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Driving Team Innovation

More and more project managers are being told they need to be innovative in how their projects are delivered. But what does that look like? We’ve got four crucial tips on how project managers can best navigate short and long-term change.  

Key Takeaways  

• Innovation is necessary to ensure the best solutions are delivered in the best ways. 
• Successful innovation depends on the right environment and careful management.  
• Innovation must be balanced with delivering solutions to achieve the expected business value.  

PMI Picks provides the following info and tips on how to drive team innovation:  

1. Look forward.
Even though projects are often scoped and planned months ahead of when they are designed to release, it is essential to ensure the solution delivered by the project evolves to meet the needs of the environment it will release into.  

Project managers must understand how the world is evolving and anticipate what will be needed in that environment so they can adapt and adjust.  

That means not assuming work must be done the same way it has always been done or that the defined requirements are set in stone and can’t evolve. Instead, project professionals should be asking questions such as:  

• Is there a new way of delivering this that will be more effective and efficient?  
• Do we have an opportunity to include functionality that no one realized was possible?  
• Are emerging technologies giving us new ways of working that will be more beneficial?  

2. Don’t get stuck in the innovation cycle. 
In a constantly evolving world, it’s easy to say that the work is never complete — that there is always something new to be added or enhanced. But teams can’t get stuck in this cycle.  

Instead, project leaders must work with key stakeholders to ensure they are innovating and evolving where it will make a difference while still delivering a solution that can be used by the business to achieve the anticipated value.  

That value must always be the focus — innovation isn’t about doing something different or using new techniques simply because they’re trendy. Instead, it’s about ensuring the organization has the best possible chance of achieving its goals by delivering solutions that are as progressive as appropriate.

3. Create the right environment. Innovation doesn’t just happen. 
Project managers need to create an environment where team members are encouraged to question standard ways of doing things, challenge accepted norms and consider whether there is a better way of achieving the business goals.

While project managers can encourage that kind of behavior, the organization must support them. Stakeholders must actively engage and encourage project teams to challenge norms and seek better approaches. Organizations must empower individuals and teams to develop a sense of ownership in the success of their projects while supporting them if the desired outcomes aren’t always achieved. 

4. Make sure your team is prepared. 
Project managers must provide their teams with enough understanding of the project to help them develop and implement innovative solutions and approaches effectively. That, in turn, requires the project manager to continuously monitor the work being done to ensure it remains optimally aligned with the benefits that need to be achieved.