How not to plan a project

My coworker and I are in the latter part of implementing a huge software implementation project (A) for our department. Note: We are an HR department, not IT. We received very little management guidance with this project, and the only reason it got done is because we figured everything out and got it set up.

Yesterday our department director asked how soon we could have software project B implemented. We had to explain the following realities to her:

1. We have no idea what goes into the project. What we didn't add was that we have no idea what's it's really supposed to do in the end. We have been given nothing on this.
2. We have no idea how long the vendor estimates it will takes.
3. We may not even have software B after June 30th due to our procurement rules.

One of the things that really irritates me about my current organization is that we have no real acquaintance with process and planning. This is just one of many examples. The proper way to plan for a project is to first all understand the scope- what is the end goal, and what does it take to get there. Only once you have that information can you effectively create a realistic schedule. I can't tell you how long it will take to implement something when I know nothing about it.

Little things that remind us how blessed we are

Sometimes it is the little things that truly grab our attention. Yesterday I looked by my front door and realized I had not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but 5 pairs of shoes near the entry of my house. I was struck by how blessed I am to have some many options of shoes, and these are far from the only shoes I own. It was rather humbling.

When a simile is both amazing accurate and completely frightening- Final Update

A couple weeks ago we got the last update on the status of some of our employees transitioning to another organization. It was so full of bureaucrat-ese that I had check with some coworkers to make sure I understood the gist of it correctly. I did. These transition is off, period. The two organizations are going to continue to work together in other ways, blah, blah, blah, but no employees will change employers. It's a good thing we didn't track what this cost in terms of staff hours spent on a project that went nowhere. Our rate-paying public would have rightly been up in arms.