"To understand the right way to get a project done quickly, it's useful to think of a project as being divided into two phases. This is a simplification, but it works: first, planning; second, delivery. The terminology varies by industry-in movies, it's "development and production"; in architecture, "design and construction" - but the basic idea is the same everywhere: Think first, then do.
A project begins with a vision that is, at best, a vague image of the glorious thing the project will become. Planning is pushing the vision to the point where it is sufficiently researched, analyzed, tested, and detailed that we can be confident we have a reliable road map of the way forward.
Most planning is done with computers, paper, and physical models, meaning that planning is relatively cheap and safe. Barring other time pressures, it's fine for planning to be slow. Delivery is another matter. Delivery is when serious money is spent and the project becomes vulnerable as a consequence.
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Planning is a safe harbor. Delivery is venturing across the storm-tossed seas.
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Put enormous care and effort into planning to ensure that delivery is smooth and swift. Think slow, act fast: That’s the secret of success.
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But "Think slow, act fast" is not how big projects are typically done. "Think fast, act slow" is. The track record of big projects unequivocally shows that."
Isto faz sentido. Contudo, penso logo no perigo da volubilidade de alterações ao âmbito do projecto. Talvez seguir melhor o conselho de Frank Gehri, começar pelo "Why" e nem chegar a abraçar o projecto se o cliente não aceitar as regras do jogo logo à partida.
Trechos retirados de "How Big Things Get Done" de Bent Flyvbjerg