Lest you think that UX is the only discipline with a set of laws that exemplify best practices, I present to you the ten laws of project management. This article is based on a presentation I gave to the digital staff at Click Here Labs several years ago when I was leading their project management office. That presentation was, in turn, inspired by a paper by John Kinser that discussed these very same laws.
Project management involves planning, organizing, and executing a project to achieve specific goals and objectives. The process requires adherence to certain principles or laws that have been tested and proven over time to be effective. Below, we’ll explore ten laws of project management and how they apply to real-world projects.
- Augustine’s Law: “A bad idea executed to perfection is still a bad idea.”
This law highlights the fact that even if a project is managed flawlessly, if the idea behind it is poorly conceived, it will not lead to the desired outcomes. In other words, project management cannot fix a bad idea. It is essential to have a good idea before embarking on a project.
As a project manager, it is your responsibility to evaluate the feasibility and viability of a project before investing resources. This includes conducting market research, analyzing industry trends, assessing risks, and identifying potential obstacles. Thoroughly evaluating the idea behind the project will help you determine whether the project is worth pursuing, and whether it aligns with the organization’s overall goals and objectives.
If you determine that the idea behind the project is not sound, it is important to communicate this to stakeholders and decision-makers. This can help prevent the waste of resources on a project that is unlikely to succeed. If the idea is sound but needs refinement, it may be possible to make changes to the project’s scope, timeline, or resources to ensure that it aligns with the organization’s goals.
- Lakein’s Law: “Failing to plan is planning to fail.”
Lakein’s law emphasizes the importance of planning in project management. Adequate planning ensures that resources are allocated efficiently and that the project is completed within the set timeline. Planning also helps to identify potential risks and challenges that may arise during the project execution phase.
As a project manager, creating a detailed plan that outlines the project’s scope, timeline, and resources needed is critical to ensuring a smooth execution. The plan should include a clear definition of the project’s goals and objectives, as well as a breakdown of the project into smaller, manageable tasks. The plan should also outline the timeline for completing each task and the resources needed to accomplish it.
During the planning phase, it’s important to identify potential risks and challenges that may arise during the project. This can help the project manager to develop contingency plans and prepare for any unexpected events that may impact the project’s success. Additionally, planning helps to ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page regarding the project’s scope, timeline, and resources needed, which can minimize confusion and misunderstandings.
A good project plan should be flexible and adaptable to changes that may arise during the project execution phase. As such, project managers should regularly review and update the plan as needed to ensure that the project stays on track and that any changes are communicated to stakeholders.
- Saint Exupéry’s Law: “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
This law emphasizes the importance of simplicity in project management. A project manager should aim to simplify the project’s scope and focus on the essential elements to achieve the project’s objectives.
A complex project can be challenging to manage and may lead to poor outcomes. Complexity can arise due to various factors such as unclear goals, scope creep, lack of communication, and poor planning. A complex project may require a lot of resources, which can lead to increased costs and delays. It can also be challenging to manage, and stakeholders may lose sight of the project’s goals.
To avoid complexity, project managers should focus on simplifying the project’s scope and breaking it down into manageable tasks. They should also ensure that all stakeholders are aligned on the project’s objectives and that the project plan is clear and concise. A clear and concise project plan ensures that everyone involved in the project understands the project’s goals, timeline, and resources needed.
Project managers can also simplify a project by leveraging project management tools and techniques such as Agile methodologies, Lean Six Sigma, and Scrum. These methodologies focus on continuous improvement and prioritize delivering value to stakeholders. By implementing these techniques, project managers can reduce complexity, increase efficiency, and improve outcomes.
- Fitzgerald’s Law: “There are two states to any large project: too early to tell and too late to stop.”
This law highlights the importance of timely project evaluation. A project manager should continually monitor the project’s progress and make necessary adjustments to ensure that the project is on track. Delaying project evaluation until it’s too late may result in significant setbacks that may be difficult to recover from.
Project evaluation involves assessing the project’s progress, comparing it against the project plan, and identifying any deviations or challenges that may impact the project’s success. Project managers should conduct project evaluations regularly to identify potential problems early and take corrective action before it’s too late.
Timely project evaluation helps project managers to identify potential risks, track project progress, and make necessary adjustments to keep the project on track. Project managers should also keep stakeholders informed about the project’s progress to ensure that they are aware of any potential issues or delays that may impact the project’s success.
Project managers can use various project evaluation tools and techniques to assess the project’s progress. These tools include project dashboards, status reports, risk assessments, and progress meetings. All of these provide project managers with real-time information on the project’s progress and help them identify potential problems early.
- Parkinson’s Law: “Work expands to fill the time available.”
This law emphasizes the importance of setting deadlines and timelines for project tasks. Without timelines, tasks may take longer to complete, and the project may experience unnecessary delays. Therefore, project managers should set realistic timelines for tasks to ensure that team members remain focused and motivated.
Setting deadlines and timelines is an essential part of project management. It helps team members to stay focused and motivated, and it ensures that the project stays on track. When setting deadlines, project managers should consider the project’s scope, available resources, and team member capabilities. They should also communicate the deadlines and timelines clearly to all team members to avoid any confusion or misunderstandings.
Setting deadlines and timelines also helps project managers to identify potential delays and take corrective action. When a task is not completed within the set timeline, project managers can identify the cause of the delay and take corrective action to keep the project on track. This may involve reassigning tasks, increasing resources, or revising the project plan.
It is important to note that setting unrealistic deadlines can be counterproductive. If deadlines are too tight, team members may feel overwhelmed and demotivated, and the project may suffer. Therefore, project managers should set realistic deadlines that take into account the project’s complexity and team member capabilities.
- Constantine’s Law: “A fool with a tool is still a fool.”
