Over the Fence (English)

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REDISCOVER THE JOY OF PROJECTS, DEVELOP NEW IDEAS BETTER, AND HAVE MORE FUN WORKING TOGETHER

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OVER THE FENCE

For people in projects

conceived and created with love and passion in Berlin and in the world

Copyright Š 2018 by Frank Habermann & Karen Schmidt. All rights reserved.

The ideas and concepts put forth in this book are subject to a Creative Commons License CC BY-SA 4.0.

This means that the ideas and concepts may be freely reproduced, used and even altered, so long as the intellectual authorship is clearly indicated. Adapted concepts must be acknowledged as such and must be made available under the same free public license! When using the original concepts as well as self-created variations, the following information must be included in clearly legible form: CC BY-SA 4.0 Over the Fence, overthefence.com.de View a copy of this license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Limitation of liability: although the authors have taken the greatest care in creating this book, they nonetheless grant neither warranty nor guarantee for its completeness and correctness; especially with regard to the feasibility and effectiveness of the concepts for specific applications. The methods described could be inappropriate for the intended applications. The authors take no responsibility for lost profits or any other form of financial damage.

For questions or further information: overthefence.com.de

ISBN 978-3-00-060780-6 Version 1.0.

English translation by Carlye Birkenkrahe Layout, composition and final image editing by Ann-Kathrin Gallheber.

OVER THE FENCE REDISCOVER THE JOY OF PROJECTS, DEVELOP NEW IDEAS BETTER, AND HAVE MORE FUN WORKING TOGETHER

overthefence.com.de /the-book

OVER THE FENCE is the first part of the “Over the Fence”

BOOK PROJECT We show methods to profit from interdisciplinary knowledge, design complex projects, manage, lead and have fun at work.

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REDISCOVER THE JOY OF PROJECTS, DEVELOP NEW IDEAS BETTER, AND HAVE MORE FUN WORKING TOGETHER

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OVER THE FENCE

Project

DESIGN

THINKING TOOLS FOR VISUALLY SHAPING NEW VENTURES written by

FRANK HABERMANN and

KAREN SCHMIDT

MANAGE

LEAD

Planned

Planned

2

Published 2014 / Completely revised 2018

Published 2016

What is “Over the Fence”?

What is this book?

What's new?

Founded in 2018, “Over the Fence” is an open international initiative for people in projects. Everything that we do is “creative commons”, that is, available for free. Everyone can use our tools and methods, even for commercial purposes.

We try to provide the most valuable knowledge for those who work in and on projects and are seeking effective tools. In developing these tools, we are looking far beyond the garden fence of “project management”. We are inspired by good practices of other disciplines – art, sport, and technology among others – and not least by a hefty dose of good common sense.

Our motto is: “simple and effective – demystified and undogmatic”!

This book is the complete revised edition of the book “Project Canvas.”

The Project Canvas was the first tool that we released in 2014 with this very book. At first we were astonished by the positive response, then overwhelmed.

Since then we have encountered hundreds of projects that have successfully used the project canvas.

Many people have reported back to us about what works and what needs improvement. At the same time, we've made our own experiences in dozens of workshops and trainings.

This allowed us to improve the canvas as well as the means of applying it. All of this embodies the philosophy of “Over the Fence.” That is why we have decided to give the new edition the very same title.

The Project Canvas is available in version 4.0 with the release of this book. Several modules were altered.

PURPOSE and CHANCES were added.

WAYPOINTS replaced “milestones”, which were not perceived as helpful for agile project appraoches. However, the most work has been done on the questions, which have undergone a total of 124 changes through practice tests.

Beyond that, we have developed good practices to apply the project canvas in specific scenarios. Thus this book offers hands-on workshop guidelines. Furthermore, we describe eleven “success stories” of people who use the project canvas regularly.

Last but not least, we offer practical instructions for winning in the chapter “Mastery” – yes, that!

3

We alternate the female and the male characters in our examples, just as it would occur in reality.

INTRO

Notes:

5 reasons to read this book even if you have no plans for a project, or you are a totally experienced project manager

This book is more than a “toolbox” or a “guideline.” It is a book for people in projects – it demonstrates how we can work together better and thus achieve more and have more fun.

#1 It is a simple way

#4 It is universal

The concepts presented here fit in really every toolbox – and are easy to use.

#2 It is a look over the fence

The majority of things in this book are not restricted to “project management.” You can use them whenever you want to achieve something big, even outside of the professional environment.

You will learn wisdom and good practice from all possible disciplines, and how to combine these effectively.

#5 It can boost your career

4

#3 It saves time You will understand what it's really about: this will make you immune to buzzwords and smokescreens and you can concentrate on the fundamentals.

These concepts will help you to better understand other “people in projects” (from bosses to the “aliens” from other departments).

Understanding people from different (work) cultures makes you a valued character – people will readily think of you in the right moment.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE: This book helps people who want to create!

The effectiveness of the concepts introduced here is severely limited if you think only of yourself and your own career.

Thank you!

We don't claim to be “method gurus.” And certainly we aren't the best project managers in the world. More than anything else, we are observers, listeners and experimenters. If you like something in this book, then that is because of the incredible people that we had the joy of encountering. These people come from very different areas – sports, art, craft, technology, teaching, science, civil society and business – and they all have enormous passion for what they do. Before we start, we want to thank all the people who – consciously or unconsciously – were models, inspirations and spiritual sparring partners for this book.

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Friederike Lilien Abitz Paulina Patricia Acuña Fernández Fabrice Aimetti Dietmar Albrecht Martina Albrecht Frédéric André Georg Angermeier Pascale Arndtz Mary Alice Arthur Manuel Backes Ria Baeck An Baert Heiko Bartlog Malte Beinhauer Yan Bello Petra Berleb Sabine Bernhard Birgit Bernt Marcus Birkenkrahe Sean Blair Jean-Christophe Blondiau

Justus Boeckheler Ulf Brandes Eike Brechlin Lars Brehm Valentina Catena Claudio Chesi Eric Cornuel Jane Cowan Alexandra Dauch Christian De Neef Peter Paolo Dos Santos Stefan Derwort Carl Dolan Jonathan Dubuque Anja Ebers Katrin Elster Katrin Faensen Jörg Fehlinger Johannes Frings Benno Fürmann Eugenia Gargallo

Jürgen Galler Christoph Gast Julian Geuder Frauke Godat Maja Göpel Carolina Gorosito Johannes Götzinger Michael Grohmann Julia Gunnoltz David Gurteen Jens Hagemeyer-Lee Claudia Hans Deborah Hartmann Preuss Wiebke Herding Dirk Heuschen Christoph Hinske Andreea Hirica Ingo Höhn Jens Hoffmann Michelle Holliday Oliver Huckels

Erik Leung Shun Jens Lillebæk Dominik Ludwig Eric Lynn Anne Madsen Elizabeth Maloba Mikko Mannila Oliver Masucci Dirk Maurer Sabine Mayer Frank Milius Alexander Miskiw Giulia Molinengo Eugenio Molini Peter Mueller Rainer Müller Roland Müller Roman Muth Holger Nauheimer Pierre Neis Sabine Norek Sebastien Paquet

Felix Peter Niels Pfläging Vittoria Piattelli Mark Poppenborg Sven Pohland Soledad Pons Caruso Lutz Püschel Garry Pugliese Stefanie Quade Belina Raffy Martin Ratzmann Marianna Recchia Roland Rolles Patrick Roth Hansjörg Sand Andreea Sava Klaus Schaaff Otto Scharmer Joschi Scharmer-Yu Vera Scharmer-Yu August-Wilhelm Scheer Juliane Schmidt

Peter A. Schmidt Madlen Serban Sabine Soeder Dorota Stasiak Egon Steinkasserer Helena Sternkopf Adam StJohn Lawrence Malte von Tiesenhausen Antje Traue Arne van Oosterom Brigitta Villaronga Sebastién Visentin Sebastian Völz Inga Wachsmann Christian Wachter Christoph Wargitsch Harald Wehnes Volker Wiegmann Martin Wilhelm Lynne Ann Williams Nancy Wright White Marcel Ziegler

7

INTRO

David Hudnut Annett Irmer Karolina Iwa Inge Jansen Johanna Jester Oana Juncu Sven Kayser Eugene Kelly Michael Kempf Claudia Klar-Lustermann Stefanie Klein Sue Knight Yorgos Konstantinou Mario Konzag Wolfgang Kraemer Michael Kraus Janina Kugel Guntars Laguns Jan Langebartels Diana Larsen Sonia Lee Sven Lehmann

Contents

PROJECT 10 What is a project?

Which metaphor would you use?

When is a project simple and when is it not?

Every project needs agreement Every project is a journey

CANVAS 38 What is the Project Canvas?

Why use the Project Canvas?

Characteristics of the Project Canvas Building blocks of the Project Canvas Questions for your project

40 47 52 56 124

ACTION 130

When to use the Project Canvas A good practice for essential project design How to use the Project Canvas Hosting Project Canvas workshops How every workshop runs Guideline: Thinkers Trio Guideline: Journey Experience Guideline: Canvas Bowl

133 136 138 142 144 146 156 166

12 17 21 24 29

STORIES 218

MASTERY

Senior project manager Managing director University lecturer New worker PMO professional Agilist Strategy consultant Project sales person Change agent Project management trainer Social innovator

224 226 228 230 232 234 236 238 240 242 244

178 Perception can be educated How our perception works A project is where fast thinking fails A practical guide for slow thinking in projects Attitude Before a project Before a meeting In a meeting Manifesto for slow thinking in projects

END 180 182 184 186 188 192 198 202 214

246 References Sources

247 251

PROJECT

CHAP. I

OVERVIEW If you are a project professional, in this chapter you may discover a new perspective on projects.

