After having several years of experience, our company can motivate us to become a leader in managing a new project. It can be from developing a new mobile application to managing the change of the company culture. And in case you have no clue where to start, here are a series of questions to help you make an effective plan to achieve success.
Is there an Engagement Date?
Knowing the expected date for the completion of the project by the client is something that cannot be missing in the plan of your new project, so consider asking this question in your first meetings. Having a specific period to complete the project will help you keep your team focused and optimize your resources.
Who is the (Real) Customer?
Evaluate who will be the beneficiary of the final result of the project. Believe it or not, this question seems obvious, but it is not obvious in many cases. Your client (or clients) is the person whose opinion is essential for the project’s development. A clear example is developing a mobile application, where your user will be the person who downloads the application from the App Store while your client will be the corporate one that requested the project.
What Expectations do you Have From the Project?
It is essential to know what investors, clients, or bosses are looking for from this new project: better brand recognition, better product positioning, increased sales, etc.
Are There Concerns? Which?
Like expectations, don’t forget to record the concerns and risks that may arise in the project. Investigating potential circumstances with investors and your company will help you see the project’s scope more clearly and prevent any problems that may occur.
What are Our Deliverables?
A project, in most cases, has a fixed deliverable: a web page, an application, the organization of an event, the development of a new product, etc. However, many projects are designed in phases that must be accomplished to reach this final deliverable. Your job as Project Leader will be to be aware of all the necessary stages to achieve the final objective and, therefore, know the series of deliverables required to reach this objective.
Who is your Contact?
To maintain control of the decisions made regarding the project, you must identify who will be your main point of contact. This person is in charge of verifying the information you send them, providing you with additional information that they consider pertinent for the development of the project and the investors’ decisions or the company that will benefit from the project.
Who is the Team?
As well as knowing who is your contact in the group that will make the final decisions, it is vital to know the team that will support you in developing your new project. Therefore, enlist your team and invite them to be part of your project to see its status and responsibilities.
By answering these seven questions before starting your project, you will discover the way forward to achieve the success of your project.