PROJECT HEALTH CHECK

We recommend you use these questions to review individual projects. Where the answer is so-so or less, identify what actions you can take to improve this and in turn improve the expected successful outcome of your project.

You can also fill it out for multiple projects and identify themes in areas of strength and weakness in your organisation. Please get in touch so we can discuss setting you up with this assessment and the associated dashboard.

CLARITY
• Is the management team 100% clear on what the defined outcomes, benefits, deliverables are?
• Is the project team 100% clear on what the defined outcomes, benefits, deliverables are?

RIGHT TEAM
• Does the project team have the right expertise?
• Do all the project team members have appropriate capacity relative to their commitment and role?

STAKEHOLDER MAPPING
• Has the project team appropriately identified all stakeholder groups and their level of engagement, influence and support?

SUPPORT
• Are key stakeholders (end users / impacted parties) supportive of the project and defined outcomes, benefits and deliverables?

MANAGING RESISTANCE
• In case of stakeholder resistance for negatively impacted parties, are appropriate change management plans in place to manage the stakeholder resistance?

COMMUNICATION
• Are appropriate communication plans in place to update stakeholders on project progress to ensure continued alignment or readiness for change?

GOVERNANCE
• Is appropriate objective governance and oversight in place that is separated from the project team and day-to-day management of the project?

ESCALATION SUPPORT
• Does the project team have appropriate escalation support to turn to where it faces challenges and potential blockers?

DECISION MAKING
• Are decisions being made in a timely manner and are key decisions required that will impact the deliver of the project defined and appropriate plans in place to ensure decisions are made by the right people at the right time?

COSTS AND BENEFITS
• Are the project costs being tracked appropriately and in line with expectations?
• Are the project benefits still valid and in line with original expectations (and are being reviewed at appropriate intervals)?

PLANS
• Are appropriate plans in place to track against and is appropriate progress being made?

RISK AND ISSUE MANAGEMENT
• Have potential risks to the project and its successful outcome been appropriately considered, documented and plans appropriately defined to manage these and are these being reviewed at an appropriate frequency?
• Is an appropriate mechanism in place to capture project issues and take action accordingly?

LEARNINGS
• Have learnings from prior projects been reviewed and taken into consideration?

DEPENDENCIES
• Is the project dependent on any external factors that will impact its ability to achieve its goals, and if so, are these understood, documented and appropriate plans in place to review at appropriate intervals?

CHANGE TRACKING
• Is an appropriate process in place to capture changes to project scope, costs, timings, benefits, etc with an appropriate approval and communication process in place?
• Is the current level of change in the project low with minimal impact on scope, costs, timings, benefits?

CHANGE MANAGEMENT
• Are appropriate change management plans in place to assess the impact of the initiative, to land it successfully and ensure it is embedded and nurtured?


Have a look at our project health-check tool on our website or ask us about implementing a portfolio health checker dashboard.