Adaptability and resiliency are important qualities for anyone working on a project. Adaptability refers to the ability to respond to changing conditions, while resiliency consists of the ability to absorb impacts and recover quickly from setbacks or failures. Most projects encounter challenges or obstacles at some stage, and the combined attributes of adaptability and resiliency can help the project team effectively deal with these impacts and thrive.
There are a number of capabilities that can support adaptability and resilience in a project environment. These include short feedback loops to allow for quick adaptation, continuous learning and improvement - and project teams with diverse skill sets and broad knowledge. Regular inspection and adaptation of project work identifies improvement opportunities. Open and transparent planning can engage internal and external stakeholders. The use of small-scale prototypes and experiments test ideas and new approaches.
A team should develop ability to leverage new ways of thinking and working with management support. The project manager should leverage a process that is designed to balance the velocity of work with the stability of requirements. Open organizational conversations and the understanding gained from past learning of similar endeavors promotes the ability and willingness to anticipate multiple potential scenarios - and prepare for eventualities. Deferring decision making to the last responsible moment, and open-ended design that balances speed and stability, help build project resilience through adaptability.
Focusing on outcomes rather than outputs can facilitate adaptability. This means envisioning the desired results rather than simply focusing on the deliverables that are produced. By considering the potential solutions that can achieve the desired outcomes, a project team may be able to find an alternative solution that provides stronger outcomes than the original plan. Opportunities for adaptation may emerge during a project, and the project team should be prepared to adapt their plans and activities to take advantage of these opportunities and provide the best possible results for stakeholders.
It's important to note that adaptability should be balanced with a proper change control process to avoid problems such as scope creep. Additionally, the customer's approval may be needed for certain changes that result from adaptation, depending on the type of contract. Overall, adaptability and resiliency are key qualities that can help a project team effectively respond to challenges and succeed in a constantly changing environment.
Key concepts:
- Adaptability is the ability to respond to changing conditions.
- Resiliency is the ability to absorb impacts and recover quickly from setbacks or failures.
- Outcomes are the results or effects that are achieved by a particular process or activity.
- Outputs are the products, services, or results that are produced by a particular process or activity.
- Change control process is a system or set of procedures that are used to manage and control changes to a project or product.
- Scope creep is a situation in which the scope or objectives of a project start to drift from the original plan without formal approval or change management processes.