Flow-based project management methods could be the solution to missed deadlines, inefficient use of resources, and unclear priorities amongst other common project management problems.
In the last blog, we introduced the concept of ‘Flow’ and had a brief look at what it means in the context of project management. In this article, we look at some of the benefits of Flow-based project management methods, using a case study of Endress + Hauser as an example.
Founded in 1953, Endress + Hauser GmbH & Co. KG embodies measurement and automation technology in the Process Engineering Industry and continues today to innovate from laboratory to production, from new material research to a finished product.
Here are some of the important benefits of implementing Flow-based project management methods:
Improved Productivity & Quality
“Why not make the work easier and more interesting so that people do not have to sweat?” – Eliyahu M. Goldratt
Flow-based project management methods do just that, resulting in improvements in both, productivity and quality. With better workflows and decreases in time and resources required to complete tasks, productivity is increased and better overall project outcomes are achieved.
Globally, missing project deadlines have been reported to be an increasingly common problem. Employing flow-based methods reduces the risk of errors that can typically occur due to delays or interruptions, leading to an improvement in the quality of the project.
“The rule is simple: 50% longer projects also cause 50% higher costs”, states Dr. Peter Selders, Managing Director, Endress + Hauser.
With the LYNX Release Wizard, you can release your projects exactly at the right time into the Pipeline, thus enabling the smooth flow and delivery of projects. This ensures increases in productivity and improvement in the overall quality of the project.
This improved productivity was evident with Endress + Hauser when they began using LYNX. After 18 months, deadline delays of Endress + Hauser were reduced by half, from 50% to 25%.
Better Resource Allocation and collaboration
“The ‘P’ in ‘PM’ is as much about ‘people’ management as it is about ‘project’ management.” – Cornelius Fichtner
When projects face a problem, there can be a temptation to solve that problem by throwing more resources, be it people or money, at the problem. However, ‘Flow’ offers a better solution focused on the optimization of resource allocation. This results in better utilization of resources and reduces the risk of resource constraints.
Further, flow-based project management methods encourage a culture of collaboration and communication, resulting in project team members working better together towards a desired overall project outcome.
The LYNX Pipeline Mode provides a clear project pipeline, controls the Work-In-Progress (WIP), detects and manages resource conflicts, and helps Resource Managers with hiring and training decisions.
In the case of Endress + Hauser, it was evident how a Flow-based approach could help organizations make the most of their resources. With the integration of LYNX, their throughput increased by 3x without any additional resources.
Increased Visibility and Reduced Stress
In order to enable project managers and teams to spot potential issues and make better decisions sooner, flow-based project management methods emphasize increased visibility into project progress. Thereby, using these flow-based methodologies reduces the risk of project delays.
This has a direct effect on the stress and frustration of project team members, by reducing the impact of interruptions and delays on their work.
With the LYNX Fever Chart, you can easily assess the performance of ongoing projects. One picture summarizes it all. Projects in red require extra attention in order to meet the due date or quality level. Projects in yellow could be a concern in the future, and those in green are on track to be successful.
With the integration of LYNX and Endress + Hauser, one of the objectives was to improve transparency between teams and to provide clear priorities to the team members.
As Dr. Peter Selders says, “When employees and team members spend 15 minutes each day to find out about the current projects and their status, E + H will demonstrably achieve better results – through communication alone “.
Conclusion
To conclude, implementing flow-based project management methods can be highly beneficial for project managers and project teams. Implementing these methods can result in improvements in productivity, quality, resource allocation, and collaboration while simultaneously reducing stress, delays, and project interruptions, leading to a better overall project outcome. This is evident in the case of Endress + Hauser and we encourage you to read the complete case study to learn more.
If you’re interested in learning more about how implementing a flow-based methodology could help your organization specifically, click here.
