White Paper

Why Less Is More

The Backpackers Approach to Project Management
John Kinser, PMP
Senior Instructor/Consultant
Management Concepts

Abstract
Deliver to the requirement, no less, and just as importantly, no more, is a core yet
underappreciated principle of project management. The majority of projects continue to be challenged with meeting scope, schedule, budget, and quality demands.
Why does this occur, and is there a mindset project managers can adopt to help with
every aspect of their work? The answer is yes: learn to think like a backpacker.
Backpacking is the ultimate exercise in project efficiency. Why? Because every
decision made has an immediate, measurable, and lasting impact on the likelihood
of the trips success. Every item chosen to carry adds to the burden. Grams add
up to ounces, ounces add up to pounds, and pounds add up to underperformance
or failure. Nothing should be carried that is not absolutely necessary and that does
not contribute directly to the backpackers goals. This lean ethic is at the heart of
backpacking and should be at the heart of every project.

Introduction
This paper looks at a backpackers approach though the lens of the five project management process groups and gleans lessons that can be used to improve performance
on any project. Any hike is a project since it is a temporary endeavor undertaken
to create a unique result (PMI, 2004). The duration of a backpacking trip can vary
from less than a day to a months long expedition, but it always has a beginning and
an end. Even a hike of a familiar trail repeated frequently is unique due to changing
environmental conditions. A group hiking the same trail will each have a different
experience due to different individual perceptions, motivations, and abilities.
The primary aspect of backpacking that offers the most lessons for the project
manager is the extremely constrained nature of the activity. The goal, whether
it is to climb a local hill or to summit Everest, must be achieved with what can be

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carried on ones back (Exhibit 1). Everything in

the backpack must perform its function at the
lowest possible size and weight. Each item in a
pack should be adaptable to multiple purposes to
further increase efficiency. A bandanna can be
by turns: a handkerchief, towel, bag, hat, bandage, signal flag, etc. Backpackers must make do
with what is at hand because they may be miles
from civilization or the nearest human being and
literally cannot acquire anything else. In the
best case underperformance in a backpacking
project can result in lowered satisfaction, in the
worst case it can result in death.
Exhibit 1
Extreme constraints, extreme rewards

This need for efficiency and self-reliance aligns

with many of the constraints placed upon the
project manager. The competing demands of
scope, time, cost, and quality - and arguably the
other five knowledge areas - often place absolute
limits on what is allowed. The project manager
must attempt to get the most utility possible
out of any techniques and processes applied to
the project to maximize efficiency. Although
it is sometimes possible to go outside the constraints for more resources, it is usually painful
and damaging to the perception of the project
and the team. Fortunately, death is not a probable outcome in most non-military projects, but
usually the blame for anything that goes wrong
for any reason in a project is placed, rightly or
wrongly, on the project manager.

Initiating
No single decision in project management has
more importance than choosing which projects
to perform. When choosing the projects that
go into the portfolio, any idea of strategy or
prioritization is often lost. Projects are initiated
at many levels without any overarching strategic
planning; and then, schedules and budgets are
arbitrarily trimmed to fit the emergent needs of
the organization. The most underappreciated
concept in all of initiating is that of opportunity
cost (von Wieser, 1889). For every project we
select to do we are giving up the opportunity to
do an essentially inf inite number of other projects.
This is easily seen by adopting an individual
backpackers perspective. If I choose to hike a
certain trail this weekend, I give up the chance
to hike any other trail and, in fact, forego the
opportunity to do an infinite number of activities besides hiking. If I spend money to go
snowshoeing in Yellowstone, that money is not
available to go kayaking in Australia, or to buy
new ultralight gear, etc. Even though an organization has more financial and human resources
than an individual, the basic principle still applies. Choosing the right projects is the foundation for success in project management.
Setting realistic and properly sized goals for
the project is a critical aspect of initiation. In
backpacking the likelihood of a successful trip
is inversely related to the weight that is carried.
Less weight generally means more distance and
Exhibit 2
The likelihood of project success
is inversely related to size

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altitude covered and/or more free time in camp

to do other things with less fatigue. Minimizing
the scope of a project is one of the primary success factors in projects (Standish, 2001). Exhibit
2 shows the effect of project size on success defined as delivering the approved scope for the
approved cost in the approved time.

first aid kit, etc. Likewise no project should

start without the basic planning outputs: scope
statement, budget, schedule, risk management
plan, and so on. These dont have to be formal,
detailed documents for very small projects but
must be addressed somehow before execution
starts.

