Here's how you can meet project deadlines as a project manager.

Your Plan should lead the execution not otherwise 1) While you make a plan: Ensure there is zero or minimum coordination b/w two tasks. 2)Buffers should be at the end of the project i.e. after the Critical Path/chain. Other paths or chains should have feeding buffer 3) Use buffer based priorities 4) Full Kit each task: make an extensive fullkit list for each task and don't start the task if it is not 100% Full Kit ready 5) Focus and Finish your priority tasks by overwhelming it with resources. 6) Don't allow switching of resources or spreading of resources i.e. maintain low WIP 7) Escalate and solve runtime issues fast

Plan your delivery of project early enough. Highlights the necessary things that needs to be done and prioritize the date and time to get them done. Ensure you follow your schedule professionally. Through this, you can delivery before due date even if there were challenges and little delays along the line, it is expected and it was part of the plan.

Pretty simple actually…. In my 25 years of senior military and corporate executive experience… Planning ahead in project management is like laying the groundwork for a successful journey. It helps anticipate obstacles, allocate resources efficiently, and ensures smoother execution.

I have learned through years of experience driving initiatives that call for disruptive changes from the status quo that there are very few if any milestones in support of a major deliverable that are not dependent upon the input and perspective of other stakeholders, and which change will affect certain constituents. Therefore it is critically important to learn how and commit to investing time with those individuals to ensure that they understand and proactively support the "what" and the "why." The more unconditional their buy-in, the more likely you are to meet and in fact exceed expectations.

I scrolled through to avoid repeating what may have been said but it seems there’s a necessary incremental value in adding a perspective on the clarity of scope. My experience in software project delivery tells me a project can only be planned to whatever extent of scope clarity the project team has. Everything in planning extends from, first, the agreed scope (which more often than not turns out to be the more problematic part of the whole piece) and then everything else about the discipline of project management.

Break everything down into tasks with target completion dates. Celebrate wins along the way to keep people motivated. If tasks fall behind quickly get to the root causes and make adjustments.

Setting milestones in a project involves first defining the project's scope and objectives, then breaking the project into major phases. Within each phase, identify key deliverables or decisions that signify completion, which serve as milestones. These should be scheduled realistically throughout the project timeline, discussed with stakeholders for alignment, and adjusted as necessary. Regular monitoring of these milestones helps gauge progress and maintain project momentum, while also providing opportunities for team celebration and motivation upon achievement.

Define Milestones: Identify key deliverables or significant checkpoints within the project timeline. Milestones should represent major accomplishments or completion of critical phases of work.Break Down the Project: Use the project scope and work breakdown structure (WBS) to identify logical points in the project where milestones can be established. Consider important tasks, phases, or project phases that represent progress towards project goals.Set Specific Milestone Dates: Assign target dates to each milestone. Ensure that milestone dates are realistic and aligned with the overall project timeline.

Il faut identifier le chemin critique, c'est-à-dire la séquence des tâches qui déterminent la durée minimale du projet, et concentrer ses efforts sur ces activités clés. Il faut ensuite mettre en place un suivi réguliers pour vérifier l'avancement, identifier les retards et mettre en œuvre des actions correctives rapidement.

The key to meeting deadlines is to plan meticulously. This involves breaking down the project into manageable tasks, setting realistic timelines, and identifying potential bottlenecks early on. It's essential to have a clear project roadmap and to communicate it effectively to the team. Regular progress checks and adjustments to the plan are necessary to ensure that the project stays on track.

In my role at Big4, I've learned that the key to keeping projects on track is straightforward communication. It's essential that each person on the team understands their role, how the project should progress over time, and how their work contributes to the bigger goal. To avoid confusion and keep everyone on the same page, I believe in having regular check-ins. But, I'm cautious not to hold too many meetings. Instead, I encourage using project management tools. Transparency is vital. I always make sure the team knows where the project stands, and if we hit a roadblock, we talk about it and figure it out together quickly. In short, clear communication creates a shared understanding, keeps us aligned, and helps us move forward effectively.

