The longer you take, the longer it will take

The longer you take, the longer it will take

It may sound like a tautology, but the longer you take to complete a project, the longer it's going to take to complete it. Put another way, every day you add to the final launch of the project increases the odds that you'll add even more days to the project.

For example, suppose you're launching a new AMS and you set the go-live for six months from today. As you approach go-live, you decide there are a few more things you'd like to have before go-live, and so you push the go-live out another month.

One unintended consequence of pushing the date later is that the team working on the project starts to lose focus. And the longer the project goes, the more they lose focus, and the longer the project takes. It becomes a self-feeding cycle.

The key is to focus on a minimum viable product (MVP) and to get live as quickly as possible. What's the bare minimum that we need to go live? That's our target!

Because the longer you take to complete the project, the longer it will take to complete it.

Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives

If you’re unhappy, speak up!

August 21, 2019

If you’re unhappy, speak up! My clients will often ask me something along the lines […]

Does it advance the mission?

August 14, 2019

Does it advance the mission? Because associations are mission-driven, everything you do should be seen […]

How should you start a new data project?

August 7, 2019

How should you start a new data project? When you’ve got a new data project […]

A Data Integrity Report…for Reports!

July 29, 2019

I’ve written elsewhere about the value of data integrity reports. But one of the most […]

Simple rules for complex systems

July 28, 2019

Simple rules for complex systems I first heard the phrase “simple rules for complex systems” […]

Accentuate the positive

July 24, 2019

Accentuate the positive I’ve written before about the importance of database public relationsand celebrating success. I’ll add […]

Annual dues vs. anniversary dues

July 10, 2019

Annual dues vs. anniversary dues I served as director of membership for several years at […]

A change of systems requires a change of mindset

July 8, 2019

Every AMS vendor will tell you that the toughest part of implementing a new system […]

It doesn’t have to be optimal to be beneficial

June 26, 2019

It doesn’t have to be optimal to be beneficial I’m a big fan of the […]

Look for small wins

June 19, 2019

Look for small wins One of the toughest things about system implementation is simply how […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top