Crossderry Podcast #2 — 16 November 2014

Here is the second Crossderry podcast.

The topics are:

• Best and Worst Project Names
• Tweet review: CIOs must influence CEO behavior, storytelling quote, RIP Tom Magliozzi

Enjoy!

Links:

• My posts on Best and Worst Project Names here and here.
• What BOHICA means.
• The myth of the Phoenix.
• The links to my Nov 10 tweet on CIO influence, the Disney Institute article on storytelling, and my Nov 14 tweet on Car Talk.
• Intro, bumper, and close music is “Frog In the Well” played by Lucas Gonze.

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Survey: Best and Worst Project Names

You’ve asked for it…and here it is:

Let everyone know your best and worst project names.

More best and worst project names

My post on best and worst project names remains one of my most popular.  As a follow up, here’s a few more good and not-so-good names:

Sunrise was the name of the project that separated our IT systems and infrastructure from our former corporate parent.  IMO it was an excellent name because a sunrise is the tangible start of a “new day”, which the projected provided for our company.

[Company Name] 2001 was a common turn of the millenium project name, but one that didn’t wear well.   For example, many of these projects didn’t finish in 2001, as global rollouts continued on for several years.  Many colleagues felt silly trying to wrap up “2001” in “2004”.  If you’re going to “date” a project, then make sure your plan doesn’t run past that date.

Phoenix sounds cool, but it should be used carefully.  It isn’t just a myth of renewal, but a

Best and Worst Project Names

The name of an initiative is an oft-overlooked aspect of communications.  You’ll get a decent name if you work with an experienced OCM crew.  However, the most effective names I’ve seen weren’t focus-group tested so to speak.  Here they are:

• Everest: Used for a SAP project that was challenging with a tight time line; however, the customer expected good returns from the initiative.  This name conveyed these attributes well: Everest is dangerous, has a short climbing window, and signifies the ultimate achievement.
• OASIS: This was an acronym used to describe a SAP upgrade for a customer that had had a troubled initial implementation.  The name conveyed danger and privation.  More importantly, it reflected the key goal of the project: to provide a stable and modern ERP platform (the customer had waited years to upgrade).

Finally, I have a soft spot in my heart for Project BOHICA, a name we used on a project simulation team.  I’ve always wanted to use that one “for real”.

Any other best or worst names?