✅ Why this step gives structure to the path ahead
Even the best ideas fail without a plan. Project Management turns insight into action.
Project Management during the Viability Sprint is about preparing for delivery. It captures how the project will be scoped, structured, tracked, and resourced—based on what’s emerging through early definition, research, and timeline/investment planning. This activity ensures that once the idea is validated, the team has the visibility and confidence to move forward in a clear, accountable way.
📘 What you’ll define
- The emerging structure and timeline of the proposed project
- Key milestones, deliverables, and decision points
- The roles, responsibilities, and team requirements
- Links between specification, timeline, and investment estimates
- Risk factors and how project decisions will be tracked
📝 This is a living plan during the Viability Sprint. It becomes fixed only once the Define Stage and Timeline & Investment are fully locked.
🛠️ Tools and methods
This activity pulls together outputs and insights from other early-stage activities:
| Activity | Purpose |
| Project scope definition | Define what’s in/out based on early specs + goals |
| Stage planning | Align with IEN’s 11-stage innovation model |
| Timeline mapping | Roughly map when each stage or activity should occur |
| Investment & resource planning | Estimate what team and tools will be needed (early view) |
| Risk register (initial) | Flag known issues, blockers, or assumptions to manage |
| RACI draft (optional) | Outline roles and responsibilities across workstreams |
| Decision log | Track what was agreed, when, and why |
- This activity helps frame the Viability Sprint output pack
- Should evolve alongside the Define and Investment steps
⚠️ Mistakes to avoid
- Over-planning before the scope and definition are stable
- Forgetting to link the plan to investment needs and trade-offs
- Not aligning with the IEN stage model—causes confusion later
- Ignoring team or delivery risks just because the product is exciting
💡 Tips from the field
“We mapped out the timeline in pencil—but the visibility helped the client say ‘yes’ faster. A soft plan is better than no plan.”– Innovation Consultant, Consumer Hardware
💡 Project management starts early. A rough map now is better than a scramble later.
🔗 Helpful links & resources
- Project Management Tracker (Viability Sprint Version)
- Download: Draft Timeline + Milestone Template
- Template: Risk Register Starter
- Follow-on: Define and Timeline & Investment
✍️ Quick self-check
🎨 Visual concept (optional)
Illustration: A lightly sketched Gantt-style timeline showing rough IEN stages with milestones. Sticky notes highlight “Spec under review”, “Budget pending”, and “Risk: late supplier response”.
Visual shows how project management during viability gives teams a realistic view of what’s ahead—even if not everything is confirmed yet.