Saturday, September 05, 2009

What Makes a Project Impossible?

Today's Toronto Star carries a story about a Dutch mother who opposes her daughter's solo sail around the world.

Management Measures !

I dug out my trusty old spreadsheet and performed some calculations based on the two figures given in the article: " … who sailed 28,000 miles (45,000 kilometers) in nine months."

28,000 miles over 9 months comes to just over 4 miles an hour.

Walking pace ("brisk").

My first thought was that it would have been just as fast to walk around the world as to sail, but maybe not as safe. Not many people get mugged while they are alone in a boat on the ocean.

Clearly sailing is better.

Then I realized that my figures represented 24 hours per day, so we are talking here about a brisk walk without stopping, EVER, for nine months.

Clearly sailing is better.

Then I thought that one cannot walk around the world at all. One has to sail or fly over water at some stage. Water dominates our world, and our life.

Clearly sailing is better.

Then I started thinking about a boat replete with food supplies. Self-sufficiency. Independence from grocery stores and local currency.

Clearly sailing is better.

It's tough to come up with a reason NOT to sail, if you want or need to go around the world.

I'm not a very good swimmer; for me to be alone in a boat on an ocean is probably a Bad Thing.

• The clincher is mum's argument "[Laura] is not yet grown up.".

I think she is right, but that's based on my mother, and she was always right. She told me so. Frequently.

How often do we find an organization that desperately wants to make massive changes in the way revenue is gleaned, but they just aren't ready?

How often have I met someone whose business card states "Project Manager", and yet, they don't have a clue about how to manage a project?

How often have I wanted to proclaim to the world my revolutionary solution to a problem, without first running it by a small group of friendly nit-picking devils advocates?

Search