(^160) 97 Things Every Project Manager Should Know
Teach the Process
Richard Sheridan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
FoR A PRoCESS To BE TRUly EFFECTIvE there must be a common under-
standing of the process among all stakeholders. One of the ways we make sure
this happens at my organization is to teach formal classes in our processes
to all stakeholders involved in a project. The stakeholders include the project
sponsors, perhaps some key users, the project managers, the developers, the
designers, and the quality assurance specialists. And, we teach them the pro-
cess together in the same class setting.
We require our clients to take a class in our process during the course of their
project. The reason? We want to ensure that the sponsors of the project under-
stand how to steer the team in an effective manner. We combat unrealistic
expectations with a commonly understood agile process that incorporates
weekly estimating, planning, and show and tell.
Sponsors are taught our estimating practice so that they know how to treat
our estimates (estimates are not fixed-price bids). They are taught a simple
planning technique that chooses scope based on these estimates and is cross-
checked with business value. They actively participate in weekly “Show and
Tells,” which ensure that misunderstandings are exposed as quickly as possible.
Once, I was teaching a class in our process and I called on two of our devel-
opers in the class to explain the rules of accountability around estimating. I
stated, “Ted and Kealy, you will never be punished at this company for missing
an estimate.” I then turned to our project manager in the class and said, “Lisa,
you understand that you are not to pressure or punish our developers if they
miss their estimates.” I then faced the paying client in the room and explained,
“And Jen, you understand that if we go over our estimate, you will pay more
for the work?”