Session 5: Tactical issues in portfolio management
Note: Your answers do not need to be long. The value is in thinking about them.
5.1 Pipeline tactics:https://vimeo.com/179116356/f8f99e7cb2
1. Consider an important high-risk project in your life. (e.g. building your career, surviving in high school, finding true love)
a. Why is it high risk?
b. Did it undergo a transition from “playing poker” to “playing chess”? If so, describe briefly. If not, how not and why not? Is the “why not” interesting?
c. Were there key decision points that punctuated the journey? How well do you think you managed them?
d. Have you had a high-risk project that “failed at the gate”. Why/how did it fail?
Note: Please remember that at least one classmate will see your answers!
5.2 Picking Projects: https://vimeo.com/179116358/5495573863
2. For the same high-risk project (or a different one):
a. Describe its risk profile over time.
b. Describe its uncertainty profile over time.
c. Describe how it changed your capabilities. Did it change them in the way you expected?
d. Was it strategically wise? If not, why not?
e. Was it a worthwhile/valuable project?
3. Do your answers teach you anything about yourself?
4. Do your answers teach you anything about the environment in which you’ve been operating?
5.3 Evaluating Projects (1):https://vimeo.com/179125257/eca8705f0e
5.4 Evaluating Projects (2):https://vimeo.com/179116360/973a5d804a
1. Think a time you have engaged in “project evaluation” of a high ambiguity project with a friend. (e.g. deciding whether to continue a relationship, deciding whether to send your child to boarding school). Alternatively, think about a time you’ve seen it on TV or in a movie.
a. How does your process compare with the one described in the video?
b. How do you explain the differences?
2. And for a low ambiguity case:
a. How does your process compare with the one described in the video?
b. How do you explain the differences?
5.5 Killing Projects:https://vimeo.com/179125307/93848046fc
1. Does the video on killing projects make you think you’ll do some things differently in future? What?