Notes on PDPM Project Management Consulting (Part 2)

Suggestions and observations on PDPM Project Management Consulting

by M. Mari Novak...

7. When a routine or work process is established, a “break” in that work process can be disruptive. But breaks will occur. If you think someone is making a “mistake” – first check. They may be helping out! Another person may have seen a weakness or problem and stepped in to fix it. Don’t turn on each other. Expect the best – especially if you have created a good work team.

8. When you are tired or work is hectic, it is likely that you may ‘slip back into old habits’. The DEFAULT position may be the old way of negative feedback and punishment, inappropriately. This is the time to remember what it is like to “be in the zone” – to remember what it feels like to be working in perfect harmony – and the job is getting done.

This is a VERY GOOD REASON to practice with the team so that they have a chance to get ‘good’ with the work and understand what it is like to FEEL it going well. One of the 2 main appropriate uses of training is practice – low risk application of a work process, approach, using a new tool, etc.

9. Luck enters everyone’s life. Sometimes good; sometimes bad. The management approach is to be ready to take in and use the GOOD luck – remember you have about 20% of capacity/productivity if your workteam is working well. And if you have bad luck – you have about 20% capacity to deal with it. Always have a Plan B.

10. When your expression (out put) matches your listener’s preferred method of listening (input), you make it easier for them to receive and understand your message. You can’t always know the way another person likes to take in information – so present information to them in 2-3 different ways: words, big pictures, detailed flowcharts, etc.

11. Remember, people do think about themselves. You have to – to survive. So—WIIFM = what is in it for me?? Always a good question: prepare the answers when introducing change! Think in the other person’s shoes.

This relates to clear expectations – it is so much easier when you know what you have to accomplish! Not overproducing saves waste and “wear and tear” on people!

Practicing reduces panic and worry! The team can also get organized and discover strengths and areas where need help/improvement.

Adapt a process AFTER you have tried it. Don’t salt your meal before you have tasted it: know what you have first!! This is much easier after you have set up feedback for self monitoring and TRIED IT! (This applies to PDPM too. Maybe you will adapt it over time, but try it the way it was taught first. It is the product of many lessons learned.

Is this really just about YOU? Think clearly. Who else has to deliver something for this project to work? Think outside the box – of organization charts and funding boundaries. Who are all the people really contributing to the output AND outcome of this effort?

Focus on the solution…NOT on the problem. It makes life so much more fun!!

12. You have to check in with your project “sponsor” – report to the big boss. AND get feedback. Their concern should be the outcome and output of the project. ONLY a checklist of activities completed is NOT WORTH ANYTHING – how did it affect, change, contribute to the (new) desired situation? To the goal?

Work with milestones, balancing the 3 elements of any project (cost/resources, time/deadlines, quality/quantity of output). Check design and workflow

The only really important thing is OUTCOME !!!! And that is an evaluation made by users and funders.

13. Before you get started, are you all clear on the outcome the sponsor/boss wants and needs (for her or his boss) ?? Spend some time in the team planning phase on understanding the model or process or approach. Spend some time thinking about how you will manage the project (PDPM?)! Spend some time with “mind mapping” – what is everything that is going on with this project? Spend some time with relationship mapping (maybe this is the place to start) – who all is involved?

14. Remember PERFORMANCE COACHING …is the job of supervisors and managers AS WELL AS co-performers (both inside and outside) your organizational function or box. Everyone on the team can help! The whole “supply chain” or performance system.

Management is so much fun when done right! Try it!

Consultants Refine Professional Skills

The second seminar of the LC training program provides a refinement of skill and knowledge to support the professional PDPM consultant or project manager.


Entitled as Advanced Communication Techniques, the tools provide the primary set of techniques to enhance every consultant’s communication effectiveness.

Based on a firm foundation of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques and well-tested strategies, these skill sets are easily learned when practiced and transferred back to the job. These skill sets and strategies allow the participant to design a personalized approach to professional communication especially customized for the consultant performance environment.

The techniques target achieving evidence-based goals. This includes using verbal and body language to establish rapport in interactions, as well as detailed procedures to use for overcoming others resistance and resolving conflict. These techniques work well for one-on-one discussions or group presentations. Each participant selects an important client target and goals to work on during the seminar. Everyone develops a personalized action plan to achieve the stated outcomes. This serves as a means to practice and internalise the skills they have learned.


