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How to Manage Underperforming Team Members

How to Manage Underperforming Team Members Managing underperformance is one of the most important responsibilities of a Delivery Manager or Project Manager. The goal is: Improve employee performance Protect delivery quality Maintain team morale Reduce project risk Retain good talent whenever possible In banking projects, underperformance can directly impact: Production stability Regulatory compliance Release timelines Customer experience --- Step-by-Step Approach to Managing Underperformance 1. Identify the Root Cause First Do not assume laziness immediately. Underperformance may happen due to: Lack of technical skill Poor banking domain knowledge Personal issues Low motivation Unclear expectations Work overload Communication gaps Wrong role assignment --- Banking Example A developer repeatedly delays: SWIFT integration tasks API defect fixes Manager investigates and finds: Developer strong in UI Weak in banking messaging standards Root cause: > Skill mismatch, not attitude problem....
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How to Improve Delivery Quality in Banking Projects

How to Improve Delivery Quality in Banking Projects Improving delivery quality means: Delivering with fewer defects Meeting timelines consistently Ensuring regulatory compliance Improving customer satisfaction Reducing production incidents Increasing predictability In banking projects, quality is critical because failures can impact: Customer transactions Regulatory compliance Financial loss Reputation Security --- Key Areas to Improve Delivery Quality 1. Strong Requirement Management Most defects originate from unclear requirements. Actions Conduct requirement workshops Create detailed acceptance criteria Use prototypes/wireframes Perform requirement sign-offs Involve business users early --- Banking Example For payment gateway enhancement: Clarify transaction validation rules Define AML checks Document exception scenarios Result Reduced rework and requirement ambiguity. --- 2. Shift-Left Testing Testing should start early. --- Actions QA involved during requirement phase Test case pr...

Team Conflict Resolution Techniques with Banking Project Examples

Team Conflict Resolution Techniques with Banking Project Examples These conflict resolution techniques are commonly used in PMP, Agile, and Delivery Management. --- 1. Win-Win (Collaborating / Problem Solving) Meaning Both parties work together to find a solution beneficial to everyone. This is the best long-term approach. --- Banking Project Example Situation Two teams conflict over release schedule: Payments team wants immediate deployment AML team needs additional security validation Payments team: > “Release is critical for business.” AML team: > “Compliance checks are mandatory.” --- Risk Delayed release Regulatory risk Production defects --- How Manager Solves It Manager Actions 1. Conduct joint meeting 2. Understand both concerns 3. Prioritize customer impact + compliance 4. Create phased deployment Final Solution Release low-risk payment features now AML validation completed for high-risk transactions separately Weekend controlled release planned --- Result Team Benefit P...

conflict management

Conflict management in the Project Management Professional (PMP) context is the process of identifying, addressing, and resolving disputes constructively.  PMI emphasizes that conflict is inevitable—driven by scarce resources, scheduling priorities, and personality clashes—and should be handled proactively using specific resolution frameworks. The 5 Conflict Resolution TechniquesPMI expects project managers to understand and apply these five widely recognized conflict-handling modes: Collaborate / Problem Solve (Win-Win): Incorporates multiple viewpoints and insights from differing perspectives. Requires a cooperative attitude and open dialogue to reach consensus and a win-win solution. Compromise / Reconcile (Lose-Lose): Searches for solutions that bring some degree of satisfaction to both parties. It involves give-and-take, meaning neither party gets exactly what they want. Withdraw / Avoid (No Winner / No Loser): Retreating from an actual or potential conflict situation. It is o...

Example of a Failed Banking Project and Lessons Learned

Example of a Failed Banking Project and Lessons Learned Project Overview A large retail bank initiated a Core Banking Digital Transformation Project to modernize: Customer onboarding Payments Loan processing Mobile banking integration Project Details Item Details Project Type Banking Digital Transformation Methodology Hybrid Agile + Waterfall Duration Planned 18 Months Team Size 45 Resources Budget $4.5 Million Technologies Java, APIs, Middleware, Oracle DB Stakeholders Business, Compliance, Operations, Vendors --- What Went Wrong? 1. Unclear Requirements Business users continuously changed requirements: Loan workflow changes AML validation changes Mobile UI changes Impact Frequent rework Sprint delays Increased defects Budget overrun Root Cause Requirements were not finalized before development. --- 2. Scope Creep Initially: Only retail banking module Later added: Corporate banking SWIFT integration Fraud monitoring Regulatory reporting Impact Team overloaded Timeline slipped by 8 mon...

The six key project constraints

Scope: The specific goals, deliverables, and tasks required to complete the project. Proper management prevents scope creep. Time: The schedule and deadlines set for the project's milestones and final delivery. Cost: The budget, finances, and resources needed to execute the project successfully. Quality: The standard of the final deliverable and how well it meets the intended requirements and client expectations. Resources: The people, materials, equipment, and technology available to get the work done. Risk: The unexpected obstacles, uncertainties, or external factors that could positively or negatively impact the project.

Time & Material (T&M) project -revenue increase.plan

In a banking Time & Material (T&M) project, revenue increases when you either: Increase billable hours Increase billing rates Add new scope/services Improve resource utilization Reduce delivery leakage and rework Here are the most practical ways Delivery Managers create new revenue opportunities in banking T&M engagements: --- 1. Convert Support Work into Mini Projects Many banking clients initially raise tickets or enhancement requests. Instead of handling everything as BAU support: Bundle related requests Propose a mini enhancement project Add dedicated developers/testers Example Client asks: Add new payment validation SWIFT format enhancement AML rule updates Convert into: > “Payment Compliance Modernization Sprint” Result: Additional 3 developers 2-month extension Extra billable revenue --- 2. Identify Manual Banking Operations Banks still use many manual processes: Reconciliation Compliance checks Excel reporting Settlement validation Propose automation: RPA Workflo...