http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2004/12/a-project-story.html Management, especially good management, is hard to do. This blog is for people who want to think about how they manage people, projects, and risk. Fri, 18 May 2012 15:02:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2004/12/a-project-story.html/comment-page-1#comment-36 keith ray Sat, 01 Jan 2005 03:22:16 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/?p=8196#comment-36 I'm sure I've heard that some very successful projects at 3M were cancelled several times, but kept on going... [3M had/has an unusual company culture.] In the graphing calculator story, I think the calculator was NOT part of the project that cancelled. I’m sure I’ve heard that some very successful projects at 3M were cancelled several times, but kept on going… [3M had/has an unusual company culture.]
In the graphing calculator story, I think the calculator was NOT part of the project that cancelled.

]]> http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2004/12/a-project-story.html/comment-page-1#comment-35 Ron Pihlgren Wed, 29 Dec 2004 02:01:33 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/?p=8196#comment-35 I don't think there's a simple answer to that question. It depends on the people doing the skunkworks project, the attitude and acumen of management, and the environment of the company. The people who plot strategy aren't always omniscient and, on the other hand, the renegades aren't always successful. In my own experience, I have seen projects not necessarily cancelled but deemphasized by management (by, for example, pulling resources off them) that ended up being a hit with customers and make a big difference in the success of the product. I don’t think there’s a simple answer to that question. It depends on the people doing the skunkworks project, the attitude and acumen of management, and the environment of the company. The people who plot strategy aren’t always omniscient and, on the other hand, the renegades aren’t always successful.
In my own experience, I have seen projects not necessarily cancelled but deemphasized by management (by, for example, pulling resources off them) that ended up being a hit with customers and make a big difference in the success of the product.

]]> http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2004/12/a-project-story.html/comment-page-1#comment-33 Johanna Rothman Sun, 26 Dec 2004 00:39:13 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/?p=8196#comment-33 But what about projects that were canceled? Should people be allowed to work on projects that the people who plot strategy thinks are inappropriate? But what about projects that were canceled? Should people be allowed to work on projects that the people who plot strategy thinks are inappropriate?

]]> http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2004/12/a-project-story.html/comment-page-1#comment-34 Greg Robbins Fri, 24 Dec 2004 22:52:17 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/?p=8196#comment-34 Disallowing skunkworks projects is saying to the brightest employees, "Turn off your creativity and self-motivation, since the only thing that matters are the instructions you receive from above." The idea that contributor initiatives are a drag on an organization speaks more to the insecurity of the management than to its skills. Disallowing skunkworks projects is saying to the brightest employees, “Turn off your creativity and self-motivation, since the only thing that matters are the instructions you receive from above.” The idea that contributor initiatives are a drag on an organization speaks more to the insecurity of the management than to its skills.

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