If you want to maximize your project management success when implementing a new strategic initiative, should you start at the start or start somewhere else?
Should you start, for instance, at the end?
We're currently implementing Hubspot as an important component of our content marketing strategy. It's an exciting opportunity and capability to maximize the effectiveness of the vast array of content we've created on strategy and innovation since the inception of The Brainzooming Group.
At the same time, it's a daunting project management task to work through all the pieces that need to be created and snapped together to make it work as best possible.
Among the intriguing project management techniques Hubspot imposes is to start at the end.
For any new campaign, the implementation process leads you to the end (i.e., creating landing and fulfillment pages and emails) before you do anything else. These two elements are at the end of the first phase of a campaign. Working backward in this way ensures you don't start a new strategic initiative and then fall down because the final pieces were not in place.
Adding "Start at the End" to Our Project Management Techniques
While it can seem awkward to start from the end, it's a valuable project management technique we've written about relative to planning new strategic initiatives and following up major events.
Based on our Hubspot experience, we'll be looking for more ways to incorporate a comparable "start at the end" project management discipline into our planning process. This should help ensure implementation actually takes place as we help a client plan for and advance a new strategic initiative.
What about your organization? Do you routinely start from the end?
If you don't start at the end and have struggled with implementation success, run ahead on your next big initiative to make sure the last steps are in place before your first ones and see what a difference it makes for creating strategic impact. – Mike Brown
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If you’re facing a challenging organizational situation and are struggling to maintain forward progress because of it, The Brainzooming Group can provide a strategic sounding-board for you. We will apply our strategic thinking and implementation tools on a one-on-one basis to help you create greater organizational success. Email us at info@brainzooming.com or call 816-509-5320 to learn how we can help you figure out how to work around your organizational challenges.
