Understand the culture of the new company (with which you are joining or negotiating) and its standards of what is reasonable.
James Nunan – Business person

What’s the best metaphor for defining the project structure and process for getting lean and agile work done? It may be an orchestra.

Story: An orchestra is an example of a hybrid process and project work. Let’s first look at the orchestra’s process work. An orchestra is a metaphor for process excellence. The orchestra is usually known for a critical body of musical work it plays spectacularly and repetitively. This is the orchestra’s value-added differentiator. The musical body of work is the orchestra’s unique selling proposition. For example, opera lovers will go to Milan Italy for it’s great orchestra, opera singers, operatic acoustic venue, and Verdi’s body of work.

The orchestra also chunks its structure. The orchestra is chunked into different musical groups like woodwinds, brass, strings, and percussion. These musical groups can be compared to processes with different instruments like machines. This is very similar to any office or factory with its functional process teams (engineering, etc.) and suppliers of key products. The orchestra integrates and chunks its work. The goal of each group, whether its woodwinds, strings, or brass is to consistently blend with other musical groups.

Each musician is a professional who self-manages by adding his or her interpretation to the music.

The orchestra also works on projects. Each time the orchestra gets a new hustle it works together on a specific composer’s music. Think of this as a special project. The orchestra is composed of project team members, each of whom is gifted, has a unique talent, and has a distinct way of delivering music to satisfied customers.

Orchestra also chunks its musicians. Each musician is a superstar in his or her right. Each musician adds value and pleasure to the listener. Each orchestra musician is chosen because of unique self-management abilities and talents. The musician must pass an audition based on talent and ability. Once chosen, the musician rehearses and continues to build upon his or her abilities.

Work Lesson Earned: Hollywood movies and orchestras are examples of a hybrid process and project work model. They consist of core process VUCAN workers and project VUCAN workers. What do you think of this work model? More Future Of Work will follow this work model.