Chapter 5

Project Implementation
-After a team has decided on the scope, budget and
timeline for a project,
-it is time to put that plan into action
-Implementation is the process of transformation of
idea into action
-Approximately 75 to 85% of the project work is
done in the implementation phase
-Project implementation involves directly managing a
project to ensure
-it meets the objectives outlined in the planning phase
-Project managers must implement a project
effectively so that
-the team can produce the deliverables required to
satisfy the clients or key stakeholders of the project
 5.1 What is Project implementation
-Project implementation is
-the process of putting a project plan into action to
produce the deliverables (products or services)
for clients or stakeholders
-Project implementation is
-the final stage of a project lifecycle (after
initiation and planning), where you put
everything you’ve planned and built into action
-Project implementation means
-to carry out activities proposed in the application
form with the aim to achieve project objectives
and deliver results and outputs
-Implementation takes place
-after the planning phase
-Implementation includes
-Coordinating resources
-Measuring performance to ensure the project
remains within its expected scope and budget
-Project implementation success depends on
-many internal and external factors
-Some of the most important ones are
-A very well organised project team
-Effective monitoring of project progress
(Operational)
-Related expenditures
-To implement a project effectively, project
managers must
-Consistently communicate with a team to set
and adjust priorities as needed
-Maintaining transparency about the project’s
status with the clients or any key stakeholders
-Delegate work effectively
-Manage time
-Monitor progress
-Monitor budget
 Objectives of project implementation is
-To ensure it meets the objectives outlined in the
planning phase
-To produce the deliverables required to satisfy the

clients or key stakeholders of the project

-To determine how effectively the project was run
-To define how exactly all tasks and the entire
project will be executed
Why is project implementation important? (6)
-It helps a team to achieve the project objectives
while staying within budget and meeting relevant
deadlines
-It bridges the planning process and the project
outcomes
-It determines the success of a project
-It allows project managers to take control of a
project
-It empowers the team to reach common goals
-It builds trust and transparency among those
directly involved with the project
 How to implement a project
-Here are list of steps for implementing a project
successfully
Prepare implementation plan
Execute the plan
Make changes as needed (time, cost, scope)
Analyze project data
Gather feedback
Provide final reports
 What is an implementation plan?
-An implementation plan is
-a document that describes the necessary steps for
the execution of a project
-Implementation plan
-break down the project implementation process
by defining the timeline, the teams and the
resources that’ll be needed
-Having implementation plan document enables team
members and key stakeholders
-to understand all aspects of a project before
executing it (time, cost, scope)
-Implementation plan simplifies communication
-An implementation plan provides clarity
Six key steps in project implementation are

-Communicate Goals and Objectives

-Define team roles and responsibilities
-Establish the success criteria for deliverables
-Schedule work on a project timeline
-Monitor cost, time and performance
-Report to project stakeholders
Ten key components of an implementation plan
are
Project goals and objectives
Success criteria
Project deliverables
Scope statement
Resource plan
Risk analysis
Implementation timeline
Implementation plan milestones
Team roles and responsibilities
Implementation plan metrics (ways of
 Benefits of an Implementation Plan
The implementation plan plays a large role in the
success of your overall strategic plan
-Injects clarity in the process
-Keeps your team members on the same page
-Improves collaboration and communication
 Stages of Implementation
There are four interrelated stages of implementation
(a) Exploration stage
(b) Installation stage
(c) Initial implementation stage
(d) Full implementation stage
-Leading successful project implementation
-requires understanding of all the four project
implementation stages
 (a) Exploration stage
-At the exploration stage
-Teams identify needs and options
-Make decisions about whether or not to move
forward with a particular practice
-Check availability of resources to support the
practice
-Check the capacity of the team to use the
practice as designed
 (b) Installation Stage
The installation stage involves
-Creating the infrastructure
-Putting necessary organizational supports
into place for implementing a particular
practice
-Acquiring resources needed to implement the
selected practice
-Providing initial training for staff
-Developing assessment tools
 (c)Initial Implementation
-At the initial implementation stage, team members
are beginning
-to use agreed-on strategies or actions
-Initial implementation stage is "the most fragile
stage," where the carefulness required for using
new practices
-It's critical at this stage for the full and effective
use of new practices
-to be supported and accomplishments celebrated
-Experts advises teams to
"get started, then get better"
 (d) Full implementation
-When the "new" practice becomes the
-Standard practice or
-the way business is routinely done
-We can say the teams have achieved full
implementation status
-Full implementation is reached
-When at least 50% of the team follows the
practice exactly as intended, producing the
intended results
- There is something that is difficult to complete
without the necessary support
 5.3 Project implementation techniques
-There are different project implementation
methodologies that are used to guide successful
execution
Here are a few:
i) Scrum methodology
ii) Agile project implementation methodology
iii) Kanban methodology
iv) DevOps methodology
i) Scrum methodology
The scrum methodology focuses on
-Producing project deliverables fast
-In Scrum methodology, team members focus on
-high-value tasks on daily work “sprints” and
relay their progress in daily check-ins
ii) Agile project implementation methodology
-With the agile technique, project leaders prepare their

