The Millenium Dome - A lesson to be learned

(The Hound) : The following is what happens when projects are implemented in a closed process with decision making kept within bureaucratic structures. The process goes from an idea that hasn't been properly vetted to a project that has to be rethought and redeveloped on the fly to a process that revolves around political face saving, instead of the project itself. And it ends up costing a lot more than the initial estimates. A whole lot more in reassessed and unintended consequences and costs. This does not mean that the public doesn't want progress or to nitpick every project. It means that the public wants to be included in open and transparent processes. When Government includes the people in a forthright process you will still have a few detractors, but you will also have invested in legitimacy from the masses.

 (From Wikipedia) - The Millennium Dome, colloquially referred to simply as The Dome, is the original name of a large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium. Located on the Greenwich Peninsula in South East London, England, the exhibition was open to the public from 1 January to 31 December 2000. The project and exhibition was the subject of considerable political controversy as it failed to attract the number of visitors anticipated, with recurring financial problems. All of the original exhibition and associated complex has since been demolished. The dome still exists, and it is now a key exterior feature of The O2. The Prime Meridian passes the western edge of the Dome and the nearest London Underground station is North Greenwich on the Jubilee Line.

Dome disaster has swallowed millions - The Telegraph - September 6, 2000

Millennium Dome -  Politics.uk.com


What Should Have Gone Into the Millennium Dome? British History - Wall Street Journal - Iain Martin - August 27, 2010

5 Ways Process Is Killing Your Productivity - FastCompany.com - Lisa Bodell May 15, 2012

Here are five ways process can kill production: 

1. Empowering with permission--but without action:It’s not empowering when people are given more responsibility, yet must still obtain an unreasonable number of approvals and sign-offs to get anything done. This signals a lack of trust.
2. Leaders focused on process instead of people: In an effort to standardize and sanitize everything we do, nothing at work is personal anymore. Leaders look to processes, not people, to solve problems--and it doesn’t work. Where’s the inspiration, the vision? This signals a lack of humanity.
3. Overdependence on meetings: “Collaborative” and “inclusive” are corporate buzzwords, but productive teamwork does not require meetings for every single action or decision. People become overwhelmed and ineffective when they are always stuck in meetings. This signals that politics have taken precedence over productivity.
4. Lack of (clear) vision: Great companies need a grand vision and important goals. Too often, companies have vision or mission statements laden with jargon but devoid of meaning. This signals a lack of purpose.
5. Management acts as judge, not jury: If the purpose of a meeting is to think, create, or build, management has to stop tearing people down when they propose new ideas or question the status quo. This signals a lack of perspective and openness.

When people’s jobs depend on meeting metrics and maintaining the status quo, can you fault them for their reluctance to expend any energy toward creation and invention?