Some notes on how to assess a project brief or business case proposal. Don't buy what you hear on face value.

1. How to assess project proposals

2. Project Options papers will be my death

3. 3 Bloody Options

4. Not more, not less!

5. 3

6. Why do we do them and why are they a mistake?

7. As far as I can work it out, you present 3 options for two reasons

9. 2. To force yourself to think through comparisons

10. We are recommended to investigate at least 3 options because it helps us stretch our imaginations

11. And these days we are often asked to put up the “do nothing” option for comparison purposes.

12. (So technically you’ll be getting 4 for the price of 3.)

13. So, 3 bloody options.

14. After a while you’ll find a pattern.

16. Are these really options?

17. Here is another example

18. Tactical, partial functionality Full blown integrated IT solution Partly developed IT solution with significant limits

19. Tactical, partial functionality Full blown integrated IT solution Partly developed IT solution with significant limits Obviously you’ll pass on this. This is the under promising mode The team’s jobs depend on this one

20. Which one would you pick?

21. And lifecycle costing means the big up front investment always wins.

22. As an executive what else can you do but go with the analysis & recommendation?

23. Well, there is one or two questions you could ask.

24. 1. What are the delivery risks?

25. How do we know we can pull this off?

26. They sound like the same question but they aren’t

29. You might also like to ask this:

30. What happens if we fail?

31. Projects cost a lot of money.

32. Just because you are in front of experts, don’t let them drive you into a corner.

33. www.betterprojects.net Questions and comments are welcomed. (Title page photo by llawliet and CC via Flickr )