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I am not fit. I am now heavier than I was before having my boys.
My only exercise is balance in small spaces while standing on the train. I fuel my mornings with cereal bars or chocolate croissants.
My projects are much healthier than me. Every project benefits from a health check every now and again. Peter Taylor, The Lazy Project manager, has just published a book on it, Get Fit With The Lazy Project Management.
I spoke with him about how to ensure that our projects are as healthy and viable as possible, and that they don’t become the “ex-projects” of tomorrow.
Peter, how can the Lazy Project Manager stay fit?
I don’t think excessive physical activity is a good idea, but it is fine in my opinion.
The new book focuses on the reasons, the value, and the opportunities to assess your project’s ‘health’ in order to help you sleep better at night, knowing that your projects will succeed (and I use the word “inevitable” with the common meaning of “more likely than ever”).
This book was inspired by many sources and many experiences. I have done a health check’, a lesson learned, and a retrospective, and also seen the real consequences of not being able to resist all the pressures that project management land can throw at us all.
This is actually the “productive lazy” thing to do. Work smarter (in short-term by running a healthcheck) and not harder (in long-term by letting project problems grow).
What’s the point in a health check?
No matter where you are at the project’s lifecycle, it doesn’t matter how drunk you feel from the post-project celebration party. There is always an opportunity to get some ‘health check’ and learn something valuable.
Maybe not for this project, but for the next one and the one after that.
Okay, let’s start by understanding the terminology. Please explain what you mean when you refer to a health check.
There is often confusion about the three terms, which are often used interchangeably, Audit, Health check, and Post-mortem.
I was even more surprised to hear someone talk about being ‘agile with their companies post-mortems.
Agile – A person who is quick and well-coordinated in movement. Also, someone who is mentally sharp or aware.
These definitions are intended to be clear and easy to use.
Health check: A comprehensive physical examination that includes a variety tests depending on the individual’s age, sex, and health.
Audit: A formal examination and verification of accounts and records.
Post-mortem: A medical examination of a deceased body that takes place after death. Also called autopsy. This will help you to understand the concept better and make it more useful.
A project’s “health check” is a way to evaluate its likely success or outcome, and to take steps to improve it for the benefit of the project as well as the business.
Okay, so what inspired you to write a whole book about it.
This book was inspired by many sources and many experiences. I have done a lot of things right, including a health check’, lessons learned, and a retrospective. I also saw the real consequences of not submitting to all the pressures in project management land.