Let’s see what a project roadmap is before going into the detailed explanation.

A roadmap, also called a project roadmap, is a strategic business planning tool mostly used to outline the future vision of a system, service, or product.

This will show what changes and developments are needed to get there and will display the outputs that are expected to be delivered in a specific time period.

A project roadmap is often used in an organization that follows the Agile methodology and will help stakeholders visualize where and when planned changes are likely to occur.

Why is a roadmap important?

If you are wondering why a project roadmap is so important, we will try to explain it with an example.

Imagine working on a puzzle: We know that in some way the pieces are all part of a whole, but we are not sure where to focus on initially. All the pieces seem random at the beginning and therefore slowly, but surely, a strategy is being implemented. An attack plan to solve the puzzle.

Some could start by putting all the individual pieces of the frame in place, others could start from the center. As you get more and more pieces in their place, you start to see the full picture.

Now, let’s imagine working on the puzzle with other people: How can you be sure that all are aligned and working towards the same goal?

This is essentially why a project roadmap is important.

Unpacking the puzzle into smaller areas to focus on allows you to facilitate and speed up the process, creating a solid foundation for tracking progress as you go.

The roadmap is essentially the action strategy. By setting up a strategy, you should be able to reach the final result more quickly than with a random or unplanned actions.

How do you create a project roadmap?

Planning a roadmap is a continuous process and you have to take the time to define it and update it. The roadmap is constantly evolving as the aspect of the future vision of the project evolves. It is thanks to this evolution that we should minimize those situations of “because I didn’t know” that can do so much damage to the final result.

There are a series of steps you can follow to define a project roadmap.

Identify interested parties

Starting from scratch, identifying the main end users and stakeholders is crucial. By knowing who to contact, it is possible to research what is important for the project activity.

Establish business priorities

Some priorities will be so important and critical for the organization that their timing will already be set. For everything else, it is possible to be creative.

An idea is to organize a meeting with the stakeholders and in this session encourage people to be open and transparent, keeping everyone focused on what is best for the organization in general and not on individual departments or teams.

The aim here is to obtain general coordination on what to consider as a priority based on a descending order. By involving stakeholders in defining the project roadmap, it is possible to actively integrate them into the future vision.

View the project roadmap

The roadmaps can be represented in different dimensions and formats, covering the themes, priorities, and goals that are intended to be achieved.

As mentioned above, these plans are always subject to change, but the purpose is to make them simple enough to adjust and change over time.

The important thing is always to have a good visualization of the whole; therefore, also the imagination of the PM is important. For example, a procedure that could be useful for displaying a project roadmap, is the possibility to group the elements related to a theme in a column and to scroll the time scale in the upper part. The individual results – or mini-projects – will thus become the intermediate cells, and the visualization of the “to do” tasks will be simple.

Communication

After building a project roadmap, you can analyse it with the main stakeholders in order to get the final approval.

Also, you can make further changes based on the suggestions received. Moreover, ensuring that everyone has adhered to the process and the vision, will mean that that the PM and the team can concentrate and focus their efforts only on delivery.

Renewing the roadmap regularly or, in any case, comparing the plan with the progress of the project on a regular basis remains a necessary operation.

Project roadmap: Conclusions

To conclude, here is a schematic process that can be used to trace an efficient project roadmap:

1. Set the timeline
   a. How far do you want to arrive with the roadmap (1 month, 6 months, 1 year, etc.)?
   b. Make sure this is a significant period of time, i.e. don’t go too far in the future.
2. Establish workflows
   a. Where are the areas of focus: On resources or budget? Knowing this helps to communicate to interested parties where the activity is concentrated.
3. Process high-level activities within each workflow
   a. Keep the level of detail low. For example: if the entire time sequence lasts 12 months, do not include activities lasting less than 1 month
   b. Maintain a realistic image, this means: Do not overload any workflow.
4. If high-risk areas are present, add labels, such as:
   a. Resource / constraint / risk issues
   b. Financial issues / constraints / risks
5. Enter key milestones
   a. In a timeline at the top of the roadmap, add indicators for important dates
   b. Keep these dates realistic
   c. Leave some contingency
   d. If a date or milestone is indicative, it is necessary to indicate it
6. Clearly highlight the status of the document
   a. If it is “draft”, it must be clearly labelled at the top of the document
   b. Give a version number

This, of course, is just one of the possible examples in order to develop a project roadmap.

