Digg It
#1 in Business Subscribe Email Print

You are here: Home > Business > Management > Best Practice Guide To Project Success

Tags

  • drugs
  • names
  • combination
  • project success
  • project manager

  • Links

  • Overseas Property Investment ??“ A Market To Target Triple Digit Annual Gains
  • How To Speak Or Write About Your Spiritual Insights Without Being Preachy
  • Three Steps To A Better Harvest
  • Digg It - Best Practice Guide To Project Success

    1. Question The Need For The Project
    The quickest, cheapest and simplest way of improving your organisation's levels of project success is to stop starting new projects. Question whether your new project is really required right now. If you aren't going to do anything different between this new project and a previous project, chances are that this one will fail as well.

    Instead plan a strategy for improving your project success rates. Once you have begun to implement some of the changes the start
    According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product
    new projects. For the time being, stop projects failing by simply not starting any new ones.

    2. Always Prototype Solutions
    The use of prototypes will improve the rates of project success. From simple pictures and diagrams to functional working models, prototypes will improve the frequency, quality and quantity of stakeholder feedback into a project.

    Train project members to storyboard user scenarios. Look to include a web developer in the plan to create basic mock-up application screens. One
    ; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

    Examples of combination products may in
    of the first deliverables in any project plan should be a form of prototype. Start getting stakeholder feedback as soon as possible.

    The most effective teams, build prototypes, get feedback and then incorporate the feedback into the next set of prototypes. By providing stakeholders with this level of attention and focus leads to greater support. Individuals like to see their vision and ideas presented as a tangible entity rather than as a set of bullet points in a document.

    3. Don't Always Use Standard
    lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

    emplates For Documentation
    Project documentation rarely gets properly read and fed back on. Stakeholders are too busy to read the amount of information that they are expected to read through and comment on. Invariable most will simply skim through large documents, read the executive summary and provide some high level feedback. The risk of this is that the Project Manager and team believe that they have got stakeholder buy-in whilst in reality they have just been lucky (unlucky?) because an area of p
    here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe
    otential contention has been missed by a stakeholder. Let the team document what is required against a set of prompts not rigid templates.

    4. Make Sure Everyone Is Together
    Where feasible make sure all of the project team are located in the same office. The quality and ease of communication flows directly affects the levels of project success.

    Teams located in close proximity with their suppliers and other project members benefit because:

    * Face to face communication is proven to be the most ef
    d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

    Combination pro
    ective form

    * It reduces the time of feedback loops

    * It builds stronger team relationships

    5. Give Them Space
    If you want a successful project then you need team members 100% focused on delivering. Put the somewhere where they can't be distracted from usual e-mails and telephone calls. Ideally rent project space away from your offices. This prevents any distractions as well as encourages teams to focus on the task in hand.

    Whilst stakeholders will have to travel to the project team it will
    ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc
    ensure that once there they will devote their time to the project team's needs.

    6. Team Building
    As the project sponsor make sure that you have an effective team working for you. Are they motivated to deliver the project? Do you know the team dynamics? Be prepared to change team members if the dynamics aren't working. Also invest in team-building activities early in the project and on an ongoing basis.

    7. Fail Quickly
    Tom Peters advocates the merits of failing fast. Don't drag ou
    easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi
    t a project's failure/ Instead fail with gusto and support the project team. Because you've failed quickly you still have time to make amends with a new project. This time you have learnt about the issues and problems that you will face. This greatly improves the chances of the project being a real success this time.

    8. Measure Real Progress
    As a project sponsor you shouldn't be asking for weekly activity updates, risk updates and traffic-light reports. Your main priority is to ensure that the pr
    nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically
    ject team are producing real tangible value. Put in place value milestones (E.g. first product sold, first real customer feedback). Direct the team to focus on business value above and beyond anything else. Measure progress against these value milestones not just activities.

    9. Don't Audit Your Projects By Default
    Project Audits cause project team large amounts of work. None of this work creates any value and is an unnecessary process for the project. Trust your team that they are managing the pr
    and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ
    oject budget and risks adequately. If you have concerns then ask the team (not just the project manager) questions until your concerns go away.

    10. Brand The Project
    Projects should have their own identity and brand that is recognisable across the organisation. Encourage team members to be creative with project names and branding. Choose names and colours that generate interest and a positive buzz.

    11. Interview And Advertise For Project Members
    Being selected for a project shoould b
    ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi
    seen as a privelege and exciting opportunity. You need to nurture a clulture where the best staff are selected for project work. A simple yet effective way of achieving this is by ensuring that all project member are interviewed for project roles. Advertise up and coming projects internally on your intranet and notice boards. Make projects cool and exciting by rewarding successful projects with perks and bonuses. make it that your best people want to be on the most challenging projects.

