Method
Rhythm is everything

Rhythm is everything

Create predictable cadences for planning, execution, and assessment. These become the project's operating system.

Projects thrive on rhythm. When coordination happens through irregular, reactive meetings, teams struggle to prepare properly and follow through consistently. Effective projects establish clear, consistent cadences for different aspects of delivery:

  • Weekly coordination sessions align teams on upcoming work, identify constraints, and make explicit commitments.
  • Daily synchronisation addresses immediate priorities, removes obstacles, and captures progress.
  • Periodic assessment reviews performance, analyses root causes, and implements improvements.

These rhythms should reinforce rather than compete with each other, with each cadence serving a specific purpose in the project's overall coordination system. The weekly cycle provides the structure for reliable handoffs, while the daily cadence enables the adaptability required to overcome inevitable challenges.

When these rhythms become ingrained as the project's operating system, they reduce coordination overhead while increasing alignment.

1.1

Together, not apart

1.2

Give the frontline bandwidth, not busywork

1.3

Measure flow, not just criticality

1.4

You can't plan what you don't know

1.5

Rhythm is everything

1.6

Match methods to project characteristics

1.7

Simplicity beats sophistication

2.1

Set clear targets

2.2

Start simple

2.3

Embrace progressive planning horizons

2.4

Run a disciplined weekly cycle

3.1

Establish a daily coordination rhythm

3.2

Find and clear blockers

3.3

Intensify the rhythm as complexity increases

4.1

Capture delays, don't hide them

4.2

Capture issues when they happen