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Planning to fail

I am shocked every day by people's ability to take on any project or major task without thought and without any pre-planning.
I am just as guilty, doing first and re-doing or fixing what I have done later. After all, isn't it better to do something rather than just thinking about it?
The traditional Project Management Life-cycle starts with Project Initiation, basically the idea, and the objective. For now, we can call this "What" and "Why".
"Why" is too often forgotten and "What" seems to come too easily.
For example:
What:
"Build a tree-house".
Project Plan:
  • Buy wood, nails, paint, sandpaper, paintbrushes.... you get the idea
  • Execute our great plan and build a treehouse.
  • Stand back and revel in the glory of our creation.
How often would a project that is attempted this way achieve the result desired?
Make it personal
Let's change tack now and focus on "Why"
So you have had a random thought or something has caused you to decide to build a treehouse. Before going any further, ask "Why"
  • The kids are under my feet all-day
  • Their rooms are a mess
  • The backyard is safer than the street
  • I can store some of their toys there
  • The kids will love playing out there
  • It can be a magical place for them to grow and explore
The idea may have started as a way to get the kids out of your way and keep your house clean but with thought, it quickly transformed into something personal and worth taking the time to think through and plan carefully.
"What" now becomes:
"Build a magical treehouse that my kids will love playing in, surrounded by their toys and imaginations where they can grow and explore"
When we focus on "Why" the project often changes, we care more about the result and we are willing to do more to ensure a successful outcome. The same would apply to business projects.
Let's look at the process again
Idea/What: Implement a new document storage system
Why:
  • I can't find the documents I need
  • Our business files are a mess
  • It would be easier if we had some sort of system
  • We could respond to customers quicker with answers
  • Our customers would see us as more professional
  • We would have less stress because we could always find what we need
  • We would get more customers because of our superior service
  • More customers = more profit

Why:

A new document storage system can provide better service to our customers, create happier, less-stressed staff and in turn, grow our business and increase profit.

What:
  • With staff involvement, decide on how we want to structure our information and find a solution which fits our needs.
  • Plan and implement new storage system.
As we see here the initial idea probably born out of frustration has resulted in a project to first identify the business need before planning and implementing the new system. Both projects have the overarching "Why" attached to them. For a business owner and staff, this is now personal and worth taking the time to plan and get right.

We plan to fail because we have no personal connection to what we want to achieve. No reason, no clear benefit.
Every project starts with an idea, a "What". The quicker we can move on to "Why" the sooner we know what "What" actually is and we can start planning our next successful project.

Stay Productive
Neil
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