Building a Smarter Approach to High-Stakes Risk
“I know of no such unquestionable badge and ensign of a sovereign mind as that of tenacity of purpose…” — Ralph Waldo Emerson Project Overview This project involved the development of an interagency risk management process for aviation security, aligned with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 16 (HSPD-16), the federal policy framework in effect at […]
From a Whiteboard to a System of Systems: Executing Across a Network of Moving Parts
“We can’t impose our will on a system. We can listen to what the system tells us, and discover how its properties and our values can work together to bring forth something much better than could ever be produced by our will alone.” — Donella Meadows, Project Overview A former boss entrusted me […]
Where is the Home Team? Who Gets to Belong?
“We understand the human need and desire to belong. By promoting diversity and supporting the removal of societal barriers, we aim to contribute to more inclusive and accessible spaces for all.”—Aponwao Ideas ——————— The Search for a Home Team I grew up in a country where the national pastime was béisbol, despite being a […]
The Plan That Keeps Paying Back
“The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” — Kakuzo Okakura, ——————— When Alejandra and I developed the baseline for our annual backpacking trip back in 2019, we did so with a deliberate project management mindset. We were conscious that this wasn’t a one-off event; it was a repeatable process. […]
Strategic Roadmap for Complex Modernization
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” — Michael Porter Project Overview A major federal entity needed a long-range strategy to modernize critical aircraft systems through a phased investment approach. The project produced a six-year roadmap covering five aircraft systems, defining future enhancements, outlining funding needs, and sequencing upgrade options […]
The Trip Was Won in the Planning: A Backpacking Case Study
“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” — Sir Edmund Hillary Project Overview In the summer of 2019, Alejandra and I embarked on a six-day backpacking journey to honor the memory of Diego, my son and her beloved brother, on the first anniversary of his passing. As mother and daughter, we approached […]
Systems Thinking at Play: From Spaghetti & Meatballs to Bridge&Map™
“Everything you know, and everything everyone knows, is only a model. Get your model out there where it can be viewed. Invite others to challenge your assumptions and add their own.” — Donella Meadows Project Overview For years, I approached project management the way many experienced managers do: utilizing a vast toolkit of templates, […]
Beyond Boundaries: A Cross-Cultural Strategy for Global Design Integration
“We can thrive in our own tradition, even as we learn from others, and come to respect their teachings.” — Kofi Annan giving his 2001 Nobel Prize speech PROJECT OVERVIEW This project centered on a global coordination framework to redefine system architecture for an airplane derivative model at a large-scale systems integration effort in […]
Beyond Firefighting: How We Use Data to Catch Project Glitches Early
“It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.” — Sherlock Holmes (created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) As program managers, we’ve all been there: staring at a project that’s veering off track, trying to figure […]