Dealing with unknowns in project definition

So…starting a project. You have approval, a budget, ideas about execution, and maybe even some documentation.

Perhaps you are already well on your way and believe your team could make great progress, but the goal isn’t clear.

Project Definition is a Journey

In principle, we understand the necessity of a plan. You may be thinking of project definition as a thing that happens once, at the beginning. It’s more like a journey. In instances where we have a pretty good idea of the end state and how to get there, we still have to respond to change. In some cases we only have a vague idea of where we want to go.

So, all project definitions continue to evolve, to varying degrees, for the project lifecycle. Be prepared to evolve your own understanding as that happens and to help others do the same.

Why Have a Plan

You may be asking yourself why, if the plan is constantly changing, would we even bother in the first place? Wouldn't I just be wasting my time? Also, formulating a plan is usually pretty hard work. There are many valid reasons why project definition may languish in obscurity when it deserves focused attention. A big one is that we just don't have enough information.

There are even more reasons why it is even harder to formalize your plan in writing. Perhaps you fear getting bogged down in neverending iterations and revisions or maybe it's just easier to gloss over differing opinions of key players rather than coming to a consensus.

It's Worth the Effort

Although it may be tempting to bypass activities to define key project elements, it’s just common sense to set a good foundation for your project. You wouldn't start pouring the foundation for a new house without having an idea of the type of house you were building and how it functioned.

While most projects aren't dealing with something as concrete as a building (no pun intended), foundational principles still apply. If your organization and team don't have a shared understanding of key elements, it will cause confusion and chaos.

Finding the Right Path

Fortunately, there are numerous tools and frameworks that can help you get started and improve your knowledge and understanding on that project definition journey.

Project definition isn't just about developing a business case, charter, or backlog - although it can involve those things. Ultimately, project definition is about a common understanding of where you are going, why, and how you will get there.

In this upcoming series we will discuss selecting and using project definition techniques consistently throughout the project lifecycle to solve problems and maintain focus.

This series will include:

Confidently starting the journey . We’ll look at common impediments to project definition and ways to overcome resistance.

Employing your knowledge. We discuss the specific steps you can take to begin building artifacts that will capture what is known now, and as you clarify and build what is known.

Discovering the Unknowns. We'll explore the concept of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) and how it can be leveraged for analyzing your project environment, goals and approach.

Tailoring your tools and techniques to the unknown. We will review theories and tactics, such as progressive elaboration and agile, that can be adapted once you have control of the nature and degree of VUCA and the source of knowledge gaps.

It helps to wear good shoes

It may seem daunting, but like any other journey, you have to take the first step. Like a good pair of walking shoes when embarking on a long journey, there are things you can do to make achieving your project goals easier.

In the next article, we will discuss overcoming the obstacles to defining a project.

If you need help getting started with project management contact us for a free On-Call PM session.