When managing projects, whether for a software implementation or a massive construction build, project managers must be detailed-oriented and develop plans that drive their project toward finishing on time and within budget. In theory this may seem like an obvious fact; in reality, executing a project plan, no matter the size, can be a difficult undertaking. Leaders must decide between three approaches: a predictive, agile, or hybrid approach. In this Tip Tuesday, we will discuss the predictive approach in project management and how it can help you more meticulously plan your project in order to achieve maximum results for you or a client.

Definition & Stages

The predictive approach is the more traditional method of project management that people tend to associate with the term “project management.” With this approach, project managers clearly define the scope of work, budget goals, and project schedule at the beginning of the project life cycle to create executable objectives for project stakeholders. This approach is geared toward projects which have clear, definable goals and contain tasks that are completed in sequential order, like software implementations.

Planning Process Group

To establish the previously discussed determinants of project success, the project manager will take feedback from stakeholders, including the project sponsor, and articulate them in documents like project charters, scope statements, and project schedules. These and other strategy documents are critical for measuring and executing project success.

Executing Process Group

Upon completion of the planning process, internal stakeholders set out to satisfy objectives and deliverables laid out from the Planning Process Group. There are limitless types of tasks associated with this phase. For example, a contractor would liken this stage to the commencement and completion of a build. They developed their plans with their fellow workers and a few of their bosses, and now they must follow those planned documents to execute their project.

Monitoring and Controlling Process Group

This stage includes processes which track, review and regulate project performance, identify any required changes to plans, and then the execution of those changes to the project. Documents for this stage can include project schedules, Gantt Charts, Risks & Issues Logs, and Change Order Requests.

Closing Process Group

In the final process group of the predictive approach, a project manager can now complete or close either a contract or phase of the project or end the entire project itself. Based upon criteria created in the Planning Process Group, they can determine whether or not the team met the deliverables and objectives laid out before the project began. This is a critical stage for understanding where the next phase or project can see improvement when compared to this completed phase or project. Often, project managers will use a Lessons Learned Log to better understand and reflect on their project’s failures and successes.

Predictive Approach Documentation

Predictive Project Schedule

To achieve maximum success through the predictive approach, the project manager sets a schedule with clear beginning and end dates, along with any milestones or key dates in the life cycle. He or she can utilize a Project Schedule to not only articulate start and end dates for tasks, but also add contact information for task owners, any pre-requisite tasks that need to be completed before starting a certain task, priority statuses, and general notes. For most project managers using the predictive approach, this document is the main driver of task completion. Below we can view this document through ProjectSight and see all of our relevant information.

Risks & Issues Log

A Risks & Issues Log is a critical document for helping internal stakeholders understand and mitigate threats to their project’s budget or schedule. In the predictive approach, both risks and issues are threats to a project, but a risk is a possible threat in the life cycle while an issue has already occurred and must be recorded for future awareness. I have laid out a copy of a Risks and Issues Log in ProjectSight to exemplify that document in the software’s format.

Lessons Learned Log

In the Lessons Learned Log, internal stakeholders record gained knowledge from the entire project. That knowledge can be positive or negative, or ‘what went right and what went wrong’, and can be used to improve performance for the next project if it is similar in scope and outcome. Here, we can see that in action in ProjectSight.

Summary of the Predictive Approach

When beginning a project, internal stakeholders must consider its characteristics. Are the requirements well-defined? Will the scope remain stable throughout the life cycle? Are there clear and objective deliverables that will be measurable upon completion of the project? If the answer to these questions is ‘yes’ and you anticipate a stable and repeatable life cycle, you should opt for this predictive approach to guide your project, and ProjectSight is compatible with any project documentation needs you may require.

If you have any questions regarding the predictive approach to project management or require consulting on one of your own current or future projects, please visit our website - ConstrucTech Consulting - and Book a Call with one of our consultants.

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