Making It Happen: A Non-Technical Guide to Project Management

8.2. The Project Has a Sponsor

Henry Stanton looked pleased. "I think that is the right choice, Ralph. This is the most important new product that Hyler has taken on in some time. I think it requires your involvement." Ralph looked some what mollified. "But that leaves a question," Stanton continued. Where does Stuart fit into this assignment? It was his idea to take on this product." Everyone looked around the table at each other until all their eyes ended up on me.

An important lesson I have learned in life is that if you are asked a question in a roomful of people and you don't know the answer, never confess ignorance. Instead, look thoughtful and stall, because someone else will almost always volunteer something you can use. I followed my own advice and I was not disappointed.

"I'll act as a business analyst," Stu volunteered. "I did the original feasibility analysis and laid out the general parameters of both this project and the marketing one. I can advise Ralph about the effect of his decisions on the success of the product."

Everyone seemed to think that this was a good idea, including me. I wanted Stu to be involved.

Ralph had one more question for me. "Have you got a schedule of the work yet? Or a work breakdown structure to show us?"

Honesty seemed to be working well for me, so I told him, "Actually, I don't have those yet."

This was not strictly true. At 9:00 a.m. Al Burton had presented me with a list of his tasks, a work breakdown structure chart, and a schedule ...