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PM Tips, Tricks and Tidbits: Get Out of Project Hell

Years ago, I was invited to join a team meeting for a project my director thought was failing. They requested that I simply listen without commenting.

Within 15 minutes on the call, I knew the project was struggling, and it needed urgent attention. They were spinning in project hell and it was really hot there.

Out of Project Hell

The first step was to temporarily pause the project. After the call, I sent a detailed list to my director outlining the reasons for this decision and followed up with an in-person conversation to explain my rationale.

I also clearly communicated that continuing the project would lead to unnecessary expenditure of both personnel and financial resources. At that point, over $1.5 million had been spent without any clear outcomes, direction, or end in sight.

Once the project was paused, we began to assess the damage. I have already spoken about messy projects before with my past Project On Fire article, but let’s dive a little deeper.

Ask the Right Questions

Collaborate with the project team to understand how they arrived at this stage. Here are some types of questions to ask:

  • What got us off track?
  • What are our objectives?
  • Who is doing what?
  • What are our risks?
  • What opportunities come out of this?

Document, But Don’t Overdo it

Document your findings and take an inventory of all relevant documentation, including those highlighting key issues. But this isn’t the time to be heads down in paperwork. Keep your head up and stay engaged with the team to develop what I call a “back on track” plan.

With a back on track plan, the biggest question to answer is “What’s this supposed to look like anyways?” A good project manager aims to bring the project back to its initial state. However, an exceptional project manager will identify and challenge assumptions about the project’s true direction to prevent future setbacks.

Project Back on Track

A back-on-track plan serves three main purposes:

1. Prioritize tasks to determine what to address first.

2. Clarify team roles and communication.

3. Establish a revised timeline.

This plan is essential for transitioning from past mess-ups to moving toward future project success. Start by agreeing on how to work through the most urgent tasks, then collaborate with your team to quickly navigate out of project hell.