When starting a new project, you need three things. Without these three things clearly defined from the start, you’re going to have problems – most notably that your project is likely to fail – regardless of what the project is about, how it is managed, how good the talent is, or what promises have been made.
You cannot go into a new project without these three things on your mind. They are the holy Trinity: the Spec, the Budget and the Time-frame.
Specification, AKA “the bones”
Simply put, all projects needs boundaries. They need clear limits defined so that proper management of resources can take place and the end-goal can be achieved. If you have an open-ended specification or “spec”, your project will most likely never see the light of day. An open spec leaves holes in the business logic that can be abused by both the client and the development company. So, even if the project spec is a twenty word paragraph written on a piece of cardboard you found in the bathroom, you need to have it. Clear and defined.
Think of it as a person’s bone structure. Without it, you have no defined shape. No matter how strong your muscles are or how big your brain is, you cannot use any of those assets because the foundation carrying the muscles is not there, or is weak and wobbly. The secret is making a spec that is well-defined, yet flexible.
Project budget, AKA “the face”
The budget is the second of the Trinity; it defines the amount of resources that can be used for a project, i.e. the time, expertise, hardware, software and support. Having a well-defined budget makes it possible to determine how these aspects are to be managed and how much of each you have at your disposal. Having a budget too small for your spec causes unwanted restrictions that will eventually have huge detrimental effects on your project and cause it to fizzle and burn out before it is completed. It is also the most ‘visual’ aspect of any project; the marketing, design and branding all depend highly on budget restrictions. This is the case when, most often than not, the more you spend, the more you get (although this is not always true).
Time-frame, AKA “the muscle”
If the spec is the bones and the budget is the face, how does the time-frame become the muscle? Simple: the more time you spend on a project, the stronger it becomes. Managers have time to plan, researchers have time to research, issues have time to be resolved, tests have time to run, and training has time to take place. Having a time-frame so short it causes any of these to be ‘rushed’ will make your end result weaker. It could have the prettiest face, the strongest bones and the smartest brains, but if it can’t carry its own weight under pressure, it will fall short.
So when that insane, world-changing project is swirling around in your grey matter, try to remember the Holy Trinity. Have all these things ready when you have your first meeting, and if you’re not entirely sure of your spec, you can always rely on the skill and experience of a well-established development company to help you. Such companies often come across projects with open specs, low budgets and ridiculous time-frames, and can advise you on which corners you can and cannot cut.
Also, one final word. Remember that it is possible to have too much of a good thing. the Holy Trinity needs balance: as one aspect moves, so does the other; each influences the rest. Do not think throwing money at a problem will fix it, or simply giving it more time. Talk to the developers, the managers and the designers and see what they think should be changed. If they are sold on a project, they will do anything in their power to do it justice.