3 Tips for Project Managers Facing Imperfect Solutions
No matter how much planning and preparation you put into a project, there will inevitably come a time when none of the available solutions are a perfect fit. What do you do when faced with a less-than-ideal choice? Here are three tips to help project managers navigate imperfect solutions and make decisions you can live with.
1. Fully Understand Your Options
It may seem obvious, but one of the most important steps in project management decision making is making sure you fully understand your options. Once you’ve determined a solution doesn’t have everything you want, it’s easy to stop digging deeper. However, now is the time to explore each option thoroughly. Are there hidden benefits you hadn’t noticed before? Could certain aspects of the solution help offset what’s missing?
Taking the time to learn all you can about the available choices might reveal unexpected advantages, turning what seemed like a flawed option into a potential diamond in the rough. Thoroughly evaluating your project options is key to making an informed decision.
2. Identify Your Project’s Deal Breakers
Defining your non-negotiables is a crucial part of selecting the right solution. What are the absolute requirements for your project? What can you not compromise on? By identifying project deal breakers—such as regulatory requirements, budget limits, or critical functionality—you can eliminate the least suitable options.
When you narrow your focus to solutions that meet these essential criteria, you’re more likely to find an option that works without encountering unexpected obstacles later on. Knowing your deal breakers helps streamline the decision-making process.
3. Recognize the Shortcomings of Each Option
Listing out the shortcomings of each solution might reveal surprising insights. Some of these “flaws” may be based on outdated preferences or irrelevant factors, such as stakeholder whims, end user expectations, or the old “that’s how we’ve always done it” mindset.
Take a moment to reassess any unnecessary restrictions you’ve placed on your choices. Adopting a more flexible mindset may help you view the available solutions differently and identify the best possible outcome for your project. Evaluating the limitations of each option can often lead to new opportunities.
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