How to manage multiple projects ?

Hi,

I am a Senior Project Manager looking after the Project planning coordination and Monitopring of JNNURM Projects.The execution of Multiple projects of Rs 1000 crore with objectives of providing infrastructure, under ground drainage, water suplpply of Metro Port City Viskhapatanm of Andhra Pradesh .

Main problems we faced, while execution of these projects are  

• Site availability
• Site encroachments
• Timely availability of Labour
• and Funds mobilization

Effectively employing following instruments for effectivie execution,

1. Main construction programs
2. Periodically evaluated billing programs
3. Milestone schedules
4. Periodical review meetings for progress and Targets
5. Effective Management Information System

We could over come most of our teething problems of stream lining the funds inflow, resource mobilization and removing the bottler necks.

usually multiple projects are given to manage by one person or group of persons, only if they are related some way in nature.

So the first step is to create a Program. A program is the bridge between business & technical aspects, so it is strategic in nature. Where as project is more technical so it is tactical in nature.

Once the Program management guidelines are setup using the above differences between program and project, then focus on the interdependencies of the projects and their feasibility of deliverabilities, within the available resources, time and quality. Using this prepare a master schedule of scope, time lines, resource requirements and sequencing of the individual project deliverables, and their reusability into other areas. 

Keep a birds eye view of all the projects using the PMO and make sure the work or effort put into the multiple projects makes business sense.

Advantage of PMO is

Ensures risk is spread across evenly and as such there will be a balnce

Easy to estimate and redistribute resources based on sequenced task list across multiple projects

Ensures consistent use of processes all across

maintains the alignment with business startegy.

If you still find it difficult, call me I can help you, just out of pure acadeic interest.

Hi 

Everyone had put across their views perfectly, again just like to stress that it again it again depends on which industry we are talking about.

Here are points from my side based on my decade experience in IT industry:

1. Set up a Program Mgt Office which is centered around Project Mgt, Competency Mgt, Resource Mgt, Quality Assurance & Administrative Support to Project

2. Risk Management

3. Issue Management

4. Prioritizing the Work

5. Monitoring & Controlling Critical Chain Management

6. Team & Personal Mgt

7. PMIS (Project Management Information system)

8. Stakeholder Management (Meeting the stakeholder expectation, identifying positive & negative stakeholder for success of the projects).

9. Others can be there based on case to case basis.

Regard

Mihir Kumar Jhaveri, PMP, CSCM

This is in often practice that we are not getting started with multiple projects at same time, hence as n when we came acorss handling multiple projects we can always classified which one is already going on, in which project we are on comfortable stage of controlling, which project requires more attention, if there is kick off a new project will take more attention, while those are already going on can be simpli reviewed time to time.

Apart from above:

  -A good risk management is required.

  -Proper deployment of resources and balance of resources in every project is must.

- One should also try to avoid resource pooling kind of situation, from my past experience I came across that this is one reason which can bring a project to its failure stage from the smooth one state. Some time we observe that a project is going very well and we are ahead of timeliness and then we tend to shift some resources out of it for another and that create imbalance and may lost control.

Last but not the least careful planning, proper team coordination and keen reviews can run multiple projects successfully.

this idea support to manage the multiple project at a time . if projects are arranged by priority based and we have a gud management system so esy to handle multiple porject

Prioritize..!!! is a powerful word in the field of multiple project management or program or portfolio management.

At any juncture of decision making you may have to prioritze and  decide on any of the following :

1. Fund Allocation
2. Resource Allocation
3. Compromise
4. Dedication of Time

Following step to be followed to manage multiple projects:

1. Proper planning with correct time frame scheduling which include man power, machinery, raw as well as constructional material.

2. Designating Project Manager who would be supported with sufficient Technical personel and hard working skilled personels.

3. Project should be well supported time to time with monetary support because this also plays a major role in the progress of project.

4. Jobs should be assigned to the head / supervisors as per their prime experiences and to be reviewed time to time.

5. Staistical & graphical data's to be produced at a regular intervals for total review with chief's of corporate office and at least a general body meeting for the projects to be called and conducted which should include Proj. Manager, Construction Manager, Supervisors involved with projects, Finance Manager, GM and if possible even CEO to have a clear concept of project (if going smooth with schedule / not as per schedule) over across table.

A good Project manager is actually the sanjaya of mahabharata.. who sees sites without being there physically.  Besides, he can predict or visualize things (tasks/risks) in advance make action plan or mitigations accordingly.

Project Manager has to consistently Plan, Organize, Review and Control - keep visiting his plans time and again... Planning is not just at the beginning phase at all.... but new challenges crops up through the entire project life cycle and planning and action needs to be titled around.

Project Manager is the one who set examples of leadership, decision-making, teaming and many more...

I have been engaged in all sorts of big and small projects, local and virtual teams and the feeling of success comes from using the correct tool for assigning and managing tasks and making people responsible

I just create a taks list an assing them to the team and regular review the progress and raise alarms.

I often make the deliveries in a sprints where there are a set of tasks to be delivered in a timeframe and focus on continuous integration

rest you need to empower your collegues who can help you deliver as this is not one man job

Regards

Neeraj

Senior Project Manager

Azri solutions

A strong MIS has to be developed and reviewed with military discipline. Physical site visits and meeting at HO (or the nodal point) will further help.

