{"id":7045447,"date":"2026-08-24T00:54:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T00:54:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/scalability-and-common-sense-david-barrett\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T00:54:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T00:54:54","slug":"scalability-and-common-sense-david-barrett","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7045447","title":{"rendered":"Scalability and Common Sense – David Barrett"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Have you ever watched someone use a canon to kill a fly?\u00a0 Use a software program to solve a problem that really just needed a pen and piece of paper?\u00a0 Use a PowerPoint presentation to address a group of one?\u00a0 Or use an electronic planning tool for a project that needed a simple task list?<\/p>\n

We are all guilty, at some stage of our lives, of using the wrong tool in the wrong place or using the right tool in the wrong way.<\/p>\n

We need to take a closer look at how we use the tools in our lives and whether or not we need to scale it down.<\/p>\n

Paul Bergman contributed a chapter called \u2018Scalability and Common Sense\u2019 in the book \u2018The Keys to Our Success\u2019<\/em> . \u00a0He writes, \u2018In our zeal to ensure that (project management) tools are applied, we sometimes forget why we are applying them in the first place.\u2019 He goes on to say\u2026 \u2018We should have in mind the purpose and value of the tools, the target audience, and the success factors most important to the project being managed\u2019<\/p>\n

We need to use common sense as we select and use the tools available to us.<\/p>\n

A perfect example of this in our world of project management comes in the name of Agile. \u00a0It is one of a number of tools we can use as project managers. And then, to what extent will you use Agile in your project?\u00a0 For many people, a hybrid approach of Waterfall and Agile is the smart approach in many cases.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

These aren\u2019t just technical tools.\u00a0\u00a0 Thinking outside the box, we could apply the same principles to tools that we can\u2019t buy online.\u00a0 What about our speeches, meetings, memos, email messages and reports?\u00a0\u00a0 Why are they so long and detailed?\u00a0 Sometimes short and sweet does the trick.<\/p>\n

What about your PowerPoint presentations?\u00a0 Is it really necessary to use technology to present to three people?\u00a0 No.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And when you do present with a PowerPoint deck, you don\u2019t need to put every thought and every word on the slides. \u00a0I apply a scaled-down approach to my presentations when I am selling or presenting an idea.\u00a0 I will present the issue, finding and recommendation within the first few slides and first 10 minutes.\u00a0\u00a0 Then I will skim the detail very quickly, making it clear that all of the detail is there and ready to discuss IF required.\u00a0 Why go through it if we don\u2019t need to?\u00a0 In effect, I am creating an outline only, and offering the audience the option of diving deeper.\u00a0 Scalability and common sense.<\/p>\n

So here are 5 scalability tips for all of us.<\/p>\n