I started using the phrase "do we know what DONE looks like?" at Rocky Flats. It was first coined by Martin Radley, now an instructor at Carnegie Mellon. Martin used the term "done done" to add a little humor to those who cooked the books when stating they were done. This started in 2001 or 2002.
Knowing what done looks like must be in units of measure meaningful to the participants. In the previous post, there are links to briefings given at the PMI-CPM (College of Performance Management) Conference in Florida last week.
But what's more interesting, is I'm hearing and reading that phrase more often.
What does DONE look like?
Johanna Rothman has an article in which that term is used. Josh has started using it. The Bart Group. Pawel. You get the idea.
If we don't speak about actual physical progress against the planned physical progress, in units of measure meaningful to the project's participants (not just the customer), then we can't really speak about moving forward toward done.
What does DONE look like?
- Identify the needed business or mission capabilities
- Identify the technical and operational requirements needed to fulfill the capabilities or mission
- Build a Plan, build the schedule of work packages that deliver the product or services that fulfill the requirements
- Measure progress of those work package in physical percent complete of the technical performance measures at the time that physical percent complete and technical performance was planned
- Do all this, while performing continuous risk management.
That's what DONE looks like
