PROJECT. A Paramedic Approach

To evaluate the project fast, you must clarify its boundaries (the project's endpoint and the start and end times), its resources and their adequacy for the endpoint, how they are applied, and the certainty of these items.

First, essential boundaries: the goal and the time frame.

Does a project have a meaningful endpoint? If not, then you are in trouble, as you cannot reach what you do not comprehend. Try to understand what it is. If it does not exist, try to help establish it.

Another essential boundary of a project is its time frame: the start and end times. If there is no set end time, there can be no schedule. If there is no start time, likely no one plans to work on a project. Clarify these.

Second, resources.

Which ones are critical? People: their number, competencies, and communication between them. You must also consider their past performance. If the group has a track record, the uncertainty is less than if it has never performed.

What means—equipment, infrastructure, and methodology—are available? These help us convert our resources into the resources and products we want.

What time and money do we have?

All resources must be sufficient to reach the endpoint; lack of any can lead to failure. {ADEQUACY}

Third, how do you know that you are moving in the right direction and have achieved it—what parameters, criteria, and measures do you have (ECPM)?

If there are none, you must formulate them. If there is no chance to develop and you cannot hop off, consider what benefits you can still reap from this weird "project."

Moreover, as any project is an evolving endeavor, you must assess changes to the main assumptions underlying the case that led you to start the project in the first place and do it regularly—continued go or no-go decisions.

{ENDPOINT TIERS, ECPM, GROUPS: A PARAMEDIC APPROACH, LEADER: A PARAMEDIC APPROACH, DAILY INCREMENTS, RESOURCE, CHECKPOINT}