A Few Project Management Realities
Over at Reforming Project Management, Hal uses the recent issues about Toyota vehicles to connect their situation to Project Management. He pointed out some project realities that are worth summarizing:
- There is more that can be known than we have the ability to know.
- Either accept that as the basis of how we design our project environments or ignore it.
- Project plans can’t predict what will happen in 3 weeks, let alone 3 months.
- Our plans must change.
- People will make mistakes.
- People will learn something unanticipated.
- The circumstances for our customers will change.
But Hal doesn’t leave it at that as if to say “Oh, well. Stuff happens!” He wraps it up with:
Manage in a way that every person on our projects and those concerned for our project success observe, speak up and share freely and quickly what they learn.
Regardless of your views on the Toyota issue (pro or con), Hal links that issue to some important Project advice. You can see the full post with comments here. Thanks, Hal.