In the first and second articles in this series we’ve demonstrated how to develop ideas for new products and how to create them using project management discipline.

These methodologies have been thoroughly tested and proven over time in numerous media houses.

But in the news business you do not always have time for the Gantt chart/whiteboard approach. Stories spring up so quickly you have to be flexible and find other ways of working in a planned and disciplined manner.

In this example, we were asked at short notice to help produce a televised debate between political candidates before a general election. We had three-and-half weeks to make it happen.

The importance and the risk factors were obviously high and we could not afford to spend a week or two planning.

For one thing, we needed to hire a venue and so we had to start checking availability immediately.

But we still needed to think the whole project through before making other commitments, and we decided to use the production schedule as a form of project plan.

The first step was a long meeting of all the key staff. For a show of this sensitivity and high profile, we were glad to have the Director General of the broadcaster at the meeting. This both underlined the importance of the task and gave the DG’s approval for the plan.

But we still needed to think it through before springing into action and we decided to use the production schedule as a form of project plan.

Every television programme should have a production schedule. The difference with this one was that it went into much more detail about what we needed to do to make the show happen.

Essentially it is a vertical version of the Gantt chart/whiteboard but it also identifies all the personnel, and includes all the main operational details.

Candidates debate

Staffing

• Producer/editor
• Deputy producer/editor
• OB (outside broadcast) producer
• Director of photography
• Presenters
• Candidate producers
• Scenography producer
• Graphics producer
• Titles producer
• Audience producer
• Sub-titles producer
• Picture editor
• Control room producer
• Make-up
• Internet content producer
• Floor manager
• Camera operators
• Lighting
• Sound
• Stagehands
• OB truck

Production schedule

TX (transmission) minus 25

• Discuss and plan
• Determine overall editorial remit
• Write brief overview document

TX minus 21

• Venue lined up
• Produce design brief (set, titles, endboard, graphics, captions, internet content)
• Appoint production and OB crews
• Appoint HQ-based staff
• Assign one producer to each candidate

TX minus 18

• Briefings for all producers
• Briefings for OB staff
• Briefings for HQ-based staff
• Candidate producers establish contact with candidates, arrange to meet to discuss plans
• Secure location for recording
• Reconnaissance of location
• Produce promotional schedule for TV, radio and internet

TX minus 14

• Produce technical requirements document (TechReq)
• Invite audience
• Plan titles
• Schedule internet content (web pages and social media)

TX minus 10

• Produce lighting plan
• Produce camera plan
• Define range of shots to be used throughout recording
• Source music for titles
• Record/obtain VT for titles

TX minus 9

• Edit titles and end-board
• Produce graphics

TX minus 8

• Production day off

TX minus 7

• Production day off

TX minus 6

• All-staff meeting to review progress
• Sign off titles and graphics
• Draft script
• OB crew briefing on camera use
• TV and radio promos start be aired

TX minus 5

• Script conference, approve script

TX minus 4

• All-staff meeting, final checks

TX minus 2

• 0900 – Call time for production crew and OB crew, briefing
• 0930 – Build set, dress set, install cameras, lights etc
• 1130 – Technical checks, studio, graphics, scanner etc
• 1200 – Rehearsal
• 1400 – Production and OB crews review

TX minus 1

• 0900 – iron out all remaining problems

TX 0

• 0900 – Call time for production crew and OB crew
• 0930 – Technical check, facilities check
• 1100 – Call time for HQ-based staff
• 1200 – Audience arrives, audience briefing
• 1215 to 1230 – Candidates arrive, greeted by presenter and the relevant producer
• 1230 – Candidates in their dressing rooms, make-up, final brief
• 1300 – Record debate
• 1500 – Record teasers
• 1530 – Edit teasers
• 1600 – Edit programme and insert sub-titles
• 1800 – Take clips for news bulletins
• 1830 – Take clips for internet
• 2000 – (or whenever) Debate transmits

TX plus 1

• Press release on audience figures
• Wash-up meeting to discuss lessons learnt

We circulated the schedule widely and referred to it constantly in the progress chasing. If something slipped (and several things did) we revised the schedule and re-issued it.

In this approach to project planning, you as the project manager need to keep the dependencies in your head – they are not identified so clearly on the schedule.

In the wash-up meeting we identified numerous lessons to be learned. For example, we should have included more operational detail about the arrival, on the day, of the audience and the candidates: they both came in through the same door which made filming the arrival of the candidates (for the opening sequence) problematic.

There were other lessons, too, but they all re-inforced the main point: every significant problem would have been avoided if we had planned in more detail.

The post An example of the media project management process first appeared on Media Helping Media.

