If you’ve spent enough time as a project manager, you must have dealt with a project roadblock. You will also know that not all Roadblocks are created equally.

External roadblocks typically can’t be predicted. An example of this would be legislation that increases tariffs on an imported resource, or a natural disaster that brings production to a standstill. These roadblocks tend to be difficult to manage, and often expend a great deal of time and money to overcome.

On the other end, Internal Roadblocks are issues that arise from within the project. They tend to be related to mismanagement of the team, resources, or scope. The good news is that they tend to be easily solvable with the right tools and planning.

In this article, we will cover the most common (internal) roadblocks to project management and the tactics to overcome them.

Roadblocks and Solutions

1. Lack of collaboration

In order for a project with multiple team members to work, there needs to be collaboration. This may be difficult to achieve in a traditional workplace for a number of reasons (e.g. poor communication, unequal access to information), and if you throw in remote workers, the problem can get exacerbated.

While there are a number of benefits to remote employees and contractors, distance can be a barrier to effective collaboration.

Solutions:

• Ensure communication keeps flowing smoothly. That could mean setting up a weekly call to relay project progress or flag any issues you may have encountered.
• Set up a workflow (perhaps with a Kanban board) so team members know exactly what to do and when to do it.
• Technology can fix most things, but it cannot solve an underlying team culture issue.

Don’t let miscommunication become a roadblock to your success. Make way for seamless communication with ProofHub.

2. Poor organization

If your team spends more time looking for project documents and assets, it might be time to reevaluate the way your information is stored.

Solution:

Create a digital hub for all your information and make sure all the right team members have access. This ensures that project members don’t waste time requesting and waiting on documents. Ensure that the application you select has the ability to perform powerful searches.

3. Poor planning

Planning is crucial for success in project management. Poor planning encompasses situations where you spend too much time or not enough time planning. Often, the latter will lead to more unfavourable results, like a lack of resources.

Solution:

Plan your planning. In relation to the size and type of project, ensure that you’re spending the right amount of time researching and consulting stakeholders. If you have the tendency to jump the gun on projects, try erring on the side of caution by overplanning.

4. Ambiguous goals/Shifting priorities

Although you may start your project with a clearly defined goal, you may end said project with a different priority.

Adapting to a nebulous target is difficult enough, and doing it without a project team on the same page will prove to be even more difficult. Members may not be sure of their own tasks or their peers’ responsibilities, which may result in unnecessary extra hours and an

unmotivated team.

Solutions:

• Use a Kanban board so members are aware of timelines and projects. The visual depiction of progress is easier to understand and helps you keep track of scope creep.
• Keep an open line of communication with team members. The more they know, the less confusion there will be.
• If the priorities continue to shift or if the goal remains unclear, speak to the Project Management head or sponsor.
• Foster a culture of adaptability and innovation by creating spaces and ways team members can bring forward new ideas and be recognized for them.

5. Too many tools

Technology has been a boon to project managers. There is an ever increasing number of project management tools and software that are built to make project managers’ lives easier.

However, using too many or the wrong tools can hurt more than it helps. If it seems like you spend an unreasonable amount time hopping from app to app, it might be time to look for another software tool that caters to your needs better.

Solution:

Find out what your team needs and values the most. Is it a Kanban board? Mobile accessibility? A timeline? All three? Don’t be afraid to experiment — a good number of these applications have a free trial period. Take advantage of that and find the perfect fit.

6. Too few resources

Not having the right resources at the right time is a recipe for a bottleneck. In this context, resources can include: materials, equipment, information, money, and access to specialists.

Solution:

• Know exactly what you need and when you need it, and then relay that information to your team. Having a schedule for resource requirements should clear up any confusion pertaining to the urgency or timeliness of certain task or resource.
• While in the thick of the project, keep an eye out on the budget and any other resources that can run out. Flagging any issues early on will typically make the solution more straightforward.

7. Insufficient data/Poor reporting

In order to keep your stakeholders on board throughout the project, it is key that they are aware of your progress. You can do that by engaging them with reports and project updates.

However, if you’re reporting the wrong metrics, this exercise loses its value.

Solution:

Ensure you’re able to compare apples to apples when reporting on your projects. Try to use the same metrics where applicable.

Perhaps you can create a reporting schedule. This will not only keep stakeholders engaged, it will help you systematically keep track of what matters most.

Conclusion

While there are a number of ways your project can experience a bottleneck or setback, there are just as many ways you can prevent that from happening.

When the solutions are distilled, it comes down to three things: planning, communication, and effective systems.

While not all roadblocks can be anticipated, keeping these solutions in mind will help you prevent any future internal roadblocks that may arise.

Author Bio:

Krystal Tolani does all things marketing at GoSkills. She’s a Boston University graduate with a B.A. in international relations and a minor in communications. When she’s not at work, you can find her podcasting or watching comedy specials on Netflix.

Common Roadblocks to Successful Project Management (and How to Overcome Them) was originally published in ProofHub Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.