Definition of Progressive Elaboration

Good team communication benefits progressive elaboration.

Progressive elaboration is a project management term. It applies whenever you start a new project and are unsure what the outcome will be. Over time, you gather information and adapt your strategy accordingly, continuously improving a plan as more information become available--basically, making it up as you go along. Watching the development of an advertising campaign may be the best way to see progressive elaboration at work.

Starting an Endeavor

When a company wants to launch a new product, the marketing director will contact an advertising agency to discuss an appropriate campaign. The first meeting will be between the company's and the agency's marketing directors. Let's assume the new product is a new kind of cheese and the company wants to position it as every young family's first choice--irresistible, especially for children. The briefing will say, "Give me something cute and funny that appeals to children, so they want my cheese everyday. It must also appeal to moms because they have the buying power."

Brainstorming

Brainstorming, a favorite tool for progressive elaboration

With this brief, the marketing director calls a meeting with the creative team for the first brainstorming. Everyone shouts out the first idea that comes into his head. Then they find more ideas by free association. Graphic designers suggest visuals while the copywriters invent story lines. They might agree to name the product "Cheesy," and finally, they conclude: "Let's do something with mice, in a Beatrix Potter-style setting. Everyone knows that mice like cheese, and they are cute enough to appeal to kids."

First Drafts

The agency prepares several drafts for the campaign. They produce cute stories about a mouse family living under a hedgerow. For example, Mother Mouse is concerned that her kids don't want to eat nuts anymore. She asks them why and they say, "Because we want Cheesy, like our cousins in the town." Then the marketing director presents the drafts to the client, who might say, "Oh no, not mice. My wife is scared of them and they are vermin." This verdict means that the agency has to change the campaign. The client finally agrees to human children in Mickey Mouse costumes.

Elaboration Progresses

The team gets back to work along the lines of the new adapted briefing. The new suggestions might look like this: Mother comes home loaded with shopping bags. Just as she scrambles for her keys, the door opens from within and her kids greet her in Mickey Mouse costumes, chanting: "We want Cheesy! We want Cheesy!" She smiles benevolently and says, "I see. Well, cheese is good for your bones, after all." The marketing director shows this second draft to the client, who likes it. Then the client has an "a-ha!" moment. He suggests adding merchandise--the product launch should feature not only Cheesy, but promotional Mickey Mouse costumes, too.

The Launch

Finally, the ads with the "Cheesy family" hit the screens. Shops pile the cheese and costumes high. Children pester their moms for both. Moms buy it by the dozen. The cheese manufacturer rubs his hands with glee. The advertising agency pops champagne corks. The launch was successful.

References

• PMcrunch: Rolling Wave Planning and Progressive Elaboration
• Project Management Essentials: Progressive Elaboration: Moving from the unknown to the known.
• Project Management Knowledge: Progressive elaboration