ALL CHANGE! An Astonishing Conversation with Dr Eddie Obeng!

TL;DR

Eddie Oban discusses the need for change in project management and shares key insights on project failure, the different types of projects, and the concept of smart failure.

Transcript

hello hi Mike hi delighted to be here it's great to have you I've long wanted to speak with you so for those who don't know him professor Eddie Oban is is something of a hero of mine I read his first book when it came out in 1994 and it had a real effect on the way I thought about projects and ever since I've been talking about it to clients and I'... Read More

Key Insights

• 📽️ Projects often fail because project managers don't have a realistic understanding of the challenges they face and rely on case studies that don't reflect real-world scenarios.
• 📽️ Different project types require different approaches, and project managers should understand the clarity of goals and methods to choose the right approach.
• 📽️ The soft side of projects, including human behavior and emotions, plays a significant role in project success and should not be overlooked.
• 👻 Smart failure is an essential concept in innovation projects, as it allows for learning and adaptation in a rapidly changing environment.
• 😑 Perfect projects require a cultural and mindset shift, focusing on pre-elimination of risks and continuous improvement.
• 📽️ Project managers should be open to embracing new technologies and methodologies, such as AI and predictive analytics, to improve project outcomes.
• 📽️ The future of project management lies in driving projects that make sense and deliver value, and project managers play a crucial role in shaping the future.

Questions & Answers

Q: What motivated Eddie Oban to write "All Change"?

Oban was frustrated with books that focused on successful companies with huge resources and wanted to provide practical insights for project managers facing real-world challenges.

Q: How does Oban categorize different project types?

Oban categorizes projects based on the clarity of goals and methods, resulting in four types: Quest projects, Movie projects, Fog projects, and Paint by Numbers projects.

Q: What is the soft side of projects, according to Oban?

The soft side of projects refers to the impact of human behavior, emotions, and relationships on project success. Oban highlights the importance of understanding and managing these factors.

Q: What is smart failure in the context of innovation projects?

Smart failure refers to failures that occur despite doing all the right things in an environment of fast-paced change. Oban argues that such failures should be valued and seen as opportunities for learning and improvement.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Eddie Oban's book "All Change" was inspired by the need to understand why projects often fail and to provide insights on how to fix the problem.

• He introduced the concept of different project types based on clarity of goals and methods, such as Quest projects and Movie projects.

• Oban emphasizes the importance of understanding the soft side of projects and the impact of human behavior and emotions in achieving success.