1/ Why Procrastination is Key to Project Success.
2/ In Part 1 I described how to maximize flow states by increasing the conditions of flow.
3/ How does this approach help us when executing projects? Here are the problems people face when managing projects:
(1) It takes too long
(2) Goes over budget
(3) Doesn't match the scope.
(1) It takes too long
(2) Goes over budget
(3) Doesn't match the scope.
4/ So project managers start things as early as possible, hoping they’ll complete the scoped work within time & less cost.
5/ But starting early makes things worse. Why? Because you:
* Lose flexibility to change the scope in the face of feedback
* Don't have the latest information to make the best decisions.
* End up putting disproportionate resources upfront, increasing the costs towards the end.
* Lose flexibility to change the scope in the face of feedback
* Don't have the latest information to make the best decisions.
* End up putting disproportionate resources upfront, increasing the costs towards the end.
6/ Making static plans and executing work upfront is no longer helpful because the world is changing too fast. And there's no way to slow it down.
7/ What we can change is the way we engage with our projects.
Just-in-time paradigm is the new way of looking at work.
Just-in-time paradigm is the new way of looking at work.
8/ Instead of doing everything as soon as possible (which makes sense in a static, slow-moving environment) do things as late as possible, to take advantage of the latest information.
9/ Instead of locking yourself by investing in resources upfront, delay until the last responsible moment. This maximizes your options & gives freedom to make better choices.
10/ Instead of fixing the scope of a deliverable and hammering away at it until it’s done, you modulate the scope as you go along. It'll increase your chances of success.
11/ But this only works if you’ve created small intermediate packets of value that is useful to your future self. See Part 1 of this Tweet Storm.
12/ To become a Just In Time Knowledge Manager, you need to have systems like #GTD @gtdguy & #BASB @fortelabs for turning the flow of random ideas into actions & stocks of valuable knowledge.
Look out for Part 3 of the Tweetstorm.
