In a perfect world, we’d all have lots of warning about projects coming up, we’d plan carefully for their execution, and we’d allot ourselves plenty of time to get them done right. Let’s be honest though; it doesn’t always work out that way.
Sometimes priorities shift. Sometimes unforeseen circumstances disrupt our plans. Sometimes we’re simply given a deadline that we can’t budge, even if we’d like to do so.
Whether you’re already working with us or just considering it, don’t presume that a tight turnaround requirement means your performance improvement project is dead in the water. We have certainly heard clients say, “We don’t have enough time now. We need this done sooner than expected,” and we’ve always made it work.
Here are a few ways in which we have helped clients hit aggressive deadlines in the past, and how we may be able to help you, too.
We Can Break Up Deliverables
You may not need all deliverables at the same time to achieve your goals. For example, if we are completing training modules for you, we may be able to deliver the first module to meet a hard deadline, then keep working on subsequent modules while the first module is being implemented. Ask yourself, “What do I really need and when?” You may find you have more flexibility than you think.
Why We Don’t Always Do This: Providing rolling deliverables as they are finished can add complication when edits are required. For example, if training modules are formatted similarly or feature similar components, changes may be made to later modules that could affect modules that are already in use. In this case, it can be hard (or at least cost-inefficient) to go back and fix the first module to align with the others. We generally find that it’s in everyone’s best interest to “do it right rather than do it twice.”
We Can Scale Up the Project Team
If it makes sense, we can sometimes add more members to a project team to provide additional guidance or to facilitate quicker content creation. In some cases, adding resources will expedite the project. If there are multiple training modules that need to be completed, for instance, multiple instructional designers can sometimes work in tandem to produce modules more quickly.
Why We Don’t Always Do This: Scaling up a project team sounds like a no-brainer but adding resources can come with diminishing returns. Some projects have built-in bottlenecks that prevent more than one person from working on a deliverable at once. Adding more resources to a project team also requires more budget. We find that having in-depth discussions or conducting a needs analysis at the beginning of a project is the best way to ensure we assign a team that’s right for your timeline and your budget.
We Can Find Other Creative Solutions
We develop custom offerings to suit all our clients’ unique goals, so flexibility is baked into our approach. That does not mean we will just tell you what you want to hear in order to get your business. If we believe your timeline is unrealistic, we will let you know. It is better to address this early in the process, so we can figure out what can be done. Regardless of why a timeline is less than ideal, we will pivot as needed when working to support your requirements. We can also help you find ways to streamline reviews, approvals, and more on your side, helping us all avoid speed bumps that could delay project completion.
If you have a concern about whether you can get the support you need when you need it, we’d love to talk with you to see if we can’t find a solution together. Call us at 330-650-4777 to start the conversation and to schedule a free brainstorming session.
