13/06/2013

Not all projects are the same, so treat them differently

Unequal projects
true equality lies in treating different things uneqally

The four project types

Painting by numbers Quests Mov ies Lost in the Fog How does this help y ou? Apply the right approaches Success is different for each project ty pe Match the kind of change to the project Source: Eddie Obeng Eddie Obengs book New Rules for the New World puts forward the idea of 4 project ty pes. The key point is that by understanding what kind of project y ou are leading, then appropriate skills, techniques, and ex pectations can be deploy ed. Obeng uses an insightful thinking framework that compares the what with the how. The diagram shows this.

Painting by num bers - when both the objectiv es and the how to do it are clear and well known. Formal project management techniques (for ex ample PRINCE) concentrate on this area. Quests - when the objectiv e is known but how to go about is not. Many research projects can fit this description. Think of Thomas Edisons famous remark Theres a better way - find it. Mov ies - when the how is known, but the end-result is not y et clear. Think of the decorator turning up, but not hav ing been told what the design is. Many arts projects start out this way . Lost in the Fog - when neither the objectiv e nor the solution is clear. This kind of project can be ex pressed as somethings wrong, but I dont know what. The four project ty pes Specific objectives defined Loosley defined objectives

How to go about the project is not Quest w ell know n

Lost in the Fog

How to go about the project is w ell know n.

Painting by numbers.

Mov ie

Why does this matter?

Because the approach and outcomes are different.
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13/06/2013

Not all projects are the same, so treat them differently

Painting by numbers is the classic project management - a highly deterministic approach with clear objectiv es milestones and deliv erables. In this env ironment, the project plan is the driv er and people do whats required by the plan. Painting by numbers projects need task oriented people and little or no creativ ity . Beware though; the key danger is successfully deliv ering the wrong thing! Quests rely on people, creativ e people. Its people that determine what to do nex t and make intuitiv e leaps to discov er the way forward. The plan imposes some conditions and ty pically these may be boundary conditions, for ex ample, wherev er y ou get to by Friday , stop. Mov ies rely on coordination, ambiguity , and making it up as y ou go along. The plan is the controlling force for prov iding resources (its been done before) but people prov ide the finishing and unique touches. Imagine being on the top of a mountain, in the fog, and no map or compass; thats a foggy project. Sticking together, and progressing bit by bit are the key s to success.

What kind of projects?

If y ou imagine a diagonal scale mov ing from the Painting by numbers in the lowest left-hand corner towards the foggiest project in the top right; there are a certain business projects that seem to be best suited: Standard projects - low risk meet the requirements, do it right first time. Continuous improv ement projects - still low risk but could be a bit of a quest or a mov ie depending on the circumstances; Step change projects - higher risk and well into the quest/mov ie. Radical change projects - these start out as Foggy projects and are high risk. Y oull need corporate courage to do these. And the key point of this: Match y our people (project managers) and techniques to suit the circumstances.

2009 Spectaris Ltd.

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