💠Empowering Project Management Excellence | Consultant & Trainer | Passionate about Helping Your Projects Thrive 💠PMP® Certified | 30+ Years Experience
Have you heard of the term "Watermelon project"? A watermelon project is a term used in project management to describe a project that appears to be green on the outside (i.e., the project status is reported as being on track and progressing well), but is actually red on the inside (i.e., the project is behind schedule and facing significant issues). 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻? - Hesitation to report negative news, fearing repercussions or delays. - Focusing only on positive metrics while neglecting underlying issues. - Insufficient communication and collaboration, leading to a disconnect between reality and reported progress. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀: - Increased risk of project failure - When issues eventually surface, it can damage trust among stakeholders and team members. - Continuing an unhealthy project wastes time, money, and effort. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀? - Encourage open communication and reporting of both good and bad news. - Focus on realistic metrics - Create an environment where people feel comfortable raising concerns without fear. - Conduct proactive risk assessments and address issues early on. What's your experience with watermelon projects? Please share your experience in the comments below. #projectmanagement #pmpexamprep #learnwithmanick