The JJW Blog

Should I Work On This Project?

Here is version 1 of a work project questionnaire  I am working on to better evaluate projects and companies I get involved with.  Your feedback is welcomed, if it’s good.  :)  Also, credit for the ideas behind the checklist include but are not limited to:  Getting Things Done by David Allen, The 4 Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris, Facebook, the NYT, articles I have read about Goldman Sachs,  advice from Steve Stroade, Warren Buffett, my Grandad, Todd Cotton, and several other sources.

Essential Questions

Will what is being built provide clear, immediate, and sustainable value?

Does it build or add to a viable platform or it a standalone project?  

Does the project have a clean and clear user interface (even if it’s not physical, good documentation, customer service, etc..)?

How much will I make?

What will I learn?

Will I have fun and enjoy the project?

Project Scope

Is the project idea simple enough to be executed fairly easily?

Are there common sense alternatives a Google search away that the project sponsors are ignoring or haven’t researched?

Are the technical hurdles limited to only a few well known areas?

Is there a compelling reason to build over buy?

Does the project build too much from scratch, should it pick a framework or platform to build on top of to get it further along?

Is the target market/audience/user group well understood?

Is the project vision clearly defined and easy to understand?

Will the quality of the project be easy to insure via testing?

Will the end product be easy to maintain and support?

Time Commitment

Will the project take 5, 10, or 15 work hrs/week? (*Anything greater is too long.  Shoot for projects that take around 5 hours per week or less.)

What other projects will I be doing along with this project?

How long will the project last?

Do the parties involved understand and value the need for smart work and not long/busy work?

What opportunities do I pass up/delay by engaging in this project?

Will I still be able to have my desired weekly amount of at least 1 or 2 trail run, bike, and ski adventures per work week if I take this project?

Project Sponsors

Are the sponsors good people, easy to work with?
Professional?

Know how to deal with problems, mistakes?

Committed to making the project itself and it’s end product excellent?

How much selling is needed to get the sponsors to the project the right way or do you think the project will be done the right way from the start?

Have the sponsors ever built anything of value before?

Are the sponsors smart enough?

Are the sponsors knowledgeable in the required fields and willing to research what they don’t know?

The Company Behind The Project

What is the intrinsic worth of the company behind the project?

How much cash does the company have?

How much debt does the company have?

Do I admire the company?

Is the company ethical?

For large companies: does the company aspire to excellence to a degree approaching Apple, Pixar, the NYT, Facebook, Google, and Goldman Sachs?  

Small companies: does the company compare to Zingerman’s Deli, Clif Bar, Contract Furnishings or a great bicycle shop?

Are the necessary management practices in place to realize the vision of the company?

Is the companies structure flat enough?

Does the company have a benevolent wise dictator as CEO?  Who or what guarantees ultimately oversees the vision of the company?

Does the companies structure and management practices encourage risk taking, innovation, excellence and collaboration?

Does the company value the environment and green energy?

Is the companies attention scattered too thin over competing visions?  

Does the company have a track record of success yet?  If not, do they have a track record of failure?