In the book The Seven Secrets of How to Think Like a Rocket Scientist is advice we can all use in the management of projects.
- Dream
- Judge
- Ask
- Check
- Simply
- Optimize
- Do
Each of these has sub-secrets. The total package has many lessons applicable to complex projects in general in almost every business domain.
The Bigger Issue
What becomes clear from this book is that projects are not actually about the writing of code, the bending of metal, or other "doing" kinds of things. Project are not actually about all the softer skills around the people. Or the money. Or even the customers as individuals.
These are all necessary but not sufficient conditions for a project to be successful. There has to be something else there. There has to be the "dream" there first.
When we get wrapped up in the persoanl favorite "thing," be it agile software development, earned value, programmatic risk, requirements management. We are operating at the 2nd or 3rd layer of the project.
The success of the "rocket scientist" is to hold in her mind the Dream and then the other 6 elements of success. Only when these elements are in place, can the mechanics of managing the project come into play. If these mechanics are the starting point, the project may or may not be successful. But the outcome that actually changes soemthing in a significant way will be lost.
