Here’s a potential problem that is always looming on any given project: The project is proceeding efficiently, right on schedule, and with no signs of a delay. Then, a single issue (such as finding out that completion of one phase is more complex than you estimated or that some requirements were poorly defined) throws your whole schedule into disarray.
Being able to anticipate problems of this nature is a matter of experience. The more time you spend managing projects, the better able you will be to identify areas where “unexpected” delays will occur. Perhaps they’re most likely where several weak links occur together, where you depend on an outside department or consultant, or where several efforts merge together for the final push to the deadline.
Even the most experienced project manager will run into problems, however, and dealing with the unexpected and sudden delay requires skill and fast action. You may be able to anticipate and plan for the delay if today’s project runs a course similar to others you have managed and when you know where the problems are likely to occur. But that doesn’t guarantee that every project will be entirely predictable. What makes project management challenge is that each project is unique and comes with its own characteristics.
You may not always be able to depend on project schedule acceleration as a solution to a project delay. Even when you build slack time into the later phases, delays sometimes quickly outrun the two or three days you’ve allowed. Deadlines often impose a tight scheduling demand on projects, and you may have very little flexibility toward the end of the project term. However, by increasing efficiency and teamwork, you may still be able to absorb a serious delay in one of the later phases.
The problem is not as easily solved when delays are caused in areas of responsibility outside your direct control. Sometimes, when your project team consists not only of people from your own area or department but of consultants and people from other departments and divisions, you can’t enjoy the same kind of hands-on control that you do within your own group.
Example: Your schedule is delayed because one phase turns out to be more time-consuming than you expected, so you assign a team member from your department to work on another phase exclusively. At the same time, you shift his departmental work to other employees.
Example: You cannot enter your final phase until you receive a report from another department, but due to an unexpectedly heavy workload, the manager of that department has been forced to put your work aside. Unless you can supply relief by lending employees to the other manager, there’s nothing you can do to fix this problem.
In addition to being limited in terms of resources and time, you may not be able to overcome certain political problems: another manager may resist your offer of help, or even feel pressured if you make the offer. He may also react negatively to any suggestion that will help him to meet your deadline. Thus, whenever dealing with delays caused by outside resources or team members, you need to remain aware of the potential political problems your offer of help could cause.