Standardization in Project Management
Welcome to the gleaming world of fully standardized project management. No more surprises, no spontaneous flashes of brilliance—just a tidy universe of processes, templates, and ISO-certified arias.
What does that sound like? Picture the opera world deciding—collectively and with impeccable seriousness—to follow the principles of project standardization to the letter.
The Magic Flute—Now with a Process Manual
Project kickoff for Mozart’s masterpiece. But before anyone sings a single note, the documentation is, of course, produced with exemplary discipline.
- Who is allowed to sing when? Please consult the RACI matrix.
- Which “lessons learned” from earlier opera projects can be reused?
- Risk management: What if the Queen of the Night suddenly can only sing alto?
- Change-request procedure: If Tamino decides he no longer loves Pamina—what approval workflow is triggered?
The first critics begin to grumble, but the PMO remains stoic: “We’re doing this professionally.”
Die Meistersinger—A Drama of Over-Regulated Processes
Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, already a piece about creativity colliding with rules, becomes the ideal pilot project. This time, however, the governance gets serious:
- Singing by ear? Prohibited. Every vibrato must be captured in the checklist.
- Walther von Stolzing may present his creative musical idea only after a three-stage approval process.
- Sachs has a spontaneous inspiration? Not documented = not allowed.
The result: the opera no longer lasts five hours, but twelve. After every aria: a quality-gate review. Row three is sound asleep, but the PMO cheers: “Finally—order in the arts!”
Tristan & Isolde—Love, with an Approval Workflow
Tragic passion is so yesterday. In the new version of Tristan und Isolde, the rules are clear:
- Before Tristan falls in love, there must be a romance requirements analysis.
- Isolde submits a change request for her feelings—the steering committee meets in three weeks.
- In the end, the couple doesn’t die of love, but because the antidote release process took too long.
Still, the production is celebrated as a success: not a single emotion went undocumented.
The Audience Flees, the PMO Celebrates
After five performances of strictly standardized opera, the audience is gone. Too many processes, too little soul.
But the PMO is satisfied: a root-cause analysis is produced, with a review meeting included. The conclusion? “The problem wasn’t too much standardization—it was insufficient standardization.”
Conclusion: Standardization—Yes, but with Musical Sense
Of course: rules, methods, standards—they belong in project management the way a score belongs in opera. But when every creative deviation is treated as an incident, the very thing that keeps opera (and projects) alive starts to die: shaping power, flexibility, surprise.
So yes: processes—absolutely. Quality control—naturally. But without a little artistic freedom, The Magic Flute becomes a corporate operating manual with singing—and nobody wants to listen to that.