Finally, after all the training and effort, your company is running like a well-tuned machine. Finally your Project Managers have grasped that Accounting needs details in order to keep track of the project’s expenses. And your Accountants have accepted that the Project Managers will never give them all the details, so they will need to double check the account codes before they post. Everything is perfect, and then…

Jill in Accounting announces she’s engaged and moving to Denver. Ben, your senior PM is retiring. Ted, your newest PM, has decided to go back to school and get an engineering degree. And you’ve just been awarded a new project—one of the largest your company has ever been awarded.  Now what?!

Don’t panic. There is something you can and should do that we recommend to our clients when they start using our Spitfire Project Management System.

1. Start early to share and document your internal process. Rely on your team for this. Your team is your biggest asset. Each of them has a special skill and specialized knowledge. Each team member can contribute to the process.
2. Be sure that each team member has a backup person and trains that backup in using your current system. Cross training your employees so that you have someone who can step in is your best offense against chaos.
3. Have the backup person record the training he or she received. This assures that they’ll uncover missing steps as they record each process and they’ll be able to go back to the source for clarification.  How to record the process can be different. What works best for each process?
   • A checklist
   • A recorded video
   • An instruction manual
   • A PowerPoint presentation

Whatever you end up creating, be sure you store it in a space where all your employees can locate it and access it.

The one constant in life is change, so be prepared.