The Wind Mountain Group

The Wind Mountain Group is dedicated to helping clients solve Complex Problems. We specialize in Strategic Planning, facilitating Organizational Change and managing Adaptive Projects.

We have more than 20 years of experience in complex domains in both commercial and educational spaces. We have delivered results in manufacturing, software, new product development and organizational productivity.

This description of complex problems comes from Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber’s 1973 article Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning. They actually use the term Wicked Problems to describe this class of problem. We use the term Complex as it is generally better understood, though Rittel and Webber may better capture the sentiment of people working on such problems as they are wicked hard to solve.

When we speak of Complex Problems we are referring to a class of problems which are typically hard to define, may have unclear end points, are systemic in nature, and the solution—if one can call it that—is never truly right or wrong. What distinguishes complex problems from complicated problems is the dynamic, changing nature of the problem space.

Adaptive Project Management is empirical process control applied to project management. It is an approach to managing complex projects by engaging the whole system in an iterative process of planning, incremental delivery of value, and continuing refinement of requirements. It builds largely on the Adaptive Software Development work of Jim Highsmith. It has roots in the theory base underlying the Project Management Institute’s, PM Book of Knowledge (PMBOK), then pulling in complex adaptive system, queuing, information and organizational development theories to guide practice within the specific context of the problem domain.

We have pioneered the use of the Goal, Strategy, Alignment Matrix or GSA-Matrix approach to strategic planning. This tool provides a framework for discussing why organizations exist, their goals, and the strategies, tactics and programs with which to achieve those goals.

This site is primarily a collection of articles and white papers describing our practice, accomplishments, philosophy, thoughts, and importantly, the theory base which underlie them. We are both process advocates and process contrarians, particularly in the realm of seven-step programs which all too often fail to deliver on their promises.

Image of an onion pealed back to expose the coreThe common theme you find in these pages is a focus on cultural context and sound theory base. Effective change occurs when practice effects specific leverage points in the organization, and those leverage points are different for each organization. To find those leverage points you have to understand the system. To understand the system, you have to peal back the metaphorical onion which is its culture.

And peeling the onion is what The Wind Mountain Group is all about.

We welcome your comments, questions and inquiries.

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