Prevent Analysis Paralysis by avoiding a quest for Perfection

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." - Walt Disney

Traditional waterfall methodologies require that stakeholders identify any and all requirements up front. The idea is that this will ensure that you know everything necessary to properly plan resources, schedules and critical dependencies. Of course, as anyone who has ever managed a project will testify, this is a noble idea but unfortunately hopelessly unrealistic.  There are always going to be factors that are overlooked at the inception phase. Why? Because market conditions are constantly changing, which necessitates the need for a flexible approach.

Agile gets this – in fact, it encourages the idea of ‘good enough’ so that you can stop analyzing and start doing. “Good Enough” does not mean it’s sloppy or that it’s not thought through. It does not mean it’s hastily put together. Rather, it means that you have spent time as a group thinking through and discussing the various issues of the project to the point where there is a decrease in incremental return for every unit of time spent.

When you get to this point – the ‘Last Responsible Moment” – it is time to start doing. It may feel uncomfortable at first as you realize there are still going to be areas that are not ‘fully baked’. But the point is that by starting the work and doing the things that are clear at this time, you can figure out the rest later.

This idea will take some time to get used to for traditional project managers. It’s not the way PMPs were taught – it goes against the very principle of comprehensive up-front planning. But in today’s fast-paced business environment, it is the most practical way to manage projects – at least if business value is of concern.

My advice to you is not to dip your toe in the water. Instead, dive in and trust the team to figure it out.

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