If you need to start a project, you’ve already failed #noprojects

@eleybourn
@shanehastie
If You Need to Run a Project – You’ve Already Failed
#noprojects
Evan Leybourn

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@shanehastie
THIS IS A (POTENTIALLY) CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC!
COME WITH AN OPEN MIND

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PART ONE
UNDERSTANDING
PROJECTS

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WHAT EXACTLY IS A PROJECT?
A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service
or result.

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A BRIEF HISTORY
“Invention of arts, with engines and handicraft instruments for their improvement, requires a
chronology as far back as the eldest son of Adam, and has to this day afforded some new
discovery in every age.
…
I shall trace the original of the projecting humour that now reigns no farther back than the year
1680, dating its birth as a monster then, though by times it had indeed something of life in the
time of the late civil war. I allow, no age has been altogether without something of this nature,
and some very happy projects are left to us as a taste of their success; as the water-houses for
supplying of the city of London with water, and, since that, the New River — both very
considerable undertakings, and perfect projects, adventured on the risk of success.
In the reign of King Charles I. infinite projects were set on foot for raising money without a
Parliament: oppressing by monopolies and privy seals; but these are excluded our scheme as
irregularities, for thus the French are as fruitful in projects as we; and these are rather
stratagems than projects. After the Fire of London the contrivance of an engine to quench fires
was a project the author was said to get well by, and we have found to be very useful. But about
the year 1680 began the art and mystery of projecting to creep into the world.”
- Daniel Defoe, An Essay upon Projects (London: Printed for Thomas Ballard, 1698).

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A BRIEF HISTORY

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BUT WE HAVE A PROBLEM…

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PROJECTS FOCUS ON THE WRONG THING
What is measurable not what is valuable

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PROJECTS ARE TEMPORARY
(PRODUCTS AREN’T)
Products don’t end when the project does –
don’t artificially constrain them & lose key skills

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PROJECTS FAIL
The definition of insanity is to “do the same thing
and expect a different result”

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THE CONTINUOUS CULTURE

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PART TWO
INTRODUCING
#NOPROJECTS

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CONTINUOUS CHANGE IS THE
ALTERNATIVE!
The approach and structure to successfully deliver value

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THE ALIGNMENT OF ACTIVITIES TO OUTCOMES
MEASURED BY VALUE,
CONSTRAINED BY GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND
(OPTIONALLY) SUPPORTED BY CONTINUOUS
DELIVERY TECHNOLOGIES

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@shanehastie
CHANGE THE QUESTION
Not “how much will this cost?”,
but rather “how much is it worth?”

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KNOWING WHEN TO STOP
Trim this
Save this

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PART THREE
OUTCOMES TO ACTIVITIES

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THIS NEEDS AN ADAPTIVE
MINDSET
“The tactical result of an engagement forms the
basis for new strategic decisions”
- Helmuth Moltke the Elder (1800-1891)

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OUTCOMES OVER OUTPUTS
Outcomes are valuable, planned, slowly changing and define a
common direction for all work

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WORKING PRINCIPLES
Common, agreed, and prioritised constraints that shape all activities

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VALUE DELIVERY TEAMS
Dedicated, stable cross-functional teams that contain the
required skills to deliver an outcome

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THE ACTIVITY CANVAS
An activity is any discrete piece of work that is undertaken
as part of a change

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HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH?

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IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT THE WORK IS
As long as there is a level of unpredictability in the outcome, the
teams are trusted to make operational decisions, and value can be
continuously created, a #noprojects approach works

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@shanehastie
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
http://noprojects.org/
Join #NoProjects on Slack
@shanehastie
@eleybourn

@eleybourn
@shanehastie
Thanks for listening
Any Questions?

If you need to start a project, you’ve already failed #noprojects

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If you need to start a project, you’ve already failed #noprojects