All language subtitles for 2. Objective Process.ar

So how do you shape up a project objective? 2

Here's where having the project manager onboard 3

during initiation can really help, 4

to make sure all the stakeholders are involved 5

in this critically important first step. 6

First convene a meeting of all stakeholders, 7

ideally all in one one room, 8

or on a teleconference or video conference if required. 9

If at all possible, 10

use a laptop and projector, 11

or a shared document if online, 12

to halve the time and double the effectiveness. 13

It's just too troublesome to keep reading back 14

what you have so far on paper. 15

All the participants can then see the variations 16

and provide useful feedback as the objective develops. 17

Start by simply typing objective on the first line 18

for the eventually agreed result. 19

Then ask the senior stakeholder, 20

usually the sponsor or customer, 21

to provide a full sentence that 22

defines the ultimate project outcome and benefit 23

from your point of view, 24

and type that sentence on a second line in the document. 25

Then ask the next senior stakeholder for their view 26

and type that sentence on a third line. 27

Ask if anyone else has any other suggestions. 28

If so type those sentences as well. 29

Then state we have enough to work with, 30

let's see if we can come to agreement on one sentence, 31

so we can fix the project outcome and benefit. 32

As the discussion proceeds and agreement is reached 33

on parts of the objective, 34

type those parts on the first line. 35

Leave the second and later lines unchanged 36

for reference back to the initial suggestions, 37

so people don't say 38

well what did I suggest at the beginning, 39

and they can always see them untouched. 40

Of course the sponsor has the final call 41

on any disagreements on wording. 42

And make the outcome as specific as possible, 43

ideally with numbers to size the result. 44

Whatever you end up with, 45

the key is everyone provided input, 46

everyone was heard, 47

and whether or not they got everything they wanted, 48

they will support the result 49

because they were included in the process. 50

In other words, 51

this is where you solve 52

the differing stakeholder expectations problem 53

before planning even begins. 54

And the most important step in any project. 55

Never do anything else on a project. 56

Not business case analysis, 57

resource planning, 58

requirements gathering, 59

nothing until you have the stakeholders agreement 60

on the project objective.