Vectorize This - 3 questions to ask when starting greenfield projects

So I recently did a TEDx talk on a topic close to my heart. How do you set 'reality check' guardrails when you embark on a greenfield project?

Sharing a short framework evaluating the dimensions of efficiency, scalability and project momentum using three different meanings of the word 'Vector ' as a metaphor.

Watch it here

I will be sharing an edited version of the talk as a series of 5 posts, the first of which is below. The full article is also available here

We start our journey in ancient Greece

The image above depicts Iera Odos, literally the sacred way—the national road in Greece connecting Athens with Eleusis, the site of the sacred temple of Demeter. Being the only national road in Greece in ancient times, the road was always full of travellers. Many dangers awaited these travellers, none more threatening than the robber Procrustes.

Procrustes would prey on weary and unsuspecting travellers enticing them with the offer of a nice and comfortable bed for them to rest on as long as they could fit on it.

Now Procrustes was no ordinary mortal. He was the son of Poseidon, the sea god.

And the bed he offered was no ordinary bed. For some strange reason, no traveller could fit on the bed. Either they were too short or too long.

If they were too short, Procrustes would stretch them till they fit the bed — killing them in the process and then robbing them. If their head stuck out, he would cut off their head. If their feet stuck out, he would chop off their feet.

Let me take a quick pause here.

Have you heard the story before?

Perhaps it would help if I updated this story from ancient Greece to a more modern, corporate setting. Imagine any initiative at your workplace that got shelved, especially any project that explored new frontiers. Perhaps the original idea just could not stretch to fill out the promise. Perhaps there were too many changes and the original premise literally lost its head. Perhaps constraints such as lack of skillset, expertise, bandwidth or budget just cut off the legs hobbling any progress.

Exploring new frontiers is a fascinating endeavour. It is a bit like the pilgrims travelling on the sacred way towards Eleusis to seek enlightenment. But there are a few perils travellers on this path need to be wary of.

In this series, I will share a short framework that will come in handy for someone exploring new frontiers. We will explore three different dimensions — Efficiency; Scale and Momentum.

And I will use 3 different meanings of the word Vector to explain this framework.