A clear project vision is essential for the success of any project. It provides direction, establishes goals, and can even eliminate issues before they occur. While most businesses have a strong idea of who they are and where they are headed, when it comes time to put it all down, problems arise. Here’s what you need to know about project vision statements to avoid this happening to you.
What exactly is projected vision?
Before you put pen to paper and try to figure out your vision, you need to know what you’re trying to write. Here, two definitions are at work: project vision and project vision statement. The project vision is the big picture of where the team or project is going. The statement, on the other hand, is a vehicle for communicating this vision in a clear and succinct manner.
Simply described, a project vision statement is a written expression of the project vision. Its goal is to guide, motivate, and inspire those involved in the project. It communicates the general feeling more than anything else, despite the fact that it is only a few phrases long. The vision statement is not intended to give instructions on how the team should act in any given situation, but rather to communicate the basic principles and the end aim. Based on this knowledge, the team or individual team members can make the best decisions for the project.
Three major reasons why having a company vision is critical
- It brings people together.
When a clear vision is developed within a corporation, it serves as a focal point or point of common interest, making everyone feel like they are part of a larger whole. This not only gives the task more significance, but it also helps to unite everyone into a team that is organized, focused, and working together to contribute to the vision.
- It is motivating.
Creating a compelling vision is awe-inspiring. It clearly has a motivating influence on everyone in the organization. It generates energy and passion, which increases commitment and promotes transformation. This is especially vital during difficult or stressful times, since having a clear vision can motivate you to persevere and remind you why you started.
- It serves as a focus for goal-setting and company planning.
A vision gives the firm a sense of purpose and direction. Your vision will assist you in defining your short and long-term objectives, as well as guiding the decisions you make along the route.
A vision statement is a primary tool for determining where the project should go and should not be overlooked. It assists your team members in making sound decisions. It drives people to accomplish tasks that are required for the end objective. And it motivates new actions or solutions to reach the desired outcome. Writing a project vision statement that includes all of this is a difficult task that should be handled carefully. There are numerous vision statement templates available online, but there is no one that is a great fit for everyone. While there are no requirements for the format of this declaration, certain principles are suggested.
Specify but do not restrict. Your vision statement should outline the project’s end goal as well as any extra criteria that will ensure its success. However, it should not be concentrated on a single method of achieving this end aim. Instead, it should allow for numerous paths to the intended outcome while encouraging action from both stakeholders and the team.
Consider the future. When creating a project vision statement, keep in mind what you want to accomplish in a specific time range. Instead of focusing on what you want right now, consider where you want to be in 5, 10, and 20 years. As a result, you will be driving your organization forward and attempting to achieve specific goals within a specific time range.
Make it both inspiring and difficult. Your vision statement should be about something that everyone on the team is excited to accomplish. At the same time, this aim should be viewed as a long-term task, rather than one that can be achieved in the near future. In this manner, your staff is motivated to work hard in order to achieve something achievable along the route.
Don’t be overly specific. Leave some room for revisions when writing your vision. Because it is hard to predict what will happen in the following five years, leaving some ambiguity in your aim ensures that it will not become obsolete down the line.
Collaborate
Another point to keep in mind is that, while deciding on a project vision might be a solo process, producing the project vision statement should not be. Involving the entire team, or just a portion of it, in the process is a fantastic idea. As a result, regardless of distance, you should ensure that everyone is participating. It will aid in the employment of words and phrases that connect with the team and make them feel like they are a part of the team and the end objective.
Use a tool like the Projectopia project management tool to collect thoughts and suggestions from your team. Then, write a single line as a convincing phrase to encapsulate your vision statement.
Many projects are tactical in nature rather than strategic.
Projects are frequently launched and carried out without a clear vision. As a result, tactical project outputs may be short-term in character and swiftly supplanted by other modifications. There is a considerable chance of a divergence between the project’s concrete results and what the client or organization truly needs in the absence of a clear vision. Because the business needs were not properly recognized, or because the effort was not fully thought out or connected with company strategy, the project may fail to achieve the intended benefits.
According to a PMI study, 60% of projects are not connected with strategic objectives, despite the fact that such alignment has the greatest potential to provide value to an organization. Unfortunately, this implies that, while many projects are completed to specifications, the end result is tactical and does not add as much value as it could.
When project managers lead a project, it is critical that they should not behave like restricted managers who simply accept the brief as presented by senior management or the client without questioning or engaging with it. They must collaborate with the customer and take an active role in creating the project’s goals and advantages until it makes sense to them and they fully get it.
Many project managers who are accustomed to the traditional style of working may find this to be a new way of thinking. Traditionally, project managers have been more concerned with delivering an output or a product than with the big picture.
Conclusion
The key advantage of having a clear and relevant vision is that it helps ensure that there is congruence between the actual project deliverables and the project’s strategic objectives – and that those objectives serve a wider purpose for the organization.
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