If you are not so familiar with projects, you will encounter the essentials in a nutshell. Also in this chapter: a project metaphor that everyone can grasp, and why every ambitious project begins with a misunderstanding.

What is a project?

Which metaphor would you use?

When is a project simple and when is it not?

Every project needs agreement Every project is a journey

12 17 21 24 29

What is a project?

For some people, building an airport is a project, while for others it is raising their children or writing a student thesis. Preparing an art exhibition can be thought of as a project, as well as producing a film or qualifying for the next Olympic games. A big hardware chain recently named itself “project hardware“; on its website one finds projects like “building a house“, “installing lighting“, or “keeping pets“.

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And the project professionals? What about organizations like PMI, IPMA, GPM, DIN and ISO, whose priority is project management and terminology? What do they say?

For them, a project is a “one-time undertaking” (DIN) or an “enterprise whose outcome is unique” (PMI). But what does that mean, unique? Only every millionth VW Golf is genuinely unique – so great is the variation. Is the production of the mass-produced “Golf” a project? Not likely!

13

PROJECT

For some people, changing a lightbulb is a project.

The term “project” can obviously be understood in very different ways. Nonprofessionals in project management will understand it differently than professionals, engineers differently than athletes, researchers differently than social activists. Yet it is exactly projects that bring people together – people of different expertise, who sometimes do not even know each other. These people want to (or must) achieve something together. For this, it makes sense for the participants to possess a common basic idea of what a project actually is.

We therefore dared to do an experiment. Over a period of two years we asked the question: “How would you explain to a 12-year-old child what a project is?” We were curious to see what metaphors would be used. We were looking for the most accessible symbols for “project“; those metaphors that can communicate the essentials of a project to every thinking person, regardless of their professional background and experience. So: which metaphor would you use?

14

Tip: if you actually do the exercise, you can compare your explanation with other answers (see next page).

How would you explain to a 12-year-old child what a project is?

PROJECT

15

A journey into uncharted territory*

Which metaphor would you use?

Mentions in percent 50

Travel Building Sport

Art

Research

Rescue

Other

Areas that gave rise to project metaphors

*The most common answer to the question: “What is a project?” Over 2000 people were asked, from over 50 professions in over 30 countries.

17

PROJECT

The majority of people use the word “journey” as a metaphor for describing a project. This includes analogies like adventure, excursion, tour, exploration, expedition, mission, trek or even mountaineering. The explanations often emphasized the special nature of the undertaking, its uncertainty and unfamiliarity, and the associated risks. We summarize these answers as “the journey into uncharted territory.”

Other project metaphors come from the areas of building, craft, construction (constructing complicated things), sport (start-goal-victory), research and discovery (search for the useful innovation), art (creative conception), as well as emergency rescue (input from police, fire brigade, medicine, militia). Some metaphors relate to the initiatives of individuals; the majority, however, emphasize the project as a group challenge.

Projects bring people together, who would otherwise not work together like this!

A project is always challenging when it requires various people who would otherwise not come together like this.

The “otherwise” expresses time limitation. For the participants, the project means a getaway from their daily work.

This excursion has a precisely defined beginning and end point.

The “not like this” expresses the novelty of the challenge.

To be sure, very few projects are objectively novel. There has probably been another project of this type somewhere in the world. However, this knowledge of “all projects of a particular type” can hardly be operationalized. It is more logical for the novelty of the project to be judged subjectively by the project participants.

A project, therefore, is novel when it is novel for the people participating in it. This is especially manifested in three aspects, namely — one's own role in the project, — an unfamiliar group constellation, — an object of work which departs from the ordinary

19

PROJECT

If many of these aspects are new for many actors of the project, then it will be an extremely challenging project.

The drawing on the next page illustrates this context and gives some examples.

LEGEND:

many

type of project (explanation on the right)

People involved

3

20

very few (one)

extremely challenging project

4

challenging project

1 not at all

2 Novelty of the project

(almost) fully

simple project

When is a project simple and when is it not?

A single person carries out the project. This person has successfully carried out similar projects alone in the past; the object of the work – and associated requirements – are completely familiar and mastered.

Project example: (repeated) building a tool shed.

2 (CHALLENGING)

Similar to project 1, with one fundamental change: this type of project is undertaken for the first time. The work objective and the corresponding requirements are completely new to the “project maker.”

Project example: writing a bachelor's thesis (or building a tool shed for the first time).

3 (CHALLENGING)

In contrast to projects 1 and 2, this is about a project that involves many people. All the participants, however, know this type of project. This means that every individual knows his own role, knows the group, and is proficient with the work field. In other words: this group has repeatedly mastered very similar projects in the past. The current project may be new; but it isn't novel for the participants.

Project example: all projects that are practiced parts of a business model, i.e. a marketing team undertaking a new marketing campaign (with a familiar agency) or the software development department developing a new piece of software.

4 (EXTREMLY CHALLENGING)

A project that involves several or many participants. Among them are very few people – with the possible exception of a professional project leader – who are familiar with their project role. So there are the fewest people who know what is expected from them and what they have to do.

Hardly anyone in these group constellations has ever worked together; some may not even know each other. And for most of the participants, the project objective is very different from what they ordinarily do. This is truly a journey into uncharted territory.

Project example: a digitalization project in a law firm (i.e. for the purpose of introducing digital file and data mining).

Most things that we do for the first time are difficult.

21

PROJECT

1 (SIMPLE)

A JOURNEY IS ‌

22

‌ a space in which the rules of daily life are temporarily suspended. They are replaced by the special rules of the journey. In fact, a journey creates an alternative lifeworld, a model world.

A PROJECT IS‌

23

PROJECT

‌ a space in which the rules of daily work are temporarily suspended. They are replaced by the special rules of the project. In fact, a project creates an alternative work world, a model world.

Every project needs agreement Projects, like journeys, are somewhat special. For most people this means an excursion out of their everyday life. This includes the temporary surrender of their customary obligations, habits and structures.

Projects, just like journeys, therefore require a special agreement. The endeavor can only succeed (and be fun) when the direction is agreed upon, when the goals and rules are clarified. If you are traveling alone, this arrangement is relatively easy to find – after all, you do everything yourself. However, if it is a joint project, then preparation, coordination and planning will quickly become challenging.

Almost every large project is a joint project! Because accomplishing something substantial requires people of different gifts and expertise. These people have different points of view and speak various languages (just think of the vocabulary of information scientists, politicians, managers, designers). In such a diverse group, a common project understanding is anything but obvious. It must be worked out first, at the beginning of the project.

The project as “a journey into uncharted territory” is an helpful metaphor for this purpose. We have visualized this metaphor and made it the basis of the discussion. Since first publishing in 2013, our journey metaphor has been tested and improved in thousands of project conversation. You will find the current version of “the project journey” on the following pages.

“In the same environment, everyone lives in a different world…“ __Arthur Schopenhauer

A misunderstanding doesn't have to first develop. It is the natural state of things.

What we have to develop is understanding.

26

27

Creative Commons Licence: CC BY SA 4.0 Over the Fence, overthefence.com.de

PROJECT

The “PROJECT JOURNEY” combines intuitive and professional project understanding.

Every project is a journey Every project has a PURPOSE, e.g. a reason why it's undertaken. The most important projects are too big for a single head; they need a whole TEAM of people to master the challenge. Moreover, some BUDGET and other RESOURCES are also necessary. When everything is ready, the sail can be hoisted and the anchor lifted – the project journey can begin.

Every endeavor takes place under certain conditions. A tailwind gives wings; a headwind makes the effort difficult. As a good navigator, you know the ENVIRONS of your project journey and you make appropriate decisions. Nonetheless, certain events cannot be influenced even by the best navigator. Be prepared for CHANCES and RISKS that arrive suddenly.

As events unfold, in the course of TIME, you will reach certain WAYPOINTS. Celebrate these islands of calm! They will give you the opportunity to admire the achievements and re-orient yourself.

Tip: this is how you can explain the “PROJECT JOURNEY” in a minute in a workshop. You will find an alternative explanation on YouTube at http://bit.ly/project-journey

29

PROJECT

As soon as you reach your destination, you will meet a good friend (Old High German: chundo “acquaintance, friend”). Give this CUSTOMER the agreed upon RESULT. It is the package that you have carried for him the whole way. If you do it correctly, if you deliver the desired QUALITY, your customer will reward you with his sunniest smile.

PURPOSE

+

INPUT

TRANSFORMATION

TIME

30

OUTPUT

For easy orientation, we have divided the project journey into five sections, namely –– INPUT: the people (TEAM), financial means (BUDGET) and other RESOURCES necessary for the project.

–– OUTPUT: the delivery of the RESULTS to the CUSTOMER in the agreed-upon QUALITY. –– TRANSFORMATION: the achievement of WAYPOINTS under the given conditions of ENVIRONMENT, CHANCES AND RISKS. –– above all stands the PURPOSE of the project.

–– and everything is based on a TIME axis.

Tip: the project journey is accompanied by powerful questions for developing a common project understanding. On the next pages you will find impressions from workshops which employed the project journey and the questions (more on this in the chapter “Action“).

PROJECT

31

EXP001 THE PROJECT JOURNEY (2017) Property of the artist, signed and titled on the back

“You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to loose sight of the shore.“ __ Christopher Columbus

CONCLUSION >> PROJECT

NEW IS NOT THE SAME AS NOVEL. Doing something new is easy when you've already done something “in a comparable way” in the past. Then you possess the necessary knowledge and certainty.

NOVELTY IS IMMEDIATELY CHALLENGING. Most things that we do for the first time “in their own way” are difficult. Because then we have neither the required knowledge nor the certainty that it will work.

THE PROJECT IS NOVEL WHEN THE PROJECT ACTORS VIEW IT AS NOVEL. Really novel – so, objectively novel – projects are very rare in the world. Whether or not the project is novel is decided by the people participating in the project.

