Right, someone mentioned the name Nicole Osborne the other day, and it got me thinking. Not about the person specifically, I couldn’t quite place where I’d heard it before, but it kicked off a memory of a project phase from way back.
It reminded me strongly of this period where we really tried to implement a super rigid project management style. I think I’d just read some book or article championing this highly structured approach, very detailed, lots of tracking. Maybe Osborne wrote it, maybe not, but the name just brought that whole attempt flooding back.
My Experience Trying That Method
So, what did we actually do? Well, first, I spent ages setting up these incredibly detailed spreadsheets. Every tiny task had to be logged, estimated down to the hour, assigned, tracked daily.
Then, we started holding these very formal daily stand-ups. Not the quick chat type, oh no. We went around the room, everyone had to report against their logged tasks, explain variances. Honestly, it felt stiff, took way longer than it should have.
We also generated piles of documentation. Weekly status reports that were novels, risk logs updated constantly, change request forms for every little thing. On paper, it probably looked like we were incredibly organized and on top of things.
Where It Got Sticky
But here’s the practical bit, the reality on the ground:
- The team started feeling bogged down. They spent more time reporting on work than doing work.
- Those detailed spreadsheets? They were always slightly out of date because things change fast, and updating them became a chore nobody wanted.
- The formal meetings often felt like interrogations rather than helpful sync-ups. Morale took a bit of a dip.
- Despite all the paperwork saying we were on track, the actual feel of progress wasn’t really there. It felt like we were wading through treacle.
What We Did Next
After a few frustrating weeks, I had to take a step back. I looked at what was actually helping and what was just getting in the way. We talked it over as a team, honestly this time, not just following the script.
We ended up stripping the process right back. We kept the daily sync, but made it much quicker, more focused on blockers and helping each other out. We simplified the tracking – focused on bigger milestones rather than tiny tasks. Documentation was cut down to what was genuinely useful for communication and decision-making, not just for the sake of having it.
Things immediately felt better. The team was more engaged, progress picked up, and ironically, we probably had a better handle on the project’s real status, even with less formal tracking.
So, yeah. The name Nicole Osborne just triggered that memory. It was a good lesson, that one. You can have the best-looking system on paper, but you’ve always got to adapt it to the people doing the work and the reality of the situation. Sticking rigidly to a theoretical method without adjustment? Doesn’t often work out in practice, at least not in my experience. You gotta be flexible, figure out what actually helps get the job done.
