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RE SOU RCES | PROJECT MA NAG EMEN T | WH AT IS A BOTTLE NECK IN PROJECT MA NAG EM ...
1 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
Summary
Think about the last time one of your projects was delayed. Whether you were
waiting on feedback, struggling to make an outdated system work, or trying to
juggle reviews and approvals, most project delays are caused by one
phenomenon: the bottleneck.
Like the neck of a bottle slows down the flow of water, a bottleneck in project
management affects the workflow of a project. In a manufacturing process, a
bottleneck is pretty easy to spot— it’s usually a physical place where the overall
production process slows down because of a slow machine or raw materials. In
project management, it’s a bit trickier to spot and resolve bottlenecks.
So let’s take a look at what exactly a bottleneck in project management is, how
you can identify one, and what you can do to successfully contain a bottleneck
when it occurs.
2 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
Identifying what type of bottleneck you’re dealing with is the first step in
solving it. Once you know if you’re dealing with a systems-based or performer-
based bottleneck, you can dive deeper to pinpoint what exactly is causing the
issue.
3 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
to identifying bottlenecks and finding ways to solve them. There are three
steps you’ll have to take to identify your bottleneck, find solutions, and monitor
performance.
Another commonly used bottleneck analysis tool is the fishbone diagram. Also
known as Ishikawa diagram, this visual representation of your project is the
perfect brainstorming tool for problem solving.
In a fishbone diagram, the head of the fish represents the issue or bottleneck
you’re trying to resolve. The ribs represent different categories and associated
tasks. By mapping your process out in a fishbone diagram, it’ll be easier for
your team to identify the root cause of your bottleneck.
4 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
Note that it’s easy to get lost in your fishbone diagram. Your bottleneck may
have more than one potential cause so view this diagram with caution and
avoid getting lost in a rabbit hole.
To create a fishbone diagram in Asana, you can use the Lucidchart integration.
This allows you to create the diagram, share it with your team, and save it for
future review.
Once you’ve visualized your processes, your team will have to study them
closely and review them for strengths and weaknesses. You may find that work
is piling up because your quality team is understaffed (performer-based) or
that an old software continuously loses important data (systems-based).
• Client response times are too slow: Regularly waiting for client feedback can
cause a bottleneck in your delivery process. Schedule a meeting with your
client and find out how to best reach them when feedback is needed.
Perhaps they prefer receiving deliverables in batches or they just keep
missing your emails and need you to write out subject lines in all-caps letters.
5 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
Once you know the cause of the bottleneck, you’ll be best equipped to solve
it.
• Your team does a lot of duplicate work: Duplicate work doesn’t just slow
down the process, it also causes friction and frustration between your team
members. Use a work management tool to clearly outline who’s responsible
for what, define dependencies, and assign tasks as you go.
Once you’ve implemented your solution, there’s hopefully only one step left:
monitoring and evaluating how well your solution is working.
6 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
You can also use this evaluation to gain valuable information for future
bottleneck management. Remember that it’s not necessarily about preventing
bottlenecks—at a certain project size, they’re basically inevitable. What’s really
important is that you dedicate your time to being proactive in identifying and
managing them. Having your work process all mapped out may allow your
team to shift their energy to a different task while the bottleneck is congested
and return at a later point so the work never has to come to a halt.
Read: 6 project constraints and how to manage them for project success
7 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
1. Never leave it idle: While it may seem like a good solution to just minimize
the amount of work that has to go through the bottleneck, this approach can
lead to even longer processing times and create a ripple effect that could
slow down your entire project. Always keep your bottleneck working at full
capacity while also solving the problem at full speed.
2. Reduce the strain on the bottleneck: Rather than minimizing the amount of
8 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
2. Reduce the strain on the bottleneck: Rather than minimizing the amount of
work that has to go through the bottleneck, you can reduce the strain on the
bottleneck by making sure that work arrives in the best possible condition.
Let’s say your bottleneck is a manager who needs to review documents
before they can be shared with your stakeholders. Focus on getting these
documents to the manager with little to zero errors to make their life easier
and the work flow faster.
4. Protect team morale: When things get messy, your team can lose focus,
trust, and motivation. It’s important that you effectively communicate with
your team how you plan on containing the bottleneck. Also let them know
how they can support the project in the meantime.
The most important thing is to avoid downtime. Having your team sitting
around with nothing to do will cause frustration and increase the overall cycle
time of your project even more. Always keep things moving and include your
team in the problem-solving process.
With the right tools, you can keep bottlenecks to a minimum even in an Agile
environment. Create timelines or Kanban boards for your projects so your team
always has a visual representation of their workload and can easily adjust tasks,
dependencies, and due dates in real time.
Related resources
10 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
ARTICLE
11 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
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12 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
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13 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM
3 Ways to Identify a Bottleneck in Project Management [2023] • Asana https://asana.com/resources/what-is-a-bottleneck
WE BINAR
14 of 14 10/21/2023, 3:16 AM