The process can vary depending on the size of the organization, depending on the priorities, and even according to the responsibilities within the company.

The project killers are always around the corner.

What we can do as a project manager is to understand when we are not working in the most effective way on a project with our team.

Between rapidly evolving technology and intense programs, it is easy to use outdated or incorrect practices that kill the efficiency of the team and, consequently, the project in general.

Here is a list of the 6 main reasons for the failure of a project and some suggestions on how to overcome them.

Project Killer n°1: Unrealistic deadlines

Nobody can argue on this: Deadlines are important. However, the most important part of the deadlines is to respect them by keeping your feet firmly on the ground.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

• Find out how many people will work on a project: This information will help provide a more realistic estimate of time.
• Ensure that team members know exactly who will work on which project task and for how long. In this way, the time spent on personal vacations, illnesses, and other possible interference will not ruin the program.

It is important to find a good estimate of how long the project should last in hours, or at least in days or months. Once this estimate is obtained, a so called emergency time must be added.

If it is a project that has already been implemented several times, 5% more of the time may be sufficient.

If it is a new project, it may be necessary to add up to 50% of the initial estimate, depending on the type of project and sector.

Unexpected surprises always happen, so it is important to always have some extra time in case of sudden problems.

Moreover, unrealistic deadlines often involve too long time frames.

If you have a distant deadline, you might run into the mistake of postponing too long.

A key tip here is:

When the timeline of a project is underestimated, the result is much more serious than a simple deadline missed in the calendar.

An example? Workers must be paid for longer working hours and the budget will go beyond what was initially planned.

Project Killer n°2: Scope Creep

Almost 75% of project managers think their project is doomed from the start. Why? The main reason is the too frequent change in the scope and requirements of the project.

How can you expect the team members to carry out the activities when the project scope and the results are not clear?

In the absence of a document that formalizes the scope of the project, it is not possible to assign activities, let alone monitor the performance of one’s team, because, first of all, the scope of the project is not clear.

Having this detailed document that highlights all the requirements of the stakeholders, is indispensable for the success of a project, as it allows the team members to understand what they have to do and establish a clear direction to follow and a goal to reach.

The scope is simply the overview of what a project will provide.

Project Killer n°3: Wrong information

If you do not know an answer, you should definitely not give – to a superior, customer, or anyone else – information that may be incorrect.

If the project manager is not sure of the timing of a project, before giving a response, he should consult with the team that will be responsible for carrying out the activities.

It is better to say “I don’t know” or “I need more information” rather than providing information that has a high probability of being wrong.

In this case, selecting the right project manager and forming a competent team is essential for the success of the project.

Project Killer n°4: Bad monitoring and risk management

In today’s world, change is happening faster than ever.

So, everybody should expect possible changes in the requirements or the presence of contingencies, problems, and risks during the life cycle of a project.

However, uncontrolled changes and ignoring such problems cause chaos and, consequently, even project failure.

Most project managers know that risk management is an important part of project management.

Projects where little or no emphasis is placed on risk management, fail to achieve their goals and go well beyond the planned deadline or budget.

Project Killer n°5: Communication issues

Everyone knows how vital it is to proactively share information and knowledge during a project. And still, poor communication continues to cause project teams to stumble sometimes.

If the project manager and his team do not work on improving communication skills, disasters can be just around the corner.

It is therefore essential to prevent communication errors from occurring.

We know that not only during a project, but also in personal life, the lack of communication can cause very important problems.

And speaking of project management, communication must not only be effective and efficient between team members, but also between the team and the project manager, with customers, with suppliers, with top management, and with all the other teams that could be involved in the project.

Project Killer n°6: Unsuitable, new, or unfamiliar tools

We are trying to understand the common mistakes that can undermine the success of a project in order to do everything possible to anticipate the damage.

An inevitable damage can also derive from the use of inadequate or unfamiliar tools by the team.

Inadequate project management softwares can certainly be one of the most terrible killers of a project. We have tried to give you advice on how to choose a project management software in this article.

Having the right project management software that works and is used correctly by the team will surely make a difference.

A good project management tool is essential for the success of any project. Whether it is a CRM system or a detailed order tracking system, these tools are a fundamental component for the success of any project.

However, a common mistake that many project managers often make is to let the team use a new or unknown tool, and without adequate training.

