It occurred to me the other day that a big project is doing the Wrong Thing the Right Way. So, their process is great, but the project is dying off because they are doing the wrong thing, e.g. not meeting performance goals.

You would always like to be on a project doing the Right Thing, the Right Way, but I don’t get the impression that happens very often. I wonder if it’s just a matter of resources. Upper management is in the typical three-point dilemma: time, resources or features and skimps on at least one.

To fill out the matrix you can be on the Right Thing being done the Wrong Way. This would be a good project, but you aren’t following any rules. I think many successful companies work this way: get it out the door, now!

Then there is the worst case: Wrong Thing the Wrong Way. This kind of project is a killer: try as hard as you can and nothing is ever correct. Worse I think such projects put a big scarlet letter on you for the duration of your employment at a company.