Online Survey Results: Upfront Issues Challenge Project Managers

When asked about the biggest challenges faced when managing projects, an equal number of survey respondents (39 percent) identified gaining project approval and developing functional specifications as the leading issues. This was followed closely by scope creep, at 38 percent (multiple responses were allowed). Almost a third reported problems with agreeing on performance requirements (30 percent) or gaining internal agreement on project scope (29).

Most out of the total of 102 who responded to the survey questions reported using some kind of software application to assist project management. Three-fourths of respondents use a spreadsheet, with almost the same number using Microsoft Project. Almost a third (29 percent) use Microsoft Visio. Eighteen percent reported using a legal pad.

While the latter may work perfectly well for smaller projects, it is probably unlikely that the legal pad users are among the group who reported managing the largest projects. When asked about the average size of projects managed, 13 percent said their projects typically cost more than $1 million. Just over a quarter of respondents reported average project size of greater than $500,000; another quarter reported projects of less than $100,000; the remaining half managed projects with costs in between.

If you have an idea for a survey topic, or have a comment about our Web site, please send Editor Gary Mintchell an e-mail at [email protected].