Protect Your Project Plan Upfront to Boost Idea Success Rates

by Lynda Curtin, The Opportunity Thinker

With all of the best developed project plans, problems will still occur. Often they are problems that could have been prevented, if only time were taken upfront to work at eliminating them. But, people will say, “We don’t have time to do this kind of thinking.” So, the problems happen, and then people say, “I can’t believe we didn’t think to prevent this from happening!” Miraculously, time is found to fix the problem! Where does the time come from?

Develop a proactive mindset. You will save yourself time in the long run! 

Six Simple Steps to Follow:

1.     Ask the team, “ What difficulties can we expect to experience with this project?”

2.     Make a list of the potential problems/difficulties

3.     Select difficulties to work on that would be: highly probable and fairly serious, if they were to occur. They would have a significant adverse impact on the business/project

4.     Plan actions to eliminate these difficulties if it makes sense from a resource stand point – people, time, and money

5.     Plan contingency actions to deal with the effects of the difficulties once they occur, if you elect not to eliminate them from happening

6.     Adjust your project plan accordingly - activities, cost, time, people, other resources

 Key questions to ask to help identify potential difficulties: 

 ·        Is there any project work outside the scope of the company's experience and employee expertise?

·        Does the project require any new technology that has never been used before?

·        Are any of the team members over extended in time commitments?

·        Are any new systems being installed?

·        Is the training taking place too early for people to be able to remember what to do?

·        Do any of the contractors have a poor record of performance and delivery?

·        Have vacations been factored into employee schedules?

·        Is there a backup staffing plan in the event that key employees leave the company, get sick, die?

·          Who is against the project?

·          How do you know it meets all safety and legal requirements?

·          What percentage of the project team is inexperienced?

Be thorough. You will save lots of time, even though you will take more time upfront. 

Perhaps you will even save money because you won't be reworking as many activities!

©2002. The Opportunity Thinker. 

Lynda Curtin is an expert ideation facilitator, professional speaker, trainer and author in the fields of business creativity, marketing and speaking. To book Lynda for your event call 818-507-6055 or email info@LyndaCurtin.com For more information on her programs go to www.LyndaCurtin.com

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