97 Things Every Project Manager Should Know

Chapter 80. Teach the Process

Richard Sheridan

FOR A PROCESS TO BE TRULY EFFECTIVE there must be a common understanding 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 process 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 understand 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 developers in the class to explain the rules of accountability around ...