How do you monitor projects that you do not own the outcome of?

[blynchus]

I am struggling keeping my projects list relevant to me. As a manager, there are some projects that I directly own the outcome of and I manage directly. However, there are a lot of projects that I am involved with that are someone else's responsibility, but I still want to monitor and keep tabs on. What's the best way to manage these projects? Maybe a seperate section of the projects list?

 

[fooddude]

I am struggling keeping my projects list relevant to me. As a manager, there are some projects that I directly own the outcome of and I manage directly. However, there are a lot of projects that I am involved with that are someone else's responsibility, but I still want to monitor and keep tabs on. What's the best way to manage these projects? Maybe a seperate section of the projects list?

Why? If you are waiting for a report or a solution outcome company wide, (say a new policy) I would put it on my waiting for list. If I weren’t responsible for the outcome I certainly wouldn’t want the person who is finding out I was “monitoring their progress”

 

[Cpu_Modern]

Have a separate list, a checklist. Checklists are part of the GTD array of "buckets" to put things in. You can put reminders to check the list on your calendar or tickler facility or just check during the weekly review.

 

[PlunkRock]

I would track these on my waiting for list. David Allen once defined this list as “projects and actions others are supposed to be doing and which you care about”.

I find it particularly useful to start items on this list with the name of who/what I am waiting on, and sorting alphabetically. Doing this with the agendas and waiting for lists means that when I have time with someone I can quickly get an overview of what we could discuss.

 

[schmeggahead]

However, there are a lot of projects that I am involved with that are someone else's responsibility, but I still want to monitor and keep tabs on.

This sounds like you are more of a stakeholder of or impacted by these projects (that you don't own). A few minutes with the Natural Planning Model will get you to the "Why?" you are interested in each project. That information would inform where and at what level you want to track in your system.

Why are you involved?
- Guiding the project to align with objectives that are your responsibility
- Monitoring the project to detect and handle early the impacts to your responsibilities
- Participating because direct reports are contributors on the project
etc.

These have very different actions, some may actually be projects for you or waiting for specific outcomes/decisions, etc.

It makes sense to finish the thinking on these situations so what you track in your system matches your relationship to these projects.
You want your future self to look at these entries in your system and instantly know what to do with them.

Hope this helps,
Clayton

Go to the balcony (To see a bigger picture)

 

[mcogilvie]

Just to be explicit; there are lots of good ways to handle your engagement with such efforts. At the project level, you can have a list of projects meeting criteria you set,or you can conceptualize them under one or more areas of focus, or go even higher. At the next action level, I’ve used Waiting For, Agenda and Tickler items with good effect.

 

[cfoley]

If I'm not doing the project, and I'm also not managing the project then I keep it off my projects list.

Here is where I might track it:

Agendas: if I want to ask the people working on the project about it. This agenda item can remain on the list until the project is done.
Waiting For: if I want to reconsider my involvement weekly.
Tickler: for several weeks or months in the future If I want to make sure I eventually think about it again.
Nowhere: If I'll merely be interested in the outcome when (or if) it gets completed, but I won't otherwise do or ask anything about it.

One thing I avoid is tracking it in multiple places. For example, I won't have a Waiting for and an Agenda item.

 

[schmeggahead]

For example, I won't have a Waiting for and an Agenda item.

I keep waiting for reminders on the agenda list that changed into a waiting for after it was assigned/acknowledged. The item really is an agenda item too because when I review with that person/meeting/etc. I need both agenda items and waiting for items as part of the agenda.

A waiting for item is essentially a certain type of agenda item.
Thanks,
Clayton.

 

[fooddude]

I keep waiting for reminders on the agenda list that changed into a waiting for after it was assigned/acknowledged. The item really is an agenda item too because when I review with that person/meeting/etc. I need both agenda items and waiting for items as part of the agenda.

But OP said he didn’t need to monitor so he would not need agenda. Until he needed to ask someone. Otherwise, just waiting for is where I would keep it. It could stay there indefinitely until whatever information he was waiting for but had no stake in came out.

 

[cfoley]

I keep waiting for reminders on the agenda list that changed into a waiting for after it was assigned/acknowledged. The item really is an agenda item too because when I review with that person/meeting/etc. I need both agenda items and waiting for items as part of the agenda.

A waiting for item is essentially a certain type of agenda item.
Thanks,
Clayton.

I can certainly see that point of view. Many of my Waiting fors are things I expect to happen without my intervention, like a package to arrive or someone to send me information. Often if something goes wrong I'll need to send an email or make a call. Usually it is the only thing I have to talk to that person or company about, and even if it is not, I like my emails to be about one topic. I can certainly see that it could be different if I was delegating lots of items to a team I was leading.