The WRAP Process: A Project Manager's Guide to Better Decisions

We’d love to make better decisions.

Or at least avoid making poor ones.

Avoiding errors in decision-making moves the needle more than anything else in your projects. By avoiding errors we can avoid re-work, wasted time, wasted budget and angry stakeholders.

Let’s consider a hypothetical project manager, Sarah, as she faces decisions that will feel all too familiar to you.

The Decision Conundrum

Sarah stared at her screen, confronting a decision that would impact her entire project timeline.

As an experienced project manager, she knew that choosing between fast-tracking the development phase or maintaining the original schedule would have ripple effects across teams and deliverables. Like many project managers, she needed a structured approach to make this decision with confidence.

Because every decision a professional makes must be logical, and defensible.

Enter the WRAP process – a decision-making framework that changes how project managers navigate complex choices.

WRAP, standing for Widen, Reality-test, Attain distance, and Prepare, offers a systematic approach to making better decisions under pressure.

Widen Your Options

Widen Your Options - Avoid narrow thinking and consider a broader range of choices.

The first trap project managers often fall into is creating false dichotomies – the "either/or" mindset. When facing project decisions, start by deliberately expanding your options.

Consider these practical approaches:

• Use "and" instead of "or"

• Look for multiple paths forward

• Steal ideas from similar successful projects

• Create hybrid solutions that combine elements of different approaches

Let’s take the example of dealing with resource constraints; don't limit yourself to either hiring new team members or extending deadlines. Consider temporary contractors, resource sharing across departments, or automating certain processes.

The key is to avoid settling for the first viable option.

Pro Tip: When brainstorming options, aim for at least three distinct alternatives before moving forward. This "third option" rule helps break the binary thinking that often limits decision-making.

Reality-Test Your Assumptions

Reality-Test Your Assumptions - Seek real-world feedback on your assumptions to ensure you’re not relying on faulty information.

Project managers must be particularly vigilant about confirmation bias – the tendency to seek information that supports our preferred choice while ignoring contradictory evidence.

To reality-test effectively:

• Conduct pre-mortems: Imagine it's six months later and your decision led to failure. What went wrong?

• Seek disconfirming opinions from team members

• Run small experiments or pilots before full implementation

• Reference historical data from similar projects

• Consider both best-case and worst-case scenarios

Don't just ask stakeholders if they support your preferred approach. Instead, ask what specific concerns they have and what could go wrong. This approach often reveals blind spots in your planning.

Attain Distance from the Decision

Attain Distance Before Deciding - Step back from the decision to gain clarity.

Emotional investment in projects can cloud judgment. Creating distance helps you evaluate options more objectively. Here's how:

1. Apply the 10/10/10 rule:

   • How will you feel about this decision 10 minutes from now?

   • How about 10 months from now?

   • What about 10 years from now?

2. Ask yourself: "What would I advise my successor to do?"

3. Consider core priorities:

   • Does this option align with project goals?

   • Does it support organizational strategy?

   • Will it create long-term value?

Remember, short-term pressures often push us toward expedient solutions that may not serve long-term objectives. Taking a step back helps maintain strategic perspective.

Prepare to Be Wrong

Prepare to Be Wrong - Consider how things could go differently than planned to avoid overconfidence.

Even the best-analyzed decisions can go awry. Smart project managers prepare for multiple outcomes:

1. Set up early warning systems:

   • Define clear metrics for success and failure

   • Establish regular checkpoints to evaluate progress

   • Create trigger points for course correction

2. Build in flexibility:

   • Include buffer/float time in schedules

   • Have backup resources identified

   • Maintain alternative paths forward

3. Establish clear decision rules:

   • Document what conditions would trigger a change in approach

   • Define boundaries for acceptable deviation

   • Create response plans for common risks

Key Implementation Tips for Project Managers

1. Document Your WRAP Process

   • Keep a decision log that follows the framework

   • Record assumptions and why they were made

   • Note dissenting opinions and how they were addressed

2. Involve Your Team

   • Use the framework in team meetings

   • Encourage devil's advocate positions

   • Create psychological safety for opposing viewpoints

3. Time Management

   • Scale the process to the decision's importance

   • Use abbreviated versions for routine choices

   • Set clear timeframes for each step

4. Communication

   • Share your decision-making process with stakeholders

   • Explain how alternatives were evaluated

   • Be transparent about risks and mitigation strategies

Conclusion

The WRAP process is about making decisions better.

By following this structured approach, project managers can move from gut-based choices to well-reasoned decisions that stand up to scrutiny and drive project success.

Remember Sarah? She used WRAP to explore additional options beyond her initial either/or thinking.

You can do the same.