I am allergic to making things look harder than they are.
Corporations are full of overcomplications, trying to make stuff look harder or more arduous than they have to be.
I’m a simple guy. I can do simple. Let’s play with this.
The kids want milk, sandwich toppings and pizza. Someone has to go to the store. Here is the project plan:
BUY THE MILK, THE SANDWICH TOPPINGS AND THE PIZZA THE KIDS WANT
Project plan
Pre-project (cost USD 12,800)
Run a full test of the users' physical condition
Assess the users' need for nutrients
Compare earlier test data with updated values
Set a baseline against comparative groups in society
Make a nutrition plan for food intake per 24 hours
Do a price/quality analysis of the local stores
Produce a user survey on sandwich toppings
Run the user survey on sandwich toppings
Compile the data from the user survey
Produce a user survey on pizza
Run the user survey on pizza
Compile the data from the user survey
Workshop to present the findings from the user surveys
Run a simplified workshop where the types of milk are assessed and decided
Main project (cost USD 6,400)
Travel to the selected store
Map the store and the best route to the items
Pick the items
Scan and pay for the items
Travel back from the store
Deliver to the fridge
Handover (cost USD 3,200)
Produce and run a user evaluation after inspecting the fridge
Evaluate the user evaluation and the project
Set up lessons learned and improvements
Present the project evaluation
Go shop
The whole project costs USD 22,400.
Let’s buy that from KPMG.
Or…
BUY THE MILK, THE SANDWICH TOPPINGS AND THE PIZZA THE KIDS WANT
Ask the kids what they want
Go to the store
Buy it
Go home
Put it in the fridge
A big plan looks like serious work. It looks safe. Nobody gets blamed for running a survey first.
Or just fucking get it done.
Summary
- Scrum no more: on process that gets in the way
- Make it Simple: the OnePageBook
- HyperList: the format of the plans above
Link to this post: https://isene.org/2026/11/Milk.html