Are you a parent? If you are, you may, like me, remember the importance and significance of giving your children names. In my husband’s family line, naming has a special significance [many of them have three first names and are not always known by the one that appears in the first order or even one that is in the list]. So, when it came to naming our little one, a great deal of care and thought went into ensuring a balance. We needed a nod to tradition but not a slavish copy. We wanted to make the name our child would be known by unique in the family. We had to balance the first name with the surname. We needed to ensure that the letters of the names didn’t make any weird (rude) words. All of this was quite a juggling act. On top of this, we added our own criteria: we wanted to see the baby first and find a name that we felt good about for this little person.
Yes, we were a bit earnest about the whole thing. What can I say? First-time parents can be like this.
As humans, we don’t typically stop there. We give names to buildings, stadiums, cars, and boats. Moira Rose from Schitts Creek has named all her wigs. I personally know people who have named their handbags, cameras, and luggage. I have read [1] that naming objects can have significant psychological benefits, providing individuals with a sense of companionship, control, and ownership that transcends mere possession.
Just like boats, buildings, and wigs, projects, too, need a name.
Of course, a project needs a name.
It’s hard to say ‘Get Danny and Dave to their Digs’ as a project name, or ‘Upgrade this Business website’ or ‘Install our ERP’—these are all actions and things we’re trying to achieve in the project. Still, they don’t have the business personality in them. I’m a strong advocate for bringing some of the lighter, fun parts of the project process to life for the team, and this is a bit of the project that can be fun.
Thought needs to be given to what to call the project. Just like naming your business, your car, boat, or pet, a project requires a name that means something to your team. Leveraging 6R Retail’s expertise in business processes and system implementation, a well-chosen project name can act as a focal point, reflecting the project’s objectives and guiding its direction.
A good name tells you something about what you’re doing, how you’ll do it, or what you expect to get to on the other side. But it doesn’t have to follow that form. We had one team that named their ERP project ‘Ramen’. What does a bowl of delicious noodle soup have to do with migrating to a new ERP system? Not a lot at first glance. To this team, though, it meant something. Ramen was a favourite amongst the team; they all agreed that its delicious, noodley goodness was a thing of awesomeness, and that’s how they wanted their project to be.
Here are a few 3 points to guide you in naming your project:
- Don’t do it alone. Projects are a team sport, so get the team involved. Throw around some ideas at the lunch table or make a dedicated time to do post-its or whiteboard them. Whatever the format that suits your business, consider a shortlist and a vote.
- Think about something that’s a unique word in your business. Ramen worked for these people because they didn’t have a whole menu of ramen to get lost in. They didn’t have anything to do with food. It was a feeling they wanted to capture. But it was easy to find documents with ramen on them because it wasn’t in common use. Coming up with a name that stands out from your regular ways of speaking will help you to more easily find documents in a search.
- Try to keep it short and punchy. Last year, when we sold lots of stuff and moved out of our family home, I gave this project the name ‘The Unburdening’. To me, it was about less maintenance, less stuff and many less things to do and take care of. Lightening the physical and mental load. The name was meaningful to me and conveyed clearly to my friends and family what we were doing.
So, give your project some personality and make it come to life; find a name that works!
For a tailored approach that goes beyond system implementation, consider 6R Retail’s comprehensive services in business improvement strategy and leading change within organisations. Our expertise extends to offering training and coaching designed to empower your team and enhance your operations. Contact us today to discover how we can support your journey towards achieving your strategic goals.