In project delivery, in particular for complex projects, change is not an exception. It is rather the rule. Most of the project management effort is actually spent in managing deviations and change to the initial plan. How come, then, that project delivery processes are usually designed to manage change as an exception? Would it not be more effective and powerful to design project delivery processes around change and agility as a core component?

Our White Paper 2013-02 “Stop Taking Change as an Exception: The Need for Agile Project Planning” covers this astonishing problem in detail.

What makes the difference when it comes to project success is often more how agile the organization was to account for changes and review its project execution strategy and tactics; and not whether it forcefully managed to bring the situation back to the baseline plan.

In fact, isn’t the main scope of project management is actually to manage change and deviations to the plan? Why not, then, design the project delivery process around agility rather than around trying to stick by all means to a set baseline?

Stop moaning about changes to the plan! All experienced project practitioners know that it is the thrill of finding solutions to the most unexpected and intricate situations that make the thrill of the profession – and why they have chosen it. Change is part and parcel of the fun of project leadership. Let us recognize it as such, as the daily challenge of any project practitioner, and build our processes around it.

Read White Paper 2013-02 “Stop Taking Change as an Exception: The Need for Agile Project Planning” to better understand this change of viewpoint on change during project execution!