The Project as a Value Delivery System

Understanding projects through systems thinking to deliver sustainable value.

Overview

A project is a value delivery mechanism viewed through systems thinking. It operates as a subset of larger systems, such as the organization, and focuses on creating deliverables that produce outcomes and ensure sustainability.

Example: Library Service for Job Seekers

Process Analysis: Value Stream for Making a Pie

Let’s analyze the value stream for making a pie from fresh ingredients to optimize efficiency and value delivery.

Value Stream: To orchard → Get apples → To grocery → Get other ingredients → To home → Prep kitchen → Prep ingredients → Bake pie → Cool pie → Eat

  • Pie Maker does all tasks, but this involves extra driving, wasting time and resources.
  • Grocery Getter can pick up ingredients on their way To home, reducing trips.
  • Combining Get apples and Get other ingredients is not ideal; fresh apples from the orchard add unique value.
  • Saving Pie Maker’s time allows focus on improving Prep kitchen and Prep ingredients.
  • Online grocery delivery was considered but rejected to maintain the promise of fresh, hand-picked ingredients.

This analysis eliminates waste, leverages team contributions, and ensures customer value through fresh ingredients.

Project Management Principles

Stewardship

Act with care and integrity, ensuring trust and responsible resource use. Align projects with organizational goals, manage finances wisely, and contribute to product sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Team

Foster a collaborative, safe team environment as a servant leader. Use team agreements and structures to enable contributions from all members.

Stakeholders

Proactively engage stakeholders to ensure project success for all parties, including the team and project manager.

Value

Ensure the project and its deliverables align with organizational business objectives to deliver maximum value.

Systems Thinking

Proactively respond to the dynamic and changing circumstances of the project as a system.

Leadership

Practice servant leadership, balancing individual and team needs to foster collaboration.

Tailoring

Adapt project management practices and leadership to the specific needs of each project.

Quality

Ensure deliverables meet performance, conformity, reliability, satisfaction, uniformity, efficiency, and sustainability requirements.

Navigate Complexity

Continually evaluate approaches to align with project, organizational, and societal complexity.

Risk

Continuously assess risks and response plans to ensure they fit the project’s needs.

Adaptability and Resiliency

Build adaptability and resiliency into project management practices and the team.

Enable Change

Prepare stakeholders for the desired future state through effective project transitions.