Rethinking Your Project's Foundation: Are You Pushing Rectangular Wheels?

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Navigating Project Management: The Lesson of the Wheels

In project management, we often find ourselves in a situation similar to the one depicted in this ancient illustration. We start with a plan, a set of tools, and a clear goal, only to discover that our initial choices might not be the most efficient.

The Challenge of Tools and Techniques

The most fundamental challenge in any project is finding the proper tools and techniques to achieve our goals. The ancient people pulling and pushing the cart with rectangular stone "wheels" represent a team diligently working with a chosen methodology. They are putting in a tremendous amount of effort, but their progress is slow and arduous due to a suboptimal tool. The person holding the round wheel, however, symbolizes an innovative idea or a superior tool that could drastically improve efficiency. This highlights a critical question for project managers: are we so focused on the task at hand that we are blind to better ways of working?

The Importance of Continuous Assessment

Once a project is underway, it can be even more challenging to elaborate or assess our original choices to enhance our work. The team with the rectangular wheels is committed to their original plan, seemingly unable or unwilling to consider an alternative, even when a better solution is literally right in front of them. This underscores the need for regular checkpoints and retrospective analyses in project execution. We must create a culture where questioning the status quo is encouraged, not discouraged, to ensure we are always using the most effective methods available.

Finally, during project execution, we need to frequently ask ourselves whether we have the proper means to adapt to changes that have occurred since the project started. The round wheel is a change—a new technology or a new way of thinking—that could revolutionize their work. A rigid project plan that doesn't allow for adaptation will fail to incorporate such improvements. Successful project managers are those who build flexibility into their processes, enabling their teams to pivot and adopt new tools or strategies that arise during the project lifecycle. Embracing this adaptability is key to not only meeting goals but exceeding them in an ever-evolving world.