Avoiding Fowl Play

During the summer months, I'm lucky enough to spend time in Northern Michigan -- and there are turkeys everywhere. Seeing these fat, majestic birds made me think of how some projects are turkeys: they're bloated, not the most elegant, and they really can't fly. (I know this is a stretch, but it's Thanksgiving time in the US. Play along.)

In project management, let's imagine the term "Turkey" is a metaphorical cautionary tale, serving as a vivid reminder of the potential pitfalls that can lurk within even the most seemingly well-conceived projects. Just as an undercooked turkey can ruin a feast, a project that is inadequately planned or managed can lead to disaster when it comes time for delivery.

The Turkey of Project Management can "gobble" up your budget, scope, and schedule.  Wild turkeys like scope creep, unrealistic timelines, insufficient resources, and poor risk management can create havoc with missed deadlines and disgruntled stakeholders. Those are projects that are, well, likely to get axed.

In projects, as in nature, turkeys come from other turkeys (Awkward!). One common manifestation of the Project Management Turkey is scope creep. Projects get fat and heavy by stuffing additional features into the scope that were not originally part of the plan. Scope creep creates lots of little turkeys that can grow to be big turkeys: budget issues, missed deadlines, aggravated stakeholders, and new risks. I know, this is some fowl language.

If you're cooking a turkey, you have to make certain it's done. When you're managing a project,  you must also make certain it's done. But how do you know it's done-done? That's the DoD - the definition of done (or on Thanksgiving, the Definition of Dinner). Understanding what equates to done must be defined at the beginning of the project, not at the end.

To avoid serving up the Turkey of Project Management, project managers must adhere to a specific recipe of success: clearly defined scope, realistic timelines, proper resources, and risk management. Moreover, fostering open communication and adaptability within the team can help address challenges as they arise, ensuring a project is delivered to the client and stakeholders in a manner that's as satisfying as a Grandma's pumpkin pie. (These puns are getting butter, yes?)

Poorly planned and executed projects are something you must stop cold turkey. While every project is different, and there's a smorgasbord of approaches and tools to use, you must envision what you want the project to create. The project is how we move from concept to completion. And completion is when we get the pie. 

Thank you for being part of the Instructing.com success. I'm always grateful for the opportunities you all present, for your confidence in my classes, and for your tolerance of my corny jokes.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Joseph Phillips

PMP, PMI-ACP, ITIL, PSM, Project+, CTT+

Mastering Resource Allocation in Project Management

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Defeating Scope Creep: The Crucial Role of Project Managers in Staying on Course

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Communication and Project Management

"Without strong communication skills, project managers would find it incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to effectively manage their teams and coordinate efforts in order to bring about a project’s successful resolution." Learn more…

PM TIP: In project management, defining and controlling scope is crucial. To avoid scope creep and ensure project success, start by thoroughly documenting project requirements, objectives, and constraints. Engage stakeholders early, and establish a formal scope change request process. Regularly review and update the project scope, involving the team and stakeholders. Effective scope management keeps projects on track, on time, and on budget.

“Scope is everything. Scope dictates why we are doing the project.”

- Joseph Phillips