Why is it that people can’t see the forest for the trees?
A blog from one of our Project Managers.
During my many (possibly too many) years developing and project managing software applications, all too often I come across stressed out clients and consultants worrying about the wrong things. This heightened anxiety leads to frustration and the diversion of focus (and project hours). This is not to say that the little things aren’t important, they just need to be put into perspective.
This is how the Agile project management methodology works; you focus on the things that add value to the business, you deploy your resources to those activities, and you deal with the rest during the next sprint. This logic can be applied to all project types, whether delivering a new system or upgrading an existing one, there will always be issues—that’s software—it’s what you choose to focus your attention on that matters.
Do you delay an implementation that’s been in the planning for months because the ‘Cancel’ button is on the left of the screen and not the right, or a small rounding issue that could be journaled until a fix arrives; or do you look at all the benefits that will be realised by moving forward?
Like life, projects can be a little messy. After all, they are managed and delivered by people and can any of us admit to being perfect?! Perfection is unattainable, there will always be some things that could have been done better; I’m not saying ignore them, just don’t sweat the small stuff, focus on the big picture, and focus on delivering value.
