The real Project Management information in most scenarios remains buffered. The project management tool “honesty buffer“is used to denote the situation when resources hold back on exposure of issues and problems to make things appear better than the reality.

Having the requirement to tell the reporting manager what they want to hear and not what the genuine facts are is just buffering the situation. This is done with the notion that the problem will be ultimately resolved and there is no necessity for it to be mentioned and cause worry. It is the role of the manager to decrease or eliminate such buffers.

 

Reduction of these buffers may expose the team’s bad habits. One example is the status report of progress which always has focus on the positive aspects. The Manager should use effective techniques to reduce these buffers without antagonizing the team.

 

One such technique is to be as data driven as feasible. By doing analysis and research and uncovering the hardcore facts there is no likelihood for debate or camouflage. The data and figures attained can drive home the fact of what is the actual situation.

 

The manager has to persevere with integrity. Often it is the credibility of the person that convinces people and gains trust. Also the manager has to persist by giving time to the concerned people for conviction. The more deep-seated the notion is which is being exposed, the longer it will take time for the message to gain hold.

 

Another technique is to cultivate the relationship of like minded contemporaries. The manager can encourage the more honest and objective minded resources by publicly supporting their ideas and voicing their concerns and opinions in the relevant occasions.

 

The manager can also make use of any opportunity presented to plant the idea in the head of the person who can intervene into the sensitive areas and scrutinize. Speaking often about the issue at the appropriate place and time can have a favorable impact.

 

If the manager possesses historic data or has knowledge about the average estimates of the cost and schedule of typical similar projects in the same area, he is at a gain. By comparison of the current schedule with previous schedules that has been attained earlier, the manager is at a position to convince and expose hard facts about the current schedule being suggested. Using averages is a good first and final estimate not only for schedules but also for defect analysis and fixes.

 

Collecting and making use of the hard facts on how the organization executes tasks is a straight forward way to lessen the necessity of honesty buffers. In some cases managers are pressurized to making overtly optimistic declarations due to the influence or involvement of top level management.

Instead of progress at full speed without the knowledge of facts, these managers can learn to make use of the facts and then commit and perform without strain. When team members simply tell the situation as it is with brutal honesty then the accurate information is no loner buffered or hidden.

 

If resources are behind schedule it should be said so. If the status of a certain part of project is not known correctly it should be clarified. If there are problems for which solutions have not been identified yet, it should be given appropriate attention. Any problems highlighted should be acknowledged and brought into focus.

 

The purpose of being brutally honest is that now reporting becomes straightforward and easy. It gives accurate information of status so that adjustments can be done effectively. Highlighting problems may help to resolve it quickly as valuable insights can be gained from people with similar experience. Customers also need precise and un-buffered information to manage their own dealings.

 

So the earlier in a project, buffers are reduced the sooner insights are gained and quality and productivity is increased. Eliminating honesty buffers is a powerful method for attaining overall progress and improvement.

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