Too often the customer approves an inordinate

amount of scope during initiating without addressing the effects on time, costs, and resources
in any realistic sense. The project has fallen prey
to scope creep before planning has even started.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, stakeholders
develop unrealistic expectations for project scope
relative to what is or will be possible in terms of
project achievement. The earlier in the project
that this situation is recognized, the better the
chance of correcting it. When this happens it
is up to the project manager to align the expectations with reality by altering the conditions
preventing sufficient achievement or by helping
stakeholders adjust their expectations downward.
The perception of success is largely a matter of
lowering expectations.

The backpacking approach would be similar to

the planning required for an average project. Individuals should tailor the plans documentation
and detail appropriate for the size, complexity,
and risk involved in the trip. In a group trip, a
leader (project manager) should be clearly identified along with other roles and responsibilities
and a consensus reached on the trips objectives,
route, and timing. If a sufficient level of formality does not go into these components, the team
will almost certainly struggle to achieve its goals.

Planning
Deciding on the approach that needs to be
taken day hiking, backpacking, fastpacking, or
expedition is the first step in planning a trip.
These four basic approaches apply in project
work as well and will determine the amount of
rigor and detail in the plans.
A day hike will, as the name implies, be finished
in one day with no need for an overnight stay.
Usually very little thought or planning go into
a day hike, which make it one of the riskiest
possible trips (Gonzales, 2008). Many projects adopt the day hike approach and likewise
get into trouble. A project seems so small and
simple that an organization thinks it can just
do it. Although smaller projects do have higher
success rates (Exhibit 2), the day hike approach
can turn into an extended descent into disaster.
Even when day hiking certain essentials should
be carried: water, food, extra clothing, knife,

Fastpacking attempts to cover the same distance

as a backpacking trip but does it in a radically
shorter amount of time. This can only be done
through extensive physical conditioning, planning, and an extreme trimming of the load. For
a 50 mile, week long trip in moderate conditions
a backpack might start out at 60-80 pounds. A
fastpacker may complete the same trip in two
days while carrying less than 20 pounds. It is
obvious that when schedule compression is paramount something else has to give, yet many organizations deny this reality. An otherwise well
planned project will frequently have its schedule
slashed without any corresponding reduction in
scope or increase in resources.
In expedition mode a trip has enough scope,
duration, risk, and participants to justify formal,
rigorous planning. To get a team in a position
to attempt to summit Everest takes months of
planning, preparation, approach, and several
tons of equipment and supplies. An expedition
could be considered similar to a mission critical
project in an organization and requires the same
level of planning.
Blank sheet thinking is essential in the next
phase of planning but must be balanced with
the use of organizational process assets to avoid

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reinventing the wheel or doing redundant

work. Everything should be removed from the
pack, all closures undone, compartments opened,
and the pack shaken upside-down vigorously.
On more than one occasion I have had rocks
and other souvenirs (such as dead scorpions)
fall out after a hike. Every item should be
subjected to the same two tests that are used
to verify a WBS (work breakdown structure),
the test of sufficiency and the test of necessity
(PMI, 2004). Are all the items in the pack or
elements of the WBS and PM processes sufficient to achieve the objectives; and even more
importantly, is each absolutely necessary?

projects objectives (PMI, 2004, p 373). Risk

is even more important to the backpacker since
their very life may hang in the balance when
something goes wrong. Performing risk planning and having a first aid kit for the hike that
can accommodate problems that might arise
with ones person or gear is essential. In most
cases fatalities occur due to not having the right
equipment, having it and not using it, or making poor judgments (Broze, 1997). Carrying
the single most essential, multipurpose item in
the repair kit is of paramount importance. For
backpacking this is duct tape, for projects it is
contingency reserves (Exhibit 3).

Perfection is achieved, not when there is

nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away, said Antoine de Saint

Exhibit 3
Dont leave home without it

Exupery (Brainy Quote).