This can lead to serious problems during the project life cycle, as the team has to fulfil its duties for the project and at the same time learn how to use the new tool as quickly as possible.

This can easily lead to delays or problems, if the tool is too new and unfamiliar for the team.

The rule, therefore, is to allow the team to use the existing tools for any new or current project and to ensure that the adoption of a new project management tool is accompanied by adequate training and in reasonable time.

In conclusion, the first step to avoid the main reasons that can lead to project failure is to know them and to know the possible solutions to apply.

It is important to engage personally every day, whether you are a project manager or a team member, in order to avoid the mistakes we have been talking about in this article.

When it comes to artificial intelligence (AI), it is not possible today to pretend nothing has happened. We cannot ignore how this technology will play a decisive role also in project management in the coming years.

For project managers, it is normal to manage, on certain occasions, not only different teams, but also different projects simultaneously. It is therefore obvious that, for the PM, finding a way to make the process easier and more efficient is a primary goal.

By creating a smoother process, project managers are able to get more reliable results and can help guide team members more effectively.

Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more important in the tools used by these professionals. Therefore, the technology is increasing both in the project management as well as in the planning and analysis phases.

Artificial intelligence must therefore not be feared, but welcomed in a positive way as a new step towards efficiency in project management.

Let’s see what this means in practice.

What is artificial intelligence in project management?

The AI will not only automate simple tasks, but will also develop an understanding of the key performance of the project.

Artificial intelligence in project management can then use this understanding to discover insights, perform more complex tasks, make recommendations, and make decisions, sometimes in very different ways than people would do.

Last but not least, an artificial intelligence system will save time while improving project and team results.

Three ways in which artificial intelligence can improve project management

Artificial intelligence in project management offers a level of service that exceeds that of the robots available today. For example, a bot that allows you to quickly check the status of an activity, although useful, is not exactly artificial intelligence.

In a similar way, an algorithm that applies machine learning to predict asset estimates, is interesting, but even this is not artificial intelligence.

It is only when you begin to unify robots and algorithms that you begin to realize the potential of artificial intelligence in project management.

There are at least 3 ways in which artificial intelligence can improve project management in the near future:

 Reduce the failure rate of projects thanks to predictive analysis

Throughout its life cycle, each project encounters a series of risks and uncertainties that can cause its failure.

The team must assess and respond regularly to all the risks they identify based on their experience, knowledge, and available tools.

Risk assessment can turn into a disaster if the project manager, together with the team, is not able to register new, potential, or intrinsic risks in time, especially in the case of large projects.

And if in these cases, was it possible to use an intelligent machine that can analyse historical data and send requests in order to develop a more in-depth risk classification system?

Machine learning allows computers to use design data and sophisticated algorithms to predict results and identify threats and vulnerabilities that affect the project.

Artificial intelligence can therefore help reduce the project’s failure rate.

More accurate project planning thanks to the AI

In general, the planning of the project concerns the creation of a detailed forecast on how to best use the resources available in terms of project goals.

As a project manager, it is necessary to re-evaluate durations, costs, and progress many times during a project. This is to ensure that the same project is executed as planned and to understand which actions can be taken in order to keep the project on track.

Of course, estimates made quickly or using unsuitable and conservative methods can lead to completely wrong values ​​and, consequently, to the failure of the project.

This is why project planning can be optimized with artificial intelligence.

A system based on artificial intelligence could analyse historical data, productivity rates, time estimates, working hours, etc … All this, so that it is possible to develop an optimized model of the project management process by automating repetitive tasks.

Machine learning could allow intelligent automation of processes in which computers perform routine tasks and humans would then be directed to perform the most critical and strategic tasks.

The contribution of project managers will have a higher value thanks to artificial intelligence

The work of a project manager, thanks to artificial intelligence, will see important changes.

As mentioned above, thanks to AI, it will be possible to automate repetitive tasks and routines and project managers will be able to devote more time to strategic and tactical thinking and judgment.

A project manager will focus on more value-added activities thanks to the possibility of delegating to intelligent machines.

For example, the assignment and planning of jobs will be managed by computers that will use data mining and predictive analysis to design precise timelines and assign jobs to the appropriate team members.

As artificial intelligence becomes more effective, project managers will rely on the decisions of the machines that will advise future trends, automate time scheduling, and respond to requests coming from superiors and staff.

Artificial intelligence in project management: Conclusions

In conclusion, artificial intelligence in project management will therefore have a huge impact on team performance and project results.

The teams that will use this new technology will move very quickly compared to those that will not. And it is something to be excited about.

About a decade ago, most of us were sceptical about using artificial intelligence almost everywhere, both in business and in everyday life.

We thought that AI could only be used for repetitive tasks, and programs were created to perform simple and routine tasks.

But with big data, growing processing power and advanced algorithms, we now know that artificial intelligence systems can be designed to perform even complex tasks and that artificial intelligence has the ability to come to think and act (almost) like a human.

What are the most important skills and abilities for a project manager to be successful?

Being good at telling others what to do is not enough and not exactly right for a successful project manager. Instead, lead and inspire the team, this is another story.

A project manager is responsible for managing the work through the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet the requirements of the project.

Knowing the theory of project management, but not having the right skills and abilities, is useless.

Similarly, having the right tools and techniques, but without the ability to use them properly is insignificant.

So let’s see together in this article what are the most important skills and qualities for a project manager.

Inspire a shared vision

A successful project manager is often described as a person who owns and inspires the group a shared vision of where to go and has the ability to articulate it.

Visionaries thrive in change and are able to draw new boundaries.

Once it was said that …

Visionary leaders let people feel that they have a real interest in the project and allow people to experience this vision, create it, and explore it.

Good communicatio

The ability to communicate with people at all levels has always been considered a fundamental skill in project managers.

The leadership of the project requires clear communication on goals, responsibilities, performance, expectations, and feedback.

The project manager is also the team’s connection with the organization and therefore must have the ability to negotiate and effectively use persuasion, when necessary, to ensure the success of the team and the project.

Through effective communication, project leaders support individual and group results by creating explicit guidelines for achieving results and advancing team members’ careers.

Integrity

One of the most important things a project manager has to remember is that his actions, not his words, determine the modus operandi for the team.

Good leadership requires commitment and demonstration of ethical practices.

Creating standards of ethical behaviour for themselves and following them, in addition to rewarding those who exemplify them, are the responsibilities of project managers.

Leadership motivated by personal interest does not serve the general well-being of the team.

Integrity-based leadership represents nothing less than a set of values shared by others, behaviour that is consistent with values and dedication to honesty with oneself and with team members.

Enthusiasm

In a very clear and simple way, negative project managers break down and discourage the team.

People always tend to follow positive people with a so-called “can-do” attitude, not those that always give reasons why something cannot be done.

Enthusiastic project managers are committed to their goals and express this commitment through optimism.

Leadership emerges when someone expresses a commitment in such a manner that others want to share his optimistic expectations.

Enthusiasm is contagious and successful project managers know this well.

Empathy

Empathy presupposes the existence of the other as a separate individual with his own feelings, ideas, and emotional histories.

Understanding and caring for people, as well as being grateful for their help, are some of the qualities that a successful project manager shows to his team members.

For example:

Competence

Of course, to believe in another person – especially in work – we need to make sure that person knows what he is doing.

Leadership competence does not necessarily refer only to the technical skills of the project manager, but also to the ability to successfully lead the team.

The ability to challenge, inspire, enable, shape, and encourage must be demonstrated if a project manager wants to be seen as capable, competent, and successful.

Ability to delegate tasks

Trust is an essential element in the relationship between a project manager and his team.

And this trust in others must be shown through the actions of the project manager, like for example: How much he controls the work of the team members, how much he delegates, how much he allows people to participate in the project.

Individuals who are unable to trust other people often fail as project managers and find themselves doing all the work on their own to the detriment of the project’s success.

Ability to manage stress and work under pressure

In a perfect world, projects would be delivered on time, within budget, and without major issues or obstacles to overcome.

But we know, we don’t live in a perfect world: Projects always have problems, more or less serious depending on the situation.

A successful project manager will then react to these problems calmly and will not panic.

When leaders encounter a stressful event, they consider it interesting, they feel they can influence the result and see it as an opportunity and not as something purely negative.

From the uncertainty and chaos of change, successful project managers articulate a new picture of the future that still leads the project towards a positive ending.

Team building skills

A project manager is a strong person who provides the substance that keeps the team together in a common purpose towards the final goal.

In order for a team to move from a group of strangers to a single cohesive unit, the project manager must understand the process and the dynamics required for this transformation.

He must also know the appropriate leadership style to use during each phase of team development.

Last but not least, the successful project manager must also understand the different styles and characters of the team members and be able to take advantage of everyone at the right time.

Ability to solve problems

Although it is said that an effective project manager shares responsibility for solving problems with the team, it is still expected that the project leader has excellent problem-solving skills.

In conclusion, creating realistic project plans, budgets, estimate times and efforts, etc. are certainly skills that a successful project manager must possess.

But keeping the work organized and the team informed and happy is fundamental and these skills are what a project manager needs to succeed in his work.

Complex projects represent a great undertaking for a Project Manager.

It means coping with a variety of tasks, having different people to manage and with which to communicate and having multiple goals to achieve.

How can a project manager reach the goal with so many factors in the game? Let’s seeit in this article.

What makes a project complex?

It is important to understand that there is a difference between a complex project and a difficult project.

A complex project is not necessarily difficult. Conversely, projects can be difficult due to cost or performance, but this does not automatically mean that they are complex.

Complexity refers to projects that include ambiguity or uncertainty and are therefore surrounded by unpredictability.

There are a variety of factors that cause the complexity of the project, for example:

• Technology: The technical content of a project can cause complexity. This could depend on the technology used or the development of the software.
• Cost and budget: The project may have to face problems such as not attracting enough capital to achieve the goals or have problems in directing the funds towards the right aspects of the project.
• Program: Complexity can come from the time of the project.
• Very different political stakeholders: Projects can bring together different stakeholders, which can be a problem, especially if politics is involved. Different political interests can increase complexity, since the project must handle different requirements and expectations.
• Legal: Even legal issues related to a project can increase complexity. Sometimes the legal complexity can be linked to the political one.
• Social: This may be due to the fact that the members of the group come from different social contexts or it can be the case when the project works within a specific social context.

It is therefore necessary, first and foremost, to identify why a given project can be considered complex and then proceed to address it.

The essential skills needed to manage complex projects

 The management of a complex project requires different capacities, including:

• Adaptability
• Cooperation
• Communication
• Competence
• Leadership

A project is constantly evolving and project managers must evolve with it. It is not always possible to think that there are “white or black” solutions.

The time will come when the project manager will be forced to adapt his management style based on the change in the situation.

The communication is probably the most important project management skill. It is essential that PMs effectively convey and manage vision, ideas, goals, and problems.

Moreover, project managers must also produce and display reports, also using disruptive technologies and presentations that are informative and clear.

Communication is closely linked to collaboration. A project manager must be willing to collaborate with the project team. Working with others in order to achieve goals is important for any type of project, especially if it is complex.

Competence and Leadership to manage complex projects

Finally, competence and leadership go hand in hand. Leadership consists of guiding, directing, and motivating the team to do its best and make the members understand how their tasks contribute to the overall vision. Leadership develops with experience, through practical and real work.

Having these essential skills is the key to identifying what makes a project complex and managing it.

So let’s see in practice how to manage a complex project.

Manage complex projects: Document regularly

Project can be divided into perfectly manageable mini-projects, but without clear documentation on the single tasks and how they relate to the whole, the project remains unclear.

Clear and up-to-date documentation is the answer to this problem.

This allows the project manager to define everyone’s roles and their results and ensures that the overview is clear to all team members.

The project manager has the task of documenting everything and regularly sending the project status to the team and to the stakeholders – as agreed.

Managing complex projects: Continuously clarify goals

If you do not understand the “why” behind the project, it is very difficult to succeed.

When a project manager delegates without clearly defined goals, the team will fail. It is therefore important that team members understand their role and the tasks that they have to perform.

Clarifying the goals regularly also ensures that the project remains aligned with the initial plan.

Managing complex projects: Make everything more visible

 During a complex project, the team is often confused by the details and it becomes problematic to continue when it is saturated by too much information.

To create greater visibility within a project, a good practice is to adopt a project management tool that works for the project manager, the team, and the stakeholders.

This tool will allow all project users to stay informed and clearly see the status of the project and what is happening, using this tool as a unique source of information.

Managing complex projects: Be flexible

A constant in complex projects is the continous changing and for this, a project manager must be able to adapt and be flexible.

It is therefore important to ensure that processes are set up in such a manner to allow the team to remain agile and respond to changing requests.

The project manager adds value by making things more efficient and effective and / or reducing risks, precisely thanks to his ability to adapt.