Now Boarding: Air Project

Debasis is a project management consultant in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

  Estimating   Leadership   Stakeholder Management   Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)  

Think of your favorite airline, or the best flight experience you have ever had. If you enjoy flying, the destination--be it for holiday or work--is only part of the excitement. There is a whole set of enjoyable experiences in the journey, and it is that experience that turns a regular flight into a fantastic one. And similar experiences with the same airline each time help you choose an airline brand you would like to stick with. The initial and subsequent experiences mattered, and every flight is something that can be looked forward to.

A project is like air travel. It has a start (the boarding terminal) and an end (the destination). It has an end product to deliver--the successful completion of the journey with all travelers arriving on time at the right destination, and with their luggage. And it has stakeholders--ground crew, airport staff, various departments and the passengers who are in for the journey who can make a lot of difference to one another, the crew and the overall journey.

The analogy is relevant to understand the desire--or reluctance--of stakeholders (passengers in a flight) to get on board and be a part the journey (the project). The overall experience--stakeholder perception and inter-relationships--will determine how well the journey was appreciated and completed. And in most cases, it would also define …

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