NOVEL PROJECTS ALWAYS BEGIN WITH A MISUNDERSTANDING. Every individual lives in their own world – experience and training shape our perception. In an interdisciplinary team, therefore, every individual has their wholly individual interpretation of what the project wants and needs.

A SHARED PROJECT UNDERSTANDING MUST (AND CAN!) BE ESTABLISHED. Most people understand a demanding project as a “journey into uncharted territory”. Use this metaphor as a basis for a conversation in order to develop a common picture of the project: a project picture that everyone understands and shares.

NEXT >>CANVAS

IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND PROJECTS, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND WHAT “NOVEL” MEANS.

CANVAS

CHAP. II

OVERVIEW The Project Canvas is a tool for project definition – not only, but especially, for interdisciplinary teams. In this chapter you will learn which features make this tool so effective. In addition: how the Project Canvas is constructed and which questions must be clarified before the start of a challenging project.

What is the Project Canvas?

Why use the Project Canvas?

Characteristics of the Project Canvas Building blocks of the Project Canvas Questions for your project

40 47 52 56 124

What is the Project Canvas?

The “Project Canvas” goes back to the “Business Model Canvas” of Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur. From a methodological perspective, every “canvas” is based on two concepts that go back even further: “visual templates” and “management frameworks.“ Architects and designers had already begun in the middle of the last century to prepare “pattern cards” and “tracing paper” to visualize the demands of their customers. Since the 1990s, accompanying processes visually (“visual facilitation“) was also well-known in Europe. Breaking down a complex context into its components and assigning the corresponding contents to such bins is exactly what graphic templates and management frameworks have in common.

Probably one of the most famous of these was the “7-S-Framework” developed by McKinsey in the 1970s. It deconstructs a company into seven elements. A “Project Canvas” does nothing else: it parses a complex context – namely a project – into its fundamental constituents. Nonetheless, it is only by connecting the framework with a visual process that a novel tool emerges.

So the Project Canvas is a visual tool for customer-oriented project design. It illustrates all the themes which must be considered before a challenging project. The instrument facilitates dialogue between project customers and project makers. It is especially helpful for interdisciplinary groups that want to win a common understanding of a challenging project.

40

THE PROJECT CANVAS

IS A VISUAL TOOL FOR THE

CUSTOMER

ORIENTIENTED

DESIGN OF COMPLEX PROJECTS

PURPOSE BUDGET

TEAM

ENVIRONS

WAYPOINTS

QUALITY

RESULT

RESOURCES

RISKS & CHANCES

TIME

PROJECT JOURNEY (Overall picture)

PROJECT JOURNEY (Building blocks)

CUSTOMER

PROJECT TITLE:

THE PROJECT CANVAS

CREATED BY: WHERE/WHEN:

PURPOSE What is the cause of the project? (also: motivation, reason) Why is the project important and meaningful – and for whom?

How will the project change the future – and for whom?

BUDGET

TEAM

ENVIRONS

WAYPOINTS

QUALITY

How much money is available?

How flexible is the budget?

Who should be on it?

Which known forces (events, conditions, people) affect the project

Which stages of progress would be a good reason to celebrate?

What makes the CUSTOMER really happy with regard to

Who is … in the core team?

Are there dates for

… the WAYPOINTS along the way within the project?

… the TEAM (internal/external)?

… as tailwind?

… in the extended team?

… the necessary RESOURCES?

… as headwind?

… an external partner?

… visible and measurable successes?

… the project manager?

… steering decisions?

How much money is needed for

… partial and interim results?

… the RESULT of the project?

How do the CUSTOMERS in the project want to be informed and brought in?

RESULT

CUSTOMER

What exactly is to be delivered to the CUSTOMER at the end of the project?

Who is the actual customer of the project, that is, who are the people that

Is it most likely to be

… start & end the project (owners)?

… a new product? … a new service? … new knowledge (findings)?

RESOURCES What is needed for

Which uncertain events would (if they occurred)

… methods and models?

… endanger the project?

… project work spaces?

… stimulate the project?

… meeting spaces (on-site/virtual)?

… finance the project (sponsors)?

When there are several people: Are there known conflicts?

RISIKS + CHANCES

… materials?

… work tools (including software)?

… get the project results (recipients)?

The Project Canvas is based on the metaphor of the “PROJECT JOURNEY.” It divides this metaphor into eleven building blocks and combines them with powerful questions that allow every project to be described.

Events that can be influenced as well as certain events should be regarded as ENVIRONS.

TIME When does the project actually start? What will be required (i.e. preparations, documents)?

When is the project really closed? What will be required (i.e. documents, approvals)?

How flexible is the start date of the project? How flexible is the end date of the project?

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

THE PROJECT CANVAS

43

next page -> The Project Canvas in large format

CANVAS

Over the Fence overthefence.com.de

DISCUSS, DISCOVER, DEVELOP

Personal perspectives/insights

START

46

Using the Project Canvas

SHARED PICTURE

Why use the Project Canvas? means not looking for confirmation of one's own opinion, but impartial listening, staying curious, and persistence in seeking out the best possible solution.

Since the Project Canvas predefines some guidelines for this, the search is neither chaotic nor disoriented.

On the contrary; a conversation led by the Project Canvas is goal oriented and systematic. Nonetheless Project Canvas is no “cookbook“; it gives no strict instructions. It is only lightly structured and offers every team enough room to find its own way. This is another ingredient of the “magic“: if people use the Project Canvas, they enquire, discover, and develop a common understanding of their upcoming project.

The picture on the left illustrates this. Before using the Project Canvas, the individual understandings of the project are very different. That is

completely normal at the beginning of a challenging project. This is not because some people are “right or wrong” or others understand “more or less.” The reason for it is much more the various professional and cultural perspectives, as well as different information circumstances. So it is almost natural that demanding projects begin with a misunderstanding, or rather, “cross-purpose” understanding. Yet by applying the Project Canvas, real understanding can develop and people create a shared picture of their project.

47

Tip: For true magic to unfold, you should choose a suitable approach for applying the Project Canvas.

The chapter “Action” describes good practices and guidelines for Project Canvas workshops.

CANVAS

When people ask us, “why actually use the Project Canvas?” our answer is, “it serves above all as an invitation to talk.” And that's true. More than anything else, the Project Canvas is an aid, some even say it's “an excuse,” to break out of the daily routine and have better conversations. The Project Canvas allows us to interact differently than we are used to with colleagues, customers, and supervisors, and it allows us to ask questions that all too often remain unasked.

Everyone recognizes the “magic” that comes with a Project Canvas conversation. This magic is what Yves Pigneur and Alexander Osterwalder called the “design attitude.”

This is pretty much the opposite of the more customary management thinking that wants to find the shortest way – simply the efficient one – to decisions. Having a design attitude

WHY DO YOU USE THE PROJECT CANVAS?*

I use the Project Canvas for meetings in the preliminary project phase. It yields three to five times as much information compared with earlier meetings – and the quality of the information is unbelievably much better. __ Dirk Maurer I use the Project Canvas because one can work out the core of a project in much shorter time, especially in areas that were previously not really clear and transparent to the participants. __ Lars Brehm

TO MAKE PROJECTS MORE AGILE. This tool eases the way from rigid templates to agile experiences. It is therefore very well suited to the organizational transformation we are striving for in our company. __ Anna Freitag

48

* In the “STORIES” chapter, you will find detailed stories of people who often use the Project Canvas.

The beauty of this approach is that it really invites people into the project. __ Carl Dolan

The project canvas creates a positive atmosphere. It's like team building “on the job”. __ Carola Schmidt

THE APPROACH CONNECTS

As a project manager it gives me confidence in the course of a kickoff meeting, and the calm to really listen to others – because to be honest: normally I am always impatient which is not always helpful. __ David Allan

PEOPLE & THINKING.

The Project Canvas helps people to think together and decide autonomously.

The focused dialogue and the acceptance of different perspectives promotes the quality of individual decisions. __ Eugenio Molini Helps a project group to think in a focused way and above all to remain focused.

That is especially important at the beginning of a project, when the tracks are laid for the subsequent work. __ Sabine Mayer

TEAM BUILDING! In order to work out a shared vision in our team. __ Martina Albrecht

THE PROJECT CANVAS HELPS TO

ASK THE RIGHT

QUESTIONS .

This approach helps especially in situations where emotions tend to boil. You pose these important questions and can stay relaxed at the same time. __ Robert de Graaf To be peppered with such questions is very productive. __ Participant at a PM Forum

HELPS TO BE ABLE TO

UNDERSTAND A PROJECT MUCH

BETTER. The tool is visual and systematic and – through the questions – has extremely valuable content. At the same time it is motivating, inviting, and democratic. It really invites everyone to discover gaps in the project understanding. __ Eugenia Gargallo I love to use the visual presentation and the journey metaphor with my students and all project teams. It makes projects tangible and understandable for everyone. __ Stefanie Quade To combine common sense with a professional approach. __ Peter Mueller

I use the Project Canvas to think through a project. Often it is not quite clear how much one doesn't know. __ Michael Grohmann To make projects more agile and more customer-oriented. __ Marcel Ziegler

CUSTOMER-ORIENTATION I can use it to invite all the people that I need for a project: experts as well as sponsors and other important stakeholders. Because of the Project Canvas, everybody understands the project. __ Paulina Acuña Fernández

FOR CLARIFYING WHAT

CUSTOMERS

REALLY NEED. The Project Canvas is an excellent and entertaining way to clarify a project proposal. __ Oliver Huckels

It is an easy, visual, and cooperative way to start your conversations about a new project. This generates a creative atmosphere and everyone on the team wants to engage with the project. __ Erik Leung Shun As a coach I can use the Project Canvas to help people design projects successfully, because they start seeing more of the whole picture. __ An Baert

COACHING & TRAINING!

