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DPL Forum Workshop

DPL Forum Workshop

Projects are journeys. We’ll discuss the things that can cause project heartburn: identifying and understanding project stakeholders, moderating feedback, keeping clients happy, keeping teams engaged, and keeping budgets intact. We’ll share ideas, talk about our experiences, and discuss the various methods we use to deliver digital products.

This two hour workshop was presented at the DPL Forum in Stockholm, Sweden on Apri 21, 2016.

Brett Harned

April 21, 2016
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  1. brettharned.com
 [email protected]
 @brettharned Digital PM Consultant & Coach digitalpmsummit.com
 @digitalPMsummit

    pathfinderdpm.com
 @pathfinderdpm everydaydpm.com
 @EveryDayDPM Hi, I’m Brett
  2. HELP THEM: Your clients don’t understand what your team does

    (design, UX, development, etc.), how your projects work, or the effort involved for everyone. How can you, as a project manager, help your clients understand all of these things? 1.
  3. THE FIRST MEETING: • Set the tone for the project

    • Review your scope together • Talk about roles and responsibilities • Discuss preferred modes of communication • Always communicate next steps
  4. IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS • Project Owner/Core Team • Primary Stakeholders •

    Secondary Stakeholders • Management • Executive
  5. KNOW YOUR PRODUCT & STAKEHOLDERS Conduct your own research to

    dig deeper on: • Goals/Outcomes • Partnerships and outlying dependencies • Potential issues and risks
  6. IMPORTANT FACTORS TO DISCUSS: • Product ownership and decision making

    process • Stakeholder interest/involvement levels • Key outages, meetings, deadlines and driving factors • Related or similar projects, goals, and outcomes • The best ways to communicate with partners and stakeholders
  7. ALWAYS KNOW YOUR TEAM • Expertise • Interests • Collaboration

    and communication styles • Availability and workload
  8. DESIGN CONFUSION: Feedback can be difficult. You might expect an

    approval but hear the following:
 • 5 stakeholders love the design • 3 dislike it but cannot explain why • 2 have not provided any feedback…yet This is the kind of thing that will drive designers mad…and kill timelines and budgets. How can you help, project manager? 2.
  9. DEFEAT SCOPE CREEP: You deliver what you think is an

    amazing product and your client says, “This feature is not working the way we expected.” 
 This can kill your budget, extend your timeline, and upset your team. How can you, as the PM, help? 3.
  10. WRANGLE DOCUMENTS • Scope • Strategy Brief • Requirements •

    Project Plan • Status Reports • UX & Design Deliverables
  11. estimate noun noun: estimate; plural noun: estimates ˈɛstɪmət/ 1 1.

    an approximate calculation or judgement of the value, number, quantity, or extent of something. uppskattning
  12. ARTICULATE EFFORT • Dissect the issue or feature • Discuss

    goals • Determine impacts • Budget • Timeline • Show your estimates, be transparent
  13. A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a method by which

    you can visually represent the composition of a project by breaking down all project stages and aspects into their smallest possible components.
  14. WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE: 
 WIREFRAMES BRAINSTORM Internal Meeting Personal Brainstorming

    DESIGN
 Create Wireframes Internal Team Review Internal Iteration
 PRESENT Prep presentation Review with Client Collect Feedback (x3) Iterate (x2) Total Time: 2 days Total Time: 10 days Total Time: 15 days
  15. OTHER ITEMS TO DISCUSS If scope changes, these things may

    change too: • Timeline • Requirements • Budget • Resource availability • Quality of work
  16. SEEMS EASY, RIGHT? If you get stuck: • Don’t be

    afraid to ask questions • Ask colleagues for opinions • Check project histories (if you have them) • Remember it’s just an estimate!
  17. THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATION: The designer on your team has been

    negative about the project from day one. You’ve done your best to handle it, but the rest of the team has started to complain, because one person is affecting team morale and the work is suffering. How can you, as the PM, address the issue and help everyone get along? 4.
  18. PREPARE YOURSELF • Understand the issue • Understand the impacts

    • Put yourself in the other person’s shoes • Think through the potential outcomes
  19. MEET 1-ON-1 • Explain the issue; be honest & direct

    • Listen • Be open to (and ready for) emotions • Be understanding • Don’t leave without a next step or a resolution • Keep it between you; Preserve the relationship
  20. Q&A