What IS Visual Project Management?
Visual Project Management is the powerful synergy between two distinct disciplines: Visual Thinking and Project Management.
While traditional Project Management often gets buried in complex spreadsheets and closed software, Visual Project Management is about making the invisible visible, the intangible tangible, and the unsaid easy to communicate. It is about getting project data out of the computer and onto the wall, transforming static information into a living, shared reality.
The Sweet Spot: Overview, Momentum, and Ownership
When we bridge the gap between structure and visualization, we create a unique overlap. This intersection is where the real magic happens, delivering three essential ingredients for project success:
Overview: We strip away the noise to provide a crystal-clear view of goals, status, and dependencies.
Momentum: By visualizing progress and identifying bottlenecks early, we keep the project moving forward at pace.
Ownership: When people can literally see their contribution, they engage more deeply and take real responsibility for the outcome.
Visual Thinking: Seeing is Understanding
I have always found that the best way to define Visual Thinking is through the words of Dave Gray: “Visual thinking is a way to see in your mind’s eye.” To me, this says it all. If we can’t visualize it, we rarely truly understand it.
If you want to dive deeper into this world, I highly recommend exploring Dave Gray’s Visual Thinking School or watching Brandy Agerbeck’s video on Visual Thinking. Her passion for how we process information visually is incredibly inspiring.
Project Management: A Discipline in Need of Visibility
Project Management is a discipline built on methods that have been proven to work over decades—when they are actually used. However, the statistics on project success remain sobering.
The latest research from The Standish Group’s CHAOS 2020: Beyond Infinity report shows that only about 19% of IT projects truly succeed by meeting all four goals: scope, time, budget, and quality.
This aligns with the findings of Oxford Professor Bent Flyvbjerg. In his latest research overview, he notes that based on a database of over 16,000 projects, a minuscule 0.5% of projects hit the "triple crown" of being on time, on budget, and delivering the promised benefits. Furthermore, the Project Management Institute (PMI) reports that organizations still waste roughly 10% of every dollar spent on projects due to poor performance.
Often, this happens because the project's "soul" gets lost in documentation that no one reads and systems that no one visits.
The Best of Both Worlds
By integrating visual tools—ranging from post-its and color-coded cards to custom templates and hand-drawn roadmaps—we create a common visual language.
What do our concepts and buzzwords actually look like in practice?
How do we ensure every stakeholder is heading toward the exact same goal?
How do we make the workflow transparent?
By taking the robust structure of traditional Project Management and infusing it with the clarity of Visual Thinking, we don’t just increase the chances of success. We create a culture of commitment and transparency where everyone knows exactly where we are, where we’re going, and why their role matters.
Through Overview, Momentum, and Ownership, we turn the 70% failure rate on its head.