I use the Project Canvas at the university for projects the students do with startups on their processes. The canvas helps the student consultant teams to keep the startup clients always in view without losing track of the details. __ Marcus Birkenkrahe

Project leader and project team get a holistic view what a project means. The generic methods are also great for people with no project management knowledge. __ Martin Ratzmann When I start a project with the Project Canvas, then I get co-creative energy and give the project a real kick. __ Sonia Lee Working on the Project Canvas gives a lot of good energy! __ Participant at PM Forum

THE TOOL BUILDS GOOD

CREATIVE

ENERGY. The Project Canvas is also very helpful for the rapid onboarding of experts who are only briefly or temporarily involved in the project. __ Sven Nachtweih

With the Project Canvas it is possible to define a project that works for everyone. __Participant PM Camp Berlin

next page -> people at the Project Canvas

49

CANVAS

Everyone can quickly gain a good picture of a new project. __ Stefan Derwort

Wie flexibel ist der Finanzrahmen?

This is a preview only.

Download the full ebook version here:

http://overthefence.com.de/the-book/

Characteristics of the Project Canvas Unifying Metaphor In order to facilitate the exchange of opinions and information in a heterogenous group of people, the Project Canvas must be based on a common understanding of projects, one that crosses boundaries of discipline and experience. The metaphor of the “Project Journey” achieves this.

that help to describe this building block. The questions were tested in hundreds of projects. True to the motto “as much as necessary, as little as possible,” the current question catalog is suitable for designing every project. On the following pages, 42 questions will be specifically introduced – in relation to the building blocks of the Project Canvas.

Simple to Build

52

The Project Canvas is as simple as possible to build up. It contains the bare necessities, namely the most important building blocks of a project and their connections. On the next pages, the individual building blocks of the Project Canvas will be described more precisely.

Powerful Questions The Project Canvas is designed to facilitate dialogue between project participants and enable a common understanding. This is aided by open questions. For every element of the canvas there is a series of questions

Natural Language In order to further a dialogue that crosses boundaries of expertise and experience, the terms and formulations used in the canvas must be “common to all” in the best sense.

Thus during the development of the Project Canvas, field tests were carried out with hundreds of people, even with those such as artists, designers, activists, scientists, and athletes, who implement projects outside of companies. Terms that required explanation, that remained unclear or ambiguous, were winnowed out. That includes the type of

terms that are customary throughout the world of project management but still require special knowledge (terms like “scope,” “stakeholder” etc.). The understandability of the language certainly affects the formulation of questions, which are an important part of the canvas.

In Line with Standards Despite the simple structure and the natural language, the Project Canvas is arranged so that it is in line with the standards of project management.

The design of the Project Canvas is based on the “Project Excellence Model” and on the process models of the most important project management guidelines, such as PMBoK Guide, Prince2, PM3, DIN 69901 und ISO 21500. With the Project Canvas, therefore, the results achieved can be directly integrated into subsequent project documents such as Project Charter or the like.

An increasing number of projects are being carried out using agile or combining agile and traditional practices, i.e. “hybrid.” The Project Canvas is in its design, language, and structure open and combinable with all project management schools of thought. It can be used in agile scenarios (Scrum et al.) as well as in phase-oriented process models (Waterfall et al.).

Proven Dialogue Formats The Project Canvas is an invitation to a conversation. To help this conversation be especially fruitful, we have developed and tested various dialogue formats. They move beyond filling in forms, and are suitable for various scenarios. How they function and how you can organize a Project Canvas workshop is described in the chapter on “ACTION.”

Unifying metaphor + simple structure + powerful questions + natural language + in line with standards + open approach – agile & traditional + proven dialogue formats PROJECT CANVAS

53

Tip: the term “canvas” is sometimes inflated. Some people clap a few boxes together and call the whole thing a “canvas.” In order for a “Project Canvas” to live up to its full potential, however, it must have certain features.

CANVAS

Open Approach

BILD austauschen

PROJECT

THE PRO

JECT CA

TITLE:

NVAS

) , reason whom?

PURPOSEof the project? (also:animongftivaul tion – and for se whom? and me the cau ortant and for What is ject imp future – the pro nge the Why is ject cha the pro How will

BUDGET

NS ENVIRO

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uld be on

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le? is availab ch money ? budget How mu ble is the How flexi for is needed ch money mu w Ho rnal)? al/exte M (intern ? … the TEA OURCES RES ary ess … the nec

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… partia … visib … stee

RISIKS +ES CHANC CES RESOUR

for needed software)? luding tools (inc … work als? … materi models? ds and … metho ? ces spa work irtual)? … project (on-site/v g spaces … meetin

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uments)? ns, doc paratio d (i.e. pre s, approvals)? require ? ent project at will be . docum e of the start? Wh be required (i.e end dat actually ble is the project What will ? exi fl the s sed w clo ? Ho When doe project really project e of the the start dat When is ble is the exi fl w Ho

TIME

54

nts would ertain eve Which unc occurred) (if they ject? er the pro ang end ? … project ulate the as cer… stim as well

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CREATED WHERE/

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QUALITY

to h regard happy wit ER really CUSTOM kes the ? ? project project hin the ULT of the way wit the … the RES ng alo POINTS … the WAY nt ject wa in the pro TOMERS t in? the CUS brough How do rmed and to be info

What ma

ER CUSTOMcustomer of the

RESULT

ed ject? be deliver ctly is to of the pro the end What exa TOMER at to the CUS to be ly like st Is it mo t? produc … a new service? ngs)? … a new dge (findi knowle … new

t ual ple tha the act the peo Who is who are , that is, project s)? (owner project nts)? & end the rt ipie sta (rec … results project … get the onsors)? ject (sp ce the pro … finan ple: eral peo re are sev icts? the en fl Wh con re known Are the

al rnation e 4.0 Inte 4.0/ -ShareAlik enses/by-sa/ ribution .org/lic mons Att mmons ative Com ps://creativeco er a Cre htt nsed und license: rk is lice a copy of this wo s Thi . View License

By now there are a multitude of “Project Canvases.”

.de efence.com 2018) ce overth sion 4.0, Apr Ver er the Fen CANVAS E PROJECT

We welcome every single member of this family. Every “Project Canvas” – however it is designed and thought through – is at least one thing: an invitation to talk. And with that, it is a chance to design projects better!

55

creativeprojectcanvas.com, kudoos.com.br, jvs.me, oerup.eu, openpm.info, overthefence.com.de, projectcanvas.dk, projektmensch.com, thetoolkitproject.com, turnaround.com

CANVAS

Sources:

BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE PROJECT CANVAS

56

CUSTOMER

PURPOSE

RESULT

QUALITY

TIME

The people who initiate the project, finance it, and receive the results.

The why of the project: the need, motive, and the desired future.

The product, service, or new knowledge to be created.

The criteria to be fullfilled to make the customers happy.

Start and end dates for (interim) results.

ENVIRONS

RISIKS/CHANCES

TEAM

RESOURCES

BUDGET

Important interim results and other reasons to celebrate.

Existing forces that influence the project.

Uncertainties that could affect the project.

The people who lead the project and generate the results.

Tools, spaces materials, and methods for the project.

Financial resources that are invested into the project.

57

CANVAS

WAYPOINTS

CUSTOMER

59

CANVAS

Every project needs (at least) one customer.

Without any customer, there is no project!

Project customers are always people – never departments, organizations, or other abstract entities. We can neither speak with departments, nor argue or talk things over with organizations. We can only do that with people. Thus it is important that we discover which people initiate, finance, and receive the results of the project.

Feel like solving a riddle?

A father takes €10 from the change purse of the mother, goes in the supermarket and buys three cartons of milk for their daughter.

Who is the customer?

SOLUTION: all three are customers – only in different roles. The mother is the “sponsor,” the daughter is the “recipient,” and the father is the “owner” of the project.

60

The mother, one could answer, since she financed the milk. Another answer could be the father, since he went to the supermarket and is the buyer of the milk. One could finally argue that it is the daughter. If the daughter didn't exist, the father never would have made the purchase and the mother would never have handed over the money for the milk – especially if both parents are lactose intolerant. So, who's the customer?

Internet of things: Who is the customer here?

The customer is king!

But who is actually the customer?

Sponsor

Recipient

The owner is the initiator and originator of a project. He knows the need that motivates the project. In organizations, the project owner is often the person who carries substantial responsibility. This person wants to solve a problem or grasp an opportunity through the project. Which problem or which opportunity is defined by the PURPOSE of the project.

Only the owner can give information about the PURPOSE of the project!

In other words: project owners own the project. They are ultimatively responsible for the impact and the success of a project. Therefore the owner(s) must attend and significantly contribute – from the clarification of the project purpose, through guiding decisions during the course of the project, to the approval of the end result.

The sponsor finances the project. He provides the money and sets the budget for the project.

Unlike the owner, the sponsor is only interested in the financial impact of a project. The sponsor is a financial investor and wants a corresponding financial return. He is not interested in the effectiveness of the project. If he is, then he is not only the sponsor but also an owner of the project.

In the project management literature, “sponsor” has come to be used for both funders and principals. In practice, these roles are nonetheless frequently distributed to different people. We therefore keep them separate as well. In the book “Project Design” you will find examples of various customer constellations. In some of them, the sponsor and the owner are identical to each other; in others these roles are distributed amongst different people (see Lesson 1).

All the people who are directly influenced by the project results are recipients. The recipient is the “target person” or “target group” at whom the project result is directed. Recipients receive the project results – such as new software, innovative office design, modern working methods – and use them. The value of the project is manifested through the application of the project results by the beneficiaries. Therefore, projects require their involvement of the recipients.

Without their ability and readiness to contribute, the success of the project is hardly possible.

