Brent Mark | AtTask Blog

About Brent Mark

Before joining AtTask I was actually an @task user managing a PMO. With 20 years as a project manager, in IT, Customer Service and Operations for both large and small companies, I have a unique perspective that you will hopefully find interesting and informative. I’ll be sharing best practices, tips, techniques, and maybe even some road-warrior stories in hopes that some of my experience and expertise will help you succeed.

Where Work Lives

13 April 2011 - POSTED by Brent Mark

A recent new customer implementation got me to thinking about my tag-line in my email - Where Work Lives ™.
This customer is not unique – they have multiple tools for multiple business processes.
Typically, there is an underused help desk tool for day-to-day support needs, an inadequate (or non-existent) project management tool, spreadsheets for days, and multiple people that spend countless hours pulling data from different systems for their manager each week. And that doesn’t even begin to speak to the hundreds of emails in every inbox that are only accessible to one person. Requests for information or upcoming meetings result in another multi-hour effort of futility that is only to be repeated same time next week.
This isn’t where work lives, it is where it goes to die.

We all know, today’s businesses require sharing of knowledge; real-time, constant, and consistent updates of information and the ability to work across the company.
Regardless of the tools and regardless of the organization, there are some key concepts that are constant for work to begin to live.

First things first, I always tell my clients to never forget the "what’s in it for me" (WIIFM) syndrome. Just as much as Executives need information and the ability to see current reality at a glance, today’s employees want to feel like the tools, policies, and procedures are in place for them as well. Good processes and policies that enforce and enable consistent use of the tool go hand in hand with any tool and I believe that policy and procedure is where any successful venture starts. But the point is this; if there is a benefit to the end-user, enforcement of P&P can become almost obsolete. Think about it this way, would you have to beg a child to have ice cream instead of broccoli?

There are many advantages to end users being a part of the process. There are just as many ways to help them understand what is in it for them. Some of the overarching advantages are clearer priorities, recognition for work accomplished, better planning, and a more collaborative environment. Take timesheets for example. A policy to enforce timesheets might work just fine, but what if you could PROVE the value by demonstrating how using timesheets and tracking hours can improve performance and set realistic work expectations? Now that is work "living".

Over the next few blogs I will take on specific areas such as time tracking, day-to-day work (tasks), recurring work tracking, issues and risks tracking, business case, priorities, and team support request queues. I will dive in to an area or two at a time and help focus in on the benefits to the end user and provide details about the upstream implications. I hope this helps you and gives you some ways to leverage better work habits.

This might be a relatively new trend; thinking about those that are closest to the work instead of those assigning it out. But, the natural benefit is work can really live when this is done right.

If you can keep this in mind you have the definition of a win-win.
If you do it right you too can see Where Work Lives ™

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What makes a successful implementation?

20 December 2010 - POSTED by Brent Mark

From the airplane window…
I was just sitting here looking out the airplane window and thinking about how great the week went. It may seem silly, but despite all the chatter and noise, these are some of my most reflective times. So what has my attention today you ask?

I am on the way home from what I personally and professionally consider a very good week. So it has me thinking – what made this a successful implementation?

Well it wasn’t…
Project management implementations (processes and tools) can be tricky. There is opportunity to fail in many ways; due to methodology, processes, support/buy-in, the list is endless. So let’s rule out a few things that might come to mind about a successful implementation.

It wasn’t the business they are in.
I have worked with all kinds of industries and I have seen good and bad in every arena.
It wasn’t how well adopted their project management methodology is.
No, they still have much work to do to get buy-in and educate their users and their business.
It wasn’t the people.
Don’t get me wrong – great people make for a great week and that helps for a personally great implementation, but not professionally.

What makes a successful implementation…
Success, to the place I am just leaving, may not be realized for many months or even longer. The implementation we did is only a "slice of life" and it is just the start of their journey. (More about the Slice of Life in a future blog)
But what makes a great partner and PPM software tool is the ability to grow, mature, and realize your potential on that journey. To me, the same things that made this a great initial implementation will serve them well while they are on their way. There are many things, but here are the ones on my mind today.

Determination: Ever watch the story of Rudy? I recommend it if you haven’t. Rudy had desire to accomplish something and nothing was going to hold him back. It took him years but he held on to the goal. Well this customer has that determination. The implementation team wants to provide a value to their business, to see the implementation go well, and to mature as an organization and they realize it doesn’t end after processes or tools are in place.

Prepared: You can want to do something all day but unless you take steps to accomplish the goal, it won’t be realized. This customer has done many things to realize their goals and prepare the path to success. They have incorporated a PMO into their business, established processes, brought in a great project management tool, and educated themselves to bring it together. While they would be the first to tell you they have only just started, I can tell you that their preparation has them going in the right direction.

Communications: Project management, methodology, and project based work doesn’t happen in the PMO office or even in a tool. The ability to communicate with each other is critical. The PMO has to understand the departments, end users, and the executives; but the reverse is also true. The more two-way communications there is the better. It opens the path to decisions.

