101 Project Management Problems and How to Solve Them

32. How should I initiate a project that has a relatively low priority?

Not every project can be the number one priority, so most project leaders need to figure out how to get things done even though other work may take precedence. To succeed, these projects will need sufficient priority, sustained sponsorship, and a dedicated team.

Verifying Your Priority

Before assuming that your project has low priority, discuss the situation with your sponsor. Review the project’s goals and work to understand the expected benefits. If the project benefits appear substantial and inadequate priority is a credible threat to these benefits, ensure that your sponsor clearly understands this.

If your project priority is lower than appropriate, propose that it be ...