Anatomy of a successful project

or “How to shoot a basketball”

It all starts with preparation

You need a firm foundation

• Answer the question “Does it make sense to invest?”

• Commit Resources– People– Time– Money

• Define a clear route to success

Bend your legs and square your body to the basket

Key to Success: A business vision goes a long way to making a technology business case

Form is everything

• Create a plan• Execute the plan• Revise• Use the Plan!

Elbow bent and parallel with your body

Key to Success: A plan is a tool to get you to “done”. Does yours help or hinder?

Always keep track of the goal

• Team members always have their sites on the same unified goal

• The goal should be clearly marked and if someone is shooting at the sidelines it should be obvious

Move your arm up while extending your elbow

Key to success: The goal of your project should be so clear that any team member can repeat it back to you in their own words.

Follow through

• DWYSYWD• Manage the

Investment• Hold the project

team accountable

Key to success: A project sponsor should dedicate 10 hours a week to a project at a MINIMUM.

Reach into the cookie jar on the top shelf

Anticipate the hurdles and alter your shot

• Resource Conflicts• Scope Creep• Budget Mgmt• Project Expectations

There will always be a great defender waiting to block your shot, don’t be afraid to alter it on the way up

Key to Success: Make good trade-offs. Something will have to be sacrificed to finish the project, make sure it’s the right thing.

Stakes are high!

• We make limited significant investments - make every shot count

• We need your best performers on the team– Backfill for them

• Technology projects can be your agent of change– If and only if you choose

to use itKey to success: Assume your people will be engaged on a project twice as long as you originally expected.