INTRODUCTION

In Parts 1 and 2 of this book I have presented a general method for leading a project. We have talked about how to plan it, what things to do during the execution of the plan, and how to bring the project to a successful conclusion. The method presented was conceptually very simple and pretty much common sense.

However, life is never that simple. Countless issues, large and small, will arise during your project. Not a day will go by when there won't be problems requiring solutions; every day, you will make decisions which will affect the outcome of the project.

This part of the book presents a general method and a toolbox of techniques that you can use to help resolve these issues, to solve problems and to make decisions. Armed with your commonsense method in one hand and your problem- solving method in the other, you should be the equal of any issue which arises to confront you.

In this chapter I will list these problem-solving techniques and, where useful, give examples of their application. There are no right and wrong situations when one or other technique should be applied. As we have seen, projects are complex organisms, and any issue is likely to be complicated, with numerous factors to be balanced. Several of the techniques which follow may all resolve the issue. Only you can decide which resolution is right for your project. If this chapter had a subtitle it would be "There's more than one way to skin a cat."