Speaking - Impossible Projects

Impossible Project

When we say “nothing’s impossible,” we usually mean that given unlimited time, unlimited resources, and really flexible performance standards, we can do anything. “Give me a lever long enough and a platform to rest it on, and I will move the world,” said Archimedes, but he was obviously not a project manager. Our projects are constrained: the iron triangle of resources, time, and mandatory scope are only three of the dimensions that restrict our options.

In project management, the question is whether the project is operationally possible, able to be done within the constraints. As project managers, we know the importance of realistic budgets, schedules, and performance criteria, but let’s face it — we don’t always get the final word. Sometimes we get what we get and have to make do…somehow. Worse, we don’t always know what we’re really going to need.  You can’t always tell up front whether the project can actually be accomplished under the current circumstances. By the time we know, it may be too late.

Based on Michael Dobson’s book Project: Impossible, part of the “Lessons from History” series, this presentation explores some of the most famous “impossible projects” in human history — things that nobody would have thought possible until they were actually accomplished. Following in the footsteps of great project managers such as Julius Caesar, Charles Lindbergh, Robert Moses, and others, you’ll get the inside scoop on how the most brilliant minds in history solved the most intractable problems in the history of project management. If it were easy, anybody could do it. If it’s impossible, they call in a project manager. Will you be ready?

Audience: Project Managers, Program Managers, Business Managers

Lessons from Impossible Projects

Learning Objectives

In this presentation you’ll learn how you need to:

• Spot “impossible” projects early
• Find creative solutions to many “impossible” problems
• Make the business case for change
• Kill the truly impossible ones before they get out of hand

Full of intriguing details, the presentation helps you to work out strategies for tackling impossible projects.

The Benefits

Sooner or later, every project manager gets assigned a project that on the face of it appears to be absolutely impossible. Because this problem is so common among project managers, the effective and successful project manager needs to know how to step up to the plate when all the odds seem to be unfavorable. As a result of attending this powerful presentation, you’ll be ready when the challenge lands on your doorstep.

Note: This presentation conforms to the internationally recognized standards of the Project Management Institute (PMI®). You will receive 1-2 PDUs (professional development units) upon completion.