Remember that rocket you were building a couple weeks ago? It was a struggle to get started, since the raw materials were purchased before any proper resource planning. We covered the first 5 of 10 tips for better resource planning so you could get the basic structure of the rocket completed. Now, a deadline has been set, and it’s time to launch this project into full gear..
When you started construction on the rocket, we discussed ensuring you had adequate rocket fuel/resources, installing windows so you could see where you were headed, staying focused on the stars and avoiding low value efforts, developing a flight plan that avoided obstacles, and assembling the proper crew to make your resource planning truly effective. Now, let’s round out this blog series and complete that rocket.
After reviewing what we covered a while back, let’s jump into the next five tips to help ensure you have a successful liftoff.
- Ensure Open Communication with the Flight Crew—flying the rocket is a big deal, but the project exists outside that one department. The project should be thought of as a whole—as a team effort—so “silo thinking” can be avoided.
- Focus on the Entire Spacecraft—don’t put all your efforts into building the capsule. Keep the end goal of the project in mind, so you may identify other areas in need of support. Project deadlines or resource requirements may conflict on different areas of construction.
- Share Important Equipment—there’s going to be some heavy machinery involved in this project, but don’t let it become a bottleneck. Different departments may need to share the same resource, so anticipate and plan how to deal with possible conflicts.
- Respect the Flight Director—there is usually only one. Individuals are resources too, and it can be challenging to schedule their time. Make sure teams are diverse in their areas of expertise, so they can fend for themselves and operate efficiently when the director is busy.
- Group Processes in Portfolios—you want to keep all sketches and blueprints with their related projects. This way, you can easily see how a change may impact the project in a holistic fashion.
With quality resource planning, the rocket will not only be ready for liftoff, but you will have avoided many conflicts along the way. To keep all these tips together, download the whitepaper, 10 Tips for Better Resource Planning, so you can continue following them when you enter your next major project. How has resource planning benefited your organization? Comment your experience, and any tips of your own, below.
