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The Perfect Start
Dr. Feargal O Neill • 1 October 2020
10 steps from ATPO to give your dream project the best possible start.
You want to achieve something really special. You have a general idea about what it might look like. You know that if it turns out as you want it to, it's going to be just great. But you’ve tried to get a project or projects done before and they have not turned out as expected or in the time frame needed. You’ve used project management tools to help you but still, it's been a struggle to get projects to the end line.
If any of the above rings true for you this article will help to give your projects the best possible start. There is an old Irish proverb “Tús maith leath na hoibre.” It means a good start is half the work. It's still a valid concept. In essence, the best possible start will give your projects the greatest chance of being completed successfully and on time.
ATPO has created 10 simple steps that we have recommended to our clients including some methods we have developed to give your dream projects the best possible start.
We will answer some key questions.
- What do you need to do before you even start a project?
- Once you are sure about what you want to achieve, what should you do?
- You are ready to go! So what's the best way to begin?
Before we start, it's important to state that the 10 steps are not intended to replace the raft of fabulous project management tools available (e.g. Prince 2, Asana etc.) . But these types of techie supports are often underutilized or left aside as projects develop (see productivity science). By all means, use them but the steps below are relevant whether or not you do so.
If you have had issues completing projects you are not the only one. Take a 2003 overview
of research on successful and unsuccessful project completion. Rates of project failure from a sad 30% to an alarming 70% were reported. On the bright side, more recent project management statistics
suggest an improvement in overall completion rates but still, up to 30% failure rates are reported.
So let’s answer the key questions and take those steps to give your project the best possible start.
What do you need to do before you begin a project? 4 steps!
You have that buzz. A great idea that just has to be realised. A hazy sense of sure-fired success. The impulse to drop everything and get to the dream. But to make sure it doesn't just remain a dream? You need to think it through before you do anything else. Here are 4 basic steps to guide that initial thinking process.
1. Be very picky
Choose projects that you really want to do or that really need to be done. You will have a much better chance of completing any challenging task if you have a real desire to do so. We use a ‘Skin in the Game’ workshop at ATPO to help our clients clarify what drives them best. It could be anything from a sense of self-worth, a need to ‘fix’ things, a wish to do charity work, success, ego, fame, etc.
2. Be realistic
Do you have the time, the skills, the resources, the personnel (if applicable). It's not such a glamorous task if you have a great idea that is making you dream big. But the sooner you do it the more likely you are to be able to get there and convince others to help you along. You will need to
- Use the right tools. There are of course a wide variety of risk management tools to help you with this task. Choose one that suits you, not necessarily the most expensive! In fact, there are many free versions. And even better... lots of free advice on the one to choose (e.g. security intelligence ).
- Have a dedicated brainstorming session with colleagues. A well-facilitated group workshop can often be a very effective method to eke out the threats and risks (financial, legal, digital, etc.) in a proposed project.
- Do the research on the problem you are hoping to solve, the product you are going to produce, the competition, etc.
3. Talk about it
Communicating with your colleagues, people in the know, your most trusted friends, etc. can help you to sharpen, elevate, or clarify your objectives. It's good to talk to people who have a history of supporting you in the past. But it's vital to hear the views of people who are harder to convince in order to plan for how you will overcome whatever it is they might be skeptical about. At this stage, it can be particularly hard to dissociate the perceived criticism from the person. But ATPO strongly recommends that you
- Note what they say (not how they say it).
- Leave it for a day or two and
- Look at the notes you took again and see what you might need to do to mitigate the issues raised.
4. Stick up the goalposts
This is where you're heading. What are your goals and objectives? If you are working as part of a team you need to all agree on the final goals from the start. Needless to say, circumstances (e.g. a global pandemic) can cause some shifting in direction over time. But once you have your goals and objectives agreed and set try not to move them too much or you will never complete your project.
Once you are sure about what you want to achieve, what should you do? 4 steps!
Now that you've crystallised what you want to achieve its time to get all those ducks lined up in a row. There will be no project unless you do some serious prep work. You need to figure out how you are going to get to the end line and who is going to help you to get there. Here are 4 more steps to take.
1. Make a plan
Don’t just jump in. If you have the time, skills, and resources, plan out, in detail, how to use each of them. Tight deadlines are a good idea to keep your plan on track but know that you may not always stay within them. Some delay doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things once you get the great project done. Remember that deadlines are often missed and contingencies generally arise when you least expect them. So expect delays but don't let them derail your plan.
2. Tune-up
If you are the manager and leader of the project and the buck stops with you’ll want everyone involved to be in tune. So you need to make sure that your colleagues
- Understand what you want to achieve.
- Know that you will support them when the going gets tough .
- Are on board with the end goal.
- Know what you need them to do.
- When you need them to do it and
- Know how to do it (or how to find out how to do it).
NB: We run customised 'tuning up' sessions for organisations that want to have everybody they need ready to play their part in a chosen project.
If you have been given a project to complete by management you need to be sure that
- You will be supported by management as the project progresses.
- You understand what the end goal of the project looks like.
- You are clear on what is expected of you.
- The timelines are realistic.
3. Talk some more about it
Keep communicating with your colleagues, people in the know, your most trusted friends (and of course the skeptics), etc. They can all can help you to make sure your prep work is as complete as you need it to be.
4. Pair up
I have a surf partner, Chris, who I feel I can't let down even on the wildest days. And Chris doesn't like to let me down. So we end up surfing on far more days than if we were swirling solo. If you are not part of a large organisation you may not have the facility to work with a dedicated team. But even in very small organisations working on a project with a partner is highly recommended. Simply for the encouragement, the support, and the incentive to hold up your end of the partnership. It just increases your chances of sticking with a project.
You are ready to go. So what's the best way to begin?
2 steps!
Believe it or not, this can be the hardest part. Psychologist
Joseph Ferrari suggests that up to a quarter of adults are chronic procrastinators. Fear of failure and even fear of success can impede our ability to get things done. But now that you have taken the steps above and gotten this far its time to bite the bullet. So here are the final 2 steps to the perfect start to your project.
1. Keep talking about it.
Right from the off, you need to keep the communication channels wide open with your colleagues, people in the know, your most trusted friends, etc. Particularly if you are working solo on a project this can save you losing your way or walking off the proverbial cliff!!
2. Go for it
Once you choose your project and are sure you want to give it your full attention. Do just that! .Give your chosen project your full attention. This doesn’t mean you can’t do other things or take breaks etc. It does mean
- Creating a task timetable for each day based on your original plan (See ATPO time savers )
- Devoting your full attention to the project according to the task timings for each day.
In summary, the 10 steps to give your projects the best possible start are
- Be very picky.
- Be realistic.
- Talk about it.
- Stick up the goalposts.
- Make a plan.
- Tune-up.
- Talk some more about it.
- Pair up
- Keep talking about it.
- Go for it.
If you would like to try some or all of the above steps to start your project please do so and tell us how you got on. If you have any questions about this article or just need more information about project management techniques please contact us.
And don’t forget we provide a range of services ( face to face and virtually), that focus on organisational development including the best way to get your projects up and running and to get them over the line. Every service we provide can be customised to the specific needs of leaders and general organisations.
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