PM ADVISORY:

The Hidden Costs and Dangers of the Shortcut

by Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®
Founder & Chief Cheetah, Cheetah Learning, USA

Spanish Translation by
Rafael Díaz Real, PhD, PMP y
Roberto Toledo Rodríguez, MBA, PMP,
Alpha Consultoría, Mexico

We live in a world where we are often pressured to take shortcuts to save time and cut costs as much as possible. However, if you’re not a skilled and experienced project manager, the wrong shortcut could end up costing you a lot more. Here’s an anecdote to think about:

Let’s say you are running a project, and the goal is to upgrade a road to a remote property. You solicit bids from several contractors and ask them to do it for the least cost possible, and you also stipulate you don't want to get any permits.

None of the contractors are willing to work under those conditions, so you get your own earth moving equipment and a friend with some experience to help you upgrade your road.

In the process, you fill in a spillway to a dam for a reservoir. You think this is no big deal because the fine you pay for that is far less than what it would've cost to hire a contractor to do the job properly.

Three years later in a heavy rainstorm, the dam breaks because the spillway has been compromised. Seven homes are washed away in the ensuing flood and 10 people die. Now, what was intended as a shortcut to save money ends up taking lives.

Is it so farfetched? How often is safety comprised every day because people are looking for the quick way out? Even more important as project managers, we have a responsibility to be the voice of reason that understands the hidden costs and dangers of the shortcut.

To read entire paper Click Here for (English) or (Spanish)

About the Author Michelle LaBrosse Author Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses. Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world. Michelle’s articles have appeared in over 100 publications and web sites around the world. She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton. She lives in Nevada with her family and likes to rejuvenate in Alaska where you’ll often find her kayaking, hiking, and riding her motorcycle. To contact Michelle, visit www.cheetahlearning.com. PMP® is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute.