| There are many reasons that corporate executives | | | | management consulting firm can provide the required |
| turn to external consultants to provide project | | | | expertise necessary to drive the project to a |
| management support for their projects. The | | | | successful outcome. |
| challenges that organizations face include: sub-par | | | | ESTABLISHING A PROACTIVE APPROACH |
| project performance, the potential for lost credibility, | | | | Many projects, by default are managed using a |
| lack of experience with a particular project type, and | | | | reactive approach to problem solving. This style of |
| a lack of internal project management practitioners. | | | | project management creates an environment where |
| Project management consulting firms can supply | | | | “fire fighting” is the norm and the latest |
| experienced practitioners that offer high-quality | | | | project emergency demands the attention. A |
| solutions to the complex issues facing project | | | | proactive project management approach enables |
| teams. | | | | project teams to identify obstacles earlier in the |
| The following are six ways that project management | | | | project, which allows them to make better decisions |
| consulting firms are making a difference with leading | | | | and provide more cost effective solutions. By |
| organizations. | | | | implementing the right mix of training, consulting and |
| | | | advanced tools, a project management consulting |
| ADDRESSING PROJECT-RELATED ISSUESOften | | | | firm can establish an early warning system that |
| times it is the highly visible, at-risk project that drives | | | | provides management a forward-looking tool to |
| management to recognize that a better project | | | | ensure their project will be executed as-agreed. |
| management approach is required. Frequently, | | | | |
| project management consultants are brought in to | | | | OFFERING SHORT-TERM SUPPORT SOLUTIONSThe |
| address various project-related issues including: poor | | | | lack of qualified personnel to support a congested |
| on-time performance (key dates being missed), | | | | project pipeline is an ongoing concern to many |
| unsatisfactory financial results (unnecessary | | | | organizations. Hiring and training full-time resources |
| expenditures to meet deadlines), dysfunctional team | | | | and mentoring them in the intricacies of an advanced |
| dynamics (poor communication, team in-fighting, and | | | | project management approach can require more time |
| misdirection), and complicated team composition | | | | than organizations have available. Project |
| (multi-locational, language barriers, external | | | | management consulting firms can fill the gap between |
| partnerships, etc). | | | | the immediate need project management support |
| By providing the right combination of methodology, | | | | and the organization’s current capabilities. |
| training, resources and technology, project | | | | PROJECT ASSURANCESome projects are so critically |
| management consulting firms can help executives | | | | important to the success of an organization that |
| determine how to most effectively focus the | | | | failure is simply not an option. In some cases, a past |
| resources they have available. They can also help | | | | project may have been so poorly executed that |
| preserve the integrity of project deliverables by | | | | management wants assurance that future projects |
| ensuring that issues are identified in a timely manner | | | | will be more successful. A project management |
| and key dates are being consistently met. These | | | | consulting firm can assist in this scenario by helping to |
| tools and support solutions help improve overall | | | | deploy advanced risk mitigation tools and providing |
| project metrics, while enabling project teams to work | | | | expert scrutiny of existing project schedules. |
| more effectively and efficiently in high-stress | | | | CONCLUSIONProject management consulting firms |
| environments. | | | | can bring a combination of experience, knowledge |
| | | | and advanced tools that are not readily available in |
| PROVIDING ADVANCED PROJECT ANALYSIS TO | | | | most organizations. By combining those capabilities |
| UPPER MANAGEMENTIn many cases, upper | | | | with an understanding of best-in-class project |
| management has difficulty evaluating project | | | | management practices it is easy to see how the |
| performance and making the best decisions because | | | | benefits realized from using a project management |
| they lack visibility to key project information. A | | | | consulting firm can far outweigh the out-of-pocket |
| project management consulting firm can provide the | | | | investment. |
| necessary reports and analysis to equip managers | | | | About Thomas P. Stevens, PMP and PMAlliance, Inc. |
| with key information on upcoming obstacles, possible | | | | – Thomas P. Stevens, PMP is the President and |
| project pitfalls, and potential resource constraints. | | | | founder of PMAlliance, Inc. and holds a master’s |
| When this type of information is incorporated as part | | | | degree in Business with a focus on Decision Science |
| of a more encompassing project management | | | | and is a registered PMP (Project Management |
| approach, the consultant can convert standard | | | | Professional). PMAlliance is an international project |
| project data from a reactive snapshot of historical | | | | management consulting firm that helps Fortune 1000 |
| information into a predictive project analysis tool. | | | | companies improve the execution of their |
| FILLING AN EXPERTISE GAP | | | | mission-critical projects. For the second consecutive |
| Projects are sometimes launched without regard for | | | | year, Inc. magazine has ranked PMAlliance Inc. among |
| the expertise and experience of the project teams | | | | the fastest growing Project Management Consulting |
| working on them. Also, a project’s complexity, | | | | companies in the United States. Through its |
| magnitude, and uniqueness may be a significant | | | | Duration-Driven® methodology, PMAlliance enables |
| concern even for the most experienced teams. | | | | its clients to successfully complete their most |
| Finally, the project management proficiency required | | | | important projects—on time, within budget and to |
| to lead major a project initiative may be unavailable | | | | the intended level of quality. |
| or in short supply. In these instances, a project | | | | |