What Makes the Best Projects?

Last week in a grantee meeting, we were talking about some things that made projects run smoothly and have good results. I thought that these things would be good to share with a wider audience.

Successful projects always have at least one person with passion for the work involved. It works best if this passion is infectious and thus a whole team of cheerleaders is born. With a team of cheerleaders, everyone takes ownership of the project and sees it as something crucial for the betterment of the agency or community.

Almost all successful projects have a data "bulldog." A "bulldog" is someone who will not rest until all the data is collected and makes sense. This person usually makes sure that the data is used to improve the work that is being done and that those who collect the data see that their collection efforts are useful to the clients and the team.

Successful planning projects are a joint effort, not the work of a single person. Every stakeholder has a voice in the development of the project and can see their input in the final product. Successful implementation projects are built on planning efforts that include detailed plans for services, finances, and community relations.

The best projects see that any change in an organization affects the entire organization. A plan for managing this change is part of the implementation plan. Communication with all stakeholders is as important as the development of the service itself because it reduces resistance to the "new" thing.

I am sure that these are not all the variables that make a "best" project. What are the things that you have seen in your work?