Shrink the middle of your projects. In project management, the middle is where momentum stalls and complexity takes over. The longer a project lingers there, the less likely it is to reach the finish line successfully. In this episode, Doug and Jess discuss why projects fail due to inertia and overcomplication—and how breaking them into smaller, more manageable parts can keep things moving and lead to better results. Tune in for practical insights on keeping your projects on track!
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Show Notes:
Pre-Show Banter:
- Doug kicks things off with some classic optimism, reassuring Jess that “whatever it is, it’s not that bad.”
- Fresh off a Disney Cruise, Jess is back and raving about her trip—small ship, big fun, and fireworks in the middle of the ocean! Fun fact: those fireworks actually turn into fish food.
- Meanwhile, Doug drops some nautical wisdom on the difference between a boat and a ship (because of course he does).
- While he’s gearing up for baseball season, Jess keeps him in check—it’s actually basketball season, and yes, she got her brackets in on time. Priorities.
Main Discussion Points:
- The meaning of “shrinking the middle”
- Understand how prolonged project timelines can lead to failure.
- There’s a significance of breaking projects into smaller components to maintain focus and energy throughout.
- Doug gives an analogy of a leaking roof and why spreading resources too thin can lead to project failure.
- Doug and Jess discuss the popular TV show Lost and how it exemplifies project drift due to an extended middle.
- Learn the importance of defining clear endpoints and the relationship between project length and urgency.
- There is an impact of “project myopia,” where teams lose sight of larger goals due to focusing too narrowly on smaller tasks.
- At Lift, we use sprints to track out projects. The role of sprints in project management as tools for breaking work into actionable parts helps promote quicker completions.
- There is a need for maintaining velocity and communication during projects to avoid complexity.
Jess’s Takeaways:
- You need to set clear definitions for complete.
- Look at where you can break things up. Build that into your process. Look for where you can make components of your project smaller.
- Pay attention to your waypoints, and make sure you’re communicating throughout to help reduce the complexity of the project.
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