To Communicate, What to Communicate - just What are the Questions We should be Answering?

Projects live and die on it and some even thrive on the quality of their Programme Communications.

And yet they are often the last things on everyone's mind to undertake in an organised, systematic structure to maximise the impact on the office grape-vine and gossip mill.

However the equation is very simple - if they aren't working for you, then they're most likely working against you!

Obviously, using the Reporting and the key messages forwarded with Management Information wisely will help keep the wheels turning.

However there is a fundamental need to compose, craft and orchestrate messages which goes far beyond the PMO's remit. It requires the focus of every project manager to employ effective communication techniques to maximise impact.

That's not to say that the PMO can't be the engine to fire up clear communications - clarifying misunderstandings and providing guidance on how to achieve the best result using the tools and techniques they deploy throughout organisations.

The objective is to sing from the same hymn sheet, in as many different styles and with as many different verses required to get everyone humming along with you - even if they might be marching more slowly or quicker than everyone else.

So my recommendation is to flood the official and unofficial grapevines with as much juicy gossip as you can muster. Use the "Chinese whispers" to your advantage and reap the rewards of the positive impact they can have on your programme.

And when you come up with your set of questions that you should be answering, feel free to share them with me!

What do You Include in Your Portfolio of Projects?

I was recently asked what I meant when I said Portfolio Management Office. What types of projects did I include? What about all the little things that crop up over the course of a month where someone just has to get on and do them.

I hear of at least two things happening right now.

First of all, big projects are being delayed or scaled back.

Secondly, things are happening "under the table" - by breaking them down so far that they fall off the radar or just on the basis of let's just get this bit of it done and that will be good enough - like putting a plaster (band-aid) over a deep cut just to keep the dirt out.

So what? Does that matter?

There will always be a creative tension between those who are trying to "get their things done" and those who have the responsibility to juggle priorities for the organisation at large.

In an ideal world, one would not overload capacity above a certain percentage - in order to cater for career development, holidays, emergencies, etc.

When constructing your Portfolio of Programmes, it would be a good thing to make a judgement to include at least of bucket for those "little" things which just need to get done so that they can be quantified in their totality. You many even want to make them part of your competitive advantage in time....