Starting with ends first is crucial, we can all get dragged in daily challenges and distractions, keeping your eye on the end target is very important. This includes making sure that the whole project team sees the end as well. And at every step assess how far we are from the end target.

1) Clear Orders: The instructions (like a project plan) tell everyone what pieces they need (their tasks) and how they fit together (the overall picture). 2) Regular Check-ins: Quick chats keep everyone on track (are the towers up? is the moat filled?). No time wasted on confusion. 3) Ask & Share: If someone can't find a piece (needs help), they ask (communicate). Sharing extra pieces helps everyone build faster. 4) No Surprises: If a piece is missing (a problem arises), everyone knows ASAP (open communication). They can improvise (find another solution) to keep building.

Communiquer clairement Une communication claire est essentielle pour respecter les délais d’un projet. Assurez-vous que chaque membre de l’équipe connaît ses responsabilités, le calendrier du projet et la façon dont son travail s’inscrit dans le tableau d’ensemble. Des réunions régulières peuvent permettre à tout le monde de rester sur la même longueur d’onde, mais méfiez-vous de la surcharge de réunions, car un trop grand nombre peut être contre-productif. Utilisez des outils de gestion de projet pour faciliter la communication et fournir un lieu central pour le partage d’informations. La transparence sur l’état d’avancement du projet et les problèmes rencontrés vous aidera à résoudre les problèmes rapidement

Lots of great insights added already, so I won't reiterate those... just want to add that, from a communications perspective, just as the project planning focuses on processes and technology changes, communication and organizational change focus, ensures that the people (beyond stakeholders) who need to be part of the project outcomes are brought along. It's more than status and issues reporting... it's about preparing for adoption.

Many confuse "delegation" with bosses (re-)assigning tasks to team members. That's just top-down work planning. What I learned form a leader I respect is that delegation actually means to give up power or control over an important goal in exchange for the trust in a colleague to get the job done. How to create trust in others that is more reliable than power and control? No perfect recipe. Appreciation, empowerment, communication, active listening, objective judgement and humility play a role. Let others change your mind. Ego gets in the way. Work with good people, not just talented ones. Stand up for others. Value justice. The perfect leader delegates so much, they become redundant (and retire early).

Delegation without communication can be dangerous so ensure that there are regular opportunities to touch base and ensure that the vision for scope and schedule is on track and any blockers that might arise are promptly addressed.

Meeting project deadlines as a manager requires effective planning, delegation, communication, and monitoring. I would break down tasks, assign them to team members according to their strengths, set realistic deadlines, and regularly communicate progress. I must anticipate potential delays and have contingency plans in place. Regularly review and adjust timelines as needed.

Assess Team Skills and Strengths: Understand the strengths, skills, and capabilities of each team member. Identify areas of expertise and interest to match tasks with the right individuals.Set Clear Expectations: Clearly communicate task requirements, objectives, deadlines, and desired outcomes to team members. Ensure that everyone understands their responsibilities and the importance of their contributions to the project.Delegate Appropriately: Assign tasks that align with team members' skills and development goals. Delegate responsibilities based on individual strengths and abilities, while also providing opportunities for growth.

In my experience, if you are going to delegate then actually delegate. Give the other person/people autonomy and support them. Just because you may be the most senior/experienced does not give you the monopoly on good ideas. Be humble.

Nobody likes surprises, so monitoring, communicating, and course-correcting throughout the project timeline is critical for the project's success. I learned early in my career that equally important to delivering a high-quality result is ensuring the journey to get there has fewer bumps along the way.

I learnt a long time back that you meet or miss project deadlines one day at a time. Everday slipped is an opportunity lost. It is very important for project manager to plan and execute however at the same time it is crucial to monitor progress proactively and raise concerns early to avoid delays and issues turning into risks.

