The Chaos Manifesto

“Your best person will leave at the worstmanagement benchmark -Allow for informed
possible time.” Turnover is a fact of life anddecisions -Identify education and development needs
when this happens, it can have devastating effectsBenefits of this Approach: -Cost savings are
and put a project in peril. How many companies havegenerated through increased efficiencies -More
an enterprise-wide view of their project managementprojects are delivered on time -There exists greater
capability?shareholder engagement and satisfaction
Without having a quantified baseline of an-Stakeholder confidence in the organisation’s
organisation’s project management capability aability to deliver on its projects is increased
number of negatives can result: -Key positions areProject Risk Management Project Risk Management
filled by who is available rather than who is mostis the proactive and continual identification, analysis,
qualified -Single point dependencies are not mitigatedtreatment, and control of risk. This is not only critical
by a second person -Single point dependencies mayto the success of each project but also to the risk
not even be identified -Each project brings increasingof the profile of the organization. No project has
risk to the organization as the ability of staff toever gone completely to plan. There are always
perform their functions is unknownchallenges which may or may not impact project
The Chaos Manifesto: “Successful projects needsuccess and in dealing with these issues it is worth
smart, well trained people. Competency is the qualitynoting what Project Risk Management is not:
of being adequately or well qualified to perform the-Identifying and analyzing risks, then doing nothing to
tasks and assignments dictated by the projectprevent them. Prevention is always better than after
requirements. Competency is having the right level ofthe event damage control. -Having a Risk
skills necessary to perform the work to complete theManagement method and/or templates. Ultimately
project activities within the specified times andpeople manage risks and in many cases there are no
schedules. It is also the ability to demonstrate theseguidelines on what to do in a certain situation.
qualifications to provide confidence to other project“Risk is part of every project, but unnecessary
participants.” The Solution: -Have a quantifiedrisk should be avoided.” “Inaction is the
baseline of individuals’ project managementpurest form of failure.”
competence -Have a quantified baseline of anImpact on Project Success: Sir Isaac Newtown’s
organisation’s project management capabilityFirst Law of Motion states “Nothing happens
From the baselines an organization can: -Conductunless it is made to happen”. No project will run
targeted upskilling to address high risk weaknesses initself to time, people must make the project run to
organizational capability -Profile staff and baseline theirtime.
current Competency levels -Establish a performance