How to manage large projects??

• Mitigate risks:Large projects usually encounter a larger amount of risk, so the key to success is in identifying these risks early and mitigating them before they impact on the project.
• Resolve Issues:Complex and technical projects usually encounter a high number of issues, as the project deliverables may be unique in nature. The trick is to resolve them as early as possible.
• Get acceptance:It’s not enough to produce top quality deliverables, you have to gain acceptance from your customer that each deliverable meets their requirements
• Perform communication:On larger projects, it’s crucial that you keep stakeholders properly informed.
• Complete Phase Review:And lastly, to manage large projects, you need to implement phase reviews at the end of each major project phase. Each review allows your team to determine that they have met their objectives for the current phase and can therefore progress to the next phase in the project life cycle.

To effective manage a large project not just attention to one area is important...its important that special attention is given to all the areas like...project management techniques, planning and controling, quality, technology, change control, team building, contracts & agreements, stakeholder management...

If mangement can get closer to the issues and give special attention to all the areas one can effectively manage large projects....

This is exactly similar to the famous question of "How to eat an elephant" the answer is cut it into small pieces and eat.

Large projects are usually a set of integrated smaller projects. A patient and detailed review of the entire project with the team will identify the integration points. Break down at the point of integration and treat that as on project.

And set up a seperate integration coordination team to make sure each of these projects are moving in tandem as per the dependency needs.

As a head of large project manager, you need to adopt program management technique not project management technique.

Ensuring quality control is a great challenge since it is depending on many variable factors like material quality, workmanship, timely delivery, competent supervision etc. Once desired quality level is achieved in a cost efficient manner, the project will be a success.

If you are obtaining goods and services from external suppliers, then you will need some form of procurement management process. This process will explain how you want to procure items, through the issuing and fulfillment of purchase orders.
It will also explain how you intend to manage the performance of your suppliers, by conducting supplier reviews at each contractual meetings.

Once the fund is made available the timelines for each operation should be defined and completed and with this whatever the changes with approval are being made should automaticaly fall within the timelines. To execute and successfull implementation of large project depends on robust and rugged technology, change control, team building, contracts and agreements, quality control etc. and it is very important to consider  1) cost 2) project execution 3) validation of the process.

1. Define the Scope
2. Determine Available Resources
3. Check the Timeline
4. Assemble Your Project Team
5. List the Big Steps
6. List the Smaller Steps
7. Develop a Preliminary Plan
8. Create Your Baseline Plan
9. Request Project Adjustments
10. Work Your Plan, But Don't Die For It
11. Monitor Your Team's Progress
12. Document Everything
13. Keep Everyone Informed

Project Success requires mainly the following 5 Parameters to be looked into : -

1. Scope Clarity :  The more clear the scope and specifications are Lower the Risks (Uncertainities).

2. Realistic Budgets : This is for Cost, Time and Quality related areas. If all the targets agreed and approved are Realistic and Achievable then they form a GOOD YARD stick for performance Measurement.

3. Execution : Skilled and Knowledgeable Work Team with an Attitude for continous learning and improvement with well documented Execution Procedures in hand.

4. Good MIS :  Considering the voluminous transactions occuring in larger projects, a good MIS is a must to track physical progress as well as cost (under various designated cost heads for better monitoring and control).Good MIS reduces Decision Making based on ASSUMPTIONS and rather rely on Sound FACTS!

5.Scope Verification : A good scope verification results in mutual agreement of deliverable by the Client eventually resulting in Formal Acceptance and Contract closure...

If all the above 5 Process are intact  ... PROJECT SUCCESS ....!!!

According to me, to minimize the cost of the project is very important in the case of a large project, because with a long time frame to complete the project the cost may vary and go up and down at time, there will be budget constraints at times which needs to be addressed, so a cost management process should be implemented, which involves recording of all expenses in an expense register and regularly updating the project plan and financial plan schedules with the status of the project budget. Only by gaining an up-to-date view of the total project spend, with this one can control expenditure and minimize costs.

Arun more than minimizing the cost, what is more important is to reduce the change in the projects as much as possible, using a change management process, the Project Manager, he can identify any requests for change and review their potential effect on the project and then take a call. In large projects all too frequently suffer from scope creep where there is uncontrollable change in the project, whereby changes are implemented without approval. And this causes delays and budget over-runs. The change process will prevent this occurring, by monitoring and controlling all changes and implementing a formal process for their approval. And this will help in managing a large project.