The project owner is always also the owner of the project results but not necessarily their recipient. In the book “Project Design” you will find examples of projects in which owners and recipients are the same person and those cases where the roles are spread out across several people.

61

CANVAS

Owner

PROJECT TITLE:

THE PROJECT CANVAS

CREATED BY: WHERE/WHEN:

PURPOSE What is the cause of the project? (also: motivation, reason) Why is the project important and meaningful – and for whom?

How will the project change the future – and for whom?

BUDGET

TEAM

ENVIRONS

WAYPOINTS

QUALITY

How much money is available?

How flexible is the budget?

Who should be on it?

Which known forces (events, conditions, people) affect the project

Which stages of progress would be a good reason to celebrate?

What makes the CUSTOMER really happy with regard to

Are there dates for

… the WAYPOINTS along the way within the project?

How much money is needed for

Who is … in the core team?

… as tailwind?

… the TEAM (internal/external)?

… in the extended team?

… partial and interim results?

… the necessary RESOURCES?

… an external partner?

… visible and measurable successes?

… the project manager?

… steering decisions?

… as headwind?

… the RESULT of the project?

How do the CUSTOMERS in the project want to be informed and brought in?

RESULT

CUSTOMER

What exactly is to be delivered to the CUSTOMER at the end of the project?

Who is the actual customer of the project, that is, who are the people that

Is it most likely to be

… start & end the project (owners)?

… a new product? … a new service? … new knowledge (findings)?

RESOURCES What is needed for

Which uncertain events would (if they occurred)

… methods and models?

… endanger the project?

… project work spaces?

… stimulate the project?

… meeting spaces (on-site/virtual)?

62

… finance the project (sponsors)?

When there are several people: Are there known conflicts?

RISIKS + CHANCES

… materials?

… work tools (including software)?

… get the project results (recipients)?

Events that can be influenced as well as certain events should be regarded as ENVIRONS.

TIME When does the project actually start? What will be required (i.e. preparations, documents)?

When is the project really closed? What will be required (i.e. documents, approvals)?

How flexible is the start date of the project? How flexible is the end date of the project?

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Questions for your project

CUSTOMER Who is the actual customer of the project, that is, who are the people that … start & end the project (owners)? … get the project results (recipients)? … finance the project (sponsors)?

When there are several people: are there known conflicts?

Tip: in practice, it is often not at all easy to answer these questions. The “customer hats” method can help with that (see book “Project Design,” Lesson 1).

CANVAS

63

PURPOSE

65

CANVAS

Why is the project needed? Why is it important and valuable? The purpose of a project – like every goal in life – guides the thoughts and the hands. The purpose is the motive and reason! Whoever has a reason, whoever is motivated, doesn't need to be driven – they drive themselves. That goes as much for individuals as it does for a whole team. However, this can only happen if the purpose of a project is understood and shared.

So many heads, so many opinions Many people have an opinion about why a project should be carried out.

They have an idea about why the endeavor is perhaps important and meaningful. Among these people is also the future project leader. He also has his concept of what the aim of a new project is.

But these opinions don't count for anything!

The only opinion that counts is that of the project owner. The project owner is the initiator and originator of the project – only the project owner knows the true motivations and can give information about the actual purpose of a project. Therefore note: when agreeing on the project purpose, the project owner (or her knowledge) must always be in the room!

66

Cause, value, change – how will the project change the future?

Value

Change

In order to recognize the actual goal of the project it is often helpful to have a look at the past. What is the history of the project? What is the starting point, and the background?

Which problem is meant to be solved by the project or which opportunity is meant to be grasped? What are the underlying roots, i.e. the true causes of the project?

Every project produces a concrete result (product, service, knowledge).

What precisely is this result important for? Which special value should be created by the project? How should this value (or benefit) unfold – when and for whom? Who in particular profits from this project? What is the personal aim of the project owner – what is her individual agenda?

Every project delivers change. If no change were being sought, there would be no need of a project. The change is what constitutes the value of a project. So what should change – and what should not change? Who will be affected by these changes – and who will not? The sketch of the expected future situation and its positive effects describes the “vision” of the project.

Tip: where there are several owners, they could have completely different views of the project purpose. Plan enough time for dialogue and exchange between the project owners.

A mutual understanding of the purpose is of great importance for the success of the project.

67

CANVAS

Cause

PROJECT TITLE:

THE PROJECT CANVAS

CREATED BY: WHERE/WHEN:

PURPOSE What is the cause of the project? (also: motivation, reason) Why is the project important and meaningful – and for whom?

How will the project change the future – and for whom?

BUDGET

TEAM

ENVIRONS

WAYPOINTS

QUALITY

How much money is available?

How flexible is the budget?

Who should be on it?

Which known forces (events, conditions, people) affect the project

Which stages of progress would be a good reason to celebrate?

What makes the CUSTOMER really happy with regard to

Are there dates for

… the WAYPOINTS along the way within the project?

How much money is needed for

Who is … in the core team?

… as tailwind?

… the TEAM (internal/external)?

… in the extended team?

… partial and interim results?

… the necessary RESOURCES?

… an external partner?

… visible and measurable successes?

… the project manager?

… steering decisions?

… as headwind?

… the RESULT of the project?

How do the CUSTOMERS in the project want to be informed and brought in?

RESULT

CUSTOMER

What exactly is to be delivered to the CUSTOMER at the end of the project?

Who is the actual customer of the project, that is, who are the people that

Is it most likely to be

… start & end the project (owners)?

… a new product? … a new service? … new knowledge (findings)?

RESOURCES What is needed for

Which uncertain events would (if they occurred)

… methods and models?

… endanger the project?

… project work spaces?

… stimulate the project?

… meeting spaces (on-site/virtual)?

68

… finance the project (sponsors)?

When there are several people: Are there known conflicts?

RISIKS + CHANCES

… materials?

… work tools (including software)?

… get the project results (recipients)?

Events that can be influenced as well as certain events should be regarded as ENVIRONS.

TIME When does the project actually start? What will be required (i.e. preparations, documents)?

When is the project really closed? What will be required (i.e. documents, approvals)?

How flexible is the start date of the project? How flexible is the end date of the project?

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Questions for your project

PURPOSE What is the cause of the project? (also: motivation, reason) Why is the project important and meaningful – and for whom?

How will the project change the future – and for whom?

Tip: The well-known “5 Whys” method can be helpful here in revealing the true motivations behind a project (see the book “Project Design,” Lesson 3).

CANVAS

69

Wie flexibel ist der Finanzrahmen?

This is a preview only.

Download the full ebook version here:

http://overthefence.com.de/the-book/

ACTION

CHAP. III

OVERVIEW In this chapter you will learn how to best use the Project Canvas for essential project design. Along with general tips and tricks, this chapter mainly offers three guidelines for organizing your workshops.

When to use the Project Canvas A good practice for essential project design How to use the Project Canvas Hosting Project Canvas workshops How every workshop runs Guideline: Thinkers Trio Guideline: Journey Experience Guideline: Canvas Bowl

133 136 138 142 144 146 156 166

Project IDEA

Project STATUS

Project PROPOSAL

KICK OFF BUILD 132

RUN

When to use the Project Canvas

“Project idea” Canvas Many people have good ideas. But having a good idea is often not enough by itself. For an idea to have any prospect of being supported and implemented it has to be presented in a convincing, complete, and coherent way. This is exactly what the Project Canvas facilitates. It allows a project idea to be described in all relevant aspects and thus tested for completeness and plausibility. The

filled-out “project idea” canvas visualizes the project understanding in the first preliminary stage of a project. That's what makes it suitable for boosting an initiative to people like potential promoters and clients.

“Project proposal” Canvas Larger projects are seldom approved based solely on the first draft of an idea. Instead what follows – if the project idea resonates – is a phase of project preparation. Prince2 calls this phase “project description“; other terms used are “proposal clarification,” “feasibility study,” and “business case analysis.” When this phase is very comprehensive it can itself have the character of a project (preliminary project). The basic purpose of the Project Canvas in this stage consists of enabling all the future project participants to get a common project understanding. Interdisciplinary experts, clients, and other project participants (such as line management) should bring in

their perspectives in order to understand and support the project in all its aspects.

“Project status” Canvas Just as our individual perceptions of daily events vary, so also our views of “what the project is and should be” change over the course of a project.

In order to capture such divergent views or reunite them, it makes sense to carry out regular reviews. This can be supported by the canvas. Furthermore, a “project status” canvas is always helpful when it comes to significant breaks in the course of a project. These breaks can be planned in advance, such as known decision points, or can even be unplanned, such as unforeseen changes to the environment or team.

133

ACTION

The Project Canvas is a tool for project design. It helps in thinking through challenging projects. So there are always reasons to use the Project Canvas when a project has to be thought through and designed.

This is repeatedly the case with larger projects. The illustration at the left shows typical reasons for using the canvas throughout the life cycle of a project, namely the understanding of — Project idea — Project proposal — Project status

Just a few of the

39.916.800 possible ways to design a project

134

Which is

yours?

ACTION

135

A good practice for essential project design The Project Canvas comprises 11 building blocks which can be used to consider and visualize every project. Basically you can begin with any component – continue with any other. The Project Canvas offers whatever degree of freedom is required.

This flexibility is great news for all who have experience with projects and the Project Canvas. Nonetheless, too much freedom can be perceived as exhausting. It is not rare for people to ask us what is a good order for filling out the Project Canvas – which component is best for beginning and whether there is an optimal path for the canvas. For these people who wish for more orientation, we have pulled the following guidelines together. They don't describe the “best order” for filling out the Project Canvas (because there is no best order). They portray, rather, a “good practice” which has proven itself and works well in the vast majority of cases.

136

1. The CUSTOMER always stands at the start. First identify all OWNERS of the project. These people should participate in the Project Canvas conversation – but at least their knowledge must be in the room. Because without the owners there is no project – and without their “input” there is no (good) project description!

