Determine the work around

This is a normal occurrence, even in well-definitioned project management systems, which explains why the Project Management Institute (PMI) has developed the Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) certification that sharpens individuals’ risk management skills to determine effective workarounds.

Recognizing and managing risks effectively is a matter of weighing the balance between potential loss and reward. MIT’s Project Management Process describes this balance as a facet of every decision made during a project. This includes everything from time management to resource allocation and workarounds, solidified by the PMI-RMP certification.

Understanding Work Arounds

A workaround refers to a process solution or alternate method adopted to circumvent a problem or obstacle in a project. It is usually unplanned, responding to unforeseen issues that weren’t previously identified during risk assessment. The objective of a workaround is to keep the project on schedule, nobly bearing the mantles of risk aversion and problem-solving.

PMI-RMP Professional’s Role in Workarounds

Professionals armed with PMI-RMP certification are primarily responsible for recognizing and identifying potential problems and risks affecting a project. Post this, they’re tasked with creating risk management strategies that encompass prevention, mitigation, and workaround plans for identified risks.

In a situation where a risk manifests and threatens project execution, professionals must then look to their identified workaround strategies. In case these strategies turn out to be inapplicable, their task transcends into establishing a new workaround plan in real-time. This workaround plan should ensure minimal disruption and impact on the project completion date, scope, and overall cost.

A certified PMI-RMP professional will typically follow a structured process when determining a workaround:

• Identify the Risk: The issue with the project must be identified. This is more so a symptom of a hidden risk previously unidentified within the risk management plan.
• Assess the Impact: Assess the potential impact of the problem on the project. This generally includes factors like feasibility, costs, project timeline, and resources.
• Evaluate Options: The professional must evaluate the available options and choose the best workaround approach, culminating in the most effective resolution with the least amount of adverse effects.
• Implement Workaround: Implement the selected alternate approach to manage the current issue and avoid significant disruptions.
• Record Results: Document the workaround and its results. This helps in refining future project risk management plans, equipping them to deal with similar challenges.

Examples of Workarounds in Project Management

Let’s dive into an example. If a project dependent on outdoor construction is impeded by unexpected weather conditions (a risk not identified in the initial risk management plan), a workaround might be seeking an alternate indoor location or rescheduling the construction to a later date when weather conditions are more favorable.

Workarounds Vs. Contingency Plans

Although similar in addressing risks, workarounds and contingency plans aren’t identical. Contingency plans are recognised and laid out during risk management planning, i.e., they’re planned responses to identified risks. Workarounds, on the other hand, are unplanned responses to unidentified risks.

To conclude, effective project management requires astute risk identification and workaround strategies. By cultivating these skills, as is the aim of the PMI-RMP certification, professionals can better guide their projects towards success, evading impeding issues adroitly, and optimising overall project performance.