Key takeaways
- Most projects measure shipped features or launch dates; ask instead what business outcome the work should produce.
- Write business values on a cheat sheet, brief the team at an internal kickoff, and map every story back to an objective.
- Big outcome targets are reached in baby steps; extra goals are fine if they enhance rather than replace the original.
- Definition of done means the feature is integrated and moves the product toward its outcome, not just completed.
- Describe your own PM value in outcomes delivered, not responsibilities held; certifications open doors but practical experience gets the job.
About this episode
“An important PM skill is to be able to facilitate conversations around business value in order to strategize and look at outcomes.”
Goals. We all have them. Or at least we should. In the world of project management, goals manifest in different ways. As project managers we are often mired in goals of all types: organizations, project, and even personal goals that help to guide us.
But how are we setting and managing goals to get the most out of every aspect of our work?
In this episode of Time Limit, Brett sits down with agile consultant Anita Sagar to discuss project goals and professional goals. The conversation focuses on the project management mindset around goals, and how to shift project metrics from outputs to outcomes, and how to tie those outcomes to your overall success and career trajectory. This information-filled conversation covers:
- How organizations set, document, and communicate project goals
- The value of revisiting goals mid-project
- How to focus on goals vs. outputs
- Focusing on quality rather than quantity
- How to discuss outcomes and get more out of retrospectives
- How to quantify your skillset as a PM and advance your career
- The value of certifications