Q&A: Planning for the Unpredictable
How can we plan for unpredictable obstacles?
So many seemingly unpredictable things can go wrong during a project, whether it’s a vendor delay, a team member's unplanned absence, or a crisis that diverts project resources.
We can prepare our projects for the unpredictable by:
Assessing risks during initiation and planning: We can actually predict many obstacles by realistically assessing our organization’s capacity and access to resources. A project that is only possible if nothing goes wrong is not actually a feasible project.
Building extra time around key tasks and inflexible deadlines: Know which tasks and deadlines are critical and inflexible and build extra time around those dates in case there are delays.
Considering backups: During planning, spend some time considering who else might fill a role or provide a resource in an emergency. Noting a secondary option during planning can save time when it matters most.
Letting go of plan perfection: Responsiveness to changing needs and a shifting environment is more important than plan perfection, so assume something will go wrong and your plan may need to change. Our goal shouldn’t be a perfect project plan; it should be a plan that allows us to successfully deliver on project goals.
Need more support leading successful projects?
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