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Accidentally On Purpose
David Schmaltz is a project manager in Takoma Park, Maryland.
Many of the tools and techniques we employ to manage our projects are predicated on the faulty assumption that we should be clear about our purpose. Say what? The purpose of this article is to explain -- by way of forced apologies, worthless airplanes and modified authenticity.
When I was a kid, my folks would judge an infraction based upon whether I had done it ‘on purpose’ or if it was an accident. If, for instance, they decided that I was clowning around and didn’t intend to whap my sister, they’d tell me to be more careful in the future. If evil intent was evident, I’d get my own whapping. My sister always accused me of acting "accidentally on purpose." I learned to be accident prone. I never said that I did anything on purpose if the outcome was different than I intended. Further, I learned to hide my purpose to improve deniability should an adventure turn out badly.
These are two divergent interpretations for purpose. The first says the purpose of any activity can be found in its outcome. The other says the outcome is only purposeful if it was anticipated.
We "project" purpose for our projects. Our projection is at best half truth and half promise. The purpose might honestly represent intentions. This is the truth half. But the purpose has not yet been realized, which is the promise half. The truth and …
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