Page 54 - Global Project Management Handbook

2-16 STATE OF THE ART OF GLOBAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Managing Project Discontinuities
Tasks involved in managing discontinuities are, on the one hand, the resolution of project
discontinuities and, on the other, the avoidance of project crises, the provision of project
opportunities, and the management of project discontinuities (Fig. 2.10).
The objectives are to plan and implement strategies and measures that avoid crises,
that promote project opportunities, and that manage discontinuities in an efficient manner
in the case of their occurrence. Avoiding project crises, promoting project opportunities,
and providing for project discontinuities are not subprocesses of project management in
their own right but are tasks to be fulfilled in both the project start process and the project
control process. Therefore, in the following, only the resolution of a project discontinuity
will be described.
Owing to their complexity and dynamics, projects have a high potential for disconti-
nuities. In order to be able to complete a project successfully, the competence to resolve a
project discontinuity professionally is needed in the project-oriented company.
The definition of a discontinuity is a central task in the process of resolving a project
discontinuity. The existence of a project discontinuity cannot be measured by means of
objective criteria, such as project ratios, but must be constructed in a communication
process. A loss in a contracting project amounting to 50,000 may or may not lead to a
project crisis. This depends on the size of the project and the structures and cultures of
the project-performing organization. If the loss is defined as a crisis, this leads to the use
of crisis management; otherwise, “normal” project management is practiced.
The resolution of a project discontinuity thus requires a conscious construction of the
discontinuity as a new project reality. Watzlawik assumes that no objective reality exists
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but only a subjective construction of reality. Only the conscious definition of a disconti-
nuity gives the situation a specific sense and clarifies its social meaning. By defining a
discontinuity, the “crisis” or the “chance occurrence” are differentiated from normality. A
difference is made “that makes a difference.” On the one hand, identification of a situa-
tion as a crisis or a chance occurrence serves as a “label” that aims at securing special
management attention, and on the other hand, it legitimizes the use of (radical) measures
for resolving the discontinuity.
The process of resolving a project discontinuity consists of the phases of planning and
performing immediate measures, cause analysis, planning alternative resolution strategies,
and planning and performing additional measures. General strategies for resolving a project
discontinuity include

● Redesigning the project
● Stopping the project
● Interrupting the project
Redesigning the project may lead to appointing a new project owner team, a new proj-
ect manager, or new individual project team members; may require redefining the project
objectives and project content; may necessitate a new design of the project environment
relationships; and may include creating a new project culture. By redesigning the project,
a new project identity is created. This “revolution” in the project serves as the basis for a
successful continuation of the project.
The resolution of a discontinuity is characterized by a high demand for creativity and
discipline. Central weaknesses are to be identified and eliminated, strengths are to be pre-
served and expanded, important existing environment relationships are to be secured, and
new ones are to be developed. The necessary strategies and measures are to be opera-
tionalized to enable traceability and measurement of success.