Project fundamentals are so fundamental to the way we work that we don’t spend a lot of time talking about them. The fundamentals I’m talking about are:

• Planning
• Scheduling
• Forecasting
• Budgeting
• Reporting
• Giving our teams access to information
• Making sure teams pull in the right direction

We work and live in a fast paced world that might not leave time to plan and practice the project fundamentals like we should. Unfortunately, if you forget about or fail to execute the fundamentals the clients notice.

For instance, if we watch our preferred NBA team in the midst of a playoff run miss lay-ups, free throws, and dragging their pivot foot – we notice. Similarly, if we are working a construction project and don’t think about planning for completion inspections, the client is going to notice. Just like the sports fan, clients are rooting for you to succeed and don’t want to see you go down in flames.

My method is similar to a General Manager’s advisor in the project. The General Manager hires coaches that mesh with the talent, talent that meshes with the style of play, and keeps his eye on the salary cap. The General Manager’s advisor, being out of the day-to-day operation has time to see around corners and offer reflective advice on teams, tools, and methods.