Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
Managing Risk with Your Trusty Communication Plan
Joe Wynne is a versatile Project Manager experienced in delivering medium-scope projects in large organizations that improve workforce performance and business processes. He has a proven track record of delivering effective, technology-savvy solutions in a variety of industries and a unique combination of strengths in both process management and workforce management.
A large slice of the risk pie is the problems that arise from dependencies on sources outside your project providing inputs to your project in the expected quality and on schedule. There is this helpless feeling that you cannot really do anything effective before the deadline, and when the disaster occurs, it’s too late.
Siobhan’s Shock
In her project planning documents for a major software system upgrade, Siobhan listed as a potential critical risk the reception of complete business design requirements on time. Any delay would be extremely expensive because of agreements with outsourced designers. Siobhan’s communication plan specified that all groups would be alerted to deliverable schedules by e-mail. The design group would receive word of the delivery of design requirements. Problems would be escalated up the chain of command as usual. Siobhan was satisfied that her planning documents had set her up for success.
So it was a shock to her when the design requirements were not ready on time. The design lead on the project had not been able to contact the business side representative to get any status for about a month. The escalation process had started, but not gotten results. After a couple of more weeks, an incomplete deliverable was submitted. Major business decisions had yet to be made to complete the design requirements. There was a …
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"In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed - but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love, 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." - Orson Welles, The Third Man |