The Never Ending Project?

 

When my children were young, one of their favorite movies was The Never Ending Story, directed by Wolfgang Peterson. The 1984 movie was an adaptation of a German fantasy novel first published in 1979 of the same name, written by Michael Ende and Ralph Mannheim. The novel's hero is a boy, Bastian, who steals a book titled The Never Ending Story from an antique bookstore; and while reading becomes a part of the story himself. Saving the world of the book, Fantastica, from the "Nothing" becomes Bastian's quest.

Although most projects don't really involve saving the world from the "Nothing," I've worked on many projects over the years that could have been called The Never Ending Project. Most of the time, they feel that way because there was never a clear definition of "done" or "finished." Although the project sponsor, or maybe even the project manager, might have had an idea of what the project would look like upon completion, there was no clear definition everyone working on the project could wrap their heads around.

One of the first questions that should be asked of any project is, "What will this project look like when it's finished?" I like to call it starting with the end in mind.

My grandmother used to say, "Well begun is half done." Starting with the end in mind is a great way to begin any project. Of course, doing this is easier said than done in many organizations, but well worth the effort and a critical component to project success.

In the end, Bastian was able to save Fantastica. Starting with the end in mind might help you save yourself from the next Never Ending Project.