| Introduction | | | | equipment and started the hike. We had planned our |
| Reaching almost twenty thousand feet high, Mount | | | | trip to come after the rainy season. The good news |
| Kilimanjaro is the tallest point in Africa. In Swahili, | | | | was that there wasn't much rain while we were |
| Kilimanjaro is translated as the "Mountain of | | | | there. The bad news was that we would have to |
| Greatness." In 2000, my brother and I decided to | | | | hike through six inches of mud. Our technology |
| climb this great mountain. We spent months preparing | | | | support (hiking poles) helped us stay upright for the |
| including understanding what we would need to | | | | most part. This day was spent hiking through the |
| summit, designing our approach, getting the right | | | | thick rainforest. The trail was covered in mud and all |
| equipment and training for endurance. We then spent | | | | we could see in every direction (including up) was |
| one week executing the plan up the mountain. Since | | | | green vegetation. |
| these are the same steps required in managing any | | | | Since we were hiking together, we could only move |
| project, I decided to write a case study on Project | | | | as fast as our slowest person. We had a team |
| Management best practices in the context of planning | | | | member who moved very slowly. This resulted in us |
| and executing our journey up the mountain. | | | | hiking into the night time on the first day. We had to |
| Planning | | | | use our headlamps to see at night, which we were |
| Like most big projects, we had an almost | | | | planning on using on the summit night. We would |
| unattainable vision; to summit the tallest mountain in | | | | have to figure something out for light when we |
| Africa. We had fixed resources (our own money) and | | | | summitted. |
| a fixed timeline. Historically, 80% of people who try | | | | We finally arrived at our camp, had some dinner, and |
| to summit this mountain fail for one reason or | | | | then went to bed. We really couldn't sleep because |
| another. Interestingly, this is the same percentage | | | | of the excitement of the trip and the new |
| that experts attribute to the success of any IT | | | | experience. |
| project. We had to plan for this correctly so that our | | | | Lessons Learned |
| goal could be achieved. | | | | * Do team-building activities to build the one team, |
| Be Informed | | | | one goal concept |
| Our first step was to gather as much information as | | | | * Learn how to say "slow American" in Swahili |
| possible. We wanted to understand the history of | | | | * Help the team members who are struggling, as |
| other attempts, the associated risks, and anything | | | | their performance affects the entire team |
| else that might influence our project. | | | | * Be flexible with your approach as the reality |
| Some of our discoveries include: | | | | becomes different than the plan |
| * HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema) is a | | | | Day 2 - Immersion |
| potentially fatal condition where fluid fills the lungs of | | | | We woke up very early this next day and started to |
| a climber if they ascend to quickly | | | | climb again. We continued through the rainforest for |
| * There are several ways to get to the top | | | | some time. We continued to hike very slowly and my |
| * They have a wet rainy season and a cold winter | | | | legs began to hurt. This concerned me since it was |
| season | | | | only the second day. My shoulders had also started |
| * The terrain is uneven with parts that are very | | | | hurting from the weight of my backpack. |
| slippery because of scree (small rocks which slide | | | | After a few more hours of hiking, we finally came |
| under your feet as you try to climb up) | | | | above the tree level. This was significant because, |
| * Since the summit is the highest point on the | | | | after about fourteen hours of hiking, we could finally |
| continent, there is nothing to block the winds which | | | | see our goal. This is so important to a project |
| can get to forty below zero | | | | because we are often so focused on the steps we |
| We would need to use this information to prepare | | | | are taking that we rarely look up to see the goal |
| ourselves for the journey. This relates directly to the | | | | that we are trying to achieve. |
| initiation of a project where it is important to give | | | | We were now at around twelve thousand feet and it |
| the team insight into the history and potential risks | | | | was very cold. We had the appropriate equipment |
| from which a plan can be made. | | | | but nothing could prepare us for the |
| Hire the Experts | | | | spider-mosquitoes (we don't know what they were, |
| Neither my brother nor I had ever hiked a mountain | | | | but they looked like a cross between spiders and |
| of this magnitude before so we sought the advice of | | | | mosquitoes). At the camp we noticed these critters |
| people who had a proven record. We collected our | | | | all over the ground. As it got dark out, they |
| short list of tour companies (vendors). Based on our | | | | disappeared because it got very cold. We learned |
| vendor analysis (cost, track record, services offered, | | | | later that they all must have gone into our tent and |
| etc.) we came up with a partner. We selected a | | | | sleeping bags. We spent the rest of the night trying |
| company that had a proven track record of success | | | | to get them out of our tent, bags, clothes, and |
| and who could organize and execute the details for | | | | psyche. |
| us. | | | | Lessons Learned |
| The other option would have been to fly to Tanzania | | | | * Project work is painful at times, but you need to |
