The perfect deliverable in project management
Deliverables play a critical role in modern project management.
It is a product, a tangible result or a specific service that is delivered at the end of a stage or the entire project. It represents the fruit of the work done and the achievement of the objectives set.
The perfect deliverable is one that fully meets the expectations of stakeholders, in terms of quality, functionality, deadlines and budget. It reflects careful planning, methodical execution, and effective risk management.
The objective here is to provide clear and concise information on the deliverables of a project. This page aims to define them, to highlight its difference in relation to the tasks of the project or activity, and to present its crucial role. In addition, it offers advice on creating perfect deliverables, outlining their characteristics and the key steps to achieve them. Finally, it highlights the benefits of a perfect deliverable and encourages readers to apply the advice given to improve their skills.
What is a deliverable?
Deliverables, such as project plans developed at each stage of the life cycle, play a key role in the success of a well-orchestrated marketing campaign. But what are they then?
Definition
It represents a concrete element that results from the work carried out as part of the project. Project deliverables can take a variety of forms throughout the lifecycle, such as a detailed project plan, progress report, marketing strategy, market analysis, promotional content, and measurable results, all of which contribute to the success of a well-planned marketing campaign.
Difference with a task or activity
It is important to distinguish a deliverable from a task or activity. While a task or activity represents a specific action or step to be carried out as part of the project, a deliverable is the final result of these actions.
His role
As noted, the importance of deliverables is critical in part to creating deliverables. Serving as benchmarks and milestones to assess progress and measure its compliance with set goals, they also define the expectations of stakeholders and improve communication and understanding of expected results. They facilitate coordination between team members, the updating of project statuses, and promote the alignment of efforts towards a common goal.
Importance of deliverables in project management
These elements play a crucial role. A deliverable offers the ability to understand at a glance the achievements of the project but not only that. They represent the tangible and measurable results that the team must produce and deliver to achieve the goals set. Here are a few reasons that highlight their importance:
- Alignment with goals: The deliverables are closely linked to the goals of the project. They serve as concrete benchmarks, or milestones, to assess the progress and whether or not the expected results have been achieved. By focusing on these elements, stakeholders can monitor progress and ensure that each step is consistent with defined goals.
- Clear communication: They provide a clear basis for communication between project team members, stakeholders, and interested parties. Defining and specifying deliverables accurately makes it easier to share expectations, explain the details of the work to be done, and create mutual understanding.
- Responsibility and accountability: The deliverables of a project define the expected results of each collaborator. This promotes individual responsibility and a commitment to the achievement of assigned items.
- Performance evaluation: They make it possible to measure whether the results produced are in line with expectations and to take corrective measures if necessary.
How to improve the quality of deliverables?
Management software such as Wimi using Gantt charts or Kanban tables makes it possible to better prepare your project plan, to better organize yourself and to anticipate the due date. But this is not the only element that will allow you to improve, there are others:
- Relevance to the objectives of the project
It should be directly linked to established goals. It must contribute to the achievement of expected results and be aligned with the overall vision and strategy. Carried out in accordance with the specifications, its creation and delivery must have a significant impact on the achievement of the objectives set.
- Specificity and clarity
It should be clearly defined and specified. It should be detailed enough to avoid ambiguity and allow for a precise understanding of what is expected. The characteristics, functionalities, and success criteria of the deliverable must be explicitly defined.
- Measurability and quality criteria
It must be measurable and be associated with well-defined quality criteria. Objective indicators should be established to assess whether the deliverable meets the specific requirements of the project or not. The deliverable must be measurable and be associated with well-defined quality criteria. Objective indicators should be established to assess whether the deliverable meets the specific requirements of the project. These criteria must be quantifiable in order to allow an accurate assessment of the quality of the rendering.
- Adequacy with the expectations of stakeholders
The deliverable must meet the expectations and needs of the project stakeholders. It is essential to identify the requirements and preferences of all actors involved. As well as to ensure that the deliverable is satisfactory in the eyes of all. In project management, it is necessary to set up communication and consultation mechanisms to take into account and receive comments and feedback from stakeholders.
- Alignment with schedule and constraints
The deliverable must respect the schedule and the constraints of the project. It should be delivered in a timely manner and be compatible with the timelines and resources available. It is essential to take into account the constraints of time, budget and resources when planning the deliverable in order to guarantee its feasibility.
How do you manage the creation of a perfect deliverable?
In a constantly changing world, the function of the type of project may vary, but by using the right management methods (or management tool), managers can achieve the goals set and successfully complete their projects successfully.
Define it from the start of the project
The first step in creating a perfect deliverable is to clearly establish from the start of the project the ins and outs of the deliverables, based on the specifications. This involves identifying expected results and translating them into specific deliverables. It is important to specify the characteristics, functionalities, and success criteria of each deliverable.
