Series Philosophy & Mission

The series vividly describes the crucial lessons from historical projects and compares these to today's best practices. It makes the whole learning experience more memorable. The series should inspire the reader as these historical projects were achieved with a lesser (inferior) technology.    For example, some projects are truly from hell that no one wants to pick up and lead. Yet leaders emerge that not only lead the project but deliver something extraordinary, beyond all reasonable expectations.   This happened in May 1940 when Winston Churchill became PM under tremendous pressure, and took over a project from hell. Following the disaster at Dunkirk he inspired his nation to continue a fight already considered lost. Not only did he have to stave off an imminent enemy invasion but he had to move the peacetime economy to one that could support a war. He did all this in a project timeline of 5 months. The series examines this as a project, in what he did, and how he did it as a project manager.

To Inspire Business Leaders

By looking at breakthrough historical projects through a modern project lens. The series:    Examines how these projects and technologies of the past solved complex problems.  Provides valuable insight into solving today’s most challenging problems.  Juxtaposes challenges encountered in today’s IT projects with a relevant historical case study.  Shows how lessons learned can be put into everyday practical use within organizations today.  Inspires as these projects were achieved with a lesser (inferior) technology, and fewer disciplines.

What are Business Leaders Striving for today?

Business leaders look to solve complex problems in their operational environments so as to increase revenue, or profit, or to improve efficiency. The Lessons-from-history series highlights that as new technologies or techniques become available they rarely completely solve a problem but further “nibble away” at it, resolving it partially. Typically, solving a complex problem only identifies dependencies on other problems that need resolution to. 

What should be the Role of Emerging Technology in Business?

In organizations the role should be to support the business. Often it may become the central focus of a business but it needs to offset that it is the combination of technology, processes and organization that make up the operation. That said:     Most problems are readdressed cyclically when a new emerging technology is available.  Very few projects are truly unique and have been attempted before.  Brilliant technology needs talented communicators to market it.  Public relations and influencers are key to project support.  Most firsts are achieved through a culmination of efforts that leverages previous inventions.  Most firsts are a result of a race between competing groups creating solutions to the same problem.  To be successful the solution needs to solve a practical business problem close at hand.  The success of many projects owes more to leadership and approach than the technology.  Leadership and conviction to resolve a problem is an essential to a project.  Marketing and selling the idea is as important as building the solution.  Good project planning is essential.  The use of proven and tested technology building blocks saves time.

Key Lessons from Historical Projects 

These projects provide some interesting best practices for today’s projects. For example today’s IT:    provides an opportunity to solve complex problems in a new, more complete or efficient way.  is so pervasive it tends to touch every aspect of the business so no areas remain untouched.    When IT is applied to a business in a breakthrough way the results can be spectacular:  Cisco does 90% of its $19Bn business on the Web.  IBM purchases $50Bn from 18,000 suppliers through the Web.  Wal-Mart has consistently shown lower prices over competitors by 13%.  Dell’s Optiflex facility has a minuscule 100 square feet of inventory space.