Strategy Survival Guide

• Is there a mechanism in place to ensure follow up and implementation of the report's
recommendations?
• What was the value of the work for the key stakeholders?
• How was the project managed?
• Did you get the work/life balance right?
In order to make sure that the lessons are taken on board for future projects, it can be useful to present the
outcomes to senior management or other projects teams.
Why Projects Fail?
• Failure to agree the key question or issue
• Planning is carried out superficially
• Eye off the ball
• People aspects are not well managed
• Risks are not properly addressed and insufficient contingencies are allow
• It is difficult to make tough decisions
• Lack of authority
• Lack of commitment
Evaluating the project
In Practice: SU Workforce Development Project
At the end of the project the team arranged an extended lunch to discuss lessons learned. Prior to the
lunch, the facilitator drew a timeline of the project on a white board in the team’s room. The team
(anonymously) marked their high and low points in different colours on a timeline of the project. This
encouraged the team to think about the lessons to be learned from the project as a whole and not just the
end game. This was used to produce slides to stimulate discussion at the lunch. That discussion
considered a wide range of issues. Following the lunch, a team member prepared a presentation
summarising the discussion. This was presented first to the senior managers and then to an all-staff
meeting.
Strategy Survival Guide – Strategy Skills
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