Project Management Foundations
Key Risk: Strategic Misrepresentation
Most projects don’t go wrong, they start wrong. The early direction of a project shapes the options people consider, the pace they set, and the confidence they carry into delivery.
Set the direction
Shape the purpose before the project gathers speed.
A key job for any project is to shape the purpose for your initiative into design options and a preferred option that looks most promising.
This sets both the direction and the pace for what comes next. When the starting story is distorted, every later decision becomes harder to trust.
Watch the traps
Strategic misrepresentation hides inside confident beginnings.
Key risk signal
Plans can look clear while the underlying purpose, options, and trade-offs have not been properly tested.
- 01Individuals influencing decisions to serve their own purpose.
- 02Pressure to skip setting the direction for action.
Latest news
Follow the topic as it develops.
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Association for Project Management Conference: Power of Clarity
29 April 2026 – Manchester. This session explored one of the most damaging but least openly discussed causes of poor project decisions: strategic misrepresentation.
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Project Controls Expo
04 Nov 2025 – London. Session on hidden causes of failure and actions for project controls professionals.
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Coming soon
APM white paper on Strategic Misrepresentation.
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Confluity Project Model sitemap
Model overview
What are Jobs?
The model is organised into three Jobs:
Job 1: Set the Direction – shape the purpose into options and a preferred way forward.
Job 2: Prove It Works – test assumptions and reduce risk before going big.
Job 3: Make It Happen – deliver at scale and make sure people actually use what you build.
What are Simple Rules?
The model contains simple rules. These are short principles drawn from experience that help you make better decisions. Jobs, tasks, and plays help you put those rules into practice.
What is a Play?
A Play is a method or tool that helps you apply a rule or complete a task. Use the recommended Plays first for simpler projects before exploring others.
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