When we examine organizations or departments with track records of consistent project failure, we usually see problems at the “front end” of their project process. Instead of business value thinking and a focus on results, we see project order-taking, very similar to the drive-up window of a fast food restaurant.
“Fast Food” Order-Taking
The person responsible for the account stands inside the drive-in window wearing a red and yellow cap that says “We Do Projects.” The account drives up in a shiny black cars and stops at the drive-up window saying, “I’m hungry.”
The project management order-taker grins at the account, displaying 163 gleaming white teeth and then gives the account the “thumbs up” signal. The order-taker turns to his or her project team and screams,
“You two, put four burgers on the grill!”
“Dan, dump some potatoes in the deep fry!”
“Monica, we need more buns now!”
The fast food project team has started work and it certainly is impressive how quickly they have begun. The project management “order-taker” gives another toothy grin to the account and says, “We’ve started work on your project and it will be ready very soon.” Now the order-taker, from habit or some need to impress the executive with their technical expertise, decides to get some specifications. “Would you like chopped Bermuda onion and hot jalapeno relish on top? Can we add some of our secret sauce; it has monosodium glutamate. Would you like 1.579 grams or more? We can also add our rare Guatemalan red pepper. Would 6.531 pinches be enough?”
The executive frowns in confusion, then nods agreement with a shrug and says, “I’m on a diet, you know.”
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