Okay, so you’ve diagnosed the patient and identified the ailments plaguing your troubled project. Now, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start developing the treatment plan – your project recovery strategy.
But before you dive headfirst into Gantt charts and resource allocation, there’s a crucial step you shouldn’t skip: building bridges of communication.
Think of it like this: you’re leading a rescue mission to save a group of stranded hikers. Before you deploy the helicopters and search parties, you need to establish a clear communication channel with the hikers, the rescue team, and the command centre. This ensures everyone is informed, coordinated, and working towards the same goal.
Similarly, in a Program Recovery, establishing regular meetings with key stakeholders – the client’s executive sponsor, the project team, and your own management team – is paramount. These meetings aren’t just about sharing status updates; they’re about:
- Maintaining transparency: Keeping everyone in the loop fosters trust and reduces anxiety. When people feel informed, they’re more likely to be supportive and collaborative.
- Leveraging influence: These meetings provide a platform to enlist the support of key stakeholders. You can tap into their expertise, their networks, and their influence to help remove roadblocks and accelerate the recovery process.
- Building consensus: Regular communication ensures everyone is aligned on the recovery strategy, the priorities, and the desired outcomes. This prevents misunderstandings and keeps the team moving in the same direction.
Now, let’s talk about the recovery plan itself. Think of it as a strategic battle plan, outlining your maneuvers to recapture lost ground and achieve victory. Here are some classic tactics to consider:
- Fast-tracking: Identify tasks that can be done in parallel, like deploying multiple teams to tackle different parts of the problem simultaneously. This is like sending in multiple rescue helicopters to evacuate the stranded hikers quickly.
- Trimming the Fat: Deferring low-benefit requirements or eliminating “nice-to-have” functionality can free up valuable time and resources. Think of it like lightening the load for the hikers, allowing them to move faster and more efficiently.
- Reinforcements: Sometimes, you need extra manpower to get the job done. Strategic staffing up can provide the necessary boost to accelerate progress. This is like calling in additional rescue personnel to assist with the evacuation.
- Divide and Conquer: Replanning releases to be smaller, more focused, and more frequent can help you regain control and build momentum. Think of it like breaking down the rescue mission into smaller, manageable stages, ensuring steady progress and quick wins.
By combining effective communication with strategic planning, you can navigate the challenges of project recovery and lead your team to success. Remember, it’s not just about fixing the technical problems; it’s about building bridges, fostering collaboration, and executing a well-coordinated plan to achieve a shared victory.