In the conclusion of the three-part series on successful project management, granular communications highlight performance lags and scope creep.

Within IT, the vast majority of activities outside the boundaries of operations and help desk are projects, i.e., one-time efforts pulling together a team, with a clear goal, budget and time line, and a final handoff, which leads to disbanding the team. And, as established in the previous two parts of this three-part series, most projects are out of control.

Some facts about out-of-control projects are well-documented. According to the Defense Acquisition University:

* Once a project is 10 percent complete, the overrun at completion will not be less than the current overrun.

* Once a project is 20 percent complete, the cost performance index does not vary from its current value by more than 10 percent.

* The further the cost schedule index is from 1.0, the less likely project recovery becomes.

But how does management get projects under control? Two decades of successful project management in IT, capital construction, engineering and aerospace have revealed three keys to getting projects under control: plug leaks, have an idea and go granular.

In the first article we explored the first key to getting projects under control, "Plug Leaks," which means to clearly define and enforce the acceptable range of diversion. In the second article we examined the second key to getting your projects under control: "Have an Idea." To "have an idea" management and team members must be able to specifically answer the following four questions: Where are you going? How are you going to get there? What will it cost? What is the payoff?

In this third and last article in the series we will look at the third key to getting your projects under control: "Go Granular."

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