I was invited to view a
new software product, JAPMS, Just Another Project
Management System. I was in a roomful of people who had letters
after their names that meant they were experienced project managers.
The builders showed us
screens that represented projects in multiple views, and multiple
projects that rolled up into programs, and dashboards for most of the
management belief systems.
They were showing us how
incredibly easy it was to move a project to the right due to
unforeseen circumstances. Man, one thing goes wrong and your whole
project recalculates!
I’ve used many project
management systems, from the sublime to the blue screen. I’ve even
built and sold a couple. So I was surprised at the response when I
asked, “What happens when you do something that cuts time from the
project?”
They didn’t know what I
was talking about. Obviously not owners. Not one in the room.
“What do you mean?”
“Well suppose somebody
comes up with an activity that takes a couple of weeks off the
delivery date?”
From the discussion, I
realized I was in a room with a group who had never considered
running a project in less time than expected. They were more
interested in that than in how the software worked.
Back when I was running
the construction company, I would tell the estimators to figure out
how the competition would price a job, so we could figure out if we
even wanted to bid it. The estimators would then figure a better way
and bid that.
Then I would go to the
site supervisors and tell them that if they couldn’t beat the
estimators’ numbers, I didn’t need them on the project. They got
very good and very bonused beating expectations.
In selling we see similar
situations all the time. If we can’t get better with every
implementation, where’s the fun?
Winning a bid just creates
another opportunity to excel.
I really enjoy finding a
similar requirement after enabling technology has improved. One time
I built a second marketing services factory that could create better
results in less than two thirds of the time and cost of our original
factory. Of course, I had had a heavy hand in building the prototype
operation.
Anyway, the project
management software turned out to be another record keeping
application, but several of the reviewers said they were going to
look into building ways to shorten their projects into their project
plans.
Who knew?
Sales
Lab Resources – Tools for a new economy