The Just Enough Mindset is essential to translating the product requirements into the appropriate level of functionality. The largest causes
of project failure are poor communication, poor
requirements definition, and poor stakeholder
management (Standish, 2001). Our project and
product should contain just enough processes
and work to create just enough scope, at the
specified time for the specified cost. It is very
hard for even experienced project managers, let
alone executives, to understand that a project
that is under budget and ahead of schedule is
just a bad as one that is equally over budget and
behind schedule. The Mars rovers Spirit and
Opportunity were designed with a lifespan of
three months and have now been running for
over three years (BBC, 2005). Although NASA
loves to paint this as an immense success, we
have to consider the extra money, time, and
effort that went into exceeding the design life,
not to mention the opportunity cost of other
projects not performed and the approximately
$30 million dollars in additional operating costs.
Successful projects need to deliver to the baselines, no less, and just as importantly, no more.
An uncertain event or condition that, if it
occurs, has a positive or negative effect on a

Executing
Planning can be seductive in nature to the
project team. There is a certain comfort in the
conceptual world of designing the work effort
compared to the bumps and bruises inevitably
encountered in getting it done. Any plan can be
elaborated indefinitely and can provide a great
deal of anticipation and satisfaction itself. Sorting a pile of gear and tweaking its placement
into a pack while determining the perfect route
on a crisp, new topographic map can be far more
fun than trudging for thousands of steps up a

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brutal incline while sweating under a 50 pound

load. Nonetheless, at some point execution
must begin, and we must balance the amount
of planning with incrementalism - doing one
thing, and then doing the next logical thing - in
essence putting one foot in front of the other.
Hitting the trail on the right foot or starting
execution the right way can be a key precursor
of how the overall project will turn out. A final
check of the plan by an independent subject
matter expert before starting the work can be
invaluable. This reality check can often reveal places where our enthusiasm curve has led
us astray ( Jolly, 1997). If the teams attitude is
not positive at this point as reflected by statements such as my pack feels like a ton of bricks
or that no-account supplier wont commit to
a delivery date the project manager has to act
quickly. It is up to the leader of the hike or
project to maintain the vision, to keep the teams
motivation and actions aligned with the objectives.

Monitoring and Controlling

Watching the performance of the hike or project
against the plan and recognizing the trouble
signs is at the heart of monitoring and controlling. Constant awareness of conditions prevents
us from ending up on autopilot and getting lost
by continuing to walk down the wrong trail. We
then often refuse to recognize the problem and
attempt to distort the physical world to fit our
mental map (Gonzales, 2003). Any mechanic
or doctor will tell you that in general diagnosing the trouble is the most difficult part of the
resolution. We must stop what we are doing,
particularly if it is panicking, and analyze the
situation. The first bit of advice given to any
beginning hiker should be: If you have the least
doubt of where you are, sit down and think.
Likewise, the project manager must take the
time to devise rational options to address variances. Any course of action should be carefully
considered, executed, and reviewed.

Change to any backpacking or project plan is

inevitable, but one principle must remain paramount, TANSTAAFL (There Aint No Such
Thing As A Free Lunch) (Heinlein, 1966).
Anything, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant, has some sort of cost. The tempting
sound of a waterfall and the prospect of soaking
your tired feet in some cold water wont take any
time or carry any risk. Wrong! Every detour
added or extra step taken during a hike decreases the time and energy that can be applied to the
main objective. A new team member added to
the project with no salary burden can have no
possible costs or downsides. Wrong! They must
be brought up to speed on the plan and current
status, trained in the projects processes, and
integrated with the existing team. No should
be our default response to any proposed change;
a more politically correct response is help me
understand the value of this so we can weigh it
against the costs.
The backpacking mindset of less is more carries seamlessly into monitoring and controlling.
When a hiker realizes that the trip is at risk
they will first look to lighten the load. There is
nothing sweeter to meet when struggling down a
trail than a fresh, still clean group of hikers with
no true idea of what is ahead. A savvy person
can give them all the excess food and gear that
they are willing to part with for free (TANSTAAFL). It is amazing how little the monetary
cost of something matters when weighed against
the thought of hauling it another 10,000 steps.
Less palatable, but just as necessary, is considering a reduction of the goals of the trip. Too
often a completely fatigued hiker will refuse
to give up the summit with disastrous effects.
Projects should likewise examine their processes
and work products for any that can be trimmed
or altered and be willing to rescope the project.
Requirements must be prioritized at the beginning of the project to prevent throwing out the
wrong items.
He gave me an apologetic look. I threw out
the brown sugar too, so there wont be any sugar

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for the oatmeal. Ah. Actually there wont be

any oatmeal for the oatmeal. I left it in New
Hampshire. He looked at me. Really? then
added, as if for the record: I love oatmeal.
(Bryson, 1998).

project (Kinser, 2006). Too often organizations

see any deficiencies in these as failure. The
ultimate test of any stakeholders satisfaction is
to simply ask: Would you do this hike (project)
again?

