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I've seen the concept of an Issue Register in PRINCE2 but that would for issues and risks during a project that well end as they all should do.

I've never used one in practice for either a temporary project or day to day work.

I envisage for day to day work that comes into an operational team that the same concept can be used so that a team is asked to log an issue or risk so managers are aware it exists. Once the status column changes to 'Resolved' etc then it will filtered or moved off the current list.

Is this use commonplace and any pitfalls I have missed for using a project management tool in this way?

Thanks :-)

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  • You tagged this as PRINCE2 but it appears to be a general question about managing issues?
    – nvogel
    Feb 24, 2021 at 17:51
  • Are you perhaps using a Kanban board or some software collaboration tool to manage your operational workload? Every work item is an "issue" so I don't think you need to do anything special - just use the same approach you use for any work item.
    – nvogel
    Feb 24, 2021 at 17:52
  • @nvogel I could not find a tag that suited and had to choose one. I cannot see a managing issues tag and too new to create one.
    – colgor
    Mar 3, 2021 at 15:18
  • @nvogel Yes toying with the idea of using a kanban or spreadsheet for recording significant issus/risks that might impact on core operations outside of projects,
    – colgor
    Mar 3, 2021 at 15:26

2 Answers 2

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The PM industry--if that is a thing--does not own exclusively its tools. If you find that the issue log, or any tracking and control log, works in your work, use it. The pitfalls in using a log is not really about the log itself but more about how it is used. Some cons I have experienced are:

  • it becomes a deliverable of and in itself, versus a dynamic and dirty tool;
  • teams start one but don't really use it, in order to check off some requirement;
  • there are unending arguments about what goes in and what does not; and
  • teams end up using it as the reporting mechanism

Logs are simply meant to track items, maintain some data attributes on each item for prioritization or other metric inputs, hold responsibility and accountability for some party, and to be an input to other reporting requirements. These are all good things for both project and operation environments.

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  • Not sure what you mean by 'it becomes a deliverable of and in itself, versus a dynamic and dirty tool';
    – colgor
    Mar 3, 2021 at 15:29
  • Not 100% sure what you mean by 'it becomes a deliverable of and in itself, versus a dynamic and dirty tool'? The context is a couple of managers oversee a team of 30 where 50% of work is projects so can be project managed. 50% of work is operational and unpredictable using essentially fixed resources that need prioritising. Managers want the confidence to know that significant issues/risks will be logged by the team so that they are aware or can intervene to support at their discretion. Once the issues have passed the owner/OP can note resolved using the system and no longer a live item.
    – colgor
    Mar 3, 2021 at 15:39
  • I just meant that some require the register / log to be customer deliverable ready in that the language in it is perfect, everything is perfectly complete, etc. This causes too much wasted time iterating it until everyone approves and that is inconsistent with what the log is supposed to do for you. It becomes the end instead of a means to an end.
    – David Espina
    Mar 3, 2021 at 16:18
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    Ahh thank you. Yes in the case of my team would expect a 'rough and ready' item being added as part of an easy tool to help not create unnecessary work.
    – colgor
    Mar 3, 2021 at 16:32
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Two potential pitfalls of adding operational costs to a project

any pitfalls I have missed for using a project management tool in this way?

  1. The costs of these operational items will get added to whichever project you happen to park them on. This will skew metrics for that project, such as exceeding the budgeted cost.
  2. Finance people will, typically, amortize project costs over the life of a project. While Operations costs are treated as expense in that month/quarter/year when they are incurred.
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  • Thanks, 1. The costs are taken care of from an operational budget and work is simply prioritised. 2. N/A in this context.
    – colgor
    Mar 3, 2021 at 15:47

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