Prioritization
Prioritization adds value to project management by breaking larger tasks to smaller tasks . No doubt constructing 500,000 thousand homes is a mammoth task incorporating supply , demand , and enabling environment interventions .
So , to realize the desired outcome , the Project Manager broke down this larger task into smaller tasks by creating 1 year lot plans that targeted achievement of specific houses for specific strata of society and in specific counties . For instance , it is through this breakdown that flagship projects including : 1,640 houses in Park road Nairobi , 8,888 in Mavoko Machakos County , 20,000 in Makongeni Thika , 5,300 in Shauri Moyo Nairobi are either completed , ongoing or projected to start .
The progress above however , was only possible following a meticulous prioritization by the Project Manager . Key priority areas identified included : Provision of land and bulk infrastructure , Infrastructure funding under Kenya Urban Support Programme ( K . U . S . P ), Tax incentives , Tax breaks ( Zero rating of Stamp duty for first time home owners and Standardized designs and / or processes .
In marketing we talk of the 360 ° Approach . Within that , there ’ s a whole lot and one only stands a greater chance of success if they prioritize . For instance , you can have Short-term opportunities , ( or “ low hanging fruit ”), mid-term initiatives , that may need more development but can provide results relatively quickly and longer-term initiatives , that may take more time due to requiring building operational support or re-working major components , such as your website or branding .
Delegation
Project managers must have thorough knowledge about the abilities and work experience of their team members . A shallow knowledge about team members , might lead to project failures as the jobs run the risk of not being delegated on the basis of merit .
The team here is : the Strategic Partners , Government institutions such as the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Corporation ( KMRC ), Private-Public-Partnership partners and County Governments . Through these partners , the Project Manager has ably assigned responsibility to third parties to carry out specific tasks ;
A key project management skill .
Whereas the Strategic Partners such as United Nations Office for Project Services ( UNOPS ) and Private Public Partners came through to take responsibility for the supply side of the project , the County government was instrumental in creating an enabling environment through coordination and provision of land and KMRC came in to support the demand side of things by availing to the market affordable mortgage tenures .
Basically , for those working in marketing communication agencies , a natural form of delegation is already self-occurring courtesy of the client service , the creative , the designer and all the way to the PR , media and production departments . Delegation , though a simple task at face value , needs a fine understanding of capabilities , passion and individual drive .
Effective Communication
It was the late American Psychiatrist Milton Hyland Erickson who said ; “ The effectiveness of communication is not defined by the communication , but by the response .” Talk to Kenyans and they know nothing about Affordable Housing beyond it being a Big 4 Agenda . And that ’ s just a small percentage , a majority know zero . So simple question , if your major stakeholder is unaware of the project who the hell has the Project Manager been communicating to ?
In this field , communication and effective communication ( for that matter ) should create engagement . It is through engagement that the Project Manager gets sound review , is able to adjust accordingly , rework timelines if necessary and eventually deliver outcomes that meet stakeholder expectations .
Remember how we do it in marketing ? Identify the primary target ( in project management-the right stakeholders ), assess their current attitudes , determine the desired attitude for optimum success , then choose the right messages and consistently communicate to build positive engagement .
As a marketing manager , we are basically Project Managers who specialize in planning , managing and executing projects related to marketing campaigns . Effective Communication is supplementary to marketing . It makes marketing campaigns memorable and develops an emotional link between the marketer and target audience .
When a piece of communication is to the point , relevant , worthwhile , and compelling , it seamlessly moves the audience from prospects to consumers !
Chabala H . Walter is a perceptive , amiable , and conscious Sales , Marketing and Communications Professional . You can commune with him on this or related matters via email at : Chabalawalter @ gmail . com .