Process

The team ships, everyone celebrates and then Ops asks for documentation that doesn’t exist. Sorely discovering that the finish line isn’t delivery, it’s continuity. This is probably one of the most contentious topics in software companies, but applicable as well when delivering to a client or delivering any service or product.

Kickoff meetings are supposed to set the tone for a project. But the “perfect kickoff” doesn’t exist—and chasing it can actually set you up for failure.

Image created using Imgflip.com . From   The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring   (2001). Satirical use for commentary under fair use. Most Projects don’t begin with a clean slate. They don’t always start neatly on day one with a blank page and a crystal-clear charter. More often than not, they arrive on a Project Manager’s desk already carrying baggage, expectations, and risks. And too often, that “handoff” from Sales to the PM is an afterthought, if it happens at