    12. Only Worry Ab
    ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

    Following aspects would a
    out Real Risks
    Risk management within the project should focus on the direct risks only. Risk registers can be over populated with large risks that if they occur will have a far greater impact than on just the project. Take ownership of the large company risks yourself as the project sponsor. Get the team to focus only on risks that are local and could impact the project.

    13. Let Teams Work To Their Own Heartbeat
    Each project team is unique, don't impose your individual way of working on
    dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

    Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
    Which combination prod
    the team. Encourage them to work in the way which delivers the best results. Casual clothes, late starts, early finishes; none of these matter on a project if the project is delivering exceptional results. Focus on the results and let the team work the way they want to.

    14. Get Experts In When You Need Them
    At specific points on a project it is wise to get in experts to help. If your team is weak in requirements gathering hire specialist requiremenst analysts. If you need help putting together b
    cts are meaningful and rational?
    Which therapeutic categories to select?
    Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
    Do combin
    siness cases and project plans then recognise this and get external help.

    When selecting consultants their experience and portfolio of work is important. But it is more essential that you and the project team can work with them on a personal level. Look for clear jargon free communication and individual personalities that will fit in with your company culture.

    15. Sell The Project
    Organisations normally have numerous projects under way at once.If you want your project to be a success then you ar
    tions increase the patient compliance?
    What would be the developing cost?
    How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
    e going to have to sell its benefits. You will need to sell to ensure that you get access to the best resources. You will need to sell to raise the profile of the project so that the team are motivated to deliver. Talk up the project team with other senior stakeholders and encourage them to get involved. Get their support by selling the benefits and the project will have more chance of succeeding.

    16. Benchmark And Strive Higher
    Don't aim for mediocre results. Benchmark the best solutions availab
    t?

    As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel
    e in your industry and beyond. Measure your deliverables against the best in class and aim to become the best. Don't accept budget or resource limitations. Some of the greatest inventions and products were delivered on shoe-string budgets. Sell your project vision with passion and the project team will aim for it. Believe in the project team and they will deliver exceptional results.

    17. Mix The Team Dynamic
    Successful teams require a healthy mixture of skills, personalities and experience. Consi
    ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

    Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
    der the different individual personalities when putting the project team together. Put together different ages and perspectives.

    18. Refresh The Team
    Adding fresh resources into projects that become stale is a good way of revitalising the project's energy levels. New ideas and perspectives can help to break any deadlocks.

    19. Incentivise Suppliers
    If your project is dependent on external suppliers then provide incentives to ensure they will be rewarded on good performance. Encourage
    y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products
    them to deliver early through project bonuses and reward schemes. You want your suppliers to be dedicated to the success of your project and incentivising them financially will guarantee their focus.

    20. Encourage Teams To Document Only When It Hurts
    An approach borrowed from the 'Agil Alliance', project teams should be focused on delivering value and not necessarily documentation. Unless the documentation is a critical part of the required outputs then teams should be looking to capture informat
    .

    As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
    on in a temporary format. Make sure teams have lots of whiteboard space and flip-charts. This will save the team time and energy and allow them to focus on the real value, the deliverables.

    21. Ask Questions And Stay Involved
    Keep involved with the project. Ask open questions and closed ones. Keep the Project Managers on their toes. Be there to support them nut make sure that they know that the project is important to you. Stay involved with the project and anything you can to help them.

    22.
    elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

    Companies that provide selfless information through particip
    Do Something
    Projects continue to fail because teams continue to make the same mistakes. Take charge of the situation and don't accept poor projects. If the project is going to fail then make it fail fast. Learn from the failure and start another project with greater chances of success. Stay positive and believe that with the right tools and support your projects can make a difference.

    Share This Article With Other Senior Managers And Discuss How You Will Improve Your project Success Rates

    tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

    HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
    <a href="http://www.diggit.org.ua/article/20640/diggit-Best-Practice-Guide-To-Project-Success.html">Best Practice Guide To Project Success</a>

    BB link (for phorums):
    [url=http://www.diggit.org.ua/article/20640/diggit-Best-Practice-Guide-To-Project-Success.html]Best Practice Guide To Project Success[/url]

    Related Articles:

    Managing Teams and Six Sigma

    The Perfect Job at Only a Click Away

    Nonprofit Fundraising - Place Donation Boxes in Your Community to Raise Funds and Awareness

    Bookmark it: del.icio.us digg.com reddit.com netvouz.com google.com yahoo.com technorati.com furl.net bloglines.com socialdust.com ma.gnolia.com newsvine.com slashdot.org simpy.com shadows.com blinklist.com