Defining expected outcomes or work products for each task in a project increases team transparency, accountability, and project success.
Projects suffer when people get stuck. People get stuck when they don’t have clarity on tasks assigned to them or their team. (One way to tell you are stuck on a task is that you continually put off completing it). The problem is compounded by the fact that people often don’t want to ask for help because they think it will make them appear incompetent.
Use this exercise at the beginning of a project when you are assigning tasks to a team so that everyone has clear expectations about the project and their part in it. It is also useful when you or your team are paralyzed by a poorly defined task or a complex problem.
