SO YOU’RE GOING TO BE MANAGING A PROJECT?

Congratulations!

What is a project, anyway, and how do you know if you’re working on one?

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.

All projects must have a beginning and an end. Examples of projects include the polio vaccine, the
pyramids of Giza, and the creation of solar wind analyzing software.

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If what you’re working on doesn’t fit this description, then it’s not a project—it’s
operations.

This playbook outlines a quick and easy process to help you deliver projects successfully. It is
intended to bring an entrepreneurial mindset to project delivery and eliminate costly rework.

If you’re not a project manager but are expected to deliver project-based work, this is for you.

Projects should be chosen and prioritized based on their impact to business outcome.

It’s difficult to prioritize projects if your team’s strategy to achieve desired business outcomes
is unclear.

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Projects are all about change. You’ll need to plan for the impact of theses changes on people
(employees, clients, or customers), and communicate more than just the project outputs.

Consider the project management domains when crafting your plan.

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Sure, your mentor (if you’re lucky enough have one) knows what all the project management
domains are and how they are interconnected. Each step in this playbook gives you a window into
these domains. We’ll look at just the essentials you’ll need to consider, and how you’ll know
you have each area covered.

Your project is all about the benefits and the value delivered, whether that’s customer value,
business value, or financial value.

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Pay attention to what’s being measured and reported by and to senior leadership. It will help you
better understand where you can have the greatest impact.
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It’s ok to ask your group’s leadership which business outcomes matter most, and where
investments should be made.

Don’t plan in isolation. Include those involved in the process.

Don’t jump right into design and development. Start by fully understanding the problem you’re
trying to solve.
The amount of process should be appropriate to the scope and criticality of the project. Don ’t let
the process take over.
The process should enable communication, collaboration, and engagement. If a specific process
does none of these, try again.
Stay focused on the outcomes and consistently question your level of progress to ensure the
process doesn’t slow you down.
Adapt these guidelines to meet the needs of your project.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:

Does my idea or the thing I’m being asked to do align with the company’s business goals?
Who is my sponsor?
HOW YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THIS COVERED:
You understand the problem you’re trying to solve and the stakeholder need you’re satisfying.

You know the impact of the desired change to be delivered via the project.

You can articulate what success looks like and what your desired outcomes will be.

You included all the appropriate people in the planning process.

If your department has templates, definitely leverage them instead of reinventing the wheel.

If you can do these things, you should be feeling pretty confident in this area.