Why are we doing this project?

Understanding the purpose of any project is paramount for success. On multiple occasions, I joined a new project as a consultant that was lacking context and detail. When talking with other data practitioners, it seems as though this may be a common theme. If we are to gain a deeper understanding of our project, we need to keep asking "why".

Fitting the project into the overall vision

An important factor of successful and well-received projects is if it aligns with the organization's priorities. If our project aligns with that of the business, great! If you are unsure, this is a great opportunity to explore the purpose of our project and see how it aligns with the overarching goals.

By asking, "why are we doing this?" we can start to understand the motives behind the project. Understanding the context of a project is critical because we can further ensure that our solution fits the organization's objective. I have seen projects that you would expect to be well received by others, but it does not fit into the overall vision of the company. By asking "why" you can ensure that the project fits the mission of the company and will be well received.

Prioritizing

Everyone is busy and it can be challenging to determine which project should be first. People have competing priorities and everything is urgent. As data practitioners, our to-do list is long so it is important to ensure the work we are doing is aligned with the company's mission.

By asking "why" a project is important we can ensure that it aligns with a company's key objective. Two scenarios could be presented to you by the sales team and the marketing team. Marketing needs to understand the effectiveness of their recent email campaign and Sales needs to understand their customers that are at risk of churning. Both are important and critical to the success of the business. If we dive deeper into why these projects are important, we can ensure that our list of priorities is aligned with the company's priorities.

I started this series off by exploring initial questions you should be asking before starting any project. Refining your project is key to long-term success. Check out our list of questions for project refinement, and leave comments below with questions that you think should be added!

Are you having trouble understanding the purpose of a project? Or are you looking to refine your project so it can be made the priority? Reach out as I'd like to learn more about how I can help!