No matter what area of business you are in, the chances are that you’ll be involved in a project at some point. Projects can be just one person working towards a goal or can involve a large team of workers, each bringing something important to the table. Projects and goal-sharing are the foundation of any business, and you’d think that most end up being a success. However, research suggests that just one-third of projects turn out to be a success.
Only one-third of projects started in businesses around the world reach their target. That number is surprisingly low, considering projects drive businesses to success. But why is it so low? Why do so few projects fail to achieve what they set out to do?
Project failure
A project’s failure can be down to many factors, from lousy teamwork, inconsistent management, lack of feedback, and impossible goals to strict deadlines or a lack of skill. The truth is that traditional project management has brought us a long way in the past few decades, but now, it’s simply outdated. Old project management methods were created before social media and emailing when success meant creating a reliable product, and change was not encouraged.
As such, old techniques yield old results. Modern projects that focus on the new, unpredictable, dynamic offerings in the business world today require a new methodology. Projects fail because we haven’t upgraded how we manage them. You wouldn’t dream of giving an employee a computer from the 1990s and then expect the same results. We’ve upgraded since then, but we haven’t upgraded how we approach running projects. But how do we upgrade the way we think?
Guaranteed success
One organisation has set out to answer this all-important question and provide some answers to see more projects become a success. Meet the Half Double Institute, a team of experts who took the 30% project success rate and turned it into a 70% success rate.
The team at Half Double worked with Aarhus University, The Technical University of Denmark, and the Danish Industry Foundation to develop its project management style and research new ways of thinking about problem-solving and getting the best results possible from day one.
The Half Double Institute is dedicated to finding a project methodology that delivers results time and time again. The Half Double method is effectively the failsafe way to increase a project’s chances of success. The methodology can be adapted to fit any business sector, making it specific to you while the overall framework remains the same. It’s a framework that has been developed and tested by experts from multiple fields and can be adapted to suit you and your needs making it flexible.
What does the Half Double approach involve?
Try thinking of the Half Double approach as a calculation. It is universal and will always give results. All you need to do is plug in the numbers and specifics for your project. Then, follow the calculation to the end and get a tangible result. But the Half Double methodology is more specific than that.
The Institute understands that every project and every company is different. Business culture and structures have a significant impact on a project’s success chances, and as such, the methodology needs to be tailored to suit you. The team of experts uses the framework and then works with you to create specific tools and practices that fit your company and work for your project.
In the past, you may have tried to force a project to work using old techniques. This inhibits success because the project doesn’t match with the existing structure or system. Half Double looks at your company culture and structure and adapts the methodology to create a personalised process that will work with you, not against you.
Part of the reason the Half Double method is so effective is that it embraces human nature. Humans make mistakes, we’re late, get things wrong, need more time, miss deadlines, require feedback, and second chances. The Half Double method incorporates these factors so you can get the best out of your team members. Projects are only as successful as the people involved.
Why the Half Double method is the future
The world is changing more rapidly now than at any other time in history. Technology is driving massive changes, and our world may be totally unrecognizable in a few short years. All this change is very positive as it drives innovation and helps make the world a better place to live. The only thing that hasn’t really changed is the human brain. Evolution is slower than technology. This means we are suddenly the weakest link and, in a world driven by projects managed by people, it’s the thinking that is inhibiting success.
The Half Double methodology is flexible and designed to adapt and change as the world changes. Project management needs to adjust to the modern world and prepare to adapt for the future. This means rigid structures and processes that don’t allow for change are holding you back. The future will belong to those who can be flexible, those who can adapt, and those prepared to adopt new ways of thinking.
Project management is an all-encompassing role that will continue to develop as new technology allows for new revenue streams. Outdated approaches to project management lead to slow progress and often to failure. Success is flexible, so your process should be flexible to allow for new methodologies and ways of thinking. Using the Half Double approach places the focus on the people, not the process.
With people at the centre of the project, you can begin to adopt new processes as the project progresses, ensuring you are always tackling problems with the most relevant, tried, and tested approach. Flexibility is crucial for future success, and Half Double is designed to be futureproof.
