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.

 

[schmeggahead]

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.

I guess I can clarify: when I keep an agenda list for a particular person, their waiting for items are also housed on the agenda list.

I also keep a waiting for items list for those independent items like the arrival of a package or the response to a call, etc.

Hope this helps.
Clayton.

 

[fooddude]

I guess I can clarify: when I keep an agenda list for a particular person, their waiting for items are also housed on the agenda list.

I also keep a waiting for items list for those independent items like the arrival of a package or the response to a call, etc.

Hope this helps.
Clayton.

My agendas are people specific lists of things I need to discuss when I am with them. All waiting fors go on the waiting for list. From Package from Amazon to Joe return my message or anything from an agenda stand up meeting. I find I see the waiting fors more frequently in weekly reviews than if I waited to look at an agenda which would only happen when I was with them again. I would be afraid if I needed to to follow up sooner and not remember that the waiting for was in agenda instead of waiting for.

 

[hmvandyne]

I keep a separate list called Projects - Aware. This includes projects that I don't have any direct responsibility for, or involvement with, but I may be involved in later or will be impacted by later. In my industry, there are often a lot of franchise-directed projects that may or may not involve me at some point.
For example: our company is launching a new appointment scheduler. I am not part of the roll-out team, so don't have any direct responsibilities or involvement. The timeline for launch is not firm as it hinges on team training and the actual technical integration between multiple companies involved. HOWEVER - as soon as it does go live, I will need to update the appointment scheduling forms on our website, and complete some testing to ensure leads are routing into our CRM as intended. I do periodically get forwarded status update emails, but am not "officially" in the loop, and I do not work at the same location as the folks rolling it out, so there's little likelihood of serendipitous updates.

Since there's no specific timeline, I can't put a tickler/calendar notification. There are numerous people involved, so an Agenda item may work, but most of these people are not folks I work with regularly 1:1, so isn't ideal. The person ultimately overseeing the project is at the executive level and is responsible for a huge amount of things, so a waiting for may work, but may also lead to an "oh no, that launched a week ago and the leads are now going nowhere" situation. For me, the best case scenario is keeping this on my Projects - Aware list, so that I can keep it in my periphery. If it's been a while since I've seen an update or heard one, I can decide what to do next - add it as an Agenda item for the next time we talk, add a next action to follow-up and see if we have a timeframe moving forward, or check my exec's calendar to see if training meetings are still happening.

Observation/caveat: I will note that I deep down personally HATE being blindsided by things or spending time fixing things that don't need to be. I recognize that others may feel perfectly comfortable with a Waiting For item on this, and addressing it if it turns into an "oh no, it launched a week ago" scenario. It's my own preference (neurosis?) to be as proactive as possible so as not to have to put out fires or scramble to do things last minute because other folks are NOT GTDers.

Other examples where I've used this to keep peripheral items within view:
- We have a franchise directive that will require an action item from me if it's implemented, but our exec team is applying for an exception to postpone the directive, which means I will not have an action item.
- A department is being restructured, which may require updates to customer-facing materials and websites, depending on what decisions are made.
- My mother is working on some landscaping projects, which may or may not require help due to some post-surgical limitations, but she is beautifully stubborn and won't ask for help, but will accept if it's offered. It helps keep it top of mind for me to ask about in conversation, check out when I'm at her house, or mention it to my brother to check out the next time he's there, without it being a "checkbox" to talk to her about.

 

[FlyingS]

I personally rely on regular check-ins and communication to ensure I am always informed about the current status and can react early to potential issues. In situations where I do not have direct control, I see my role as a consultant and actively support by providing resources or questioning problems without dominating the process. Trust and transparency are the key elements here.
Every step in the monitoring process is an opportunity to shape the success of a project together and learn from the different perspectives of the participants.

 

[Allenori]

Yeah, split the list. One for what you own, one for what you just track. Call it “On Radar” or whatever. Only update when it affects you.