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Running Awesome Discovery Projects

Rob
August 22, 2019

Running Awesome Discovery Projects

The largest risk in any digital project is building the wrong thing. Yet you’re expected to define a project scope and provide an estimate after just a few conversations. Then you have to manage to that budget for the life of the project regardless of what else you learn. This is nuts. One of your most important constraints–budget–is defined when you know the least about the project, the beginning. Running digital projects is hard. When expectations are mismanaged (or forced too early) during initial client conversations, running digital projects is nearly impossible. A few conversations and a quick estimate do not provide what you need to build the right thing.

During this talk, we will discuss how you can implement Awesome Discovery Projects to dive into a project with confidence while removing some of the largest risks. You’ll be armed with a thoughtful, scoped roadmap to provide more accurate estimates and be able to correctly set client expectations for the rest of the engagement.

Rob

August 22, 2019
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Transcript

  1. Reason 1: Determining scope on software projects upfront is impossible

    because: Clients are really bad at describing their actual needs.
  2. 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.
  3. 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:
  4. “I don’t know enough to estimate this right now, I

    don’t think that anyone does.”
  5. Almost always the last question: (In your opinion) what will

    keep this project from being successful? Exam ple
  6. “Have an interactive, human website that shares relatable stories and

    reaches millennial and gen Z candidates.” Exam ple
  7. Life is too short to work with people you hate.

    Rob’s two basic rules for happiness in business: Rule 1:
  8. If you ever become annoyed by a client, it is

    only because you’re not charging them enough money. Life is too short to work with people you hate. Rob’s two basic rules for happiness in business: Rule 1: Rule 2: