The Opening Move in Project Management – How the First Step Determines Success or Failure

Project management is similar to a game of chess: each phase requires its own strategy to be successful. And just like in chess, there are principles that provide guidance and help avoid mistakes. In this article, we’ll look at the opening of a project—the first and most critical phase. In two additional articles, we’ll focus on the middle game and the endgame to cover the entire spectrum of project management.

^{Photo by Rick J. Brown}

Why the Opening Is Crucial

• In chess, the opening determines the positioning for the entire game. Anyone who acts carelessly or hastily here quickly finds themselves in trouble. The same applies to projects: If a project is set up correctly, it lays the foundation for a successful project.

• Mistakes made during the opening, on the other hand, often cannot be corrected later at all, or only at great cost in terms of time, budget, and compromises on content.
  Common challenges and mistakes

• Overly ambitious goals: Grand promises impress stakeholders, fuel “fantasy” for market valuations, and impress investors or voters. Trying to achieve too much at once, or pursuing things that have “never been done before,” may generate enthusiasm in the short term, but they are one of the main reasons for the failure of many projects, especially large-scale ones. An incremental approach, on the other hand, allows for rapid, tangible successes and flexibility in the face of changing conditions.

   

   

• Unrealistic conditions: Projects are often launched from the outset with overly optimistic timelines. This is only partly due to a lack of experience and overoptimism on the part of management. Projects are also often “politically massaged” because implementation or a contract award would be unattainable with a realistic cost estimate. An unrealistic assessment of the required resources and time leads to costly bottlenecks and delays later on.A hasty start and the “commitment fallacy”: Most corporate cultures value initiative. This is a key prerequisite for success during implementation. However, if an organization commits too quickly to a suboptimal goal and approach before gathering essential information, problems are inevitable.

   

• Insufficient coordination and requirements analysis: Without early coordination and transparency, the project lacks essential information. At the same time, resistance arises within the organization because key stakeholders do not feel sufficiently involved.

   

• Lack of risk assessment: Every project is unique. Nevertheless, it is astonishing how many projects fail due to very typical risks, and in hindsight, it is difficult to understand why these were not identified beforehand. Such mistakes then quickly become a threat to the responsible executives.

• Inexperienced project management and no dedicated project team: Despite the strategic importance of many projects, project management is often entrusted to junior managers. If they prove themselves, they are given “real” management jobs as team or division leaders. As a result, however, very few companies have experienced managers available for strategically important projects. Trying to juggle projects alongside day-to-day operations is just as unlikely to succeed as attempting to play multiple games of chess simultaneously against sta

   

The Opening Phase of a Project – Lessons from Chess

The first moves in a chess game lay the foundation for future success. The same is true for a project: if you don’t approach the opening phase strategically and make mistakes, you’ll run into trouble later on. Just as in the opening of a chess game, the setup of a project follows principles that provide guidance and help avoid mistakes:

1. Assess and choose your opponent correctly – Set realistic, incremental goals

• An average chess player will not defeat a grandmaster – therefore, it is essential to set realistic goals. In projects, this means:
• Project goals should be ambitious but achievable.
• Challenges must be identified and broken down into manageable steps.
• Risks and feasibility must be analyzed early on.

2. Be prepared – Those who do their homework win the time game

Chess is often played against the clock – similarly, project management involves tight deadlines. The key lies in thorough preparation:

• In chess, as in project management, quick moves are only possible if they have been clearly thought through beforehand.
• Separation of the project definition and planning phase from implementation
• Identification of risks and initial measures for risk mitigation
• Careful resource planning and initial stakeholder analyses
• Definition of roles, responsibilities, and communication channels

3. Don’t waste time – early delays can have disastrous consequences later on

Time lost in the opening may not seem serious – but delays compound in the middle game. In projects, this means:

• Delays during live operations are far more costly than those during the planning phase
• Again: Separate the planning and implementation phases
• Enable rapid implementation through thorough preparation
• Early identification of potential bottlenecks
• An agile, iterative approach to deliver initial results quickly.

4. Develop your pieces – Stakeholder management from the start

• In chess, you develop your pieces early on to gain control of the board. In a project, this means:
• Early involvement of all relevant stakeholders
• Clarification of interests, expectations, and potential conflicts
• Building a robust network to support the project

5. Control the center – Focus on the key areas

In chess, the player who controls the center dominates the game. For projects, this means:

• Focus on the project’s key success factors.
• Avoid distractions from side issues.
• Set clear priorities from the start.

6. Secure Your Position Before Embarking on Kamikaze Missions – Establish a Foundation First, Then Attack

In chess, it is recommended to establish a secure position before making offensive moves. This can be achieved, for example, through castling. Similarly, the queen should not be deployed too early or without support—precisely because she is so valuable. For projects, this means:

• First, a stable structure and solid planning; then, operational implementation
• Secure funding and resources early on
• Do not make hasty decisions without a sound foundation.

7. The first moves determine the rest of the game – A strong start brings advantages

In chess, there are proven opening strategies that simplify the game. In projects, the rule is:

• Use established methods and proven processes.
• Apply standardized templates and best practices.
• Achieve early quick wins to boost confidence and motivation.

The launch of a project is not just a formal act, but a crucial strategic step. A well-thought-out and structured approach lays the foundation for a successful middle game, in which dynamics, conflicts, and course corrections will play a role. That is exactly what the next article will be about.

How is your project really going?
A good start, a solid strategy in the middle game, and a confident endgame determine success or failure. Yet crucial mistakes are often only recognized when it’s almost too late.