This law emphasizes the importance of skill and expertise in project management. Having the latest tools and technology is not enough if the team members lack the necessary skills to use them effectively. As a project manager, it is essential to ensure that team members receive adequate training and support to use the available tools and technology. This is critical for ensuring that the project is executed efficiently and that team members can perform their tasks effectively. Without proper training and support, team members may not be able to use the tools and technology effectively, which can lead to project delays, errors, and poor outcomes.
Moreover, it is not enough to simply provide training at the beginning of the project. The project manager should also ensure that team members have access to ongoing training and support throughout the project’s lifecycle. This will help to ensure that team members remain up-to-date with the latest technologies and tools and can use them effectively throughout the project.
It is also important for project managers to recognize the limitations of technology and tools. While these tools can make project management easier, they are not a substitute for human expertise and skills. Project managers should ensure that team members have the necessary skills to plan, execute, and monitor the project effectively.
- Graham’s Law: “If they know nothing of what you are doing, they suspect you are doing nothing.”
This law emphasizes the importance of communication in project management. A project manager should keep all stakeholders informed about the project’s progress and any changes that may affect the project’s outcomes. Effective communication is critical for project success. It fosters transparency and builds trust among team members and stakeholders. When stakeholders are kept informed about the project’s progress, they are more likely to support the project and provide the necessary resources and support to ensure its success.
Communication should be ongoing throughout the project’s lifecycle. The project manager should provide regular updates to stakeholders, including project sponsors, team members, and customers. These updates should include information about the project’s progress, milestones achieved, risks, and issues that may affect the project’s outcomes.
Effective communication also involves active listening. Project managers should listen to stakeholders’ concerns and feedback and address them promptly. This helps to build trust and ensures that stakeholders feel heard and valued.
Moreover, the project manager should ensure that communication channels are open and accessible. Team members and stakeholders should have access to the project’s information, including project plans, timelines, and budgets. The project manager should also establish clear channels for feedback and ensure that stakeholders can provide feedback easily.
- Murphy’s Law: “If anything can go wrong, it will.”
Everyone knows this one. Murphy’s law highlights the importance of risk management in project management. Project managers must be aware of risks that could endanger the success of their projects. Risk management is the process of identifying potential risks and developing strategies to mitigate or avoid them.
A project manager should identify potential risks at the beginning of the project and develop a risk management plan. The risk management plan should include a list of potential risks, their likelihood, and the impact they may have on the project’s outcomes. The project manager should also develop strategies to mitigate or avoid these risks and assign responsibilities for implementing these strategies.
Effective risk management reduces the likelihood of project failure and ensures that the project is completed within the set timeline and budget. By identifying potential risks early, project managers can take proactive measures to mitigate or avoid them, reducing the likelihood of project delays, cost overruns, or failures.
Risk management should be an ongoing process throughout the project’s lifecycle. The project manager should continuously monitor the project for new risks and update the risk management plan as necessary. This helps to ensure that the project is continually protected against potential risks.
Effective risk management also involves risk communication. Project managers should communicate potential risks and their impact to stakeholders and ensure that stakeholders are aware of the strategies developed to mitigate or avoid these risks. This helps to build trust and ensures that stakeholders are supportive of the project.
- O’Brochta’s Law: “Project management is about applying common sense with uncommon discipline.”
This law emphasizes the importance of discipline and sound judgment in project management. As a project manager, it’s essential to apply common sense and sound judgment when making decisions. This requires the ability to evaluate situations objectively and make decisions based on the available information.
Project management also requires discipline to ensure that the project is completed within the set timeline and budget. The project manager must ensure that team members follow the project plan, meet deadlines, and deliver work of the expected quality. The project manager should also enforce accountability, so team members take responsibility for their actions and deliverables.
Uncommon discipline involves the ability to focus on the project’s objectives and ensure that team members remain aligned with the project’s goals. This requires a project manager to have the ability to prioritize tasks and resources, be proactive in addressing issues, and have a strong work ethic.
- Kinser’s Law: “About the time you finish doing something, you know enough to start.”
This law emphasizes the importance of continuous learning in project management. Project management involves complex tasks and requires a range of skills and knowledge. As team members complete tasks and gain experience, they acquire new knowledge that can be applied to future tasks. This new knowledge may involve new technologies, tools, or techniques that can help to improve project outcomes.
A project manager should encourage continuous learning by providing opportunities for team members to develop new skills. This can be achieved through on-the-job training, workshops, conferences, or online courses. By investing in their team members’ professional development, project managers can ensure that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to complete tasks effectively and efficiently.
Continuous learning also helps team members stay up-to-date with the latest developments in their field. This knowledge can be applied to current and future projects, helping to improve project outcomes and reduce the risk of project failure. As team members learn new skills and knowledge, they become more valuable to the project and the organization, and their confidence and motivation levels also increase. This approach promotes a culture of innovation and creativity within the team. By encouraging team members to develop new skills and knowledge, project managers foster an environment where team members feel empowered to contribute their ideas and suggestions. This can lead to the development of new and innovative solutions that can help to improve project outcomes and make the project more successful.
These ten laws of project management provide valuable insights into the principles that guide successful project management. By understanding and applying these laws, project managers can effectively plan, execute and monitor projects, ensuring that they are completed successfully. The laws also emphasize the importance of having a holistic approach to project management. Managing a project involves a broad range of skills, from technical to interpersonal. Thus, project managers need to possess a diverse set of skills to manage projects effectively. Ultimately, project management is about achieving specific goals and objectives while ensuring that all stakeholders are satisfied with the outcomes. While far from an exhaustive list, these guidelines can help project managers remember some of the most important best practices of our discipline.
References
Kinser, J. (2008). The top 10 laws of project management. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2008—North America, Denver, CO. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.
