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5

Project Ideation

Every journey begins with the first step. “Hiking” through any project
is always a journey, an adventure. Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary
1
defines adventure as “an undertaking involving danger and unknown
risks.” It also defines adventure as “an exciting or remarkable experience.”
Sound familiar? Whether projects involve danger or unknown risks
depends on the type of project undertaken and the environment in which
it’s executed, but we can all agree that projects involve risks and they can
be an exciting experience. No matter how many projects you have run
before, by nature and definition, every project will be different. Sometimes
it may be only that the project is taking place in a different time frame than
a similar successful project—and even that makes it an adventure. Green
project management adds another dimension, greenality, to an already
complex discipline. One could argue that the greenality of a project adds
additional risks, particular challenges, and excitement to the project along
with the possibility for an enhanced sense of accomplishment. We think
that it’s fundamental for PMs to think of this work not as a burden but
as an integrated part of their work. If we keep the analogy we often hear
of “having too much on our plate,” well, we suggest that you think of the
green aspect of projects as adding only extra vitamins and minerals to
the existing nourishment, and not adding anything bulky to the plate.
To reiterate, it is our contention that all projects have some green aspect
to them; therefore, the greenality of a project is one of the fundamental
project characteristics that will be prevalent throughout the project life
cycle (see Figure 5.1).

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