Dealing with risk appropriately and at the correct level is a challenge on any project. Organizations often use the terms issue and problem
to describe risk events that have occurred, but
usually have no clear differentiation. An issue
is only known by the project team can be a
tongue-in-cheek but very useful description.
A team resolving an issue on their own is clearly
preferable to it having a wider visibility and
the involvement of others. Any hiker wants to
overcome issues or injuries on their own rather
than becoming a problem for a search and rescue
team. A carefully considered plan made under
controlled conditions should always be followed
above the desire under stressful conditions to
push just a little farther when good judgment
may be compromised. The project manager or
backpacker must adhere to the response plans
previously made. Difficult hikes are planned
with bailout routes, go/no-go decision points
where an alternate trail can be taken to avoid
a severe risk or terminate the trip altogether.
Likewise projects should have phase or stage
gates built in where critical deliverables are verified and validated before proceeding. Cancelling a hike or a project should not necessarily be
seen as failure; only by constantly measuring the
return on investment can we be sure of proceeding down the right trail.

Leave No Trace is the modern approach to

spending time in the wilderness. Take only
memories, leave only footprints is a distillation
of seven core principles that form the framework
for ethics in the outdoors (Leave No Trace).
Likewise the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct guide us in a parallel path on
projects. We should take only the deliverables
and lessons learned from our projects and leave
the surrounding projects, organization, and
all external environments in as good, or better
shape, than we found it.
Exhibit 4
Worth the weight?

Closing
Measures of success need to be clearly established early in the project and used during closing. Any safely completed trip is a good trip,
even if compromises were made. If completed
safely and all the goals were met, a trip can be
considered great. This may be more lenient an
assessment than most project teams are allowed,
but good practice dictates that meeting the
defined scope, time, and cost baselines inside the
allowable tolerances should define a successful

About the time you finish doing something, you

know enough to start. We end a hike the way
we began it, by emptying out the pack. In the
search for lessons learned, we examine every
item in detail and ask one key question: Did I
use it? If the answer is no, we must seriously
consider cutting it from our load for the next
trip. The only exception to this rule is the first
aid kit for a hike or the risk response plan and

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reserves for a project. If these were not used,

we can consider ourselves lucky but must not
become lax in our risk management. In project
work we must apply the same discipline to all of
our inputs, tools and techniques, and processes.
An objective examination must be made of every
process and document; asking not only did I
use it, but did it yield sufficient value for the
burden it imposed are important questions. A
hammock is a wonderful thing for enjoying a
break at the end of an arduous day. But, if used
only one hour on one evening, was it worth carrying those extra 14 ounces for seven days, over
50 miles, and up 20,000 feet? (Exhibit 4) Only
through the ruthless application of the less is
more ethic can we hope to improve our performance.
Gathering lessons learned without active transitioning of the knowledge is one of the most
common sins committed by organizations. If
we leave the hammock in our pack at the end
of this hike, we may find it there, unused, at the
end of the next. If we note a frayed strap on a
pack or ripped netting in a tent, but dont fix it
now, we may be cursing the loss of our sleeping
pad or swatting mosquitoes on the next hike.

Only by trimming the bloated process, editing

the incorrect form, or notifying all project teams
of an encountered risk can we efficiently make
use of our lessons learned.

Conclusion
By adopting the less is more mindset of a
backpacker, a project manager can impact every
aspect of a project in a way that will increase
efficiency and the likelihood of success (Exhibit
5). By using the concepts in this paper a practitioner should be able to:
Think like a backpacker when selecting
projects in light of opportunity costs.
Apply the less is more ethic to every aspect
of a project, from initiating through closing.
Start execution off on the right foot by
maintaining the vision.
Adopt a rigorous control mindset to defend
the project from unnecessary change.
Use lessons learned efficiently by transitioning the knowledge immediately.

Exhibit 5
The end of a successful projectBlackstone Bay, Alaska

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References
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