We have all heard that some people cannot “see the forest for the trees.” We become so consumed with details that we can’t see the big picture. But we need people who can see the forest, and those who can see the trees. We need those who can narrow in, and those who can zoom out. We need people to look at technicalities, and those who can look at softer issues. A narrow, limited project approach creates unsustainability. Taking a multi-dimensional approach to projects, and reviews, is essential so we don’t lose sight of what’s important, or of the details that will help us get there.

We see a lot of tunnel vision when it comes to compliance issues. When you are working with complex, large-scale projects, the implications of not being successful often go beyond missed deliverables: there can be potential legal ramifications to which the organization can be exposed if a project is not done properly. This is an obvious concern but what often happens is that compliance takes over and becomes the primary focus. Objectives and the bottom line are neglected as a result.

The reverse is also true, of course, and this opens organizations and executives up to regulatory issues that are time-consuming and costly. The key is being able to balance compliance with deliverables and project objectives.

Another aspect of a multi-dimensional review is being able to look at deliverables, as well as their impact on people. Teams and project managers have to deliver something, whether it is implementing a new system or developing a new product line, and the deliverables are tightly defined. But, a great many successful projects actually end up failing, not because of the actual project or product, but because of the softer issues. They fail because there is inadequate change management, or there is a lack of end-user buy-in or satisfaction. The deliverable is only as good as people’s ability to manage it.

Compliance and objectives, deliverables and people need to be balanced and taken into account as a project moves forward. Reviews give us a checkpoint, a time to say, “Ok, where are we with this? How about this? What about this?” A project is a multifaceted beast. It has a variety of moving parts and each need to be handled properly to ensure the whole keeps going forward.