Last updated: January 29, 2020
The Most Common Roadblocks to Project Management
There is no formula for successful project management. Even when managing similar projects, you must keep in mind that no two projects are exactly the same, from the planning phase to risk identification. As with any conflict, there are internal and external forces that can create friction, which lead to roadblocks in project management. Because project management can be applied to any number of industries, a variety of problems can arise and block progress. This may seem like an overwhelming reality, but there is software you can use to organize your project management and overcome whatever problems arise. The key is to find the right software that will allow you to tackle whatever roadblocks hit your projects.
External Roadblocks
Generally, roadblocks can be thought of as either internal or external. In a lot of cases, you will have no control over the roadblocks that derail your projects as they are caused by outside forces. These external roadblocks cannot all be planned for, despite your best efforts in drafting plans and outlining mitigation strategies. They can range from issues such as funding being cut-off by stakeholders, to off-shore resources being let go, to a natural disaster destroying your on-site facilities. Generally, these roadblocks are more difficult to overcome due to their nature; you cannot directly influence or control the cause of the problem, and so it might take a long time or a lot of money in order to directly resolve the issue. When external roadblocks come into play, you will have to be creative and find alternate routes and solutions, while still accounting for this uncontrollable wrench thrown into the mix.
Internal Roadblocks
Internal roadblocks are any issues that halt project progress that originate from conflict within the project’s boundaries. This can include the project team, scope statements, risk registers, and any of the processes that are within the control of the project manager. Communication is crucial as it allows for cohesive work to be done, and it’s often one of the areas in which projects break down internally. Stakeholders might not fully communicate requirements, or dependencies might be missed. Sometimes your project team might be comprised of some, if not all, remote workers. This can result in confusion and often is a major contributor to deadlines failing to be met and dissatisfaction amongst the team. Other times, roadblocks might stop team members because the information is not organized or displayed in a logical, easy-to-access spot. Depending on the size and scope of the project, there can be many assets and documents to wrangle.
The Clear Road Ahead
Although there will always be unforeseen roadblocks, OneDesk can help expedite your progress past a variety of them. By having your team and any relevant stakeholders using OneDesk, you can keep communication flowing between all parties. A roadblock with Project Management is proper collaboration, and with OneDesk, you can ensure that all parties involved are communicating with each other to ensure smooth collaboration. Discussions will be documented and available for all relevant teammates to view (both internally, or externally), and all relevant project documents will be in one centralized place (which can be attached to tickets themselves), making it easy to search and find what you and your team needs. You can add additional custom fields to add clarifications and additional details to a project. Requirements can be managed directly, and customer feedback can be integrated into the workflow. By filling out ticket details and setting workflows in OneDesk, fewer facts and deadlines will be lost as projects progress, and with timesheets, your team can track how long they spend doing tasks, resulting in accurate budgets and less frustrations for everyone. Since OneDesk is accessible on both desktop and mobile devices, you can keep your team moving past any roadblocks that are thrown their way wherever you are.
Photo Credit: Stop! – Roadblock / Anja Pietsch / CC BY