How To Deal With A Project's Unexpected Loss Of A Critical Resource?

How do you deal with such a significant shift in the middle of a project? As understood while preparing for the PMP Certification - there are a number of factors to think about:

·         What effect will it have on the team's chemistry?

·         What impact will it have on your project customer's level of comfort?

·         What will happen to the tasks that are currently being worked on by the resource?

·         Will this have an impact on the project's budget?

·         Is there enough time to find the proper replacement skill set in order to make a smooth transition?

These are all legitimate concerns, and none should be dismissed lightly. However, you have reached a point where you have no option – no form of bargaining – except to maintain the resource, and you must align all activities with moving forward and fast replacing the outgoing resource with the proper skill set.

When this occurs, it's best to follow three key steps as you learned while preparing for the PMP Certification- to ensure a smooth transition for all parties involved –

1.     Inform the project customer. 

The first step is to notify the project client that a change is coming. We're presuming that this is a high-profile member of the team, therefore there's no easy way to do this without having a significant impact on the consumer. Take it to the consumer and explain the problem, as well as the efforts you're taking to find a suitable substitute. It all comes down to the customer's degree of comfort and confidence.

2.     Work with your senior management. 

If you work in a matrix organisation, someone is in charge of converting resource requests into actual resources. Because you're not dealing with a new project – you're dealing with a customer who has an existing relationship with a key resource that you're about to lose, and you're in grave danger of losing a lot of customer confidence if the transition is handled poorly, you'll need to work closely with that person to find the right resource. Assist this resource manager in locating the appropriate resource as soon as feasible.

3.     Begin the transition. 

It's sometimes just as crucial how you onboard the resource as it is the item itself. It's preferable if you can ease into the transfer by having the new resource shadow the outgoing resource for a couple of weeks. This is frequently the most effective strategy to maintain high levels of client satisfaction. If this is not possible, the project manager and the rest of the team will be responsible for successfully taking over duties and transitioning the new resource into the project. The key is to be transparent and honest with the client about how the transfer will take place and who will be accountable for the exiting resource's duties throughout the transition, regardless of how it's done. Over-inform rather than under-inform the buyer at this stage.

Want to learn more about dealing with project’s unexpected loss? Take on a Project Management Institute certification program today!