Project planning is the beginning step for launching projects and getting things done within your organization. Although project planning is at the core of any successful project, you may still encounter obstacles that hamper your progress and success later on.
Watch out for the following obstacles during the planning process to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of your project:
- Not defining your goals—One of the most common challenges in the field of project planning is adequately defining project goals. When these goals do not get clearly identified, the entire project and the team working on it can suffer. At the start, the project manager must ask all the right questions and communicate identifiable goals from the beginning.
- Lacking accountability—Each member of the team must take on responsibility for their role in achieving the success of the project. On the contrary, when lack of accountability exists, the entire project can come to a halt. Project managers must learn to effectively direct their team toward a common goal.
- Scope creep—When the scope of the project goes beyond its original objectives, scope creep occurs. Although supervisors and clients may request changes to an ongoing project, the project management team must know how to evaluate every request and determine how to implement it. Project management must also communicate how these changes will affect budget and deadlines to all involved stakeholders.
