What are Bill Carmody's signature techniques for project selection and approval?

Bill Carmody’s approach to project selection and approval centers on one core idea: projects win when they permanently solve a clearly defined, strategically important problem.

Here are the key techniques:

1. Start with the problem, not the project
   Define the business problem in concrete, measurable terms. If the organization is not deeply committed to solving that problem, the project is dead on arrival.

2. Tie directly to strategic priorities
   Show how the project advances 1–3 top company priorities (revenue, cost, risk, customer satisfaction, etc.). Projects that do not move key needles lose in the resource competition.

3. Quantify impact and value
   Estimate ROI, cost savings, risk reduction, or growth potential. The greater and clearer the impact, the more likely executives will champion it.

4. Design in quality from the start
   Include clear quality criteria and controls: how success will be measured, what “good” looks like, and how defects, rework, or failure modes will be prevented.

5. Show realistic resources and budget
   Demonstrate that required people, skills, and budget are available and allocated. Overly optimistic resourcing is a red flag in most approval processes.

6. Present a credible timeline
   Break the project into phases or milestones, with dates and decision points. Highlight quick wins early to build confidence and maintain sponsorship.

7. Secure visible executive sponsorship
   Align with leaders who “own” the problem. If they are not willing to put their name and political capital behind it, selection and approval are unlikely.

Would you like a simple 1-page template to evaluate whether your project is likely to get approved?