Solving The Project Communication Problem
22. Mar, 2009 
0 Comments
Andrew Sparks wrote last year a great post about the use of OODA loops in Project Management. The article itself will keep your mind busy for a while, but wait until you read the comments from Andrew and Christian Salmon:
“Here is (roughly), the project management problem I am trying to solve. Say that you have a software development project with coders in multiple countries, time zones, and cultures. How does the project manager direct and control a project without lengthy status meetings at ungodly hours? We need a system that does not require direct communication or direction – this is where OODA helps. Next we need clear ground rules for team participants. This is the theory I am working out. My draft nickname for this system is “Two Yeses”.”
Image by Dalbera.
I am drafting a response for a couple of days now 
It will not fit in the comment box.
I will need a series of blog posts instead.
“The Project Shrink Information Flow”-series… or if someone knows a more hyped, over-the-top title, drop me a comment.
1. Two Ways Of Communicating: Broadcast And Peer To Peer
2. You Can Decide How You Communicate: Rules Of Engagement
3. Does Transparency Lead To More Ethical Behavior?
4. Purpose Of Communication: What Is It Good For?
5. Filtering Information: Why You Cannot See Everything
6. Quality Of Information: Do You Trust Your Cousin Vinnie?
Before I start, i hope you check out the interesting discussion over at Project Lifestyle.
Let the idea fish swim. That's a very rough translation of what Margaret Wheatley talks about in Leadership and the New Science. If those silvery information aquamachines can't freely dart about, the project will be stymied. They must be active, not lined up and regimented. Coordinated, yes. Controlled, no. Responsive, of course. Only reactive, never.