A project manager has been assigned to a new project. The project schedule is extremely short. During an iteration review meeting. the key stakeholder mentions that they are experiencing some inefficiencies in their work processes.
What should the project manager do?
When a key stakeholder reports inefficiencies in their work processes, the appropriate step for the project manager is to ask the team to evaluate their process. This collaborative approach allows the team to identify the root cause of the inefficiencies and generate potential solutions. It fosters a sense of ownership and promotes continuous improvement, aligning with Agile principles which emphasize self-organizing teams and iterative improvement. Additionally, engineering a solution collectively with the team ensures that any changes to the process are practical and have buy-in from those who will implement them.
I would have said C - I would check with the stakeholder directly, which effect the flaws have on the deliverables...just to include him. In the next step I would have analyzed the process with the team.
B. Ask the team to evaluate their process
Given the context of a new project with a tight schedule and a key stakeholder mentioning inefficiencies, the project manager needs to address the issue promptly while keeping the project on track. Performing a schedule impact analysis helps in understanding how the reported inefficiencies are affecting the overall project timeline. It allows the project manager to identify any potential delays or risks and plan accordingly. This analysis provides data that can be used to make informed decisions on how to address the inefficiencies without jeopardizing the project schedule. Involving the team in this analysis ensures that all relevant perspectives are considered and that any proposed solutions are feasible and practical.
In Agile practices, the iterative review meeting (or sprint review meeting) is primarily concerned with presenting and discussing the completed deliverables in the iteration, as well as gathering stakeholder feedback on those deliverables. In this case, the workflow inefficiencies raised by the stakeholders are not suitable for discussion and resolution in the review meeting, and this issue can be further discussed in the subsequent review meeting. Project managers should maintain agile processes that focus on demonstrating and reviewing deliverables. Option B can be done after the review meeting.
When a key stakeholder mentions inefficiencies in their work processes, it's prudent for the project manager to involve the team in evaluating their processes. This approach allows for a collaborative effort in identifying and addressing any inefficiencies, fostering a sense of ownership and continuous improvement within the team.