Implementation Month: Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

This January Rural Resurrection is celebrating the fifth annual National Implementation Month! So let the festivities begin! But where do you start? One aspect to remember in implementation is “don’t reinvent the wheel.”

It Has Been Done Before

One of the most important things to remember when considering implementing a project is that it has been done before. This is especially important to remember for larger projects. When the mountain to climb looks overwhelming, the realization that it has been done before helps to provide comfort and the energy that comes with knowing someone else has done it successfully.

You may think your project is unique, but there are other projects out there with similarities. Find other successful projects with those similarities and figure out their path to implementation. Use it as a template for moving forward. This is not to say you should just boilerplate everything about another project in another town just to ensure success. But if the path has already been beaten down by another town’s “Chevy Blazer”, why not take your “Ford Bronco” down the same path if the endpoint is success?

Do Your Research

“Do your research” is a common recommendation on Rural Resurrection. But preparation is the key to success and the more you know about a subject, the more likely you will find success.

As I say to my kids regularly, “Use Google for Good”. For them, it is intended to get them away from looking for the latest meme or game hack and push them to use Google to learn something useful. A similar principle applies here. With the help of the right search terms, you can find how other communities implemented a similar project. Not only for what worked, but what caused struggles and how they overcame those struggles.

If anything a Google search can give you a name to look up. Someone to call to learn directly from the source, what worked and what did not. Making inroads with someone who’s done it before and succeeded can be quite powerful for your own project.

KISS Implementation Method Works

The KISS method works hand in hand with not reinventing the wheel. Others have succeeded with similar projects because they knew they needed to Keep It Simple Stupid. They saw what worked and stuck to it. These towns didn’t take an existing idea and over-complicate it to make it more grandiose. The same goes for implementing your project. Replicate a project that works, then build upon it over time. This concept ties back to the Bite Size Pieces post from last year’s Implementation Month. Don’t feel you need to do it all at once. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Ok, now that I’ve used a number of adages, it is time to stop reading these ramblings and start your community’s path toward success.