Sometimes teams will start an assigned project and not be able to manage it due to insufficient knowledge of how to plan and implement it. Other times, the team may have a successful project in the works and are unwilling to bring the project to conclusion or do not know when to tell the primary project is complete. Having a process that shows how to plan and implement as well as start and stop procedures will enable a team to manage projects better. A simple process teams can use is O.P.I.E. The O.P.I.E. process consists of 4 main stages necessary to complete a quality project by a desired date. The stages of O.P.I.E. are Open and Plan, then Implement, and finally End. Pronouncing the O.P.I.E. acronym can be either O-P or O-Pi. Not all projects will require all the steps and outputs of each process stage, however all projects will require each major stage is done.
Key Steps in the Open Stage
- Determine Objective – to communicate the project is worth doing
- Do Analysis – to make sure the project is worth doing
- Get Preliminary Approval – to make sure the project is feasible
- Assign Project Manager – – to make sure the project goes forward
Key Steps in the Plan Stage
- Document Specification – to make sure everyone knows the extent and outcome of project
- Develop Schedule – to make sure the timeline is feasible
- Determine Resources – to make sure enough people, equipment, and supplies are given
- Estimate Budget – to make sure the project is cost effective
- Get Plan Approval – to make sure the project is finances
Key Steps in the Implement Stage
- Hold Meetings – to make sure the project problems are discussed and solved
- Execute Plan – to stay on track to schedule
- Monitor Plan – to track resources and budget
- Develop Communications – to let everyone know what is happening with project
- Handle Problems – to make sure team is working together on same goal
- Prepare Progress Reviews – to let team and management know what is happening with project
- Get Performance Approval – to let management approve/disapprove changes
Key Steps in the End Stage
- Close Administration – to share lesson learned as well as close schedule and release resources
- Hold Celebration – to thank team for contributions and motivate future performance
- Plan Compensation – to motivate team members in future performance
- Do Evaluation – to measure project using specific success indicators
Not all team projects will require all the steps and outputs of each process stage, however all projects will require each major stage is included. Utilizing the O.P.I.E: stages of Open, Plan, Implement, and End; should help teams to know what to do on each project assignment as well as insuring the project has a stopping point so the team can return to normal jobs on a full-time basis or begin work on an important new project.
Note: The process steps above are from the book “O.P.I.E. Project Planning and Implementation for Teams.”