2. Define the PURPOSE of the project. Ask all the project owners to explore why the project is important and meaningful.

3. Determine the RESULT to be produced. The result (product, service, knowledge) must be suited to fulfilling the PURPOSE of the project. Often there are alternative results for reaching a specific goal. Which is the most suitable?

4. Name the RECIPIENT. Who receives the result at the end of the project – to whom will the result be delivered? This could be identical with the owner; it could also be an entirely different target person or group.

5. Commit to the TIME. Define the latest date at which the result is to be delivered to the recipient.

6. Do the cross-checking: are the OWNER, PURPOSE, RESULT, RECIPIENT, and TIME really compatible, i.e. are these components actually consistent? Often several iterations are required to bring these five project components into sync with each other. Because this is the most important thing, you should take your time with it. You'll thank yourself later.

Afterwards you can go on in a different way. For example, it would be a good idea to balance out the so-called “magic triangle” of the project. What you already know are the result and end points. Next, determining the start (time), quality, and budget will map out your project's room for maneuver. Getting agreement on this is a true art. In the book “Project Design” you will get some tips on how to obtain that (see pp. 126ff).

Good project design is always customer-oriented!

ACTION

137

How to use the project canvas – three proven dialogue formats You can use the Project Canvas just for yourself in order to get an integrated picture of your project. If you want to use the Project Canvas not just for yourself but in collaboration with others, you will find suggestions here for organizing joint conversations and good workshops.

138

When we developed the Project Canvas in 2013 we did not yet have a good idea of how people could best use this tool. We had created a “canvas” with a powerful metaphor and a visual structure, and we hoped that this “invitation to talk” would do the rest. And it did, although in diverse – and sometimes surprising – ways.

For example some people took the Project Canvas as a “checklist.” They copied the questions into an Excel spreadsheet. Others generated a direct digital version of the Project Canvas, or they produced a giant Project Canvas on their office walls with packing paper.

There are as many approaches to using the “canvas” medium as there are ways of understanding it. These range from the technocratic circulation of emails to the chaotic “we all talk at the same time” meeting. In between there are all sorts of variations, of which some function better than others.

Over the years we have observed all these approaches, spoken with hundreds of people, and led dozens of our own Project Canvas workshops. In the end we have distilled three dialogue formats that really lead to “magical conversations” and amazing results. They are: — Thinkers Trio — Journey Experience — Canvas Bowl On the following pages we will introduce these three workshop formats and give some facilitation guidelines.

They combine specific Project Canvas tools (e.g. question cards, poster) with a suitable approach.

Dialogue format

Purpose of use PROJECT TITLE:

THE PROJECT CANVAS

CREATED BY: WHERE/WHEN:

PURPOSE What is the cause of the project? (also: motivation, reason) Why is the project important and meaningful – and for whom?

How will the project change the future – and for whom?

BUDGET How much money is available?

How flexible is the budget?

How much money is needed for … the TEAM (internal/external)? … the necessary RESOURCES?

TEAM

ENVIRONS

Who should be on it?

Which known forces (events, conditions, people) affect the project

Who is … in the core team?

… as tailwind?

… in the extended team?

… as headwind?

WAYPOINTS Which stages of progress would be a good reason to celebrate?

Are there dates for … partial and interim results? … visible and measurable successes?

… an external partner?

… steering decisions?

… the project manager?

QUALITY What makes the CUSTOMER really happy with regard to … the RESULT of the project? … the WAYPOINTS along the way within the project?

How do the CUSTOMERS in the project want to be informed and brought in?

RESULT

CUSTOMER

What exactly is to be delivered to the CUSTOMER at the end of the project?

Who is the actual customer of the project, that is, who are the people that … start & end the project (owners)?

Is it most likely to be

… get the project results (recipients)?

… a new product?

… finance the project (sponsors)?

… a new service? … new knowledge (findings)?

RESOURCES

When there are several people: Are there known conflicts?

RISIKS + CHANCES

What is needed for

… materials?

Which uncertain events would (if they occurred)

… methods and models?

… endanger the project?

… work tools (including software)?

… project work spaces?

… stimulate the project?

… meeting spaces (on-site/virtual)?

Events that can be influenced as well as certain events should be regarded as ENVIRONS.

TIME When does the project actually start? What will be required (i.e. preparations, documents)?

When is the project really closed? What will be required (i.e. documents, approvals)?

How flexible is the start date of the project? How flexible is the end date of the project?

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Thinkers Trio

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Understanding the project idea PROJECT TITLE:

THE PROJECT CANVAS

CREATED BY: WHERE/WHEN:

PURPOSE What is the cause of the project? (also: motivation, reason) Why is the project important and meaningful – and for whom?

How will the project change the future – and for whom?

BUDGET

TEAM

ENVIRONS

WAYPOINTS

How much money is available?

How flexible is the budget?

Who should be on it?

Which known forces (events, conditions, people) affect the project

Which stages of progress would be a good reason to celebrate?

How much money is needed for … the TEAM (internal/external)? … the necessary RESOURCES?

Who is … in the core team?

… as tailwind?

… in the extended team?

… as headwind?

Are there dates for … partial and interim results?

… an external partner?

… visible and measurable successes?

… the project manager?

… steering decisions?

QUALITY What makes the CUSTOMER really happy with regard to … the RESULT of the project? … the WAYPOINTS along the way within the project?

How do the CUSTOMERS in the project want to be informed and brought in?

RESULT

CUSTOMER

What exactly is to be delivered to the CUSTOMER at the end of the project?

Who is the actual customer of the project, that is, who are the people that … start & end the project (owners)?

Is it most likely to be

… get the project results (recipients)?

… a new product?

… finance the project (sponsors)?

… a new service? … new knowledge (findings)?

RESOURCES

When there are several people: Are there known conflicts?

RISIKS + CHANCES

What is needed for

Which uncertain events would (if they occurred)

… work tools (including software)? … materials? … methods and models?

… endanger the project?

… project work spaces?

… stimulate the project?

… meeting spaces (on-site/virtual)?

Events that can be influenced as well as certain events should be regarded as ENVIRONS.

TIME When does the project actually start? What will be required (i.e. preparations, documents)?

When is the project really closed? What will be required (i.e. documents, approvals)?

How flexible is the start date of the project? How flexible is the end date of the project?

Over the Fence overthefence.com.de (THE PROJECT CANVAS Version 4.0, Apr 2018)

Journey Experience

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Understanding the project proposal PROJECT TITLE:

THE PROJECT CANVAS

CREATED BY: WHERE/WHEN:

PURPOSE What is the cause of the project? (also: motivation, reason) Why is the project important and meaningful – and for whom?

How will the project change the future – and for whom?

BUDGET How much money is available?

How flexible is the budget?

How much money is needed for … the TEAM (internal/external)? … the necessary RESOURCES?

TEAM Who should be on it?

ENVIRONS

Who is

Which known forces (events, conditions, people) affect the project

… in the core team?

… as tailwind?

… in the extended team?

WAYPOINTS Which stages of progress would be a good reason to celebrate?

Are there dates for … partial and interim results?

… as headwind?

… visible and measurable successes?

… an external partner?

… steering decisions?

… the project manager?

QUALITY What makes the CUSTOMER really happy with regard to … the RESULT of the project? … the WAYPOINTS along the way within the project?

How do the CUSTOMERS in the project want to be informed and brought in?

RESULT

CUSTOMER

What exactly is to be delivered to the CUSTOMER at the end of the project?

Who is the actual customer of the project, that is, who are the people that

Is it most likely to be … a new product? … a new service? … new knowledge (findings)?

RESOURCES What is needed for … work tools (including software)? … materials?

Which uncertain events would (if they occurred)

… methods and models?

… endanger the project?

… project work spaces?

… stimulate the project?

… meeting spaces (on-site/virtual)?

139

… start & end the project (owners)? … get the project results (recipients)? … finance the project (sponsors)?

When there are several people: Are there known conflicts?

RISIKS + CHANCES

Events that can be influenced as well as certain events should be regarded as ENVIRONS.

TIME When does the project actually start? What will be required (i.e. preparations, documents)?

When is the project really closed? What will be required (i.e. documents, approvals)?

How flexible is the start date of the project? How flexible is the end date of the project?

Over the Fence overthefence.com.de (THE PROJECT CANVAS Version 4.0, Apr 2018)

Canvas Bowl

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Understanding the project status ACTION

Basically, each of the three dialogue formats is suitable for every project (see illustration on the right). Which format is best for a specific occasion is decided by the type and size of the project group, as well as the question of which knowledge conditions exist before the workshop or should be achieved afterwards (see following pages).

The facilitation guidelines are written for those people who have never used the Project Canvas or want to try out a new workshop format. The procedures are described so that they can be implemented without further knowledge.

Only the “Project Canvas” itself must be known to the person leading the workshop.

If you happen to be an experienced facilitator you can easily vary the procedures. If you are interested in the principles and concepts underlying the procedures presented here, you will find more about them later in the book (see the chapter on “MASTERY”).

Choose the type of conversation you need

140

THINKERS TRIO

JOURNEY EXPERIENCE

CANVAS BOWL

Number of participants

3 to 5

5 to 12

12 to 50 (or more)

Type of conversation

Personal dialogue

Small group dialogue

Large group dialogue

Purpose

Common project understanding between a few people important to the project

Common customer-orient- Common project undered project understanding standing between a within a core team customer team and an extended project team

Example scenario

The customer explains to the project leader what the planned project is. The project leader understands the customer perspective and contributes her own ideas and expertise.

The customer (or project leader) explains to the project team members what the project is.

These understand the project and contribute their own perspectives.

The executive management team discusses with managers from all departments and levels a planned, company-wide project.

