Journeys and Maps

A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step - Tao Te Ching, Chapter 64

I've often seen the analogy of comparing a project plan to a map, where the project is the journey. As I prepare for a journey, I was thinking about this.

I am driving to Colorado today. I'll plug my destination into my car's navigation system, and it will tell me which way to drive, how far I have to go, and when I'll have to stop for gas. Just like with a project management plan, this is a good start.

However, I don't know what will happen along the way. I may hit some bad weather. I'm always in awe when I first see the Rockies. I'll have my camera along so I can capture the sights as I go, and when I get there.

Our project plan should prepare us for what lies ahead, but it can never account for every possibility, we will have to make adjustments along the way. But I also believe that the journey is half the fun, whether it's solving a challenging design issue or setting up a new development environment, I try to enjoy the things that happen along the way. Obviously, with a project, the goal is to complete on time, within budget, and with the planned scope, but we shouldn't be so focused on the end that we miss out during the journey.