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Applied Sustainability Class 9: Project Logic & Strategy. P. Brian Fisher POLS 319 Spr 2013. Strategic Project Management. Part II. Strategic Project Management Goals. Convert any problem, idea, opportunity into clear objectives and action plans
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Applied SustainabilityClass 9: Project Logic & Strategy P. Brian Fisher POLS 319 Spr2013
Strategic Project Management Part II
Strategic Project Management Goals • Convert any problem, idea, opportunity into clear objectives and action plans • Sharpen the logic of your strategy to align project with larger organizational goals • Communicate strategy effectively and concisely to build a “shared understanding” • Uncover (and deal in advance) any potential pitfalls • Organize teams that can serve cross-functionally • Improve collaboration: working relationships, reduce conflict, to facilitate overcoming obstacles • Increase performance, productivity (and profits) • FISHER: goal is effectiveness and productivity (profits should be an OUTCOME, not a goal of this process)
Strategic in Management • 70% of all strategies FAIL (Fortune Magazine) • NASA Rule #15: “A review of most failed project problems indicates that the disasters were well-planned to happen from the start. The seeds of problems are laid down early. Initial planning is the most vital part of a project.” • Remer’s Rule of 10: Costs ~10 times more to FIX the problem at each later stage of a project. • E.g. costs $10k to fix a problem in planning stage, it will be $100k at the design stage, and $1m at the implementation stage • So, strategy is essential to good project mgmt, of which planning is the most important part.
Fast-moving environments (hyperconnected) require 21st Century approaches Must be “strategic” in addition to trad’l project mgmt • Strategic PM is building life-long skills • Strategic Planning is essential, as seeds of success are planted early (and so is failure) • Turning strategic intent into well-designed, actionable projects is a potent competitive advantage
Strong Project Backbone • “All great solutions begin by asking the right Qs” • Critical Strategic Questions (to focus on solutions tied to big picture) • Based on IF-Then logic (cause-effect) to form strategic hypothesis • Hypothesis from IF-Then logic forces systematic thought and builds a shared understanding • 4 Stages • Inputs Outcomes Purpose Goal (see examples pp. 32-36) • In more complex environments, use “Objective Trees” to clarify logical relationships
Logic Part III
Logical Framework • “Strategy is all about managing webs of relationships” • So, need to know the objective, but also relationships/connections that support that objective • E.g. improve child mortality in Africa focus on nutritional education but also requires access to clean water & sanitation • Systems Thinking every project is part of a larger system we must understand how that larger system affects our effort • Strategic Planning begin with end objectives, scan/assess the environment, and systematically work backward to develop strategy • Management by Objectives objs exist at multiple levels all need clear measures of success for meaning e.g. success measures for goal, purpose, and outcomes
Key Points • Think about the problem you are trying to solve think about the ROOT problems as well as more superficial problems • Create clear, concise objectives from that problem(s) • For each objective, establish Outcomes, purpose and goal • Establish valid measures for all objectives purpose are most important that’s the bullseye (use QQT: quality, quantity, and time) • Establish your necessary inputs examine time, people, and assets make a responsibility chart with “action” flowchart
Contributing to Shared Vision • GOAL: Big picture context overarching, strategic objective/vision/mission that projects contribute • PURPOSE: Impact (or effects) from the project or expected change in system behavior • NOTE: to differentiate Purpose from Goal, apply If-Then test • OUTCOMES: commitments to achieve purpose describe the specific end results or deliverables
Objective(s) Shared Vision
Sample: 8 Core strategies • Conduct of Ops • Team Networking • Continuous Process Involvement (improving team processes and services) • Marketing • Feedback • Education (of constituency) • Data Accuracy • Employee Development