Added value

Knowledge transmitters (here: customers) recognize their own blind spots in understanding the project. This scenario is therefore suitable for friendly advice (i.e. between two project leaders from different areas).

Team development and trust building! This format leads to a better understanding of various professional perspectives, especially in interdisciplinary teams. Very suitable for kickoff meetings.

This format reveals differences in project understandings within the customer group (i.e. different result expectations or target priorities). This ensures that the customers move closer together.

“The goal of dialogue (…) is not victory or self-assertion (…), but rather working together in method and substance.” __Richard von Weizsäcker

ACTION

141

HOSTING PROJECT CANVAS WORKSHOPS

Page 144: How every workshop runs Page 146: Guideline “Thinkers Trio“ Page 156: Guideline “Journey Experience“ Page 166: Guideline “Canvas Bowl“

How every workshop runs

144

Helpful principles and ground rules for Project Canvas workshops: — Process: Every workshop begins with an intro and ends with a conclusion. The focus is on actual work with the Project Canvas, which always goes in three steps (beginning/middle/end).

— Dialogue: Every Project Canvas workshop facilitates a calm dialogue on an equal footing. Time-stealing and unproductive discussions are avoided. This is achieved, however, through strict communication rules.

— Agility: Project Canvas workshops deliver results in a very short time. In order to achieve this, the entire workshop as well as each segment follows agile practices such as „timeboxing“, i.e. tight and binding time constraints including result review and repeated application (iteration).

— Length: Every (first) Project Canvas workshop lasts 90 minutes. The direct work with the canvas takes an hour. After the workshop all participants know whether work with the Project Canvas must be continued or whether other steps must be taken.

Intro

Project Canvas in Action

1hrs

Conclusion 90

mins

√ The Project Canvas as well as the essentials and objectives of the workshop are understood.

Beginning

√ The (customer) knowledge about all relevant project components is gathered.

Middle

√ Project Canvas #1: The entire project is shared and each person has understood the perspective of the others.

End

√ Project Canvas #2: A common image of the project has emerged (project design).

145

ACTION

√ Decision: Are the project understanding and project design good enough to start the project or does it need more work?

Thinkers

Tr i o

Thinkers Trio 15'

Intro Project Canvas in action Beginning

01' 19'

Introduce the project Ask questions Middle

30'

Create a picture of the project End

10

Reflect on the picture

15'

Conclusion

PURPOSE To obtain a common project understanding between a few people important to the project.

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS 3 to 5

DURATION 90 minutes

MATERIAL Project Canvas poster (DINA0), questions cards, sticky notes, pens

TRIO

INTRO

The goal of the workshop is a common project understanding!

1

PROJECT TITLE:

THE PROJECT CANVAS

Present the Project Canvas as an aid to get there

CREATED BY: WHERE/WHEN:

PURPOSE What is the cause of the project? (also: motivation, reason) Why is the project important and meaningful – and for whom?

How will the project change the future – and for whom?

BUDGET How much money is available?

How flexible is the budget?

How much money is needed for

TEAM

ENVIRONS

Who should be on it?

Which known forces (events, conditions, people) affect the project

Who is

WAYPOINTS Which stages of progress would be a good reason to celebrate?

Are there dates for

… in the core team?

… the TEAM (internal/external)?

… as tailwind?

… in the extended team?

… the necessary RESOURCES?

… as headwind?

… an external partner?

… visible and measurable successes?

… the project manager?

… steering decisions?

… partial and interim results?

QUALITY What makes the CUSTOMER really happy with regard to … the RESULT of the project? … the WAYPOINTS along the way within the project?

RESULT

CUSTOMER

What exactly is to be delivered to the CUSTOMER at the end of the project?

Who is the actual customer of the project, that is, who are the people that

Is it most likely to be … a new product? … a new service? … new knowledge (findings)?

RESOURCES What is needed for … work tools (including software)? … materials?

… start & end the project (owners)? … get the project results (recipients)? … finance the project (sponsors)?

When there are several people: Are there known conflicts?

RISIKS + CHANCES Which uncertain events would (if they occurred)

… methods and models?

… endanger the project?

… project work spaces?

… stimulate the project?

… meeting spaces (on-site/virtual)?

4

How do the CUSTOMERS in the project want to be informed and brought in?

Events that can be influenced as well as certain events should be regarded as ENVIRONS.

TIME When does the project actually start? What will be required (i.e. preparations, documents)?

When is the project really closed? What will be required (i.e. documents, approvals)?

How flexible is the start date of the project? How flexible is the end date of the project?

Over the Fence overthefence.com.de (THE PROJECT CANVAS Version 4.0, Apr 2018)

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Explain the agenda as well as the ground rules of the process

4

148

Introduce the roles and the materials

6

=

15 mins

INTRO TRIO GOAL OF THE WORKSHOP: Explain the purpose of the workshop, e.g.: “The goal of the workshop is to clarify all aspects that are important to know for this project. At the end we will have a common view of the project and know what the next steps are.”

PROJECT CANVAS: Point to the Project Canvas that hangs on the wall. Present the canvas as a tool for reaching the workshop objectives. Emphasize the features that you think are especially useful in this context. For example, you can point out that the Project Canvas, despite its simplicity, is in line with project management standards.

AGENDA AND GROUND RULES: Present the agenda and explain that the process enables a “customer-oriented project definition in three phases (beginning, middle, end).” If necessary, explain the principle of “timeboxing” and establish who will manage the time. Invite the participants to engage with the following ground rules, which help get to the point quickly and calmly: — „No coordination of answers and no discussion: We want to gather all the information first and understand the overall picture before we evaluate individual items.

— Only open questions: Trust the questions on the cards – they have been tested in hundreds of projects. So ask the questions as they appear on the cards.“

149

ACTION

ROLES AND MATERIALS: Explain the three roles of the “Thinkers Trio”: questioner (Q), responder (R) and scribe (S). The person whose knowledge is to be collected takes on the role of the responder – usually this is the customer. The person to be reached first and foremost takes on the role of the scribe – for example the project leader. The role of the questioner is assumed by someone else, i.e. a project member or even an external facilitator. The questioner gets the question cards, the scribe gets the pen and sticky notes. Tip: The roles can be occupied by more than one person; but there should be at least as many scribes (S) as there are responders (R), otherwise the note taking becomes too difficult.

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STORIES

CHAP. V

OVERVIEW In the run-up to the book we interviewed people who use the Project Canvas regularly. This chapter reports on their experiences.

Here we have condensed dozens of interviews with 11 protagonists.

Behind every protagonist there is at least one person and his or her “good practice.� Let yourself be inspired!

Senior project manager Managing director University lecturer New worker PMO professional Agilist Strategy consultant Project sales person Change agent Project management trainer Social innovator

224 226 228 230 232 234 236 238 240 242 244

For me the Project Canvas has become an indispensable aid in quickly generating a common understanding of projects. __Harald Wehnes

“Project managers” win new choices and – as importantly – a sense that they are not alone. __Carl Dolan

With the Project Canvas it is not about “right or wrong” – it's simply about discovering the information essential to the project. __Eugenia Gargallo

In many projects, neither the mission nor the scope is sufficiently defined for the project manager. In the worst case, the team members don't even know this. Such situations can be avoided with the Project Canvas. __Oliver Huckels

There are many theoretical approaches to project management; the great challenge, however, is to apply them in a specific organization. The Project Canvas is a pragmatic tool that can be applied without much explanation. __Martin Ratzmann

The Project Canvas gives me the opportunity to develop a clear and simple overview of the project with my customers. Many points that would otherwise lead to misunderstandings and disputes during the project can already be settled amicably beforehand. That eases my projects significantly. __Felix Peter

Working together on the Project Canvas is simply the best way for the project team to start a project. It combines a playful approach with solid questions on project management. __Stefanie Quade

The tool is easy to understand and apply ad hoc.

By working with the Project Canvas the group creates something together. Thus the project is not forced on anyone, and commitment is encouraged. __Johannes Frings

As a one-pager it gives a short and crisp overview of the project.

This makes the essentials easy to communicate. __Ingo Hรถhn *Quotations from interviews during preliminary stages of this book.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WITH PROJECTS Senior Project Manager

Managing director

Michael leads business projects worth millions. He balances a tense relationship between powerful, rushed project customers and changing teams. Apart from Michael, most people in the project are “experts” but “project amateurs.” Michael uses the Project Canvas to make the most of the project customers' scarce time and reach a good mission statement.

Janina leads an international “green economy” company. She would like to have internal project ideas tested, thought all the way through and – where reasonable – brought to the public. She uses the Project Canvas to carry out a simple yet effective feasibility check and establish “ownership” of the new undertaking by the colleagues in the company.

University lecturer

New worker

PMO professional

Monika is an informatics professor at a university. In her courses she loves to apply “project-based learning”: the students work on real challenges from company practice. The Project Canvas helps to analyze the challenges from the practice partners and realistically define the scope of the projects .

Zoe works in an old-school company that has to change. Zoe doesn't just want to do a “good job,” but have a positive effect on the organization.

She is a champion for collaboration across hierarchies on an equal footing. The Project Canvas helps her to bring the values of the “new work” into her organizational projects.

As a professional in the “Project Management Office” of an international concern, Mustafa would like to improve the quality of internal company projects. For him, the Project Canvas is an elegant way to embed the principles of good project work throughout all areas and hierarchical levels of the large organization.

Entrepreneurs, researchers, artists, students, or activists: many people undertake projects constantly. Most of them are not project management experts. The Project Canvas helps everyone! Here are some true life stories. The “stories” of these people are described in detail on the following pages.

222

Strategy consultant

Project sales person

Max is responsible for projects of a large local authority. Many months often elapse between the project proposal, the release of funds, and the start of the work. Despite bureaucratic adversities, Max achieves things for his customers (municipal institutions) that are considered impossible. Agile approaches and the Project Canvas help him do that.