In the first in this series of three articles we looked at the basics of project development for a media organisation in order to launch new products or refresh current output. That module included defining the target audience, setting out the unique editorial proposition, assessing the cost of the project, and calculating the return.

In other words, you have done the thinking. But there is a lot more thinking still to be done, if you are to turn your idea into a real-life product. To do that, you need to use the skills and techniques of project management.

Many books have been written on this subject.  There are detailed project management methodologies you could learn, if you wanted to do so.  A man called Gantt invented a useful chart that helps you manage your project.

But you can do without all that if you follow the basic rules.  Here they are:

1: Specification, time, and money

The three main components of any project are the specification, the time allowed and the money available. You want to finish the project to specification, on time and within budget

This speaks for itself, but it is vital that you understand the three components in detail before you begin work. Then you know, and everybody else knows, precisely what you are trying to achieve. Your whole project plan is based on that understanding.

The reason I make this point is that external forces often want to change the basic components after the project has started. They might (and often do) try to change the specification, bring forward the launch date or reduce the amount of money available.

They have to understand that any change in the specification, the time or the budget might mean a total re-think.

2: Planning

It is important that you plan everything before you do anything. If you forget all the other rules, do not forget this one. Your thinking time is your most valuable time. Get a complete picture of the project in your head before you allow work to start

3: Workstreams

Next you need to identify the workstreams involved in the proposed project. The workstreams are the pieces of work that all need to be done.

They might include recruitment, training, buying equipment and software, commissioning design work, writing technical specifications, producing guidelines or standards, renting space, getting permissions, booking travel, market research, rehearsing, printing, marketing, producing pilots or prototypes, testing – whatever.  You need a complete list.

4: The project plan document

Once the workstreams are in place you need to write down all the elements in a project plan document.

This can be a large piece of paper, a Gantt chart, a spreadsheet or a whiteboard in your office. Start by writing today’s date at the top of the left hand side, and the date you want to launch your product at the top of the right hand side (If you read right to left, invert these instructions).

Let’s say there are two months between today’s date and the launch of your product.  Divide the space between them into equal time segments. For example, you might have two months to complete the project, so your top line will be divided into eight segments representing eight weeks:

Below “Today’s date” you are going make a vertical list of all the workstreams – the things that need to be done.

In the row next to each workstream heading, you are going to write the critical milestones, in the week when they must be achieved.

Let’s say one of the work streams is Design. It might appear like this, showing the important milestones:

Do this with all the workstreams. In particular you are looking for dependencies: where one piece of necessary work can’t be carried out until another has been completed. Here is an example of a Gantt chart showing dependencies in an architectural project:

5: Plan for the unexpected

It’s important with any project to include a bit of slack to allow for the things that will inevitably go wrong.

Planning is the central to success, but as Mike Tyson said: “Everybody has a plan till they get punched in the mouth”. Things WILL go wrong. So you have to build a little slack into your project to allow for that: a bit more time than you think you’ll actually need; a bit of money tucked away in case an emergency arises that can be solved by throwing money at it; and one or more of the specifications that can wait until after launch, without drastically affecting the outcome, if need be.

6: Teamwork and collaboration

Ensure that you share the plan with your team, and let them improve it if they can.

The team will actually do all the work and they need to own the results. You achieve that by listening to them, involving them and respecting them. Make sure they are all absolutely clear and supportive of the objective. If people are doubtful about the wisdom of the project it would be better for them to find somewhere else to work.

7: Get started

Now the work can actually begin.  And you will soon notice the benefit of having thought everything through carefully beforehand.

8: Communication

Make sure you communicate with your team constantly and meet together at least weekly.

Set an example to the team by understanding what they are doing. If you are not interested in their work, they won’t be either. Know all the details of the project inside out. Be available to everyone and don’t ask anyone to do something you would not be willing to do yourself.

9: Chase progress sensitively

You need to ensure people are doing what they are expected to do, so a project manager must always chase progress, but it is important not to overwork people – that is not sustainable.

It is your job to make sure that deadlines are met and the weekly meeting is a vital checkpoint. Know exactly how you are going to react if a work stream is running behind schedule. It must be clear how any lost time is going to be made up. But it’s also your job to make sure they do not overwork.

I have seen people burn out trying their darnedest to hit deadlines. Their dedication is admirable but that way of working is not sustainable. So keep the workload within reasonable bounds and ensure they take some time off. It will be better that way in the long run.

10: Testing

Be sure to plenty of time for testing before launch.

Ideally, your product should be ready at least a couple of weeks before launch so that you can test if thoroughly. However well you have done your job, testing is sure to throw up problems that need to be addressed. Because testing is just about the last thing before launch, it is also the thing that gets squeezed most by delays earlier in the schedule. So be ruthless about getting into the testing phase on time. Otherwise the first thing you know about some problems will be when the product is launched on a startled public.

