Strategies for achieving goals

Once you’ve defined a project’s goal and objectives, you’re likely to find that there’s more than one way to achieve them. Let’s look at how you can evaluate alternative strategies and select the right solution. First, bring together a small group of people familiar with the project to brainstorm possible strategies. The brainstorming group should read the problem statement, goal, and objectives, and then begin generating possible strategies.A brainstorming session should be a free flow of ideas. The point is to get as many ideas written down as possible before you begin evaluating or criticizing them.

Once you’ve written down several strategies, you need to evaluate them. You can use a Decision Matrix to compare your options. The group should ask, how well does this strategy satisfy the project objectives? One way to quickly shorten the list of contenders is to check whether a strategy satisfies all the must-have objectives. If a strategy doesn’t satisfy one of your must-haves, you don’t have to fill out the rest of the values for that strategy.

Next, rate the performance for each objective. If some objectives are more important than others, you can increase their weighting. The strategy with the highest overall rating is most likely your winner. Second, the group should ask,is this strategy feasible? Strategies that use new technology or unproven methods might not work. If feasibility could be an issue, a feasibility study can explore whether the strategy will work, without committing too much time or money.

Third, ask, are the risks of this strategy acceptable? You won’t know all the risks at this stage of a project, but you can perform an initial risk analysis, to see whether any risks are so significant and likely that you don’t want to proceed.Finally, ask, does this strategy fit the culture of the organization? Trying to force a strategy that doesn’t fit with the culture is a losing battle.

You won’t get the commitment you need from management or team members.Try using the Decision Matrix here, to evaluate strategies for your current project. Remember, the strategy you choose has to satisfy most, if not all, of the project objectives. Once you select a solution from the alternative strategies, the details of your project will start falling into place.