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Jack Ricchiuto
jack(at)designinglife(dot)com
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DesigningLife.com, founded 1997 (CC) Creative Commons License

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Questions are the most powerful tool for managing projects. A project is the movement from unknowns to knowns.

QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFYING REQUIREMENTS & STATUS

WHO ... (else) knows this? (else) needs to know this? has been assigned to this? needs to be assigned to this? has access to this? (else) do we need to include on this? has the job of deciding this? has the information we need here? can handle this? can take this on?

WHAT ... are our knowns & unknowns? is the timing on this? is happening on this now? needs to be in place for this to happen? do we need to ask/negotiate for? should we propose? are stakeholders expecting (what will they be expecting)? is an alternative to this? is our backup plan?

WHEN ... does this need to occur (be scheduled for)? might this happen? might we know? would be the earliest that could (needs to) happen? would be the latest that could (needs to) happen? did they promise a response? should we expect that will begin/complete? can we get going on this?

WHERE ... will does this need to occur? will it actually occur? in the project does that need to be scheduled? can that information come from? are we on the schedule? are we on the budget? are we on percentage of work/outcomes complete so far? might we expect problems or changes to occur?

HOW ... will we measure that? will we find that out? will that get done? many/much/fast are we talking about? will this decision get made? will this be communicated? are things moving along? happy are the sponsors/clients/staff?

WHY ... is this a requirement? is there a problem? was that the choice/selection? did the decision go that way? is that change necessary? is the cost figured at that? is there a delay? is that changed/different?

QUESTIONS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS & BUILDING CONSENSUS

WHAT IF ... we tried ___ instead? we went down that path? things change in the meantime? we went ahead and did the research? those people/resources aren't available? that did/didn’t happen? they say yes/no? we don't get a response?

WHAT ELSE ... is possible? might they prefer? might they agree to/support? could get in the way? could change? could get us there? needs to be delivered? do we need to consider? would satisfy these criteria?

CAN WE ... test this out on a small scale first (pilot this)? go ahead without permission? move ahead with the support/consensus we have so far? just raise the questions and see where we get? create a better way to get this information communicated? see if there is any flexibility on this? put together a proposal or multiple proposals on this????