Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
S.C.A.R.E. Away Your Project Poltergeists
Rob Saxon is a Project Management Professional, Certified Information Systems Auditor and a trained Six Sigma Specialist. Rob is currently developing methods to integrate project management into previously unexplored areas of business.
There are nightmares that we must all face as project managers. These nightmares include--but are not limited to--scope creep, unforeseen crises, poorly defined units of work, inaccurate assumptions and losing focus on the end result.
Below are some simple actions you can take to get back in control of your project, to scare away the project poltergeists and to awaken from your PM nightmares:
- Scope Management
- Contingency Planning
- Action List Creation
- Real Time Communication
- End Game Envisioning
Don’t End Up Like Sarah Winchester
Sarah Winchester was the heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune. A psychic told Mrs. Winchester that she would die if she stopped building her house. It may be that the psychic was in the construction business, but she convinced Sarah to disregard any concept of scope regarding her home improvement:
“As the days, weeks and months passed, the house continued to grow. Rooms were added to rooms and then turned into entire wings…”
Ultimately, our responsibility is to deliver the solution the customer wants in the most efficient manner. Therefore, we must carefully manage project best practices, while also listening to the voice of the customer. Though a trained project manager may have helped Mrs. Winchester to craft a carefully defined scope, one wonders whether …
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