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Show me the data!

Here’s a typical conversation from a manager to an exec:

Manager: “I need 2 more project managers”

Exec: “How do you know?”

Manager: “Because my PMs are overloaded. They tell me they’re really busy and can’t handle the workload.”

Exec: “So, how overloaded?”

Manager: “REALLY overloaded.”

Exec: “Prove it!”

Oops – all the manager has is anecdotal evidence from his or her overloaded PMs. They say they’re overwhelmed, but the manager doesn’t really know by how much, and therefor doesn’t know how many PMs they really need to hire.

Same thing with bringing on new projects. A new project request comes in, and the PMO Director tells the CIO they’re already overwhelmed and can’t take on new work. How do you know? Where’s the evidence? More often than not, the CIO will point out how important the project is and direct tell the harried PMO Director to “squeeze it in”. Or, there is a whole slate of requests, and the CIO draws a waterline and says to take “the top 10″. Why 10? Why not 15? Why not 5? 10 big ones or small ones?

Without data, it’s hard to get good execs to respond, and their decisions may seem arbitrary. However, the conversation changes entirely with data.

Manager: “I need 2 more PMs”

Exec: “How do you know?”

Manager: “This chart shows my PMs are working on average 60 hours per week. In addition, this other chart shows 5 more projects coming on-line next quarter requiring another 40 hours/week of PM effort.”

Exec: “So that’s an overload of 80 hours per week, or 2 PMs – correct?”

Manager: “Exactly”

Exec: “So, we need to either cut the projects down or hire PMs. OK – I can work with that, and I have some budget. Let’s hire one PM and cut out these 2 project requests.”

Don’t believe me? Try it – but make sure you go in with real facts and figures. Because if you just site statistics and don’t show them the charts and data, they’ll send you packing just like before!

But if you show them your analysis, based on real data and presented on paper where they can see it for themselves, you might get the answer one client I have got from they’re CEO:

“That’s the first IT meeting I really understood!”

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Need some quick help analyzing and packaging your data to sell your PMO story to upper management? Not sure what will make a compelling case that will get their attention, or if you are even gathering the right data? Contact me at dblumhorst@effectiveitgroup.com. We can help you solve this conundrum, and our targeted engagements are measured in days or week, not months and years.

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June 15th, 2009 | Tags: , , | Category: General, Resource Management

162 comments to Show me the data!

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