STRATEGY & DISCIPLINE
Choosing which projects deserve our time
Long-term ambition requires immediate choices: where is our contribution useful, and which next step can we realistically prepare?
Start with the need and the role
We believe an opportunity first deserves two simple questions: which need does it seek to meet, and what contribution could the Group make? A presentation may describe a large market without clarifying the future user’s problem or the work expected of the developer.
We favour opportunities for which a concrete next step can be defined. This might involve assessing demand, assembling technical information or clarifying potential partners’ contributions. That step should have an identifiable output.
Compare the work required
Coordination time is a limited resource. We therefore propose reviewing each opportunity according to the quality of available information, the expertise required and the dependencies of the next stage. This helps explain why two opportunities of similar size may require very different levels of effort.
For example, a smaller opportunity with precise demand and an accountable counterpart may allow focused preparatory work. A more ambitious programme whose scope remains open may require further qualification before involving a wider team.
Review priorities at each stage
We want each stage to include a continuation question: does the new information strengthen the project’s relevance and clarify our role? If it reveals a major difficulty, the work programme should be revisable. The initial decision to examine an opportunity should not make continuation automatic.
Our ambition is to build a portfolio in which every active opportunity has a reason to progress and a defined next decision. Long-term objectives provide direction; daily discipline connects that direction with available capabilities and evidence.
FURTHER READING
Subsaharan Group · Working together ↗
