Step 4: Begin Work Immediately

Assemble your team. Hire a vendor. Create momentum.

The Art of the Start

You would think that this is the easy part. After all you are a professional. You have probably done work that is somewhat similar in the past. And that’s the problem. You cannot rely upon old habits to create new and breathtaking results.

Manage Production Problems 80/20 Style

As you move through this stage, problems will naturally arise. A piece of technology might not work as expected or a freak storm may delay that FedEx package you’ve been waiting for. The good news is that all our upfront planning now pays off. You know and can communicate to your team the difference between “vital” and “trivial.” Your clarity is a powerful motivator and will create extraordinary momentum.

Quick Start Project Management Suggestions

We counsel that if you are using outside vendors to:

• Create the Request for Proposal from the internal project plan. Your clarity will shine through.
• Use a short list. Don’t invite more than three to four vendors to bid.
• Share your budget or budget range with vendor candidates. Don’t waste your time soliciting bids that can’t be executed.
• Hold a pitch day. Bring the vendor candidates in one after the other with just enough break time in between to clear your head.
• Commit to making a decision and awarding the project within seventy-two hours of the pitch day. This imparts urgency and elevates your status as a serious client demanding serious attention.

We suggest that if you are using in-house resources to:

• Ask team members to identify competing projects that might interrupt their work on your project.  Outside vendors have resources dedicated to preventing you from getting bumped. Here you are on your own.
• Set up a simple project management site on your company intranet. Don’t have one? Look at BasecampHQ.com (free) or WebOffice.com (30-day free trial).
• Treat yourself like a client. Set expectations,manage deadlines, reward good work with public praise.

Step 5: Launch!