before they proceed to the rest of the project.
Marketing Your HBS Idea
You may have to market your "Hudson's Bay Start" idea to your manager, your executives, your customers, and your users. You might begin by telling them the "Hudson's Bay Start" story. I've witnessed the curiosity this story generates and its commonsense appeal. Its historical base gives the idea credibility. Then, talk about specific project risks that concern you. Ask if these risks concern them also. Propose a small portion of work to test how the project will handle these risks. For your HBS, choose real project work that must be done anyway. This helps offset the notion that "we don't have time." Suggest this work be scheduled early in the project. You may or may not succeed on your first attempt to market an HBS. But what's the worst that can happen? If Management says no, the project will proceed as it would have anyway. But, then again, they might just say, "Yes, this is a wonderful idea. Let's try it."
Reference: A Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles. 1967. Toronto: W.J. Gage Limited, P354.
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About the author
Eileen Strider facilitates project reviews, project retrospectives, and IT organization assessments based on her experience as a developer, software project manager, IT manager, and Chief Information Officer. She occasionally fills in as a temporary CIO. With her partner, Wayne Strider, she leads the annual Strider & Cline Leaders' Forum. See www.striderandcline.com/ or send email to eileenstrider@worldnet.att.net.
