What to do after you’ve learned about project achievements (or lack thereof)
The project’s critical path outlines the logical sequence of steps and the time it will take to complete each activity (PM4NGOs 2020, 115). This is the area that will most likely receive your greatest attention when adapting your project to overcome unforeseen issues.
Fast Tracking
In a scenario where a project is delayed and changing the deadlines is not an option, fast-tracking is a great way to help your project get up to speed.
Fast tracking describes the process of adjusting the schedule of activities so that some activities that were originally planned to take place sequentially can be completed at the same time (PM4NGOs 2020, 135).
Crashing
Another option for adjusting the project schedule when pushing back a deadline is not possible is called “crashing” the schedule (PM4NGOs 2020, 135).
Crashing the schedule means increasing resources supporting the project so that delivering the interventions is sped up. This can often look like hiring more people to accomplish the activities. However, not all ‘crashes’ are created equal, and some projects will suffer and could be further delayed if additional staff are only able to offer marginal support (PM4NGOs 2020, 135).
Reducing Scope
Another alternative to pushing back project deadlines to account for setbacks is reducing the scope of the project.
This can amount to reducing the number of deliverables for certain activities (e.g., reducing the number of trainings given), reducing the areas in which the project is working, or reducing the size of the activities undertaken (PM4NGOs 2020, 61). For example, if a project is delayed or overspending, consider testing an intervention with a small group of beneficiaries and focus on learning from their experiences for future scale-out
The key here (and for fast tracking and crashing as well) is to make sure the budget is adjusted according to the changes made and promptly communicated to your donor and other stakeholders.