Help, where's my project at? Many companies that outsource projects to external service providers ask this question. But even the status of in-house projects isn't always easily grasped. Often, clients or decision-makers are unable to accurately assess the development status. Conventional audits are of only limited help in determining the status of the current project. The project is continually delayed, and costs are skyrocketing. There's no end in sight. Regardless of whether the project is internal or external, the difficulty of determining the project status is a recurring feature in development projects.
What do you do when you are involved in such a project?
When you buy a house or a car, you often go to an appraiser. That is, someone who is familiar with the subject matter. They can usually help you and clarify the current status of the project. The good thing about an appraiser is that they can provide an unbiased and neutral assessment. They are free from internal company constraints and can devote themselves entirely to their appraisal.
Do I really want to know the status?
People are naturally curious and want to know everything. How much does my colleague earn? How fast does my car go?
What's the best way to get from A to B? But how long will the project take? Well, that's a rather silly question. The ostrich method often comes into play here. Let's not paint the devil on the wall, surely. What if you don't like the result? Can you live with the consequences? So you should think carefully about whether you want to know the project status before you ask someone. Because if you ask, you'll get an answer.
What if I want to know the status?
My recommendation is to appoint someone outside the project who has experience in project management as well as development. This person will gain insight into the project and objectively assess its current status. The effort and cost of creating clarity are absolutely negligible compared to the project budget.
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| Dipl.-Ing. Goran Madzar, Partner, Senior Systems Engineer E-mail: madzar@medtech-ingenieur.de Phone: +49 9131 691 240 |
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Do you need support with the development of your medical device? We're happy to help! MEDtech Ingenieur GmbH offers hardware development, software development, systems engineering, mechanical development, and consulting services from a single source. Contact us. |
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Phases in status determination
- Clarify goals and assignment
- Collect and review data
- Make an assessment
- Conduct a workshop in which the assessment is presented
- Summarize results
It's important that status determination isn't a malicious check, but rather that it identifies open issues and moves the project from uncertainty back to clarity. Ideally, the project team itself establishes clarity after receiving assistance from the outsider.
I'm very happy to receive feedback and engage with you. Feel free to comment on this article. If you know someone who might also be interested in the blog, I'd be delighted if you would share it with them.
Best regards
Goran Madzar