Chapter 1 Flashcards
(20 cards)
What personal event first sparked Terry Schmidt’s fascination with space and strategic thinking?
Watching the 1957 launch of Sputnik 1 and Walter Cronkite announcing the dawn of the Space Age.
What was Schmidt’s boyhood experiment that symbolized his early project mindset?
Launching guppies (Minnie and Mickey) in a homemade rocket called HALO 1.
What strategic mistake did HALO 1 unintentionally highlight?
Lack of preparation for external risks (e.g., parachute failure, G-force impact) — a lesson about risk and assumptions.
How did Schmidt describe the reasoning behind building HALO 1?
He worked backward from a big WHY — “If I launch living things, then I become a Rocket Man.”
What career path did Schmidt follow after the guppy launch and Model Rocket News article?
Aerospace engineering at University of Washington → MBA at Harvard → U.S. DOT → international development → consulting.
What does NASA Rule #15 teach about project planning?
“The seeds of problems are laid down early.” Poor initial planning is the #1 cause of failure.
What is systems thinking in the context of project management?
A holistic approach that considers the project’s role in the larger environment — beyond isolated tasks.
What metaphor does Schmidt use to describe poor project design?
Navigating a maze at ground level without seeing the full path — causing blind alleys and frustration.
How does strategic project management give you a “bird’s-eye view”?
By starting with the end goal and designing backward using cause-and-effect logic.
What is the Logical Framework Approach (LFA)?
A 4×4 strategic project design matrix using causal, If–Then logic to link purpose, outcomes, tasks, and risks.
What are the Four Strategic Questions at the heart of the LogFrame?
- What results are we trying to achieve, and why?
- How do we measure success?
- What other conditions must exist?
- How do we get there?
What do the answers to these four questions correspond to in the LogFrame matrix?
Q1 → Objectives (Goal, Purpose, Outcomes)
Q2 → Success Measures and Verification
Q3 → Assumptions and Risks
Q4 → Inputs (Tasks and Resources)
What is the core logic structure of the LogFrame?
If we do X, then Y will happen — assuming Z conditions are met.
Why is the LogFrame matrix useful beyond just project planning?
It doubles as a team alignment tool, evaluation framework, communication guide, and strategy clarifier.
What makes the LogFrame approach universally applicable?
It solves recurring issues (unclear goals, poor execution, lack of buy-in) that appear in all project types and sectors.
What do Minnie and Mickey symbolize in strategic project design?
The risks and unintended outcomes of projects that are started without considering assumptions and external factors.
Why is the LogFrame called the “Swiss army knife of strategy”?
Because it serves many functions: design, communication, evaluation, team-building, and more.
What are examples of when to use a LogFrame?
-New idea or pivot
-Fuzzy goals from a strategy doc
-Team misalignment
-Surprise risks
-Feasibility testing
-Opportunity evaluation
What are the three enablers of effective early project planning?
A common language, a common process, and an organized framework.
What’s the difference between strategic project management and regular project management?
Strategic PM designs from the Why first and links all actions to strategic impact — not just execution.