teams to adapt to project changes or developments

-They don’t rely on rigid strategies and procedures
-Instead, they alter the plan as necessary (quick to adapt)
iii) Kanban methodology
-The Kanban style of project management includes
-the use of a detailed visual that maps out the
entire project and all of its stages
-Like the agile method, teams that use Kanban are
quick to adapt
-With each change that arises, they re-map out the
project until it is over
iv) DevOps methodology
-DevOps has become the standard for software
development teams
-In this method, developers perform feedback, quality
assurance, and security checks
- But, project implementation has a lot of bottlenecks
-Problems that come up during the project are
called bottlenecks
-Two kinds of bottlenecks in project implementation
-They delay the implementation – such as
-the introduction of new constraints
-the loss of a needed resource
Project implementation bottlenecks are
i) Short-term bottlenecks
ii) Long-term bottlenecks
 i) Short-term bottlenecks
-These could be
-a technical problem
-a supply chain accident
-short-staff or the absence of a key project
stakeholder
-Oftentimes, short-term bottlenecks are
-a surprise but get fixed as planning improves
-Some quick ways to improve your processes are
-Eliminating non-essential steps
-Using automation platforms to take over time-
consuming manual work
-Establishing better communication to avoid
 ii)Long-term bottlenecks
Long-term bottlenecks are more dangerous because
they are more difficult to clear
-Capacity is the most common long-term bottleneck
-When employees working on projects have a lot of
other tasks to manage
-they have less time to focus on project-related
tasks
-Companies that want to launch more features
but don’t add programmers will face a
bottleneck once employees meet capacity
-Unresolved bottlenecks have the potential to spoil
your entire project
-The key to avoiding them is to recognizing them
 4.3 Success in project implementation
Successful projects are those that
1) Meet business requirements
2) Are delivered and maintained on schedule
3) Are delivered and maintained within budget
4) Deliver the expected business value and
return on investment
Four tips for a successful implementation process
-What can you do to ensure your project implementation
will succeed? Consider these four tips
-Create a project implementation plan
-Establish a solid project team
-Use a project management platform (system)
-Be flexible, listen and turn feedback into action
Factors that are crucial to the success of any project
include
-Clear and clearly articulated goals
-Experienced staff
-Comprehensive, long-term, and detailed planning

-Early definition of deliverable quality criteria

-Realistic estimates and schedules
-Strong control over project scope changes
-Early risk analysis and ongoing risk management
-Stakeholder involvement throughout the life cycle
-Defined and consistently executed change
management
Factors that often contribute to the failure of a project
include
-Lack of stakeholder/user input
-Incomplete and/or vaguely defined requirements or
specifications
-Changing requirements or specifications
-Lack of executive support
-Insufficient planning
-Underestimated time and/or resources allocated for
design, development, quality assurance, and/or quality
control
-Technological incompetence
-Insufficient resources
-Unrealistic expectations
-Unclear objectives
-Unrealistic timeframes
 5.4. Problems (gap) in project
implementation
-What is an implementation gap and how can we
avoid it?
-An implementation gap is
-a disconnect between what a project is supposed
to achieve and its actual results
-A typical problem are
-a miscommunication between the project’s
planners and implementers
-Poor alignment or consensus among leadership
on the strategy
How can we avoid project implementation gap
-Ensure all the key stakeholders agree on the
project’s strategy and main objectives during
planning
-Create an infrastructure and schedule to report
on progress, use of budget, and milestones so
there are no surprises at the end
-Open direct feedback loops
-This enables employees
-to ask questions
-Express concerns
-Receive support to meet their duties