Linda supports companies in developing and applying strategic programs. Using the Project Canvas allows her to facilitate a meaningful action planning for strategy implementation. Every strategy project is owned by one or more persons and they create their canvas. The individual canvases are coordinated and thus the entire program is planned.

Daniel leads the distribution of an innovative software and consulting firm. He sells “projects for software implementation.” The Project Canvas helps him to impressively convey the parameters of a complex project offer. His clients appreciate the transparency of the interdependencies between software and service options, and the budget.

Change agent

Project management trainer

Social innovator

Jan works in the management board of a family-led technology company.

Starting with “digitalization,” there are several current mega-topics that the company wants to and must address. Jan uses the Project Canvas to develop and visualize future projects with the management board and to share them with all employees.

After many years as a project leader, Thomas teaches as a free-lance “project management knowledge” trainer.

His training includes the entire range from classical project management through agile methods to certification preparation. He uses the Project Canvas as a universal introduction as well as a tool for project definition.

Marta wants to improve the world and help young people get their start in professional life. The young people learn in self-chosen social projects. Thus they learn how to behave responsibly, attend to the needs of their environment, argue persuasively, and organize their work in project teams.

223

STORIES

Agilist

Senior project manager Name:

Michael

Age:

49

Position:

Project manager (PMP)

Organization: Mechanical engineering company with 10,000 employees Expertise in: Project management Project work

“We have left the dark ages of project management behind.“

224

We work according to international project management standards (PMI) and all projects are steered by a project portfolio board. I have been responsible for complex internal projects for 10 years. My project customers are in top management. We have clearly defined guidelines and procedures for every project phase.

Also for the project start. And nonetheless, the information about the desired project results is often hard to understand. So it's easy for a project team to concentrate on a “correct

operational implementation” – without having understood the meaning or goal of the project. That is very frustrating for all participants.

As a project management professional, I am always trying to improve how we carry out projects. My reason for existing as a project manager is to help the team to produce a good performance for the customers.

When the team works together happily on that, I even have fun with my job. Collaborative culture is, for me, a fundamental success factor in the

Workshop facilitation

project. When I discovered the Project Canvas and the other thinking tools from “Over the Fence”, I knew immediately: we need that! And indeed – my work became much easier. I no longer have to worry about skeptical customers and unmotivated teammates. The customers trust more easily, and the team understands more quickly what's required. And when it is said that the work in my projects is fun and meaningful, that feels unbelievably good. And it helps for the future!

I use the canvas for “project definition” as well as for “project proposals.” For the former, my contact partner is the client, and for the latter it is our project portfolio board.

Project definition: I hold a meeting to which I invite the team as well as the client. The client is usually the CEO or another member of the board. The core team consists of 3 to 10 experts, including external service providers. Depending on the size of the group, I select the approach, which I will moderate myself. The result is always amazing, but the true

value of the canvas is not apparent from the poster; it emerges during the dialogue that we have. During the open questions we identify what we haven't understood and was important for every party. That is a huge advance for us.

Project proposal: Instead of a Power Point presentation, I use the Project Canvas as a “storytelling” tool.

I tell the project story in 5 minutes and the board has understood the basics. They still need their standard documents, but they prefer the Project Canvas for the project proposal meeting.

IMPACT √ Project customer (CEO): “I have never experienced anything like it: I actually feel understood!” √ Project leader: “After an hour we all understood what was important to our customer. The process was uncomplicated and even fun.” √ Team member: “Up till now I only knew my task, and not the whole picture. It feels good to recognize what I'm contributing to.” √ Project portfolio board manager: “After 5 minutes of your story we know more about what your project is doing for the company than we ever get from a standard document.“ 225

Photo: Joint project definition on the Project Canvas

STORIES

HOW I DO IT

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Gray, Dave et al., Gamestorming, A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers. Sebastopol 2010.

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250

SELECTED ARTICLES IN PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS Habermann, Frank, Schmidt, Karen, Langsames Denken in Projekten – ein Manifest, in: Projektmagazin 2/2017.

Habermann, Frank, Der Project Canvas – Hochschulprojekte besser starten, in: DNH Die Neue Hochschule 5/2016, S. 146-149.

Habermann, Frank, Project Canvas – Projekte interdisziplinär definieren, in: Projektmanagement aktuell 1/2016, S. 36-42.

Habermann, Frank, Project Canvas: Wissen interdisziplinär zusammeführen, in: Wissensmanagement 5/2015, S. 39-41.

Habermann, Frank, Der Project Canvas – wirksames Werkzeug zur Projektdefinition, in: Projektmagazin 11/2015.

PHOTOS & DRAWINGS All Illustrations in this book

by Frank Habermann.

Exception: Page 214 (Hare & Hedgehog, Manifesto Banner) created and provided by Malte von Tiesenhausen – deepest thanks.

Pages 7, 15, 22, 23, 222, 223, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234, 236, 237, 238, 240, 242, 244: licenced pictures (Fotolia), all rights reserved.

Pages 33 (large photo), 50/51 (1. middle row, 2. rows 1 and 4 image, bottom row center), 243: photos by Paul Hahn, with friendly thanks for submission to the PM Forum 2016.

Habermann, Frank, Der Project Canvas. Eine gemeinsame Sprachplattform für Business und IT, in: HMD Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik, 51(2014)299, S. 568-579.

Page 242: Image from unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Habermann, Frank, Hybrides Projektmanagement.

Agile und Klassische Vorgehensmodelle im Zusammenspiel, in: HMD Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik, 50(2013)293, S. 93-102.

Pages 16, 32, 33 (bottom row), 50/51 (not mentioned above), 164, 174, 225, 227, 229, 231, 239, 245, 255: Copyright by Frank Habermann & Karen Schmidt.

Pages 210ff: Quotation mark icon: Font Awesome by Dave Gandy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

SOURCES

Digital for download

Pre-printed to buy

True to the philosophy of “Over the Fence,” you may download all the tools and workshop materials for free.

Because we cultivate personal contact with our community, we have not automated the download. Instead we look forward to your request by e-mail.

For those who have more money than time, or for anyone who wants highly professional work materials, our friends from Stattys.com have the right offer at:

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PROJECT CANVAS

PDF-file for DIN A0-printout in multiple languages >> http://overthefence.com.de/tools

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PROJECT CANVAS

PROJECT JOURNEY CARDS

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PROJECT JOURNEY CARDS

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PROJECT JOURNEY HANDOUT

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PROJECT DESIGN BOOK

PDF-file for printout and self-assembly in multiple languages >> E-Mail at hello@overthefence.com.de

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PROJECT JOURNEY HANDOUT

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PROJECT JOURNEY PRESENTATION SLIDES

PDF-file for the project metaphor graphic >> E-Mail at hello@overthefence.com.de PDF-file for the workshop intro (explanation of the Project Journey and the Project Canvas) >> E-Mail at hello@overthefence.com.de

On indestructible PVC in DIN A0 size

As a chic set in playing card size

As thick DIN A3 card, folded on DIN A4

By Frank Habermann & Karen Schmidt: 25 further thinking tools for visually shaping new ventures … to continue smoothly from the concept of the Project Canvas >> also on Amazon http://amzn.to/2BUnwZV

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https://www.stattys.com/project/project-design.html

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OVER THE FENCE ressources for your projects

BOOKS

SERVICES

Download the PROJECT CANVAS and get the PROJECT JOURNEY CARDS at no costs

Read all the books and learn more thinkers tools as well as tips and tricks.

We design and host insightful learning EVENTS, facilitate WORKSHOPS, and help people in projects.

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TOOLS

You hold in your hands a handbook for project makers a tool kit for interdisciplinary teams a treasure chest of ideas for better collaboration

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Frank Habermann, author “My work life began with professional training at Mercedes-Benz. Subsequently I studied economics, was a consultant, manager, entrepreneur, and professor (in that order), had tremendous fun with a lot of fantastic people, “survived” over 50 projects in over 20 countries, and ultimately discovered my passion for teaching and bringing together people from different cultures, disciplines, and professions.“

Karen Schmidt, author “My work life began at age 19 when I founded a marketing agency with an artist. I have studied business and education and worked with people in projects as well as C-level executives in all sorts of organizations across Europe.

Leading over 40 complex projects was a great opportunity to learn leadership and collaboration from scratch. My mission is to help diverse teams achieve extraordinary results with courage, trust, and creativity.“

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IF YOU DO WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE, YOU'LL GET WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN. __PAUL WATZLAWICK

IT'S TIME TO START PROJECTS IN AN ENTIRELY NEW WAY! __KAREN SCHMIDT & FRANK HABERMANN

STEP INTO A NEW PROJECT WORLD – BRIGHTER, MORE HUMANE, MORE SUCCESSFUL “Over the Fence” offers inspirational stories, various examples of applications, good practices, and a concrete tool that helps all people to understand their projects better and make a real difference with human-centered project design. The approaches introduced are inspired by a variety of disciplines – art, film, sport, technology, design, education, science et al. – and a big dose of common sense. What “Over the Fence” describes is simple and effective and guaranteed to be undogmatic.

“… an indispensable aid in quickly generating a common understanding of projects.” __Harald Wehnes, head of PM Forum program committee, lecturer “…makes projects more agile and customer-oriented.” __Marcel Ziegler, IT project manager “… simply the best way for the project team to start a project.” __Stefanie Quade, author, consultant for digital transformations “…helps people to think together and make better decisions.” __Eugenio Molini, strategy consultant “…motivating, inviting, and holds extremely valuable content.” __Eugenia Gargallo, entrepreneur & social activist “…easy to understand and apply ad hoc.” __Johannes Frings, Project Manager & Technical Consultant, OKR Master “…should certainly become mainstream!” __Erik Leung Shun, PMP, project management evangelist

overthefence.com.de

ISBN 978-3-00-060780-6