The last couple of years have been tough, and the next do not look like they are going to be much better. Most likely, your organisation has embarked on a variety of improvement projects. These could be projects to reduce costs, add sales, or implement a new piece of software. You may be exhausted and at your wit’s end, being pulled into yet another project. Or your team may be asked to get involved in another project, while being stretched too thin as it is. Here are some questions to whittle down the number of projects in your organisation:
1. What problem is this project solving?
Any project that is not solving a problem must be reconsidered unless, of course, your organisation has resources to burn. By clearly identifying the problem, you can also discover if this problem is merely a symptom of a larger problem. It is better in the long run to solve the root cause of your problem, rather than applying Band-Aids to symptoms.
2. Why must you solve this problem now?
Organisations are facing many battles at the moment, including supply chain issues, rising costs, and skills shortages. Why does this particular problem need to be solved right now? Why is this project more important than other projects? This question is about checking the project’s priority. It also leads nicely into the next question:
3. Why are you facing this problem (how did you get here)?
Answering this question will reveal how this problem came about, and should also highlight what other solutions have been attempted to solve this problem. It can also highlight any problems that were caused by previous projects, so these can hopefully be avoided in the future.
These questions relate to the problem the project seeks to solve. Next up are questions about the proposed solution:
4. What are the different ways this problem can be solved?
Every problem will have multiple solutions; here you need to check that alternatives have in actuality been considered. Often, all the proposed solutions are variations along a theme, and no out-of-the-box thinking was applied. If there are not a long list of both realistic and unrealistic solutions that were considered, how can you be sure this is indeed the best solution for the problem?
This can then be extended into asking:
5. Why is this the preferred solution?
If numerous different alternatives have indeed been considered, then you need to understand why this solution was chosen above all others. The reasons must also make sense, to ensure the best fit for the organisation was chosen.
6. What is this solution going to cost?
Are there detailed costs for the project? These should include implementation, maintenance and licensing costs, as well as training, additional staffing and maintenance costs. Other, often overlooked costs, such as downtime and material costs, must also be added, as these costs add up very quickly.
This is, of course, all moot if the costs exceed the budget or the benefits of the project.
7. Is the solution acceptable and desirable in the long term?
This question aims to clarify not only the financial implications to yourself, the department, organisation, and customers and consumers, but also reputational, efficiency, time, and other resource costs in the long run. You need to take into account the long-term repercussions of the project. We often discount the future, placing greater importance on the short- to mid-term benefits.
8. How will you measure success?
The function of this question is to ensure that you can measure whether the problem has been solved, and when to end or course-correct the project. A project that implements a solution that does not actually solve the problem is no good.
9. What are the risks of this project?
Any solution and, as such, every project, comes with risks. These risks can be financial, legal or reputation risks. Have these been identified and are there mitigation plans in place? No matter how wonderful the solution may be, without some basic safeguards in place, easily mitigated risks can derail the project.
The above focused on the project, while the next questions focus on the resources:
10. Who is the project sponsor?
Every project needs to have a sponsor. The sponsor needs to assign resources, such as people, money or machine time, as well as be able to remove obstacles to the project progress. Failing to have a sponsor who is senior enough, or a sponsor who does not have significant influence, is a red flag.
11. Who else is going to be involved?
Has thought and time been spent on speaking to all the people involved in and affected by the project? If these stakeholders do not believe in the viability and feasibility of the project, then it is likely to fail. You also need to check that the people and departments needed for the implementation are indeed available to be part of the project.
If the above has made you question the validity of the project, or the feasibility of the solution, then perhaps it is time to start from scratch. I can help you do so.