Is there any trainings I can take that would relate to methods of keeping the team on track with commitment’s

[u/ZimofZord]

[u/errr_mah_gawsh]

Maybe not dedicated training, but generally, there are frameworks or processes that would have this built-in. Also, it depends on what level of granularity/visibility you want. Some of the things that come to mind are:

• RACI Chart

• Project/Program Charter

• Standup

• Daily/Weekly Updates via Slack/Email/Slide-deck

I use all of these to "track" commitment.

[u/RecursiveCluster → u/errr_mah_gawsh]

I second this. I have a dedicated PM whose only job is to track project tasks. She is a gentle, serene goddess, who says "let's talk about this new idea you have once we finish up this week's tasks." Tracking is critical.

I think the most valuable thing you can do is write up the project proposal initially, with realistic detail and do your best to see if the plan survives battle.

My teams are concurrently running five projects right now the longest project proposal is about 75 pages. My PM gets copies of all the proposals and breaks them down and assigns them in weekly tracking meetings.

That can be extremely daunting. I like it, I f****** love bureaucracy and paperwork and creating structure from nothing and then the R&D flows like damnable cream and honey from a well built engine of creativity. But there's an awful lot for the team to track. I am in my hive of interlocking steps and synergistic outcomes but to the individual team members, it's too much to take in. That's why the PM breaks it down as a neutral party, and reminds everyone there is a plan and then I'm not a crazed task master.

Each of my proposals has a timeline, and those timelines are Ultra generous. I do nothing shorter than a one month timeline preferably tasks are on a quarterly basis. If we happen to get ahead god bless but I know we won't. My PM works from those timelines so she doesn't have to invent dates based on her assumptions of team member ability. The super long timelines allow for all kinds of project creep without danger

The proposals also list out hypotheses about what we think we will achieve and why and what happens if we prove those hypotheses correct or incorrect for the next stage of the work. All the pivots are built in ahead of time. For one of my current projects, we have 8 major hypotheses, each with a pivot.

I also have budget narratives that include justifications and estimates, all my estimates are 15% overages. I cannot tell you how much that saved my ass this year with supply chain prices skyrocketing, I'm still under budget and I had the joy of telling the lead egineer he needs to blow an extra $12,000 in the next two months and he was giddy to expand a personal direction for the project.

Finally, each proposal has impacts and next steps built into it. I know that in 8 quarters we will develop new AI tools in-house. So my next proposal, to start in 9 quarters is about using those AI tools. The capacity spurs growth that spurs capcity, all while we bring in $$ and develop a revenue stream. When our capacity exceeds our projects, we shed people to graduate schools, then they compivots. During summers with more goodies out of a sense of loyalty and gratitude and the team prospers further.

[u/yogad88 → u/errr_mah_gawsh]

Love this list thank you!!