Organizations that get better results from its projects make consistent and continuing efforts to nourish the environment for selecting and executing projects. Organizations increasingly find the need to get better outcomes from projects because that is where wealth-creation or survival comes from.

In our book on Creating an Environment for Successful Projects (Graham and Englund, Jossey-Bass, 2004), we guide readers to construct an environment in which projects are more successful.  Its intended contribution fills the void for advanced project managers and managers of project managers on how to develop project management as an organizational competency—a search for excellence.  The book adds to the foundation provided by the project management body of knowledge by identifying, arguing for, and presenting examples of the conditions required for project managers and teams to apply their trade.  Knowledge and procedures are not enough if the environment is toxic; practitioners need to systematically address the vital space where all conditions are present to create value through project-based work. 

Any attempt at systematic change needs to include arguments about why these approaches are important and provide examples of how people implement the concepts.  Many books and writings create intense awareness about what to do; this book advances the knowledge and practice by passionately including why environmental conditions need to improve and describing how some organizations implement the concepts.  More often than not, it’s the story telling that gets a concept across to people, more so than any other approach.  We provide “second-level anecdotes” that describe how to get started, and then illustrate creative ways to adapt and apply potent practices.  We share details of an organizational process of support for project management as practiced by leading companies, including proven practices implemented by Hewlett-Packard (HP), where I practiced for many years.  The final chapter summarizes steps applicable to any organization.  The Epilogue adds a change management process for applying leadership to evolve a project-based organization.

The “we” I’m referring to includes my co-author who, along with other credentials, is a cultural anthropologist—trained to study strange behavior in tribes.  For his thesis he studied behaviors in AT&T.  We had lots of fun together observing numerous examples of organizational perversities in modern organizations.  This approach provides a varied and robust approach to the study and application of new ways of thinking about project management and organizational dynamics.

The cohesive theme is to assemble the pieces of a puzzle that represent an environment for successful projects.  The book devotes a chapter for each piece in order to enhance understanding of the components.  Any person interested to make a difference in how their organization operates, and increasing its maturity for getting projects done, needs to be prepared.  Take the time to research what is possible, especially how more successful organizations operate differently.  Gather data about current operations.  It takes intention and making a commitment on your part to create excellence. Then set out on a quest, somewhat like Don Quixote, but with a different, hopefully better outcome.  The process can start with a survey to assess the project environment and continue by taking action on findings.  The point is to apply a systematic approach that covers all areas, reinforces strengths, and gets results. 

Go to www.englundpmc.com, click on “Offerings” and “Assessment” to see the Environmental Assessment Survey Instrument (EASI).  This survey steps each person through the ten pieces of the puzzle and produces a score for how well projects are supported.  This data may be benchmarked against other organizations and provide the basis for action planning to create an environment for more successful projects.  Get as many people as you can to complete the survey so you have meaningful data to compare.  The data also provides an effective means to get the attention of other managers about the current state, especially in data-driven organizations.  Follow-on discussions open the door to decide upon and take action in key strategic areas that can provide the best return from project-based work.

Awareness and knowledge are first steps in leading change towards a project-based organization.  Use consulting and facilitated work sessions as the means to:

·         conduct an assessment across the organization

·         discover strengths that need to be reinforced

·         design actions plans

·         reap the benefits available in an environment that supports the right projects done right.

Randy Englund, Englund Project Management Consultancy, www.englundpmc.com