Uncover the proven power of project constraints

If I gave you £100 million right now, what would you do with it?

It’s a fun game to play, imagining how we might change our lives or even improving the world if we had absolutely no financial constraints. It’s also a surprisingly good way to clarify our ambitions and understand what we truly value.

Yet it’s not something we often bring into our project work. Maybe that’s because the reality is that we’re always navigating limitations. I doubt there’s a project manager in the world who’s been given unlimited budget, time, or resources (though we can all dream) but this no-holds-barred, “world is our oyster” exercise can be a powerful way to engage teams in setting vision, scope and ambition. If we could achieve anything together, what would it be? How would we do it? Just like on a personal level, this question can help teams surface shared values and common goals.

It invites a fresh perspective, a new way of seeing the story so we can understand our work in a different light. And while wishful thinking alone won’t get us to a successful go-live, it can still play a role in shaping strategy and aligning vision.

A wise man once told me, “If you ask four people for their input on a topic, you’ll get five different opinions.” Funny, and weirdly true. That’s also where limitless, big-picture dreaming can start to falter. It’s great for vision-setting, but not so helpful for implementation. If we can do anything, what’s to stop us from trying to do everything?

And this is where we can begin to see that constraints are useful because by their very nature they hinder and I believe they should be welcomed, celebrated even. There are two big reasons why we should lean-in to our project constraints:

Scope:

The big picture is a great revealer, but when we do our reality check, it’s unlikely we can do it all. Knowing that we have constraints helps project teams focus on what really matters and deliver projects that truly add value.

Innovation:

When we have an objective to achieve within specific constraints, it can fuel creativity and innovation. Maybe we can use our projects as development opportunities, try different technologies, upskill colleagues, or innovate our implementation approach. It’s fertile ground for creativity.

These two benefits combined can boost efficiency, enhance problem solving and drive effective decision-making. And this is proved time and again in real-life situations. If you’ve watched ‘Apollo 13’ recently if you haven’t seen it, I recommend), then you will have seen the re-enactment of the incredible innovation of the NASA engineers who got all three astronauts back home safely. They literally used tape and cardboard.

A less high-stakes example may be the work of Vincent Van Gogh (a personal favourite). He was often very short of money, re-used canvases and sometimes used poor-quality paint and even cardboard (a recurring constraint-busting tool) to create his masterpieces. He was limited in what he could use, yet the impact of his work is unlimited.

So whilst no one might be turning our projects into films or hanging them on gallery walls anytime soon, we have a precedent to follow, one that shows constraints can be the birthplace of brilliance. Perhaps instead of dreading them, we should welcome them with open arms (and a stash of cardboard).