Reality Skewed...
Articles
Articles
When one approaches a project, any project, a nagging concern is where to start. Through the experiences gained from working on a large variety of projects of varying sizes and goals, a small set of questions have been refined into a template that can be followed for nearly every new project. There are seven main questions that should be asked when approaching any type of project that attempts to convey a message. The process of answering these questions as well as the answers themselves will go a long way toward establishing a well understood and communicable structure for the project as a whole. Once this structure is in place the actual construction of the project is usually a lot smoother.
It might seem straightforward but how one answers this question can go a long way in predicting difficulties in execution and the relative probability of the eventual success of a project. A succinct, detailed, and well thought out answer to this question allows a project to move in a distinct direction toward a clearly defined target. Being able to articulate a well defined goal is also a sign that the project has matured in development enough to avoid casual changes of heart as to its mission. And a succinct answer here allows a project to focus in on the core elements involved and not try to become all things to all people. Vagueness, multiple targets, or broad scope are all signs that a project may have trouble in development and delivery that could lead to unsatisfactory completion.
Being able to define and articulate a single key audience for the project gives it the greatest chance of success. A well defined audience allows the creative elements to be tailored specifically to have the greatest impact as well as communicate on the most efficient levels. A single audience means that everyone involved has the same group in mind when planning or deciding direction. A solitary target simplifies and empowers greater communication. Having too many audiences inevitably muddles the power of a project's potential and could conceivably greatly impact the deliverability and cost of a project, or even derail it completely.
A key factor in the production flow of any project is how tight the connection is between those responsible for it and the money used to pay for it. The farther apart the mandate is from the mission, the responsibility is from the power to implement it, the more delay, confusion and potential disappointment in the outcome. Planning of the project will have to take into account the chain of decision making and the time frame necessary to relay requests and approve changes in order to avoid time crunches and unnecessary compromises in order to meet deadlines. Any organizational structure can be accommodated with a good plan, so knowing precisely the makeup of the decision making and costing structure is paramount.
Any story can be told for any budget. An unrealistic budget may not reach the full audience desired. Also, a grandiose design may squander a budget that could deliver the intended message much more cost effectively on a more reasonable creative scale. All parties knowing and agreeing to a budget for the project will allow proper expectations to be set for all aspects of the task.
Few projects are intended to only exist at the moment of their launch. Most will have a time frame where their message is still pertinent and there is a need to maintain and embellish the delivery of that message throughout an extended period. A good plan will take into account not only the initial costs of the project but also account for foreseeable and non-foreseeable expenditures during its natural life. Discussion of the aspects of longevity and careful planning usually allow for these costs to be manageable while maintaining the goals of the project during its run.
Quite often this question isn't considered in the planning stages. An articulated answer to it, though, can provide great insight into what exactly are the aspects of importance in the delivery of the goals of the project. If one knows the project will be assessed on certain criteria then the priority of those criteria will be justly raised in the planning and execution of the project. Also, by refining the boundaries by which a project will be judged early on it will be much easier to assess the effectiveness of its success when the time comes. After all the money has been spent, being able to know whether it was all worth it will lead to better project plans and execution in the future.
Although this is the last of the seven questions, its answer is really the most important to the existance of the project. When everything in the project plan is evaluated and assessed, the right choices ready to be made and the mechanisms in place to assure the best product, if no distinction can be made for doing the project this way from others then a reevaluation of whether the project should be done at all is in order. "No need to reinvent the wheel," is a relevant saying. There really should be a distinct voice waiting to be heard to join the chorus. And if that voice is ready, then by all means let it sing loud and clear.
