Benefits of Managing Organizational Initiatives Systematically

Benefits of Managing Organizational Initiatives Systematically

Why do organizations need project management? When initiatives with
high risk and change are undertaken, a systematic process for managing
known unknowns frees time, energy, and resources for managing unknown
unknowns. This sort of “risk triage” increases the chances that the project
will deliver successfully on its commitments using the committed
resources. There are a lot of elements to manage. Figure 1-2 shows some of
the benefits to managing them more systematically using project management
disciplines and practices.
■ Visibility into the problem. The analysis that goes into systematic
management reveals a lot of hidden issues, overlaps, and trends that
were not visible before. If management is to resolve organizational
challenges, it must first make them visible. A precept of project
management is to make the invisible visible so that it can be managed.
16 Management consultants consider the biggest challenges in
working with organizations not to be the identified problems but
rather to be the unspoken ones.
■ Leveraging scarce resources. The money, time, and effort to undertake
organizational initiatives are finite. To get the most leverage
out of them, resources should be made available only when they are
needed, and they should be transferred to more pressing needs
when a particular initiative is over. Unless management knows
what exists and its status in terms of completion, scarce resources
can be scattered and not used effectively.
■ Building a skills base. Most of the key functions present in organizations
are also present in projects, but they are abbreviated, condensed,
or applied in unique ways. For individuals in project
management, learning the fundamentals of most organizational
functions, as well as those unique to project management, comprises
the basics. Mastery takes commitment and dedication over a
number of years. As staff members learn project management, they
also learn the fundamentals of organization functions so that they
make more informed decisions in their work for the organization.
■ Planning for easy changes in the future. Managing organizational
initiatives systematically preserves the overall quality of the outcomes
for stakeholders and the organization as a whole.
As an analogy, consider a person building a house with only a general
plan and no architectural drawings. By means of routine decisions, myriad
minor compromises occur without any overall intent to compromise:
The number and placement of electrical outlets can affect the use of appliances
and limit future work capacity; unplanned placement of vents and
piping can affect future comfort and ability to manage temperature; and
placement of load-bearing walls can affect remodeling or later modification.
Use of different standards for different parts of the construction can
prevent later consolidation of separate systems.Seemingly minor compromises can erode the overall quality of life for
the occupants and limit what can be done with the house in the future.
Many such ad hoc houses are in fact demolished and replaced because it is

FIGURE 1-2 Benefits of managing organizational initiatives systematically. When initiatives are planned systematically, the results are more effective and efficient, and the organization benefits from the professional development of the project team.

cheaper to rebuild than to remodel, particularly if new standards must be taken into account.

Similarly, taking a more comprehensive view of an initiative—and systematically planning its development, deployment, and resourcing—can provide benefits to the organization as a whole by leveraging its common potential and protecting quality.