Plan B Was Yesterday:
Poetic Project Management

By Bill Flury

We started the project following Plan A
That only lasted a week and a day.

Then something happened that we didn’t foresee.
So, we updated things and went to Plan B.

A few days passed and the team told me
Three tasks were late. So, on to Plan C.

One task recovered, miraculously
Two still were late. So we made Plan D.

A Navy order arrived requesting a lot.
So, our next revision was named Foxtrot.

Plans Foxtrot and George both went well.
But, two more tasks led to Plan Hotel.

As things kept changing we went back to letters.
Plans I, J, K, and L just sounded better.

By the end of the project we’d passed Plan Z.
Not unusual. Why? You’ll see.

Each day was different from the one before
Some things were less and some things more

New team members came and some had to go.
Some tasks went fast and others ran slow.

Some risks come true and we had to adjust.
It wasn’t a choice. It became a must.

Managers call it “Progressive Elaboration”
I call it “Staying tuned to the situation”

Keeping plans current is the only way.
Remember, Plan B is “SO Yesterday”

A good project manager thinks like there is no yesterday and works like there is no tomorrow.

If this happens to spark a creative mood in you, please feel free to drop your own limerick in the comments!

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