How Workarounds Work

  ProjectsAtWork  

We all face barriers to productivity. Project delays and difficulties are almost always a given. So how do you break through these roadblocks and overcome the setbacks. Here are some key takeaways from a recent interview with Russell Bishop, author of “Workarounds That Work,” which can be found here.

Get going. A workaround is simply a way to get something moving when it’s stalled. Imagine that you are out sailing and your mast breaks. What do you do? You create a jury rig, a temporary mast. It’s not perfect, but it gets you going again. It beats the heck out of drifting around, hoping someone will rescue you.

Consider the nightmare-scenario. Imagine what ways the project can go off the rails, and why and what can be done to get it back on. When you do that upfront, you are less likely to be surprised when something does come off the rails, and you have already thought through how to address it. You have a workaround in mind.

Create a ‘Waiting For’ list. Projects are all about interdependencies. There are parts that you have that you can’t do until someone else does his part. Most people sit around and wait for the other person to get his piece done. Get control back by creating a “Waiting For” list. It lists those things others have responsibility to complete, but you need to move forward. Is any deliverable …

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