Your team is divided on project scope. How do you ensure everyone is on the same page?

Open Discussion with team members and understand what is already understood clearly. Segregate the understanding in clear takeaways (statistical and non-statistical points). Engage with team after, Making a summary of the scope document including :- OBJECTIVE STATEMENT 1) The summary shall clearly state the points in terms of Objective statements ( may or may not be statistical, but shall mention the end goal) EXECUTIVE , FINANCIAL, TECHNICAL MILESTONES 2) Clear Milestones shall be defined for each team & furthermore for each member by the respective team leads. CROSS FUNCTIONAL AREAS ( HAND-SHAKE) 3) Cross functional areas, where in hand-shake between different teams is required must be defined clearly with Accountability (RACI).

To ensure everyone is on the same page, I clarify the vision by reaffirming the project's objectives, success criteria, and key deliverables. I facilitate a collaborative discussion to address any misalignments, ensuring all team members understand how their tasks contribute to the project's overall goals. This shared understanding enables us to move forward with a unified purpose and clear direction.

Project Goals: Reiterate the overall project goals and objectives to provide a clear direction. Scope Definition: Clearly define what is included in the project scope and what is not. Visual Aids: Use visual aids like diagrams or roadmaps to help illustrate the project vision and scope.

When my team is divided on project scope, I facilitate open discussions to surface differing perspectives. I clarify the project’s goals and ensure everyone understands how the scope aligns with our strategic objectives. Using data and facts supports informed decisions. We collaboratively create a detailed project scope document, specifying deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities. I seek consensus through mediation and strive to find common ground. Regular check-ins are scheduled to review scope and progress, addressing any new concerns promptly. This approach ensures everyone is on the same page and committed to the project’s success.

By clarifying your program vision, purpose, outcomes, and boundaries, you can avoid confusion, conflict, and frustration along the way.

Open Forums: Hold meetings where team members can voice their concerns and ideas. Encourage Input: Ensure everyone feels heard by encouraging input from all team members. Acknowledge Concerns: Address and acknowledge the concerns and suggestions of the team to show that their opinions are valued.

Create a ISSUE, DEPENDENCY & RISK REGISTER. Where every team member is empowered to highlight any concern. Every Item in the register must have a PIC ( person In charge) with proper RAG ( red Amber Green) color coding based on the Impact assessment for the same.

Active listening can help you define and clarify the program scope, by ensuring that you capture the requirements, goals, and constraints of the program accurately and completely.

Engage in active listening to understand each team member's perspective on the project scope. Create an open forum where team members feel comfortable expressing their views and concerns. This helps identify the root causes of division and demonstrates that all opinions are valued.

Encourage open dialogue where team members can express their concerns and ideas. Active listening fosters trust and ensures everyone feels heard, which is essential for collaboration.

A charter or scope document creation should not be a rushed activity. Spend adequate time creating, reviewing, and getting approvals on it. It should ideally cover - 1. Clear project objective and scope. 2. Teams impacted. 3. Roles and responsibilities aka RACI. 4. Out of scope items. 5. Version control sections for any changes. 6. High-level MVP breakdown.

Common Goals: Align individual and team objectives with the overall project goals. Shared Understanding: Ensure everyone understands how their roles and tasks contribute to the project’s success. Collaborative Goals: Create goals collaboratively to foster a sense of ownership and commitment.

This is a very Critical area, cant explain in 750 words. But, summarizing, i can say, we must try to create the synergy. I personally had crated a Synergy Program known as SCORECARD. If anyone needs support, can reach out to me. Or i can share the link.

Achieving alignment of individual objectives with the overall project goals ensures that everyone involved in the project works towards the same end result, reducing conflicts and improving efficiency

Work collaboratively to align individual and departmental objectives with the overall project goals. Facilitate workshops or meetings where team members can discuss and reconcile differences. Establish common ground and ensure that everyone agrees on the key deliverables and milestones.

Scope Document: Create a comprehensive scope document that outlines the agreed-upon scope, objectives, deliverables, and exclusions. Version Control: Implement version control for all project documentation to track changes and updates. Accessibility: Make sure all team members have access to the latest documents and updates.

Scope Change & Objectives CHange are 2 different aspects. Scope/Objectives change shall be taken up by contract managers first, in case of any major change. For Commercial aspect of it, we must calculate the impact assessment in $. A CR ( Change Register ) mechanism ( register + cross functional meeting ) with Contract manager, Finance team, Engineering team, has to be defined to keep a track of all the customer or internal change requests, even if the impact is almost 0$. After approval from all cross functional stakeholders, the changes must be placed in affect & synchronized with the working Team members. NO CHANGES must be communicated without CR approvals, as this can confuse the team.