By doing proper co ordination and commnication we handle the multiple projects. I co ordination we can co ordinate our junior staff to done the task as per our requirements and spescifications. In comminication we comminicare all the projects which are we handle. by this are cery well aware about the projects what is to be going on. if any problem arise at the projects it eill be solve by taking quick and correct decisions.

Set up a PMO (Project Management Office), and Create portfolios. A Portfolio Manager has a dashboard that provides him the complete status of all the projects he is responsible for. Then he concentrates on problem areas (a Project manager is also a Problem Manager)in each project and resovles them in a timely manner to ensure suucessful project delivery. 

There should be proper project classification system, so that various needs of the different project types can be identified & considered while doing project.

priority with perfect management system

this idea support to manage the multiple project at a time . if projects are arranged by priority based and we have a gud management system so esy to handle multiple porject

See it's all about juggling constraints in the optimal way.But your constraints are different in different situations

Assuming you are managing projects of similar kind

1.Identify opportunities & threats -- common activities? project inter-dependencies? priorities? etc etc

2.Get the resource allocations and project timelines( releases,tests) right! create a unified view of the same and update it's status regularly.

3. Mark & CONTINUOUSLY  revisit project priorities and COMMUNICATE the same to your teams always.If you have common team members across projects, ensure that u define the priority of activities to them.This will help a great deal in them taking up tasks with higher priority first.

You can easily do this using Microsoft excel or Project

4.try to create a combined calendar of meetings/reviews for all your projects so that they don't overlap.If you have the liberty of using an online tool (like sharepoint) ..create a meeting workspace around the same.This will help a lot.

5.Don't forget the project book index page concept of the yesteryear.keep a formal/informal  index page about each project(it could be a simple notepad txt file where you log each significant event of each project).This will help you immensely in switching from one project mode to another in the shortest possible time.

6.you don;t have time for too many arguments ...give more priority to written sign-offs and approved change requests.this applies to single projects also but in managing multiple projects ..pay special attention on this one.

I think it is also one of the tools that is required to manage multiple projects  in stipulated time bound because if thereis no resource and material available to  get the work done  and this could hamper the progress of the project. So a proper Procurement  Managment is an ideal Idea.

brother my experience : as they say hazaaar things about pm but at the end of the day what matters is concentration & mind it pure concentartion .

if i am alert , quick & recoilless . i am perfect

Resource Availability (both Human & Physical resources) and their utilization is the key to handle multiple project. Manager has to plan for each resource in advance and make sure that none of them are idle and also not overloaded at the cost of others.

I am amazed how so many bright and able people have missed something as basic and something as important as delegation. The most important job that a manager or a leader does is to delegate and delegation is the first thing that should be on the list of these ideas. I am not sure how many will agree with me but delegation is also the most difficult job to do.  All those people who have succeeded surprising everybody and making them wonder, “This guy is good for nothing, how does he succeed,” are actually good at delegating.

i think every project goal setting for team involved to push them for achievement. all team members roles should clearly defined, dully assigned and discussed to remove any confusion. most importantly we should cut off communication gaps to get required results on time.

i think every project goal setting for team involved to push them for achievement. all team members roles should clearly defined, dully assigned and discussed to remove any confusion. most importantly we should cut off communication gaps to get required results on time.

To handle multiple projects, the initial activity should be the identification of common items (activities, resources, manpower, eqpts etc) in all the projects. A centralised resources planning mechanism can be followed. Close monitoring in all the levels of execution should be done and an interdiscipline correlation should be established.Common  functional level meeting can be organised to conjugate various departments of different projects.

I am a project Manager in Siemens, I believe along with proper planning it is highly important to set clear goal for projects. Its a great art to manage conflicts at any circumstances. Effective managment of conflicts is must although we can try to avoid this with well planning. It worked in my case while handling multiple projects.

Shiv

Review, Review, Review. Most leaders are familiar with that sinking feeling when they realize they missed a deadline. Developing the habit of reviewing your present and future deadlines will help you avoid forgetting. Many leaders find it useful to review their deadlines at the end of the day or at the beginning of the next day.This way you will be able to manage the projects better.

Delegate more-don't over indulge, Define your blue chips-have risk rating on action register, focus on high risk items/critical path.

Managing Multiple Projects denpending on capability of that person. That person must have good control of over managing and having good knowledge about work. First he must see project heads allocatio. responsibility fixing each and every person. He must conduct review meetings each heads and ask each and every problem and solution must give immediate effect. Review meetings gives alerts every body. He must see first review questions not to arise second meeting proper soiutions must give.  

MAJOR ROLE FOR MANAGING MULTIPLE PROJECTS IS PROJECT HEADS PROBLEMS MUST SOLVE IMMEDIATELY AND GIVE FREEDOM OF WORKING EVERY HEAD. ALLOCATION OF PERFECT BUDGET AND IN THE REVIEW MEETINGS DISCUSS EACH AND EVERY POINT AND SOULTION MUST GIVE IMMEDIATE. DEVELOPS TEAM WORK AND FREEDOM OF WORK. CONTROL OVER EACH AND EVERY ASPECT ALSO FAILIURES PROJECTS.   ONE MAN ARMY ROLE CAN NOT WORKS IN MANAGE MULTIPLE PROJECTS. TEAM WORK AND FREEDOM OF WORK GIVES SUCESSESS.