Data Warehousing For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

Chapter 29. Ten Secrets to Managing Your Project Successfully

In This Chapter

• Dealing effectively with everyone involved in your project

• Keeping an eye on the project plan

• Connecting your project team members and supporters

• Taking a break from project work every now and then

Being a successful data warehouse project manager means that you have to do more — much more — than simply create project plans and ask team members to turn in weekly status reports. This chapter presents the secrets to success.

Tell It Like It Is

It doesn't matter whether you're working with users, executive sponsors, consultants, vendors, team members, or anyone else. The most important thing you can do to set the groundwork for successfully managing a data warehousing project is to speak your mind in a completely honest manner.

You don't have to be abrupt or rude, or have the attitude "It's my way or no way." Follow these guidelines to keep communication open and to solve problems sooner rather than later:

• When problems occur, don't bury them or pretend that they don't exist. Other people know about the problems, so deal with them aggressively.

• Don't be afraid to tell an executive sponsor that those out-of-the-blue budget cuts or the absence of those three team members who have been reassigned "for just a little while" will adversely affect your project.

• Don't hesitate to tell a vendor when a product isn't performing as promised and demand that they do something about it.

The key: Communicate quickly, openly, and with ...