Chapter 5: Developing a VMGO for the Project

And it is at this very early stage that

projects tend to fail because everyone takes for
granted that “we all know what the mission is.”
Defining the Problem

• Every project solves a problem of some kind, but

people are inclined to skip over the definition of the
problem.

• This is a big mistake. The way you define a problem

determines how you will solve it, so it is critical that
a proper definition be developed.

• A goal in itself is not a problem. It is when there are

obstacles that make it difficult to reach the goal that
one has a problem.
Vision in the Project
• The project vision is the overall grand idea of where
the team or project is going.

• The statement on the other hand is sort of a tool that

allows communicating this vision in a clear and
concise manner. To put it simply, project vision
statement is a written down version of the project
vision.
Project Vision Statement -Make Sure It Works - teamhood
https://teamhood.com › project-management › project-
The Real Mission of Every Project

• What are we going to do?

• For whom are we going to do it?

What is a project goal?

• describes the projects impact: the long-term

effects that should (also) be triggered.
• The words “The project will contribute to…” are
often used here.
• This reveals that the intended results at this
higher level are in the main not concrete, nor
can they be exclusively attributed to this project.
• provides the link between the project and its
direct effects (project objective), and the
overarching goals both within and outside the
organization.
A well-formulated project goal

• Provides a concrete description of the project’s

effects at the impact level;

• Provides the link between the project (the

project objective) to the overarching goals.
• These goals measure
– efficacy,
– productivity, and
– success

3 Types of Project Management Goals to Improve Success | Mavenlink; Sept 2020

https://www.mavenlink.com › blog › article › 3-types-of-.
Developing Project Objectives

• Once a mission statement has been developed, you

can write your project objectives.

• Note that objectives are much more specific than

the mission statement itself and define results that
must be achieved in order for the overall mission to
be accomplished.

• Also, an objective defines the desired end result

Objective must be SMART
• with each letter standing for a condition as
follows:
– Specific
– Measurable
– Attainable
– Realistic
– Time limited
Objective is:
• a statement that tells me what result is to be
achieved.

• The “how” is problem solving

Assessing Project Risks
Two Aspects of Project Risk Assessment:

• Probability of a risk: How much likely that the

risk will happen?

• Consequence of a risk: How severely will it

affect us?
It is helpful to assess risks of failure of the following:

• The schedule
• The budget
• Project quality
• Customer satisfaction
• The way a problem is defined determines how you will solve it.

A problem is a gap between where you are and where you wantto be,
with obstacles making it hard to reach the goal. A goal by itself is not a
problem. Obstacles must exist for there to be a problem.

Vision is what the final result will “look like.” It defines “done.”

The mission is to achieve the vision. It answers the two questions “What
are we going to do?” and “For whom are we going todo it?”

Objectives should be SMART.

You can identify risks by asking, “What could go wrong?”