Once a plan has approval, the project manager has to implement the plan by executing the schedule, getting the resources, and controlling the budget. Both success principles carry through to the implement stage and they are “all project team members and the sponsor must agree on what the project goal and primary task accomplishments should be” and “all project team members must be willing to participate in meetings
and do tasks related to the project”. In addition, the underlying principles that apply in this stage are “all tasks listed on the plan schedule are important and the responsible team member should do their best to stay on schedule” and “recording progress to plan schedule and changes in resources are important to completing the project within or near budget”.
Even though a plan has approval, that does not mean there will not be changes because no plan is perfect. Therefore, it may require tweaking in the form of minor changes or major revisions, as the work progresses. It is important to bring any major issues or problems to the project sponsor. If the sponsor feels the difficulty may adversely affect schedule or budget, the customers or others providing funding may require consultation. Remember not to abandon the project just because a few issues arise. Often issues can be resolved by involving the right people in a discussion.
Executing the plan is implementing the project, doing the tasks listed on the schedule, and meeting the requirements outlined in the specification. Doing this is the responsibility of all the project team members including the project manager. Monitoring and controlling the plan is primarily the project manager’s responsibility. Monitor/control functions include tracking schedule progress, insuring quality matches specification, tracking resource use, matching actual expenses to budgeted costs, holding progress reviews, weighing risks and making decisions, getting necessary approvals or authorizations for changes to plans. It is important to monitor and control both the schedule and costs to know where the project truly is towards on-time and on-budget completion. Although the project manager is primarily responsible for monitoring, they can solicit input from team members, the sponsor, experts, and/or others who have an interest and investment in the project.
NOTES: The process stages of O.P.I.E. are Open, Plan, Implement, and End.
See post from last month with PLAN excerpt.
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