Peripheral Vision Program Management, Better Business Starts Here

Peripheral Vision Program Management

Are you a great program manager? Glance at the picture for two seconds.

How well you can ascertain information in an instant, how you interpret it, and how you react to it tells a lot about the type of driver that you may be. It also tells a lot about the type of manager you may be.

How many cars did you see? If you saw 1-5, then you see what’s in front of you… and you probably have an idea of what’s right behind you. An average project manager sees the task in front of him. He’s looking for breakdowns in the structure that are schedule risks. He herds the traffic of stakeholders and resources in and out of the subtasks and sprints. He sees what tasks are complete and the level of effort to complete the project.

If you saw 6-12 cars, you are an aware driver. You are aware of what’s on the road a quarter mile ahead of you and probably saw all three vehicles in the side view mirror. You may also have noticed that there is a car in the upcoming side street. You are aware that the next intersection is uncontrolled and know that the car to the right may pull out in front of you. Program managers will usually have this level of awareness. They will have the ability to process multiple inputs and manage multiple projects at once, look ahead at the strategic roadmap, guide their customers and staff, avoid unseen obstacles to process using the value of experience and expertise, and proceed with confidence.

What else did you notice?

How about the red traffic light ahead? The brake lights and blinker on the car ahead and to the left? Did you notice the separation between that car and the one in front of you? Will the signaling car be able to change lanes before reaching the red light without causing the car in front of you to brake? It’s this kind of situational awareness that makes a good program manager. An ability to assess all of the facts, data, and plans, and to keep the project on course and the customer confident that the delivery content and date will be according to plan.

But there is still more that can be done… a small step that turns a good program manager into a great one. That is Peripheral Vision Program Management.

Go back and take a longer look at the photo. Notice what is in the driver’s peripheral vision. A great driver is innately aware of the weather conditions, road conditions, the large block of cars coming through the traffic light toward him that could lose control and enter his lane; despite the divider island. In his peripheral vision, he is aware that there is a second car on the right that might influence what the front car does. He is aware whether the cars on the right are waiting at the intersection or just parked there. He notices the park behind the trees and is aware that a ball or small child could come out from between those trees at any time.

Program Management is no different. A great project manager can perceive the competition coming at him, ready to “blindside” him. He is aware that an opportunity may be just outside of the program parameters, or the customer’s viewpoint, and be able to adjust resources to be able to capture that opportunity and still deliver on time. A great program manager forecasts. He has a predictive mind. He is noticing the behavior of others and can predict how they will react to changing priorities or sudden constraints. He can tell you what is going to happen before it does and has mitigated any risk that could have resulted.

Situational awareness is not quite as easy in a business setting as it is for driving because many of the factors are not as obvious. Some factors are outcome driven, or are based on stakeholders and outside politics. Still, a seasoned program manager will develop the same intuitive skill as a seasoned driver. And just like driving, it takes experience and practice to become great. That’s important because a great program manager will soon find himself more often a consultant to your customer than a project driver.