Nonsuch - How understanding a Project Type can influence decision making

This slide set is about helping people understand what type of Project they are dealing with and how they may wish to adapt their approach to risk, estimating, delivery, assurance, governance, and project management. This information is based on the amazing Dr Eddie Obeng of which I'm a huge devotee.

1. Project Types
How understanding your projects’ types can impact
delivery, engagement and success
Prepared by:
Youssef Mourra
Founder, Principal Consultant -Central
[email protected]
021 423 620

2. Introducing Eddie Obeng
All Change!: Project Leader's
Secret Handbook by Eddie
Obeng (Paperback - 1995)
Eddie Obeng PhD is a thought leader who
developed an alternative view of the world.
His World After Midnight model easily
predicts ‘unexpected events’ such as the
election of President Trump as well making
it trivially easy to cope with the uncertainty
and complexity of the modern world.
Eddie teaches his award-winning concepts,
methods and tools to Business Leaders,
Executives & Managers. He writes books,
runs a business school called Pentacle,
based in the UK. He is a world-class
motivational educator/speaker and gives
the occasional TED talk.
He has always been a deep and lateral
thinker on the subjects of projects, change
and innovation.
For more information go to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Obeng
https://www.eddieobeng.com/
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3. Four Types of Projects
•Eddie Obeng has defined there are four types of projects:
•Painting by Numbers
•Walking/Lost in a Fog
•Making a Movie
•Going on a Quest
•Understanding each of these project types can help you to manage risks
and have mitigation strategies in place to avoid those risks becoming
issues!
•Appreciate that each project type behaves differently and presents with a
different personality. Let’s see how
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4. Eddie Obeng Typology
•To understand the Eddie Obeng typology better we need to get
answers to two key questions:
•Are you clear about WHAT you want to do (the output to be achieved)?
•How detailed, well defined and documented are the requirements?
•Is there general agreement around the requirements?
•Is there agreement on decision making and acceptance?
•Do you know HOW you are going to do it?
•Has the organisation had previous experience with this project type? Is this experience
still held within the organisation?
•Is there a well worn methodology to follow with applicable templates?
•Are there supporting tools to assist in the project delivery?
•Are there people with sufficient capability and experience within the organisation?
•Are the steps to develop the project well documented and understood?
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5. Introducing the Project Types
Painting by Numbers
(Closed)
•Stakeholders are sure about what is to be done and
how the project is to be done
•The organisation is going through a repetitive
project and knows the skills needed
•Written procedures, methods and systems are
available to replicate what has been done in the past
Making a Movie
(Semi-Open)
•Stakeholders are very sure about how it is to be
done
•Stakeholders are unsure of what is to be done
•The organisation is clear about the method to be
used and has the expertise
•Need to spend time defining the ‘what’
Going on a Quest
(Semi-Closed)
•Stakeholders are sure about what is to be done
•Stakeholders are unsure of how the project is to be
done
•The organisation needs to spend time on defining
the ‘how’
Walking/Lost in a Fog
(Open)
•Stakeholders are unsure what is to be done
•Stakeholders are unsure how the project is to be
done
•The organisation is attempting to do something not
done before
•The organisation needs to spend time defining the
‘what’ and the ‘how’
How to do it
Clear
Unclear
What

to do
Clear Unclear
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6. Project Types – The Diagram
Project management,
processes, corporate
knowledge and tools are
well developed
Project management,
processes, corporate
knowledge and tools are
not well developed
Project objectives are clear
Project objectives are not clear
Fog
Quest
Painting
by
Numbers
Movie
KNOW HOW
TO DO IT
DON’T KNOW
HOW TO DO IT
KNOW WHAT TO DO
DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO
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7. Project Types
Project management,
processes, corporate
knowledge and tools are
well developed
Project objectives are clear
Fog
Quest
Painting
by
Numbers
Movie
KNOW HOW
TO DO IT
DON’T KNOW
HOW TO DO IT
KNOW WHAT TO DO
Profit / Assurance / Confidence /
Income or Market or Brand &
Reputation Protection
‘Keeping the Lights on’
Innovation / Competitiveness /
New Product or Service
Development
‘New or Radical Change’
Higher Risk
Higher Rewards
Lower Risk
Lower Rewards
Project objectives are not clear
DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO
Waterfall?
Agile?
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8. What’s the Value in Identifying the
Type?
•Helps identify the correct project methodology (predictive?
Adaptive?), level of control and the right type and experience of
Project Manager to deliver the project.
•Identifies the right definition of success for each project type.
•Matches the kind of change required to the project type.
•Gauges the level of stakeholder engagement required for each type
•Helps you decide what the right techniques and approach for the
project
•Helps shape your approach to risk management at the entity and at
the deliverable and task levels
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9. Fog
Quest
Movie
Painting by Numbers
What Types of Projects?
What

to do
Clear
Unclear
How to do it
Clear
Unclear
Continuous improvement projects
•Low risk but could be a bit of a quest
or a movie depending on the
circumstances
Step change projects
•Higher risk and well into the
quest/movie
Radical change projects
•These start out as Foggy projects and
are high risk. You’ll need corporate
courage to do these
Standard projects
•Low risk meets the
requirements, do it
right first time
Information
Technology
Strategic /
NPD
Scientific /
Research
Business Process
Improvement
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10. Want to know more?
Please contact Nonsuch Consulting Services – www.nonsuch.co – on [email protected]
Youssef Mourra, Founder & Principal Consultant - ([email protected])
Sarah Gill, Principal Consultant – ([email protected])
Chris Fisher, Principal Consultant – ([email protected])
September 2025 © Nonsuch Consulting Page 10