These three models and their associated characteristics allow for greater flexibility in control systems and variable team structures and rules. The project structure, plan­ning, and project methodology elements are required re­gardless of the size of the project. The differences lie in that the larger the team and more complex the project, the more closely the project must be managed. The project method­ology steps and the project plan must be tightly adhered to and controlled on very large complex projects. Smaller projects can more easily recover from a missed deadline or an ill—defined system requirement similar to correcting the course of a small Cessna airplane. Whereas if a large project veers off course, many resources, time, and budget dollars can be consumed in a short time on wrong work. The scope of large recovery becomes similar to correcting the course of the space shuttle—difficult, time consuming and costly.
Plateau I projects can be controlled with empowered em­ployees and department heads. They must still be trained or experienced with project management tools, but the risks are lower and timetable slippage is the most common result of error or under estimating.

Plateau II projects must have steering committee controls to offset functional politics and suboptimization. The project director must be controlled oriented and the team must be trained in the techniques of reengineering, project methodology, project controls and in the system and appli­cation software prior to initiating project tasks. The risks associated with this plateau are higher in that errors can cause significant overruns in the millions of dollars. Also at Plateau II there is a risk that the project will be put on hold or experience budget cuts or be halted if milestones are not achieved and some benefits are not communicated and achieved in each project phase.

Plateau III projects make and break careers and compa­nies. If you are on a Plateau III project take it seriously from the start and realize any errors could cause perma­nent damage to the company strategy, customer base and supply base. Plateau III project directors and steering committee members are dealing with very high risk projects and they must have good experience, good understanding, and the knowledge level to react quickly to unexpected events. In most projects of this type we expect legal reviews of partner commitments before starting and statements that provide for close contact between project partners and an open door for review of milestones and progress at each partner site. Without that openness don't start the project.

New Guidelines

Project teams are getting into trouble more and more because the technologies they are implementing are new and because the software engineering tools they are using are new. This is a deadly combination for accurately estimating tasks, developing task plans and correctly struc­turing teams. The team structures of the 80's are no longer valid as new development techniques are introduced.

Many projects are now being faced with up front cleanup tasks to fix data integrity prior to design and implementa­tion. Also many projects, and maybe all projects, need to have a reengineering view of the enterprise prior to install­ing and implementing new systems. Various authors in Harvard Business Review and Sloan (see Bibliography) are hammering on management to reengineer before resystematizing. The major message in the 90's is reengineer the processes if you want to reach the year 2000, don't automate mirror images of today's processes—the paybacks will be minimal.

The challenge for the project director and the various project managers and team leaders is determining how much time these tasks will take, how much of it can take place with parallel efforts, and how much time will be consumed by getting the team up to speed on the new vision and the new tools they will have to use (CASE) to achieve that new vision. Each project is different and these estimates can be under estimated by thousands of man hours—a serious, serious problem.

To Be Continued