101 Project Management Problems and How to Solve Them

57. How do I effectively plan and manage a project that involves invention, investigation, or multiple significant decisions?

By definition, all projects are unique and involve at least some aspects that have not been done before. For some projects, the changes between one and the next may be minor, and project planning may be adequately done using little more than a copy machine and a red pen. For projects where you are blazing new trails, though, there may be substantial work required for which there is little precedent. Project management processes may seem inadequate for these “bleeding-edge” efforts, but even here they help by allowing you to segregate the known aspects from the unknown and focus better on what matters most.

Defining the ...