| and figure it out ourselves which would have had an | | | | work through it |
| extremely low probability of success. This sounds like | | | | * Envision the goal and see the bigger picture |
| an easy decision, but too often companies attempt | | | | * Take care of bugs when you notice them and |
| to jump into projects without expert advice and then | | | | before they get out of control |
| make the mistakes that an expert would have | | | | Day 3 - Roller Coaster |
| already experienced ("those who do not learn from | | | | We continued hiking for another eight hours up and |
| history..."). For example, our tour company provided | | | | down the mountain. There were many valleys and |
| us with a "bathroom tent." This was nothing more | | | | hills on the path. Since we were trying to move |
| than a tent containing a plastic seat with a hole and | | | | higher, we knew that every time there was a valley |
| plastic bag in it. We didn't see any other hikers on the | | | | that we went down, that we could have more |
| mountain with one of these and it made the | | | | ground to make up to come higher. On projects, |
| difference between something civilized and trying to | | | | there are always obstacles that take you away from |
| balance behind a rock. | | | | your ultimate goal and they have to be worked |
| Create a Plan | | | | through to get you back on track. |
| We researched the activities that needed to take | | | | We camped out at the base of a wall that we would |
| place. We needed equipment, logistics (flights, hotels, | | | | be scaling the next day. That night, our companion |
| etc.), and a plan to condition ourselves. Working with | | | | was coughing and could not breathe at the altitude. It |
| our partner, we laid these out into a plan that we | | | | was 15,000 feet and she was a smoker. We would |
| could manage to ensure that everything was in place. | | | | decide to send her down the mountain the next day |
| We also mapped out a plan for the mountain. Based | | | | since there was little chance of her making the wall |
| on our risks, we had decided to ascend to thirteen | | | | and her health was deteriorating. |
| thousand feet and stay there for three days while | | | | Lessons Learned |
| we acclimatized (to avoid HAPE). The plan also | | | | * Sometimes the work takes you away from your |
| accounted for the timing of the climb by scheduling it | | | | goal and you have to make up the ground |
| after the rainy season out and before the winter | | | | * Sometimes it's okay to change resources if they |
| season. We would ascend at night and reach the | | | | are not the appropriate fit and risk the end goal |
| summit by daybreak. | | | | Day 4 - The Wall |
| On projects, creating the plan is one of the most | | | | We had a scope change. With our companion leaving |
| critical activities. Once the project starts, it will cost | | | | the envoy, we had to send her down with a guide, |
| more time and resources to change direction, so it is | | | | some porters, and one of the two stoves used for |
| important to consider things carefully up front. Half | | | | cooking. Often during projects, a critical dependency |
| way up the mountain, we would not have been able | | | | gets impacted and teams have to respond |
| to take a different starting route. | | | | accordingly. |
| Define Appropriate Roles | | | | The wall was very scary as it required a lot of |
| A best practice is to source work to people who are | | | | climbing and hand-over-hand scaling up rocks. My |
| best suited to do the work. On our trip, the provider | | | | brother and I are not fans of heights and there was |
| that we selected had agreed to provide us with | | | | not much of an area between us and the ledge. We |
| people who would carry our tents and prepare the | | | | couldn't turn back, but going forward meant more |
| food (I felt like a rap star with my "posse" of people | | | | anxiety and pain. We continued on to the next camp. |
| following me around). These were not things that we | | | | Lessons Learned |
| wanted to concern ourselves with but that were | | | | * Even though you have a plan, you have to be |
| critical to our success. We could not climb without | | | | flexible to changes in scope. |
| eating and staying warm and carrying these | | | | * Projects often hit a wall in the middle where the |
| ourselves would have left us exhausted for our | | | | team needs to push through. |
| summit attempt. | | | | Day 5 - Almost There |
| Projects must have the same approach. Companies | | | | On this day we would go up to around 16,000 feet. |
| do not have the resources to specialize in every | | | | This meant a very steep hike for the day. Upon |
| technical field. They need to consider sourcing specific | | | | getting to the camp, we met a team of South |
| technologies to organizations that can manage the | | | | Africans who were not able to summit because they |
| work and stay informed of the changes to the | | | | all had dysentery. I realized at this point that 80% of |
| technology. | | | | people who fail do not just fail on the last summit |
| Use of Technology | | | | day but as a function of their journey through the |
| Another best practice is to use technology as an | | | | process. This holds true for project managers that |
| enabler of success. We learned that there would be | | | | may make mistakes along the way, preventing them |
| a lot of hiking over unstable terrain and that the | | | | from attaining their goal. |
| summit was forty below zero with winds. We turned | | | | We laid out our special summiting gear and tried to |
| to technology to help us overcome these obstacles. | | | | get some sleep before the last push. Because of our |
