When Fortune Magazine estimated that 70% of all strategies fail, it also noted that most of these strategies were basically sound, but could not be executed. The central premise of Strategic Project Management Made Simple is that most projects and strategies never get off the ground because of adhoc, haphazard, and obsolete methods used to turn their ideas into coherent and actionable plans. Strategic Project Management Made Simple is the first book to couple a step-by-step process with an interactive thinking tool that takes a strategic approach to designing projects and action initiatives. Strategic Project Management Made Simple builds a solid platform upon four critical questions that are vital for teams to intelligently answer in order to create their own strong, strategic foundation. These questions are:
1. What are we trying to accomplish and why?
2. How will we measure success?
3. What other conditions must exist?
4. How do we get there?
This fresh approach begins with clearly understanding the what and why of a project - comprehending the bigger picture goals that are often given only lip service or cursory reviews. The second and third questions clarify success measures and identify the risky assumptions that can later cause pain if not spotted early. The how questions - what are the activities, budgets, and schedules - comes last in our four-question system. By contrast, most project approaches prematurely concentrate on the how without first adequately addressing the three other questions. These four questions guide readers into fleshing out a simple, yet sophisticated, mental workbench called "the Logical Framework" - a Systems Thinking paradigm that lays out one's own project strategy in an easily accessible, interactive 4x4 matrix. The inclusion of memorable features and concepts (four critical questions, LogFrame matrix, If-then thinking, and Implementation Equation) make this book unique.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xv
Why I Wrote This Book xvi
Getting the Most from This Book xvii
Three Logical Parts xviii
PART ONE: Are You Strategic?
Chapter 1: Thinking Outside the Bar Chart 3
Tackling the Big Hairy Issues 5
Mastering Strategic Project Management 7
Start Smart 8
Lessons Learned Along the Way 10
Why Read This Book? 12
Beware These Six Dangerous Planning Mistakes 13
Key Points Review 17
Chapter 2: Building Strong Project Backbones 19
Asking the Four Critical Strategic Questions 20
Concepts from the Cornfield 22
Making Strategy Simple 25
Test Your Strategic If-Then IQ 28
Sorting Out Your Objectives 30
Organizing Multiple Objectives Into Trees 34
Key Points Review 37
Chapter 3: Introducing the Logical Framework 40
The Best Solutions Tool You’ll Ever Find 40
Systems Thinking: Conceptual Foundation of the Logical Framework 42
Tackling the Four Critical Strategic Questions 44
Grab a Front-Row Workshop Seat 46
Ingredients of the Grid 56
Key Points Review 61
Chapter 4: Aligning Projects With Strategic Intent 63
Strategy in a Nutshell 64
Juggling Portfolios and Programs 67
Managing Multiple Bottom Lines 69
Quick and Clean Strategic Planning at Any Level 71
Eight Logical Planning Steps 72
Key Points Review 82
PART TWO: Mastering The Four Critical Strategic Questions
Chapter 5: Question #1—What Are We Trying to Accomplish and Why? 87
Shoot for the Moon 88
Linking Objectives Into Logical Levels 89
Turning a Problem Into a Set of Objectives 92
Terry’s Tips for Clear Objectives 95
Exploring Distinctions Among LogFrame Levels 99
Sculpting Your Project Masterpiece 105
Key Points Review 107
Application Step #1 108
Chapter 6: Question #2—How Do We Measure Success? 110
Winning the Peace After Winning the War 111
Four Tips for Meaningful Measures 112
Measures Sharpen Vague Objectives 118
Managing Complex Enterprise-Wide Change 123
Special Situations Demand Special Measures 124
Key Points Review 128
Application Step #2 129
Chapter 7: Question #3—What Other Conditions Must Exist? 131
The Whoops Hall of Shame 132
Spotting Trouble Before It Comes 134
How the LogFrame Accommodates Assumptions 134
Three Steps for Managing Assumptions 135
Making Fine Point Distinctions 139
Key Points Review 141
Application Step #3 142
Chapter 8: Question #4—How Do We Get There? 143
The Ancient Project that Saved the World 144
Chunking 101 144
Organizing Inputs: Nitty Gritty Project Planning 147
Clarify Resource Requirements 150
Make Responsibility Clear to All 151
Applying Schmidt’s Law of Planning Density 155
Defining the Next Action Step 159
Key Points Review 160
Application Step #4 161
PART THREE: Putting The Concepts Into Action
Chapter 9: Managing the Strategic Action Cycle 165
Taking a “Cycle-Logical” Approach 165
Three Types of Assessment 167
Type One Assessment: Project Monitoring 169
Type Two Assessment: Project Status Review 171
Type Three Assessment: Project Evaluation 172
Celebrating Success 176
LogFrame Limitations and Best Practices 176
Key Points Review 178
Chapter 10: Managing the People Dynamics 179
The Heart and Soul of Projects 179
Engaging Your Key Stakeholders 180
Building Your Own Dream Team 183
Creating Shared Norms for High Performance 187
Sharpening Your Emotional Intelligence 189
Techniques for Increasing Your Emotional Intelligence 190
Key Points Review 193
Chapter 11: Applying These Ideas In Your World 195
Exploring a Dozen Dynamic Directions 195
Terry’s Tips for Doing the Project RAP (Rapid Action Planning) 198
Facilitating by Yourself 201 Taking Strategic Action Now 202
Appendix: Reference Tools and Resources 205
Blank Logical Framework Grid 206
Logical Framework Quality Checklist 208
Logical Framework Application Case Studies 211
Ongoing Support and Services 237
Glossary and Usage of Terms 241
About the Author 243
Index 245
About the Author :
TERRY SCHMIDT is a certified PMP and internationally known management consultant who helps organizations become more strategic, productive, and profitable. He has more than thirty years of experience as an executive, educator, and strategy coach in thirty-four countries. The founder of www.ManagementPro.com, he teaches strategic project management at the UCLA Technical Management Program and at the University of Wisconsin, and teaches team-building at the MIT Professional Institute. He is affiliated with the Haines Centre, a global alliance of master consultants in over twenty countries. Terry is a lifelong learner with a BS in aerospace engineering from the University of Washington and an MBA from Harvard.
For more on Terry and Strategic Project Management Made Simple, visit www.managementpro.com
