10 Guiding Principles for Surviving Complex Projects

Knowledge Rules excels at the implementation of complex projects. We embrace a style which allows us to make, communicate, and capitalize on progress. The key to survive and thrive is to turn complexity into simplicity in your mind and the minds of the team. Embrace a zone of calm and simplicity without ignoring hard work. Here are a few guiding principles about how to do just that:

Imperfect knowledge:

1. Focus on knowing enough to start (or step) rather than enough to finish. learn to operate with imperfect and incomplete information.
   
2. 15-minutes each day. Chaos is the natural state. Every day inject 15-minutes of order. Gray areas outnumber both the black and the white; chip-away every day.
   

Reduce the mental scope:

1. Decompose and ignore. Use the big picture to chunk-up the problem. Then chunk-up the chunks again.
   
2. Consider the 'Happy path' first. Shoot for the center of mass. Target 80% of the value and deliver 100% satisfaction. Don't wallow in the complexity of exceptions.
   

Taking steps:

1. A step in wrong direction is better than no steps in the perfect direction. Progress is more valued than perfection.
   
2. Build to show, show to inspire, inspire to build.
   

Decriminalizing change:

1. Embrace creative destruction. Learning quickly is better than planning perfectly.
   
2. Fail fast, cheap. Take risks, but take them quickly. Indecision consumes more than action, failure, and recovery.
   

Getting done:

1. Done is better than perfect. Emphasize function over perfection.
   
2. Rinse, repeat: find your iterative groove to improve.
   

I will add detail to each step in following postings.