11: Learning

After launch, do a thorough wash-up, learning all the lessons from the project.

Typically, everyone is exhausted after launch. They want to go away and celebrate or lie down in a darkened room. They should have some time to do that. But it is important to do your review of the entire project while memories are still fresh. That way you can record all the lessons that have been learned and begin to schedule corrections or improvements to the product that the project has thrown up.

In the third and final part of this series we look at an example of a successful media project and the steps taken along the way.

The post The skills and techniques of media project management first appeared on Media Helping Media.

A media organisation must always remain alert to changing audience demand and behaviour. This involves continually examining what is produced to ensure that it is relevant to those who consume it. It’s easy to lose your audience if you are not adapting in order to hold their attention.

Part of this process might involve revising the current editorial process and/or creating new products to try to both retain the existing audience and attract new listeners, viewers, and readers. Such a process, done properly, can lead to increased audience engagement and loyalty.

But how can media managers be sure they are creating the right products? And what are the steps they need to take? The launch of any media product, whether it’s a new radio or TV programme, a special edition for a newspaper, or a website, needs meticulous research, planning, and, above all, justification.

In this article, the first in a three-part series, we look first at the basics of managing such a project before moving on to a how-to guide setting out what to do if you are planning a relaunch or a new product, and then look at an example of how to set up a new TV programme was successfully launched.

The following principles should be applied by all broadcasters and publishers involved in the process of creating new output. It’s best to make a checklist setting out all the questions that need to be answered. That checklist can be broken down into four areas:

• Defining the target audience.
• Setting out the unique editorial proposition.
• Assessing the cost.
• Calculating the return.

Let’s look at those four areas in more detail.

1: Define and get to know your target audience

The first question to ask is “Who is it for?”.

You are about to devote considerable time and effort in order to create something new, so you need to know whether anyone will want what you are about to produce.

This is where you need to ensure that what you are creating matches the requirements of your audience.

Our training module about “The value of thorough research for a media business” sets out the steps a media business needs to consider when establishing its position in the local media market.

And then you need to understand the audience you aim to reach with the new product. Our training module “Identifying the target audience and its information needs” will take you through this process.

2: Set out a clear and unique editorial proposition

The second question is “What are you offering?”.

Before you start you need to set out what is unique about what you are about to produce. How will it be different from what the competitors are producing? Why would anyone want to listen to your radio station, watch your TV programme, read your magazine, or visit your website?

This is about offering something different; something that not only doesn’t currently exist, but also something that is so unique, fresh and relevant that it sets your media organisation apart from the rest.

Perhaps your differential is in terms of topics covered, the way you treat news, the user engagement and interactivity you offer, the editorial and ethical values you hold dear, your focus on fact-checking, the diversity of voices you include.

Our training module “Establishing a market differential with original journalism”, sets out a way to do this. After reading that module you are ready for step three in the process.

3: Calculate the cost in terms of money and resources

Next your media business needs to know whether it can afford to pay for the new content idea.

The first question to consider is whether you can do it with existing resources. Is there a way of reorganising how you currently do things in order to be able to produce more or different content without having to hire extra staff and equipment?

You will need to look at your current production processes. In my experience, many new products can be created from existing resources if media managers are prepared to take a fresh look at how news is produced.

Our training module “Creating a converged news operation”, sets out some simple steps that will enable a news organisation to introduce efficiencies which will improve the quantity and quality of output.

This usually involves introducing new workflows and changes to what staff currently do. Our training module “Convergence, workflows, rolls and responsibilities”, shows how this can be implemented.

I have introduced successfully convergence models in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, SE Europe, and the CIS. In every case duplication of effort has been eliminated and productivity has been increased – and all from existing resources.

Once you have taken a fresh look at how your newsroom works, and you know more how you can exploit existing resources for maximum gain, you are ready to move on to the next step.

4: Understand the sources of revenue

The final point is about how to make money from the new programme, edition, or website. You need to know which advertisers / sponsors will want to be associated with what you are creating?

And, although I have listed this as point four, it would make sense to start thinking about this at the start of the process during the audience identification stage.

Our training module “How to develop a media sales strategy” sets out some simple steps which, if followed, should help you monetise the new product, cover your costs, and enable you to start thinking about how to expand your media business further.

In the second article in this series, Bob Eggington sets out a “How-to of media project management” listing the practical steps required. The third article, also written by Bob, looks at “A practical example of media project management”, in which he shares a case-study of a programme he has implemented.

The post Basics of project development for a media organisation first appeared on Media Helping Media.