A lot of elements go into a successful project. Here are some
that have been identified by researchers as the most critical, in
descending order of importance. Every yes answer to the questions
below makes success likelier.
This is by far the most important element. Are the co-op's members those who will benefit most from the business? Are they involved early and often in the process? Are lines of communication open, allowing a quality relationship? Is involvement easy? Have you talked to them to identify their needs?
Do the project s leaders have a strong interest in the successful outcome of the project? Yet, is failure acceptable? ( Yes is the better answer!) Are key leaders in the group and in the community willing and available to participate in the project? Do leaders have the skills, credibility, experience and capacity to play a leadership role in the project s development? Do leaders see a well-defined plan?
Do you have a concise vision of the project in the short-term, mid-term, and long-term? Do you have an operations plan that gets you from square 1 to the end, and can you revise it? Have you thought of what can go wrong and how to address it? Will the end result be worth the investment required? Do you have milestones to determine when the project has succeeded?
Have you identified the problem that the project will solve? Have you outlined possible solutions to the problem? Have you identified the right people to carry out the project? (Name names and let them know what role you'd like them to play, and make sure they are available.) Do you know what exact functions the co-op will need to carry out? Does your plan have attainable milestones and prioritization? Don t try to do too much in one project!
Has everyone in the project seen an outline of an attainable project? Have you sorted needs from wants, and reduced the wants that the project addresses? Have you developed smaller project milestones? Can you manage change? Will members be able to experience early on how the co-op will function for them?
In most cases, 20% of a co-op's activities will provide 80% of member benefits. Are you concentrating on that crucial twenty percent? Have you looked at the big picture and broken the project down into manageable parts? Are there time limits set for project milestones? Can you and other members get a clear sense of what it will be like to have the co-op? Are you measuring and reporting progress?
Have you identified what skills and experience are required? Have you recruited the right people from within and outside your circles? Do you have a well-structured and continuous training program? Are workers well compensated? Are they focused on the project and willing to see it through?
Have you clearly defined roles and responsibilities for every member of the project team? Does your organizational model support that accountability? Does everyone know their role? Will each person benefit equitably from the project's success? Is everyone committed?
Have you shared the vision with all people and groups affected by the project? Are the objectives aligned with overall goals of the group? Are the objectives achievable? Are the goals measurable? Do you have honest and continuous sanity checks?
Are workers personally motivated to do the work? Are they concentrating on measurable products of their work? Does each member feel part ownership of the project? Does each individual see their role as part of a team that works well together? Are you building confidence in the team, with a proper plan and attainable goals and milestones?