Tools for Focusing Your Project Planning using Brainstorming
By Kay H. Roman, PMP®
Brainstorming is a technique that many project managers use to help kick off the planning efforts of their
projects. Using a structured approach helps focus the brainstorming session on specific aspects of the project.
The following basic rules of brainstorm apply no matter what other tools you use.
1.
2.
3.
4.
There are no bad or dumb ideas.
Build on other people’s ideas.
Quantity counts – not quality during brainstorming.
Withhold judgments and discussions until all of the ideas are captured.
Following are two specific tools to use when brainstorming with your project teams.
Round Robin
The round robin technique allows all participants to have their ideas heard and captured. Round robin works
this way: each person, in turn, shares one idea – and only one idea. Then the next person shares one idea.
This process continues allowing all participants to put forth one idea until all of the ideas are shared and
captured. The important component of round robin is sharing only one idea at a time. This allows everyone to
have an opportunity to have an idea captured – instead of one person giving all of the ideas. And, it allows
participant’s to easily build on other’s ideas.
SWOT Analysis – 2x2 Matrix
The typical SWOT analysis is typically used for strategic planning, but can also be used effectively with project
planning. Following are the four components of the SWOT analysis:
1.
Strengths – internal factors that will positively impact the project
2.
Weaknesses – internal factors or limitations that could negative
impact the project
3.
Opportunities – external environmental elements that could
positively impact the project
4.
Threats – external factors that could negatively impact the
project.
The SWOT analysis in the 2x2 format can serve as a planning or decision-making tool for your projects.
Threats
(External)
Opportunities
(External)
Strengths (Internal)
Weaknesses (Internal)
Strengths & Opportunities
Weaknesses & Opportunities
Obvious Natural Priorities
Potentially Attractive Options
Likely to produce greatest ROI (Return On
Investment)
Likely to produce good returns if capability and
implementation are viable.
Likely to be quickest and easiest to implement.
Potentially more exciting and stimulating and
rewarding than S/O due to change, challenge,
surprise tactics, and benefits from addressing
and achieving improvements.
Probably justifying immediate action-planning
or feasibility study.
Leadership question: "If we are not already
looking at these areas and prioritizing them,
then why not?"
Leadership questions: "What's actually
stopping us doing these things, provided they
truly fit strategically and are realistic and
substantial?"
Strengths/threats
Weaknesses/threats
Easy To Defend And Counter
Potentially High Risk
Only basic awareness, planning, and
implementation required to meet these
challenges.
Assessment of risk crucial.
Where risk is low then we must ignore these
issues and not be distracted by them.
Investment in these issues is generally safe and
Where risk is high we must assess capability
necessary.
gaps and plan to defend/avert in very specific
controlled ways.
Leadership question: "Are we properly
informed and organized to deal with these
issues, and are we certain there are no hidden Leadership question: "Have we accurately
assessed the risks of these issues, and where
surprises?" - and - "Since we are strong here,
the risks are high do we have specific
can any of these threats be turned into
controlled reliable plans to
opportunities?"
avoid/avert/defend?"
Source: www.businessballs.com