Pre and Post testing allow for confirmation of understanding of key concepts and knowledge:

February Workshop and Progress Briefings

Workshop 1 in November was designed to introduce PDPM and give participants access to the key skills required to implement it. These skills are being immediately reinforced as participants help to implement PDPM project planning and tracking on local projects. The purpose of Workshop 2 is to provide a few complementary skills, but mostly to reinforce the basic PDPM concepts and skills from Workshop 1. The core of Workshop 2 will be individual progress briefings and an intense simulation exercise where the participants practice these skills.


An important element of the 2nd PDPM workshop are the Project Progress Briefings conducted by each Project Manager. These presentations include a full update project status. The following short video provides highlights of the individual briefings (some scenes are a little fuzzy).

Powerful PDPM Simulation Provides Intense Practice

The second day of the workshop involves an energetic simulation entitled “chain gang”. The simulation places participants in competitive teams building a production process. The goal of the exercise is for teams to build clear expectations, ongoing monitoring methods and quality controls to achieve financial surplus.


This video provides a taste of the simulation that also builds project manager coaching skills and team work.

The Chain Gang Simulation is used with permission from American Consulting and Training (ACT), 604 Panoramic Hgwy, Mill Valley, CA 94941.

AGRI KOBI Moves to Sustainability

An office on agricultural service is operating in the Turkish Cypriot Community. The AGRI KOBI, located in Lefkosa, provides agricultural assistance to enterprises and producers with a staff of consultants and experts. The office team will provide technical assistance to agricultural enterprises and producers and do necessary research as well.

The operation of such an office is a motivating development which aims to strengthen productive and sustainable agriculture that contributes to the economic development in the TCC.

The defined PDPM project, supported by expert Mari Novak and local consultant Ali Tuzunkan, is to evolve Agri Kobi into a for-profit agricultural consulting firm. This is a challenging proposition. Agri Kobi has both the responsibility to carry out several ongoing funded projects, as well as work to establish itself as an independent entity. It must be ready to be self-sustaining in 9 months. The managers have been dedicated working in this direction.

There has been progress in defining clarity, and a determination that the ‘principles’ of good project management must be implemented. This led to a reexamination and agreement on objectives and deliverables; how information, reporting and feedback are handled, and control of resources by the project groups.

The awareness of the challenge toward sustainability and refinement of approaches has been made much clearer with a reference to PDPM methods. This is a valuable application. The AGRI KOBI office operates under the supervision of a consultant committee consisting of representatives from USAID EDGE, the European Union, UNDP-ACT, the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Agricultural Engineers as well as other leading Turkish Cypriot authorities in agriculture.

Expansion of Erasmus Language Ctr project

Initially the Language Center had defined their project in terms of a marketing effort.

This would entail a re-confirmation of target audiences and curricula, along with identification of possible new domestic student groups. The original goal of making Cyprus a “language destination” remains, now with 3 intermediate projects.

The first project or phase shifted from marketing to reorganization. This was based on the recognition that structures, roles and responsibilities, and rewards/consequences had to change if they were going to go ahead with the marketing project that they envisioned. The value of PDPM ‘thinking’ and approach helped frame both what needed to be reconsidered and how – the process – of restructuring. This led to using the team approach, information and commitment-based.



The next phase of the project is beginning. This will be the marketing phase. In the course of the work so far, many ideas have been generated. These now have to be ranked. The priority deliverables will be determined. The Erasmus Language Center team, assisted by local consultant Ali Tuzunkan and expert Mari Novak, will then use the PDPM approach to plot out this next sub-project on their way to their goal.

Update on Erduran Laboratories Equipment Acquisition and Modernization

Erduran Medical Lab is an established business providing medical, chemical and limited food tests in north Cyprus. Approximately 17,000 clients depended on Erduran Lab in 2009 for a variety of lab services, including working permissions, food tests and medical tests.

This project aims to modernize the equipment of Food Lab section of the Erduran Medical Lab. It will result in expanded service offerings focused on testing food, air, water used in the community. The European Commission will provide a grant for 50% of the total eligible cost of the project, and Erduran will pay the rest.

The project, assisted by expert Timm Esque and local consultant Cigdem Aksu, started in August of 2009 with a design of the new lab (the food testing lab will be one part of Erduran's newly constructed lab facility). The tendering process has gone relatively smoothly, with only minor delays. Equipment vendors have been selected.



However, the new lab can only be set up when the new facility is fully constructed. Heavier than average rains have put the construction schedule in jeopardy and may impact the food lab set up as well. Project Manager and Food Testing Engineer, Hasan Ustuner, continues to monitor the situation and is still planning for an on-time completion in mid-March.