Success Factors Discovery
Join hundreds of others, discovering the foundations for repeatedly delivering successful projects, with Success Factors.
3 ways to manage project risk
Capture one risk, choose the right structure and protect the people delivering the work. 3 ways to manage project risk Hello fellow clarity builder Simple Rule 08: Keep on Top of Risks. On a large, complex change programme, I agreed with my team to capture risks as they appeared, decide what to do next and act while there was time. The habit was well received. My sponsor appreciated our candour and that we were identifying the elephant in the room. Today's theme is keeping on top of risks:...
How to build project success from what already works
This week: a real project lesson about reusing what already works before committing to a new build. Before you build new, check what already works Hello fellow clarity builder This week is about the Simple Rule: Look for Tried and Tested Options. I don't talk much about this example openly. Some years ago, I was delivering an IT project for a public sector organisation. We had been asked to build a new system. After months of work, I was able to determine that the system was going to cost a...
Is a lack of support for your project causing problems?
This week: how to check whether the people who can make or break the project have been identified, with a plan to secure their support. Is a lack of support for your project causing problems? Hello fellow clarity builder This week is about the Simple Rule 'Make Friends and Keep Them Friendly'. "Why are people not supporting our project?" is a question that keeps many senior directors and project leads awake at night. Finding yourself midway through a project and realising your peers and those...
How to find clarity on big projects
This week: value clarity, optimism bias, and real stakeholder engagement. This week is about decision hygiene at the front end of projects. Project clarity before big commitments Hello fellow clarity builder Big complex projects are in the news. These three articles are connected. They ask, for complex projects, what value are we trying to create, where are we being too optimistic, and are people really engaged. The common thread is that recent research points to the need to get the front end...
Why I built Confluity
Re: Confluity is now open in beta: Test a new web-based project delivery tool, details below. how to use confluity on your projects More than ten years ago, I joined a conversation with a NASA cost estimator that changed how I thought about projects. He told us about the root causes for success, tooted in human behavioural science. For example: Optimism bias. How projects rarely look to past examples. How decisions makers too often commit too early. The problem I wanted to solve Over time, I...
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...
Join hundreds of others, discovering the foundations for repeatedly delivering successful projects, with Success Factors.