Evaluating Project Feasibility: Scope & Skill Set Reality
Now, based on this simple analysis, you need to do a check on how a proposed project can be fitted within the current workload of your team – this feasibility parameter, based on project doability, is not about profit or the number of dollars earned as pure profit, it is about whether a project can be done within the time-frame the client expects and by using the current pool of resources you have – you might earn something out of it but the feasibility is also about a project not overwhelming your team leader, manager or other teammates.At my current workplace, the feasibility of a proposed project is based on:
- profitability- ability to make things work with the current, available resources
- ability to conform to the deadline
- ensuring sufficient resource availability in view of planned leaves across the team
- checking QC bandwidth
- ensuring the project does not clash with the highest priority projects
- permissions to allow landslide OTs that random projects often demand
DIY Project Management beyond the basics [a little bit of stress is not that bad if you can recognize "right amount of stress"]
- checking the planned leave calendar as you want your selected, best-matched resources for certain types of projects
- if the same client has been working with another team in the department, catch up and set up a familiar mode of communication for more preparedness
- able to set up client handling for high-quality projects with multiple stakeholders who might need communication beyond working hours
- for projects that have substantial digital footprints, it might be necessary to ensure that the project outcomes are readily shared on client-owned platforms, from PRs to social media channels
- you might be tackling undefined goals. Are you ready for this? Is there room to ramp up the resource bandwidth without any notice?
- if there are milestone payments, how to handle client requests for making lump-sum payments, and are receiving initial payments on a milestone basis
- freedom to change instructions for the team when some sub-processes become redundant
- sharing plans with the client about the unrealized business value of data generated as a part of the project. Ideally, there should be a presentation for it
- ensuring minimal fragmentation of outcomes, emphasizing that complete sets of allocated tasks are finished systematically, rather than running and submitting work with on-hold sub-sets
- trying a new resource in the project management or project communication role is not a sin as long as the resource has had some dry runs in the lead up to the actual project