A program change can be positive or negative, depending on how it affects the program objectives and outcomes. Program changes can be identified and documented through various sources and methods, such as program monitoring and reporting, program reviews and audits, program stakeholder engagement, and a program change request form. Regularly review the program performance indicators to identify any variances, issues, risks, or opportunities that may require a program change.

Keep a detailed record of all agreed-upon changes and decisions regarding the project scope. Documenting these changes ensures transparency and provides a reference point for future discussions. Distribute these documents to all team members to ensure everyone is informed and on the same page.

Keep a clear record of any decisions or changes to the project scope. Documentation serves as a reference point for the team and helps maintain consistency.

A Communication Cadence has to be developed among the teams. ( frequency can be recurring, Weekly, fortnightly, monthly etc.) for on field workforce, Depending on the project & milestones priority, you can have daily Huddle ( if in office) or daily online catch up call ( Short Call of 15 min max) to discuss any concerns/points from the team. This call shall be for the team and not for managers. - As a PM, you should take down the points of team members, Try to address them and get back to them one to one. - let team members engage with each other in a respectful manner - timelines must be highlighted in start of every meeting.

Status Updates: Provide regular updates on the project status, including any changes to the scope. Transparent Communication: Maintain transparent communication to prevent misunderstandings. Feedback Loop: Establish a feedback loop where team members can ask questions and provide feedback on the project scope.

Communication is not a one-way process, but a two-way interaction that requires feedback and adaptation. As your program progresses, it's important to measure the effectiveness and impact of your communication, such as the response rate, satisfaction level, and engagement level.

Maintain open lines of communication throughout the project lifecycle. Schedule regular updates and check-ins to discuss progress, address any emerging issues, and reiterate the project's scope. Use multiple channels (emails, meetings, project management tools) to ensure consistent messaging.

Establish regular check-ins to update the team on progress and any changes. Consistent communication helps keep everyone informed and engaged throughout the project.

Mediation: Act as a mediator to resolve conflicts and find common ground. Consensus Building: Use techniques like brainstorming sessions, workshops, or focus groups to build consensus. Decision-Making Framework: Establish a decision-making framework to guide discussions and resolutions.

Act as a mediator to help facilitate consensus among team members. Use conflict resolution techniques to address disagreements and find mutually acceptable solutions. Encourage a collaborative approach where team members work together to refine the project scope.

Use collaborative techniques to guide discussions toward consensus. This could include brainstorming sessions or decision-making frameworks to ensure all voices are considered.

Stakeholder Involvement: Involve key stakeholders in scope discussions to ensure alignment and buy-in. Scope Management Plan: Develop a scope management plan that outlines how scope changes will be handled. Training and Workshops: Conduct training sessions or workshops to help the team understand the importance of scope management and how to navigate it.

Ensuring alignment on project scope is crucial for success. Here are key strategies to keep your team on the same page: Kickoff Meeting: Align on objectives and scope. Clear Documentation: Maintain detailed, accessible project docs. Define Roles: Clarify responsibilities to avoid overlaps. Regular Meetings: Daily stand-ups and review meetings. Visual Tools: Use Kanban boards and diagrams. Feedback Loops: Encourage continuous feedback. Change Management: Formalize the process for scope changes. Collaborative Decisions: Involve the team in decisions. Effective communication and collaboration are key. Let's drive our projects to success together! 🚀 #ProjectManagement #TeamAlignment #Agile

Let's consider this from 2 different perspectives. 1. Commercial/contractual. If this is a vendor / client relationship there will be a SOW (Statement of Work) or contract in place that should (clearly!) define the scope of work. That is countries involved, modules or system, deliverables, milestones, R&R's, timeline and timeframe, location of service, resource types, budget, T's & C's, change management and escalation processes. I communicate this with my team(s) so they have context. 2. Requirements and expectations. Whatever was received/discussed during pre-sales must be handed over to the team. Again, context and everyone on the same page. Then you do all the good practice program management to navigate and address from there.

Consider bringing in a neutral third party, such as a project management consultant, to provide an unbiased perspective and help mediate discussions. Additionally, ensure that the project's scope remains flexible enough to accommodate necessary changes, while still adhering to the core objectives. Continuous learning and adaptation are key to maintaining alignment and achieving project success.