A project, defined by the Project Management Institution (PMI), is ‘a temporary effort to create value through unique products, services, and processes.’ There is not a defined requirement for a project manager, however this role adds an invaluable layer of organization to the project and encourages additional collaboration between the project team and stakeholders which increases the overall likelihood of success of the project.
The Seiso Project Management Office offers a project management methodology utilizing the optimal practices from agile to create an unmatched project management offering. The driving force of agile is a ‘customer-centric’ mentality. The success of each Seiso project is measured by exceeding customer expectations. Seiso accomplishes this goal through clear and concise communication to stakeholders and an iterative deliverable approach, encouraging customer feedback and review early and often.
The final agile tenant incorporated into the Seiso Project Management methodology is empowerment and autonomy of the project team. When a project is entered, constraints are placed on the items in the project management triangle immediately: cost, schedule, and scope, which are all predefined by the customer agreement. The Seiso team is empowered to make decisions and utilize agile methodology to work within that triangle to arrive at the best solution for the customer. The team trusts and respects each other, knowing individual’s strengths and leveraging that to attain the desired outcome of the project.
The Seiso organization pivots the project resources as the process evolves and team members begin to find additional efficiencies in real-time.
The Seiso project manager acts as the maestro, conducting all moving parts of the project into a unified whole. The project manager embodies the agile tenants and incorporates them into the execution framework. Customer meetings occur on a regular cadence and achievements are reviewed and discussed, while upcoming work is planned through the project management function. If a team member has identified a risk or issue, it is discussed openly and honestly with the project team. The project manager ensures that issues are resolved in a timely manner, well before they create delays in the project, or lessening the realized value from the customer. Deliverables are drafted and sent for review and feedback. Even before they hit the customer’s inbox, they are meticulously looked over and quality controlled by the project team, senior leadership, and the project manager. All feedback is incorporated into the project deliverable and built back into the on-going Seiso process improvement initiatives.
The project manager’s primary goal is to support the project team, the business, and the customer through all stages of the project lifecycle. Agile project management methodologies allow both the project manager and the execution team to work at an exceptionally fast pace, all while maintaining high levels of output quality, and replacing project complexity of traditional methods along the way without ever sacrificing depth in the results produced.
A project can indeed occur without an Agile Project Manager, but who would want to take the risk?
