Using strategy to avoid a (lost) war

Greek phalanx

Like any other enterprise, each project needs a specific strategy.

This word was coined by Ancient Greeks joining the words “army” and “moving”. Logistics has the same origin, and it is the natural companion (an example how available materiel and good intelligence can influence strategy is the “Battle of Kursk”) .

If you like a ad hoc definition: “strategy is an efficient way to enforce governance through a chain of  decisions linked by the same logic and independent in the way they face a new challenge“.

Plans deal with the future; they are just well structured wishes. Instead strategy is the art of dealing with competitive situations (either theoretical or real) as a whole. Tactics are referred to a series of actions focused to deal with a single aspect of the problem.

Reliable plans have to be fed with information. Dealing with stakeholders (they are never considered as enemies, just as allies with various grades of trustworthiness) needs a good strategy for understanding the best way for obtaining information that will form plans. These shall be bought both by customers (external) and producers (internal stakeholders).

The ability to elicit affirmation followed by confirmation is the essence of strategy. It is not limited to the salesmanship to be intended as ability to buy-in sponsors for the project.  Most of energies shall be concentrated on the series of “conquests”, where each of them brings some more knowledge to be transformed into agreed results.

Every (group of) stakeholder has his/her own petitions.

They are not limited to product’s features, budget or delivery date. Architects and developers have their motions, too.

1. Architectural choices
2. Development environment (tools)
3. Test Driven Development
4. Unit test
5. Peer reviews
6. Refactoring

These techniques will have a strong impact on fundamental issues like quality, budget and delivery time.

However, the section of the strategy that deals with development has to consider the skills and attitude (e.g.  contractual position) of producers.

The users – very often accused of being untoward to the novelties – have their petitions as well. Their power, often expressed with mumbles, is neglected until the project has been delivered. Are, their request for features, matched with the specs? Has the PM taken some energy for clearing the path from disastrous gossips about unresolved problems?

Conclusion

Strategy, plans and tactics are three different arts that form the essential support for leadership. Making forecasts is always difficult, try to do it without considering the interests of each project’s participant is just absurd.

However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.”

More readings

Strategy as definition.

We Don’t Have Requirements Yet, But How Long Will This Take You?