How to organize and involve the actors of the project
It is essential to involve relevant stakeholders in the process of defining deliverables. Their perspectives, expectations and needs must be taken into account. Collaboration with the people involved ensures that the deliverables meet the requirements and objectives of the project.
Establishing measurement indicators
To create one or more perfect deliverables, it is necessary to establish quality criteria specifically for each of them. Which must be measurable and make it possible to assess the conformity of the renderings with the expectations of the stakeholders. Clear and relevant measurement indicators must be defined in order to assess the performance and quality of the deliverables.
Follow and control throughout the project
This step consists in regularly monitoring the deliverables, which is essential to ensure their progress.
Revision and adjustment if necessary
It is important to recognize and pay attention to that deliverables may require revisions and adjustments throughout the project. Needs and circumstances may change, which may result in changes in the original definitions.
Process for validating a deliverable
Once the project team has completed its work, the project manager ensures that the deliverable complies with the specifications. If necessary, internal discussions take place with the project team to make corrections.
Then, the project manager submits the deliverable to the customer who validates it if he is satisfied or has reservations. Until they are resolved, the deliverable cannot be validated. Once the reservations have been processed and corrected, the status of the deliverable changes to “validate” in the deliverable tracking table.
The benefits of a perfect deliverable
As explained above, the role of a deliverable is crucial in the management of a project, so it is clear that its successful completion brings significant benefits to the company:
- Stakeholder satisfaction
One of the benefits of creating and making a perfect deliverable is that it contributes to the satisfaction of stakeholders by meeting their expectations and by providing high quality results. When delivered in accordance with specified requirements, stakeholders are more likely to be happy with the overall project.
- Better risk and resource management
The perfect deliverable brings a real advantage in project management. By defining the deliverable in advance, it becomes easier to identify risks and put in place appropriate mitigation measures.
- Improving communication and coordination
It promotes better communication and coordination between project team members. By having specific and clearly defined deliverables, all team members have a common vision of what needs to be achieved. This facilitates collaboration, reduces misunderstandings, and improves the coordination of efforts to achieve set goals.
- Facilitating project evaluation and decision making
Indeed, a flawless deliverable allows for a more accurate assessment of the project and facilitates informed decision-making. The more specific and measurable they are, the more they can be used as a reference for evaluating progress and measuring compliance with objectives. This allows stakeholders to make informed decisions based on the results obtained.
What's more, an effective assessment facilitated by a perfect deliverable provides an overview and prepares the ground for the next similar project.
What are the 3 pillars of project management?
The project triangle
Range: Define goals, deliverables, and expected results.
Delay: Set deadlines and delivery dates for the various stages.
Costs: Manage the allocated budget, including financial, material, and human resources.
Stakeholders
Identify and involve key stakeholders, whether customers, team members, sponsors, or end users. Identify their roles, their needs, their risks etc...
Communicate effectively with stakeholders to ensure their support and commitment throughout the project. Whether virtually or not, maintaining regular contact with your stakeholders is very important.
Manage stakeholder expectations and requirements, ensuring that they are aligned with goals.
Project team and resource management
Select and assign collaborators appropriate to the roles and responsibilities of the project. Knowing your team is obviously necessary to do this step optimally.
Plan and organize project tasks and activities, by assigning resources and defining dependencies.
Monitor and monitor progress, managing risks, resolving issues, and adjusting as needed.
Project management requires a rigorous planning phase and effective resource management. A management tool such as Wimi, the French management software, can greatly facilitate this task. Project specifications, management practices, and goals should be clearly defined from the start to ensure the success of the marketing campaign.
During the project life cycle, in addition to a project plan, a management tool and various techniques can be used to organize project tasks. To train and equip yourself for success in project management, Project Management Institute is a non-profit organization and offers various supports to improve your management skills.
Gantt charts allow you to visualize the various stages and to establish project schedules. Kanban boards are useful for monitoring the progress of missions and maximizing the chances of success.
Resource management is crucial to ensure the implementation of the project. To this end, the project manager must allocate resources in an optimal manner, taking into account the characteristics of each task, the needs of the end customers and the quantity of resources owned.
Regular communication, by email or during status meetings, is essential to keep an eye on progress and to ensure that we move forward according to the rules of the management methodology.
Moreover, Wimi is the perfect tool to streamline your internal communication. Video conferencing, instant messaging, group chat... All the tools to perfect your internal exchanges are developed on our optimized solution. Whether large or small projects and regardless of the company's sector of activity, the use of Wimi or more generally of management software is a good way to improve management, results and increase the chances of success of a project. They make it possible to maintain an optimal level of detail and to produce the expected deliverables within the given time. By using the right management methods and relying on tools like Gantt charts and Kanban boards, project managers can ensure a successful implementation.
