How Some Binary Math Can Improve Your Project Management In 3 Easy Steps

I am an engineer by heart and yes, I can read binary. I think that the basics of computers are simple and graceful way to evaluate things and when I started thinking about it, there are a lot of applications for the on or off, true or false, one or zero, way of binary. Get inspired by math and see how a little technical thinking can make your projects easier to deal with.

Here is our example:

01010000 01001101 01010000

Step 1: Know how your processing power.

• A computer is limited by RAM and the processor to how many bits it can do at once. Projects also have limited power by how many people are on the team. You need to know how many people and what their workable hours are that they can dedicate to the project. You know that they can't do all 120 hours of work in one week!

Step 2: Break it down into bytes and bits.

• A byte is typically one full character (255 options) so in most instances that is 8 bits. The above example is 3 bytes. You have to read each byte individually before reading the next one. Each byte is like a stage of the project such as planning that must be completed before development can start. Don't even try to read ahead; stay focused and do one at a time.

Step 3: Zero or one, not done or done?

• The classic problem in project management is the answer to the question "Is it done?" and you get the answer "Almost". There is no grey in binary, no maybe. It is either all the way done or not. By limiting yourself and your team to the strict yes or no you can quickly know that status of your project step, project stage, and project deadline.

Special props to those of you that figure out what the example above actually is!