Success Factors Discovery
Join hundreds of others, discovering the foundations for repeatedly delivering successful projects, with Success Factors.
How to test your biggest project assumption
How to test your biggest project assumption Enjoy delivering highly successful projects.Connect with moments of inspiration. I recently met with an up-and-coming project manager and ran a readiness check on her programme. It was a big one that had been running for some time. The work was likely to deliver large, complex social change. A programme manager was due to start soon, and she would be stepping into a deputy role. One area came out red. The programme was not yet learning by...
Project work is harder then most think, here's what you can do.
Projects don’t go wrong, they start wrong. If you are new to delivering a project and feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. The research supports this: The Association for Project Management (APM) found that 72% of full-time project professionals said their main project had negatively affected their mental wellbeing. The Project Management Institute (PMI) has also reported that poor project performance wastes a meaningful share of investment, and that strong executive sponsorship is one of...
How to connect with simplicity
How to connect with simplicity You might be thinking, what is Confluity? You wouldn't be alone. In this blog, I hope you'll find Confluity, and why it's important for you. Finding Confluity - In a nutshell To find Confluity is to connect with what matters the most. That is where the name comes from: • Con - connecting • fluity - simplicity and flow The idea is when you connect with simplicity, you deliver and enjoy work more. You could call this idea the vision or the purpose for Confluity...
3 simple rules for clearer communication
Simplicity in communication: three rules that have changed how I lead and respond. Enjoy delivering highly successful projects. Connect with moments of inspiration. A quick story Nearly 10 years ago I met an experienced change leader and communicator, Nigel Smith. Nigel gave me load of small “eureka” moments. Sharing with me how we communicate, especially when leading or inspiring others. Later, Nigel set up a public speaking club for people working in project and change management. It has...
How to apply simplicity
How to apply simplicity Enjoy delivering highly successful projects and change. Connect with moments of inspiration. A focus on Simplicity I’ve been spending a lot of time recently thinking about simplicity and want to share some insights with you. This may help you make your work easier to do well, predictably and with less stress. What is Simplicity Simplicity is freedom from unnecessary complexity, so work is easier to understand and do. This is the textbook definition, and personally, I...
How to build a contingency that works (updated)
How to build a contingency that works Enjoy delivering highly successful projects.Connect with moments of inspiration. this email has taken me 10 years I’ve wanted to make this tool available for a long time. It started in 2016 when I was working with a major engineering organisation and tried to get an internal version of this approach adopted. They weren’t ready for it, but I’ve used the technique for years. Put simply, you want the contingency that your project needs, not what you want....
Prove It Works: The Power of Small Experiments
Prove It Works: The Power of Small Experiments Enjoy delivering highly successful projects. Connect with moments of inspiration. Introduction I want to share a simple idea that sits at the heart of learning by experimentation. I am working with an organisation that wants to transform how it operates. The goal is clear. The direction is clear. Start Small, Then Go Big Instead of rolling out a full solution immediately, we are starting small. We are bringing together a small group to shape an...
What is your project's need for speed?
What is your project's need for speed? Enjoy delivering highly successful projects.Connect with moments of inspiration. I am working on a project right now where the sponsor is adamant, they want a working version as quickly as possible. On the face of it, the expectation feels intense. Concept, design, testing, working version - in 8 weeks. My first reaction was the one you might be having too: That sounds unrealistic. The Behaviour I noticed I stepped into their shoes. "If we are slow, they...
How to think big and start small with projects
How to think big and start small with projects I was talking to a consultant doctor recently and they mentioned an NHS IT programme called a “Millennium” project. Because it’s been around since before 2000, and still hasn’t delivered the value it promised. It’s a familiar problem, especially in IT: It takes too long to build It’s too big when it finally arrives It delivers value too late, or not at all In most cases, the root cause is simple: Instead of starting small with a pilot, everything...
Why you should believe in yourself, this Christmas.
Why you should believe in yourself, this Christmas. As we come to the end of the year, we start thinking about 2026. Reflecting on how you believe in yourself could be the best present you can give this Christmas. my confidence story When I first started working as a project manager, I remember feeling stress from a lot of uncertainty, unsure how things would pan out. That feeling changed after I completed a few projects. I started to see the patterns. From then on: I felt calmer I trusted...
Join hundreds of others, discovering the foundations for repeatedly delivering successful projects, with Success Factors.