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?

Learn about our Project Services, schedule an introductory call with Jami Yazdani, or add a 1-hr Project Coaching Session to our calendar!