Climbing Mount Everest without first checking the route? Unimaginable. But this is exactly what happens in business projects: goals and tasks are anything but clear. With the Project North Star canvas, you can provide orientation.
The Project North Star is a canvas for your project kickoff: project management and the team, as well as relevant stakeholders, work together on it. Everyone involved keeps this document in mind like a guiding star – from the start to the successful completion of the project.
At a factual level, use the Project North Star to ensure that everyone has the same understanding of the goals and tasks. But there is also an emotional effect:
People feel involved. They have contributed to the plan and given their approval. This ensures that everyone is motivated to work towards the common goal. Because people want to be consistent: Those who say yes to a plan are more likely to stick with it as the project progresses, even when things get difficult.
It is best to work on the document at a project kick-off meeting. Allow 60 minutes for this. In the course of a longer project, the circumstances may change. It may be useful to adapt the North Star, for example in a milestone workshop.
It is advisable to review the North Star with all project participants at least once a year. January is a good time to do this. At this time, a review can take place and, in a second step, the North Star can be reviewed.
Team members and stakeholders from all areas who are involved in the project or are strongly affected by it.
Different details may be relevant to different projects. It is best for the core team to think about this in advance. Keep the notes short – just a few words per post-it.
In the workshop, you start in the middle of the template: with target group(s), objectives and key figures, followed by people and roles, then key milestones. The last step is your strengths, opportunities and risks.
Then all you have to do is download your template for the Project North Star here. (PDF)
(This template is based on the digital Project North Star canvas in the online collaboration tool Mural).
We wish you great results with your project!
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