Most project teams I worked with are under immense pressure. They often just cross items off the to-do-list, unable to observe the positive growth of what they built. This tends to create additional stress, as to-do-lists merely provide a view of immediate problems ahead, not of how far the project has come. Healthy project teams are able to observe achieved progress AND the tasks ahead as a continuous timeline at any stage of the project. Doesn't matter if this is tracked by software or a good old pin board. It's important that teams keep a positive perspective on the project, a sense of purpose and movement in the right direction. Progress monitoring may seem like an additional burden for already strained teams, but it's worth it.

Focus on asking what needs to be done to complete a task and the estimated hours to complete it. Avoid questions like: are you going to be done on time? What is the percentage of progress?

Utilize Project Management Software: Implement project management software to track task completion, resource allocation, and overall project status. Tools like Asana, Trello, or Microsoft Project can provide visibility into task dependencies and project milestones.Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Define relevant KPIs to measure project performance against objectives. Monitor metrics such as task completion rate, resource utilization, and milestone achievements.Regularly Review Project Status: Conduct regular project status meetings or check-ins to review progress. Use these meetings to discuss task updates, address challenges, and identify potential risks.

It is my preference to use the five Ws and H when looking to manage risk: * WHAT could go wrong? * WHEN could these things go wrong? * WHERE could they go wrong? * WHY could they go wrong? * WHO is in charge at each stage therefore needs additional support? * HOW can the above be mitigated?

In my experience of small projects, and large scale programmes, it is important to bring clarity to risks. Doing that requires good milestone planning and articulation of deliverables. As you consider risks, especially when they are reviewed in governance and stakeholder meetings, make sure you can align the potential impact with established milestones ie if X risk happens then milestones 1, 2, and 3 will be hit. Making it real in that sense can help stakeholders engage more knowledgeably.

Project deadlines are usually missed as Project Managers tend to factor in buffers or contingencies for unexpected situations. Basic risk assessment and mitigation can help avoid setting incorrect deadlines or expectations. Stakeholder management also is important while mitigating such risks. e.g. don't set key deliverables at the time period when its a holiday season as you may not get enough time from key members to accept it. Another such example is to staff right resources on the project to mitigate the risks. For key roles, its logical to have a backup and it should be factored back in to the pricing of the project.

Every project is interconnected and integrated work of various agencies and services and meeting deadlines is an interdependent activity hence watchful approach of seeing every interconnected piece and executing designated tasks is the key to meet the deadline with consideration of risk associated at each step.

Risks, issues and dependencies are identified differently to track the important aspects of project/work in focus. Identification in advance and planning a strategy to mitigate those risks can be effective to manage the implications. Continuous risk assessment and monitoring to ensure the project is not going off-track. Removing teams obstacles and challenges by resolving the blockers and removing the impediments is scrum master's/PM/leader's responsibility. Thus risk management is needed.

This chapter is to share additional recommendations not mentioned before. I would say that it's important to identify, which activities will be executed sequentially and which of them could be executed simultaneously in the planning project process. P.E.R.T methodology could help with this, but many other tools are available, like interactive simulations with bpm tools. The idea of identifying and classifying the activities in the way mentioned before is to gain additional time available once the project is in execution and at the same time, could help to trace one or more alternative plans.

Be sure to communicate effectively and continually with all the participants in the project. As a Korean general once told me: ‘surprises are for your enemies, not for your friends and allies.’

When a project is trending Red and senior management want a clear path to green, it can be difficult as a PM to give the message of what is realistic and achievable. In my 7 years of managing global projects, these challenging situations occur because often PMs over promise and then under deliver. When faced with these scenarios as a new PM, I've always stuck with consistent messaging and very simple articulation at steercos/governance meetings.

Projects rarely succeed without effective stakeholder management. At one of my prior companies, I supported an acquisition that was completely driven by the Legal team with minimal involvement from other supporting functions. The deal was closed on time, but the challenges that arose afterward were messy and led to a substandard employee experience. Taking lessons from this acquisition, the Legal team established a cross-functional M&A team that included members from each supporting function as well as business operations. Involving a broader group early on ensured that key stakeholders were given the space to be heard and there were no surprises later on. Identify and engage all stakeholders during the planning stages of a project.