Walk in with proof, not hope

The project had fallen behind schedule, putting the client demo and wider launch at risk.

I took ownership of the recovery plan and Tool + how: rebuilt the timeline in Jira, mapping the dependencies between design, engineering and the client demo. I prioritised the demo because Risk: missing it would put both the client commitment and the wider launch at risk, and Trade off: deliberately pushed lower impact work into the following sprint. Design needed clarity on what could be simplified, while engineering needed a stable sequence and clear cut off points, so I Adapt: worked with each team differently to get them aligned around the revised plan.

By surfacing the critical dependencies early and focusing everyone on the work that protected the launch, we delivered the client demo on time and kept the overall launch on track.

In my final year consulting project, our team was two weeks from the presentation and our research was still incomplete, putting the quality of our recommendation at risk.

I proposed narrowing our analysis to the three questions most important to the brief and Trade off: dropping lower value analysis we would not have time to validate. I flagged that Risk: continuing to collect data without a cut off would leave us too little time to test our conclusions, so we agreed a firm deadline. I Tool + how: cleaned the survey data in Excel and built the core analysis in Power BI, checking missing responses and inconsistencies before using the results. One teammate wanted more data while another wanted to move straight to the presentation, so I Adapt: worked with each of them differently and brought both into a plan that balanced the evidence with the deadline.

We completed the analysis on time, delivered a clear recommendation and earned a distinction for the project.

While working in retail operations, I was asked to “project manage” the rollout of a new click and collect process before a major seasonal campaign. We were behind on both the operational setup and staff training.

I prioritised getting the customer handoff and stock check process working reliably and Trade off: pushed lower impact signage updates until after launch. I flagged that Risk: going live without testing the handoffs could lead to missed orders and inventory errors. I Tool + how: mapped the rollout in Trello, linking the dependencies across the stockroom, customer service and IT teams, and used it to track owners and blockers. The stockroom team needed clarity on inventory checks, while customer service needed a simple handoff process, so I Adapt: worked with each group differently to get them ready for launch.

We launched on schedule without major service disruption, and the new process became the standard way the store handled click and collect orders during the campaign.