Tame Your Projects with an Issues Log
Become a project management deity by expecting the unexpected. Get-It-Done Guy explains how.
In an earlier episode on using a visual timeline, we explored how the right visualization can help you understand how you expect your project to unfold. But you’re trying to tame Fate, which means the best laid plans of mice and men might end up involving cats, women, and intersex. Be prepared.
When coaching Bernice, Europa, and Melvin through the build out of Green Growing Things’ expansion store, the project hit a snag. A few weeks ago, Melvin reported, “The Audrey 2s are demanding Persian rugs for their area of the store. They say they’re tired of living like they’re on skid row.” Unfortunately, nothing seems to have happened since.
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Give Unexpected Issues a Home
As their coach, it was obvious what was going on: Fate had thrown a monkey wrench into their plans. They were using their project plan to guide them, but their project plan didn’t include anything about Persian rugs. After Melvin brought it up at the meeting, everyone assumed someone else was taking care of it. The team didn’t have a good way to make sure the unexpected got handled.
So I introduced them to the Issues Log. An issues log is a shared list of all the issues the team has encountered, and what’s happening with them. An issue is anything that causes or will cause the project to stall. Like when the Audrey 2s refuse to move in without Persian rugs. I could understand it if there were a chemical sensitivity issue, but this is just a bunch of carniverous plants throwing their weight around.
An issues log is simply a numbered list of issues. When Melvin—or anyone else—brings up an issue, the team leader records it in the issues log and later uses the issues log to run team meetings. Europa, ever the over-achiever, jumped at the chance to be the “owner” of the issues log. I explained that it should live in a shared document so everyone can review it. Use a table in a word processor document or a spreadsheet. Each row is one issue. You can use a full database if you need to, but I like the simplicity of a single table.
Number Issues as They Arrive
When an issue comes up, big or small, add it to the issues log and number it. Never reuse a number within a project. Europa dutifully added Audrey 2s demand Persian rug is issue #1 in the issue log. The rest of the team chimed in. Soon, issue #2 was Neon store signs aren’t allowed in the historical district. Issue #3 was Basement wall is leaking red glowing radioactive ooze into the storeroom.
Giving each issue a number lets you refer to it unambiguously. If issue #86 is Basement wall is leaking green radioactive ooze, everyone knows the difference between issue #3 and issue #86. Without the numbers, Bernice would say “How’s the ooze situation coming?” and some people would discuss red ooze, while others would discuss green.
Numbers have a psychological role, as well. When an issue comes up, the team must decide if it’s important enough to deserve a number. It sounds small, but it encourages enough thought that you can discard trivial matters.
Issues Log Delegation
The next part of an issue’s entry records the date it came up, a brief description of the issue and its impact, who has agreed to own the issue, and the due date for resolving it. The owner doesn’t necessarily solve the issue directly, they make sure it gets solved one way or another. Here’s an example:
Issue 1: [insert today’s date]
Description: Audrey 2s want a Persian rug.
Impact: We can’t move them in and open the store until this is resolved.
Due date: Next Monday
Owner: Bernice
Some people say, “don’t report a problem without bringing a solution.” That’s foolish!
Melvin brought up the issue, but Bernice volunteered to handle it, so she’s the owner of issue #1. Some say “Don’t bring up problems unless you bring up solutions.” Foolishness! If Melvin spots a problem and doesn’t have a solution, that’s when the team most needs to know. Then they can put their collective brainpower to finding a resolution.
Be Obsessed With Status
The last two entries for an issue are the status and the resolution. The status is one word: open or closed. Open means the owner is working on the resolution. Closed means the issue is either solved or no longer an issue.
When an issue is closed, the resolution is recorded in a sentence or two. Bernice had a discussion with the Audrey 2s, in which she pointed out that a Persian rug was a fine idea, and would also be the perfect setting for a shrine to the Fire Goddess. Right next to the Audrey 2 enclosure. The Audrey 2s suddenly decided that instead of Persian rugs, industrial berber carpeting would be just dandy. Status: closed. Resolution: Install industrial berber carpeting, as planned.
How to Run Your Status Meeting
Now that the team had an issues log, I showed them how to run a status meeting. It’s really, really quick and easy. I love quick and easy meetings! Everyone has a copy of the issues log. For each open issue, the facilitator reads just the issue number, and the owner either says “open” and reports the latest status in one sentence, or says “closed” and reports the resolution. If further discussion is needed, it happens after the issues log is read.
Issue 1? Closed. The Audrey 2s will accept berber.
Issue 2? Open. Talked to neon specialist who thinks we can get a neon sign that looks exactly like carved wood.
Issue 3? Closed. Decided that the glow of the red radioactive slime will light the nursery, thus saving on electric bills.
Now you know how to tame Fate. Expect the unexpected. Restore the plans of mice and men, meaning no disrespect to cats, women, and intersex. Use an issues log to record and monitor unexpected issues, and then use that log to make your meeting a snap.
You can create your own issue log, use the one I’ve conveniently created for you. Check out this beautifully formatted issues log template.
This is Stever Robbins. I help high-achievers take their organizations and careers to the next level of performance. If you want to know more, visit SteverRobbins.
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About the Author
Stever Robbins was the host of the podcast Get-it-Done Guy from 2007 to 2019. He is a graduate of W. Edward Deming’s Total Quality Management training program and a Certified Master Trainer Elite of NLP. He holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BS in Computer Sciences from MIT.
