Finocchio passa Metodologia do Project Model Canvas

Summary

Professor José Finocchio introduces the Project Model Canvas, a visual method for developing and communicating a project plan on one large sheet of paper. Instead of preparing a lengthy plan alone, the project manager works with stakeholders using sticky notes, making the plan easier to shape collaboratively and understand.

Principles behind the method

The professor says the approach draws on three ideas associated with neuroscience:

• Simplify information: People can only keep a limited amount in mind at once, so a visual canvas makes the plan easier to grasp.
• Group related ideas: Information is easier to understand and remember when it is organized into related blocks.
• Engage stakeholders: Building the plan together encourages participation and buy-in more than simply handing people a document.

The method is inspired by Business Model Generation, which uses a single-page canvas to map a business model.

The four stages of the Project Model Canvas

1. Conceive the plan

   • Use an A1 sheet and sticky notes to draft the project plan collaboratively.
   • Work through the canvas’s 13 blocks, covering the project’s rationale, goals, benefits, product and requirements, people, assumptions, deliverables, constraints, risks, schedule, and costs.
   • The professor presents this as a way to create an initial plan in about an hour.

2. Integrate and check consistency

   • Review related blocks in pairs or small groups—usually two or three at a time—instead of trying to validate the entire plan at once.
   • For example, check that:
     • The justification, objective, and benefits align: the objective should address the problem, and the benefits should describe the expected value.
     • Requirements describe characteristics of the project’s product.
     • Assumptions concern external conditions or parties beyond the project manager’s control.
     • The team can produce the listed deliverables, and the constraints account for limits on that work.
     • Risks are considered in relation to assumptions and deliverables, while recognizing that risks can arise from other sources too.
   • Gaps often indicate a need for clarification, additional support, or a decision—not merely a writing problem.

3. Resolve open issues as follow-up work

   • Record unresolved questions as “homework” tied to the relevant part of the canvas.
   • Assign them to the people best placed to resolve them. For instance, a sponsor may need to clarify the project’s benefits, a client may need to specify requirements, or technical staff may need to define deliverables.
   • Some issues require separate meetings or expertise and may take days or weeks to resolve rather than being settled in the initial workshop.

4. Communicate the plan

   • Present the canvas in meaningful blocks, tailoring the explanation to the audience.
   • The blocks can communicate:
     • Purpose: why the project exists.
     • Product and quality: what it will produce and how it should meet client needs.
     • People and work: who is involved and what the team will do.
     • Uncertainty: assumptions and risks.
     • Execution: schedule and costs.

Classroom example

To demonstrate the method, Finocchio works with Carol, who plays the role of a stakeholder, to sketch a hypothetical road project between Borá and Serra da Saudade. They discuss:

• Justifications: Problems the project is meant to improve, such as congestion or accidents.
• Objective: A measurable, time-bound goal, illustrating the SMART approach.
• Benefits: Expected improvements, such as fewer accidents, lower costs, or increased regional activity.
• Product and requirements: The road and its expected characteristics, including paving and standards.
• Stakeholders and external factors: Such as the Ministry of Transport and the rainfall regime.
• Team and deliverables: Roles involved and major work packages, such as engineering, earthworks, retaining walls, and paving.
• Assumptions, constraints, and risks: For example, anticipated approvals, environmental restrictions, and potential flooding or landslides.
• Schedule and costs: A rough timeline and cost range added to the illustrative plan.

The road details are presented as a teaching exercise, not as a verified project proposal.

Speakers and sources featured

• José Finocchio: The instructor presenting and explaining the methodology.
• Carol: A participant asked to act as a stakeholder in the road-project exercise.
• MBA project managers and class participants: The group attending the class and contributing to the workshop.
• Business Model Generation: Cited as an inspiration for the single-page canvas format.
• Neuroscience principles: Invoked to explain simplification, grouping, and stakeholder engagement.
• Project-management references: The subtitles appear to mention PMBOK and a work-breakdown structure, though those terms are unclear in the auto-generated captions.