Decision: To me, this is the success criteria this is most often missed. If you can’t decide which direction to turn it means you are either on the same path you have been on or maybe stopped all together. I am even okay with turning the wrong direction – at least you will have ruled out one of the options and you now know to go another direction. This customer had tough decisions to make but they pulled together, discussed, and made those decisions.

I realized as I sat looking out the airplane window that what made this a successful implementation was not that the week is over, the tool is in place, or that I did a good job. What made this successful and gratifying is that I can look at this organization and know that they are doing all the things they need to do to realize long-term success. To compare them to Rudy – they have moved out (from home), started Jr. College, and helping the grounds crew at ND Stadium.

(you really should see Rudy)

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AtTask WorkOut: A Customer’s Perspective

22 November 2010 - POSTED by Brent Mark

One of the things you can discover about me is that I used to be a customer using @task in my PMO. As a customer, I had the opportunity to attend one of AtTask’s annual conferences. With the upcoming WorkOut 2011 just around the corner, I thought I would share my perspectives on the conference. If you need assistance deciding if you should attend or justifying it for approval, hopefully this will help you.

Having been to over 50 conferences, seminars, and similar events in my career, what I look for is value. To me, value is the quality of the information and also how it is provided. It boils down to an opportunity for me to grow professionally, and the ability to take new knowledge and apply it for my organization’s benefit.

One of the things that struck me immediately was how the conferences are well designed, professional, and organized. They are well constructed so every level of @task user (new and prospective user through seasoned administrator) can find the benefit. With best practices in Work Management and advanced level functional classes and discussions, anyone should be able to find the right level of knowledge value to take home.

For me, it was not just helpful, it was the point where the lights came on and I could see the tools, processes, and my environment converge into new ways of working better.

This year’s conference promises to be just as valuable for you. With the release of Stream you will definitely have some real value to take back with you that can change how your company works.
There will still be expert stations as well as best practice sessions. In addition, education courses will be offered and you can even use your education course credits to register for the conference.

Oh, and don’t forget the bonus day on Friday where you can enjoy the fabulous Utah Wasatch Mountains offering a choice of skiing, snowmobiling or a Spa day.

I know if you can come, you will be like I was – impressed and thankful for the opportunity to get so much out of a conference. If you need to learn more, feel free to check out http://www.attask.com/workout for some helpful resources and information.

I hope to see you there.

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Basics of a Rollout

4 November 2010 - POSTED by Brent Mark

Have you ever heard the saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”? Benjamin Franklin is credited with this quote, but I could suggest it was probably his Grandma that told him. And I bet your Grandma probably told you the same thing. The saying is obvious enough, but how does it apply to a rollout of a project?

As a Sr. Consultant with AtTask, many times I have seen the rollout of a project described with only one line on the project plan. Of course we know this is where the project is often measured for success. We spend months planning, building, and testing, and then boil it down to two words “Go-Live”.

So how do you prevent needing a cure on your next rollout?

While every project is different, the key is to build out your go-live steps just like you do the rest of your project if you hope to be successful. Here are some key items to include within the Go-Live phase of your project.

Planning:
Planning is the root of it all. Make sure to take the time to organize and document what you expect to happen, and when; don’t leave it to chance. The plan needs to include Timing, Process and Policy Changes, Responsibilities, Documentation, and even your Communications Objectives. Make sure to plan in the support aspect including key contacts, subject matter experts, and these areas below.

Timing:
Make sure your timing is realistic and that you consider other projects, your resources, your department/company culture, and the importance of your project. Using all of these and working with resource managers or your project team will help you come up with the right timing for when to go-live. If your rollout will come in phases, make sure that the changes only affect the intended audience at the intended time.

Document:
Don’t just discuss the plan; document it and distribute it. Get feedback and buy-in. With a rollout, the key dates and times are critical. Make sure everyone knows when they will be affected and what managers need to relay to their team. If necessary, document it for them and ask them to copy you on the distribution to their team.

Other things to document include Frequently Asked Questions, Policy Changes, Process Flow, and Responsibility Changes. I love to see the one-page document that gives a step-by-step process flow, process or policy change or responsibilities outline. These are the documents you see open or printed out and taped to the wall – and how you know it is a useful document.

Communications:
Like the documentation, I am a proponent of incremental communications on a specific topic versus emailing a manuscript. The point of this is to break down the communications into bite-size amounts that allow the reader to get what you need them to know. Always give the reader succinct who, what, when, why, and how – but be careful about lumping it in with other information. Make sure you provide good lead times before the changes, but not so much that it is forgotten before the change actually occurs. Always consider your audience and make it appropriate to them.

Support:
Last, but not least, as you go through the rollout of your tool or project, don’t forget support. Even the small changes will bring about questions and problems. Make sure you have considered, documented, and distributed how those that are impacted can communicate concerns, problems, or get assistance.

These are just some high level things to think of. Maybe most important is this – if you don’t know, seek the help of others in your organization who have the experience. Or reach out to get the prevention expertise you need.
Here’s hoping your next rollout doesn’t need a cure.

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