read it when they have time, so you don’t interrupt them
- It reaches a wider audience at once
Plan, release, repeat
It’s easy to forget that the goal is to ship. Whatever project management process you use is only the vehicle for getting there.
There are many ways to go from idea to finished product. Taking the time to step back and look at how you got there matters as much as the process itself.
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