| We purchased special hiking poles for stabilization and | | | | steady pace we were able to have enough energy |
| special boots that would keep our feet warm at the | | | | to try the summit. Oftentimes, people may rush too |
| summit. | | | | much at the bottom and then not have the stamina |
| There is a trade-off between technology and cost, | | | | to finish. This is very relevant to projects that get |
| though, as we could have used a helicopter to meet | | | | behind and then push the team hard for too long and |
| our goal of getting to the top, but that was not | | | | the people cannot complete their mission. |
| financially feasible (not to mention it would have been | | | | Lessons Learned |
| cheating). Projects should consider the use of | | | | * Completing the goal is a result of the journey along |
| technology to enable their success, but also look at | | | | the way and not just the last push |
| the costs of doing so (cost, maintenance of | | | | * Need to pace out the work. People get burnt out if |
| technology, obsolescence, etc.). | | | | they run for too long. |
| Use of Prototypes | | | | Day 6 - The Summit |
| Our plan was to hike other mountains that were | | | | We started our final push at midnight. We "deployed" |
| similar to Kilimanjaro. We wanted to prototype the | | | | our technology (head lamp, boots, hiking polls) and |
| experience and gauge the success of our training. | | | | started the trek. The "scree" (a grouping of small |
| Living in the United States, the best we could get | | | | rocks) was everywhere and it felt like we slid down |
| was in Colorado (8,000 feet lower than Kili). We | | | | one step for every two that we took uphill. Because |
| learned that our technology worked and that we | | | | of our slow start on day 1, our head lamps ran out |
| could tolerate altitudes above ten thousand feet. We | | | | very quickly. Luckily we had a clear night and a full |
| did not want to risk testing these out for the first | | | | moon which reflected off of the glaciers. My legs |
| time when we were in Africa. Imagine our success | | | | hurt so badly, but I focused on one step at a time |
| rate if we had just tried on our new boots for the | | | | and after six hours, we finally made it to the top to |
| first time when we arrived in Africa. A woman in our | | | | see the sun rise. |
| "expedition" had to descend the mountain in the | | | | At the top, I felt very nauseous and "lost" all of the |
| middle of the climb because she could not handle | | | | food that I had eaten before. At that altitude, your |
| altitudes anywhere near the 19,500 foot goal. | | | | body only focuses on breathing and everything else |
| Lessons Learned | | | | shuts down. We took our pictures and then started |
| * Get as much information as possible to identify | | | | back down again. |
| risks and opportunities | | | | It took us another three hours to get back down. |
| * Have a carefully thought-out plan | | | | The scree was less forgiving when you go downhill |
| * Use experts and historical information to plan and | | | | and combining that with my lack of energy, I must |
| estimate out a project | | | | have slipped and fallen about ten times. The decent |
| * Partner with providers who have the expertise and | | | | was difficult mentally as well because we had already |
| outsource that work which is not a core competency | | | | reached our goal (to summit) and had no motivation |
| * Use technology to enable success, where | | | | to continue pushing through pain. |
| appropriate | | | | Lessons Learned |
| * Use prototypes to test approaches and | | | | * There is nothing like the feeling of meeting your |
| technologies | | | | goals |
| Execution | | | | * Once the goal is completed, there is still work that |
| There comes a point where the planning stops and | | | | needs to get focus and attention |
| the project starts moving. Along the way there are | | | | Day 7 - Project Closure |
| always unplanned obstacles and challenges that come | | | | We continued down the mountain for another four |
| up. This project was no different. | | | | hours. Since we were near the base, we had to go |
| Day 1 - Kickoff | | | | back through the mud again. We finally finished and |
| We arrived in Africa in anticipation of our new | | | | went back to the camp where we celebrated our |
| project. On the first day we got to meet the team | | | | success with the team. This included songs in Swahili |
| which was made up of tribal guides. Each person in | | | | and a lot of beer. |
| our team had one guide and some porters/cooks. | | | | Lessons Learned |
| We took a three-hour bus ride with everyone to The | | | | * Celebrate successes with the team |
| Mountain. The entire way no one said a word except | | | | Conclusion |
| for an occasional conversation in Swahili and some | | | | Most projects have goals as aggressive as summiting |
| looks at us (my guess is they were betting on | | | | Mt. Kilimanjaro. In order to be successful, the Project |
| whether we would succeed or not). There were | | | | Manager must gather as much information as possible |
| clearly cultural and language differences that we | | | | and make a realistic plan. This plan has to be flexible |
| would need to get past if we were to work | | | | to the inevitable changes that will occur. To increase |
| together as a team. The beginning of a project is | | | | the probability of success, the PM should look to |
| always difficult because people are new to each | | | | source non-competency skills and use technology. I |
| other and are trying to figure out the relationships. | | | | would also suggest setting up a bathroom tent for |
| After arriving at the mountain, we unloaded our | | | | the team, just in case. |