About Project Survivors
Practical help for capable people who find themselves working on Projects.
Same you. Different world.
One day you're doing your usual job. The next, you're invited to a Project meeting, asked to represent your Business area or expected to make sense of unfamiliar processes and decisions.
Project Survivors exists for those moments.
You bring valuable knowledge of how your Business works. You shouldn't need to become a project manager to contribute effectively.
More than a book
It began with the Project Survivors book, a practical guide to navigating Project life. The website extends that idea through Articles, Resources and Observations.
Observations begin with recognisable situations. Articles explore what may be happening. Resources offer practical questions and approaches you can use.
Learning from experience — carefully
Real-world experience can reveal important problems and useful possibilities. But an individual account is not automatically proof of a widespread pattern or its cause.
Our approach is to notice carefully, distinguish what happened from what we think it means, examine alternative explanations and share practical understanding with appropriate confidence.
We want the material to be approachable without pretending that every question has a settled answer.
Meet Jez Lister MBA
More than 40 years working on Projects — and a particular interest in the people who are asked to join them.
Jez has worked across the public and private sectors, combining experience in IT, Digital and Business. He was a member of the original team that developed PRINCE.
Throughout his career, he has often worked at the intersection of Business and technology, helping people from different professional backgrounds understand one another and work towards shared objectives.
He noticed that while there is plenty of guidance for people managing Projects, there is far less for the Business professionals who unexpectedly find themselves participating in them.
Project Survivors grew out of that experience. Its message is simple: you don't need to become a project manager to make a valuable contribution.
Our promise
You don't need to become a project manager. You just need a better way to find your feet and make a useful contribution.