Managing a Project from the “Last Responsible Moment” - Converge 2016

We have begun to describe our projects with words like “Responsive,” “Flexible,” “Fluid,” “Agile,” and “User Centered,” but we continue to manage our projects the same way we always have. How can we deliver on new grand promises without completely changing our thinking about the work—including project management?

It is more important than ever to embrace the learning that occurs during a project; and in turn, we should wait to make decisions until the best information is available. Learn to be conformable with the unknown, and avoid making decisions that can be better made tomorrow. Only then will we truly start to think in an agile way.

During our time together, we will walk through a list of guidelines by which successful project decisions can be made. These guidelines come from a wide range of projects—large enterprise environments to small websites. At the core of these guidelines is a desire to change the project management process to allow for better decision making.

Transcript

1. Rob Harr MANAGING A PROJECT FROM THE “LAST RESPONSIBLE MOMENT” @robertharr
2. HELLO!
6. We love having a plan.
7. We often correlate progress with decisions being made.
8. and it is killing our projects.
10. Responsive Flexible Fluid Agile User Centered Adaptive
12. Global Authentication Service
13. 42 Staff Years
16. Decisions made early in a project are risky.
17. Managing a Project from the “Last Responsible Moment” THE LAST RESPONSIBLE MOMENT
18. Last responsible moment (LRM) : A strategy of not making a premature decision but instead delaying commitment and keeping important and irreversible decisions open until the cost of not making a decision becomes greater than the cost of making a decision.
19. Not a justification for procrastination.
20. Last possible moment
21. Managing a Project from the “Last Responsible Moment” MY ASSUMPTIONS
22. Websites are software.
23. Determining scope on software projects at the beginning is irresponsible and impossible.
24. Reason 1:
    Determining scope on software projects upfront is impossible because: Clients are really bad at describing their actual needs.
25. We are bad at estimating work because we are optimistic. Reason 1:
    Reason 2:
    Determining scope on software projects upfront is impossible because: Clients are really bad at describing their actual needs.
26. We are bad at estimating work because we are optimistic. Reason 1:
    Reason 2:
    Determining scope on software projects upfront is impossible because: Clients are really bad at describing their actual needs. Business needs change over time. Reason 3:
27. Project don’t fail for technical or design reasons, they fail because of the people involved.
28. I believe as an industry we often care more about how we get to the end, then the results.
29. There is no “One Way.”
30. Smaller projects FTW.
31. Limited Control.
32. Because we have always done it that way.
33. Managing a Project from the “Last Responsible Moment” A NEW WAY FORWARD
34. Start with the end in mind.
35. Prioritization of goals. TAN GEN T!
36. Managing Client Expectations
37. Setting client expectations. TAN GEN T!
38. TAN GEN T! Research Vendors Vendor Selection Negotiation Project Expectations Set
39. Collaborative Pricing TAN GEN T!
40. Collaborative Pricing TAN GEN T!
41. TAN GEN T! Research Vendors Vendor Selection Negotiation Project Expectations Set Expectations Managed
42. Baggage TAN GEN T!
43. Embrace the constraints.
44. Leverage constraints for value.
45. Decide as a team what to experiment with on a project.
47. Embrace the unknown.
48. It is ok to not have all of the answers.
49. “That is a great question, let me get back to you with an answer.”
50. Embrace learning during the project.
51. “We’ll know more about your project tomorrow than we do today.”
52. Projects should be designed.
53. Project Drag TAN GEN T!
54. TAN GEN T!
55. People Over Process
56. I am in the talent business. TAN GEN T!
57. Conflict can be healthy. TAN GEN T!
58. Communication is the most important part of making any project work.
59. It is ok to punt to future you.
60. Launch and learn.
61. Focus on shipping. TAN GEN T!
62. Embrace your super power.
63. There will be dragons.
65. Managing a Project from the “Last Responsible Moment” PROJECTS AT SPARKBOX
66. One Deliverable Workflow CONTENT UX FRONT-END DESIGN BACK-END
67. CONTENT UX FRONT-END DESIGN BACK-END
68. There is no “One Way.”
69. Iterate over everything.
70. “We want to work with you,
 rather than for you.”
71. Project cadence.
72. Setting team expectations.
73. Brutal Honesty
74. Focus on adding value.
76. Want more? Businessology Podcast BizCraft Podcast Unmatched Style Podcasts Code and Supply Podcasts
77. THANKS! @robertharr rob@heysparkbox.com