ISRO’s (Indian Space Research Organisation) Chandrayaan-3 mission provides valuable project management and leadership lessons that can be applied to a wide range of endeavours. While Chandrayaan-3 is a lunar mission, its principles can be adapted for projects in various industries. Here are some key lessons:
Clear Vision and Objectives
Begin with a clear and well-defined mission and objectives. Chandrayaan-3 aimed to achieve a soft landing on the moon on 23rd Aug, providing a clear & quantified direction for the project.
Innovative Resource Management
The Mission was completed successfully within a lean budget of 74 million USD. While People can’t stop comparing this budget to being less than Hollywood Movie Budgets, there’s a lesser known fact that highlights the level of control on the mission. “The budget of Chandrayaan 3 (74 Mn USD) was 49% less than the Budget of Chandrayaan 2(142 Mn USD) and this was made possible to have innovative engineering of soft-landing without much extra cost as well as by reuse of Chandrayaan 2 Orbiter”.
Effective Team Orchestration
Collaboration is crucial in space missions. ISRO’s success stems from the close collaboration between scientists, engineers, and support staff. Effective teamwork is vital in any project. All of them worked in flat hierarchy without cabin culture. The Mission Control Room visuals show a team that didn’t had any hats or trees, rather all specialists orchestrated on respective nodes.
Incremental & Robust Project Planning
Follow an Incremental Delivery Approach with a pragmatic scope. Create comprehensive project plans that outline tasks, timelines, and dependencies. Chandrayaan-3 required meticulous planning to synchronize the launch, lunar orbit, and landing phases. This was particularly special because of the nature of execution in space, there’s little room for visible course correction unless the scenarios are thought for and detailed in the plan.
Risk Assessment and Mitigation
Identify potential risks early in the project and develop mitigation strategies. This was visible with how ISRO’s plan was equipped with onboard sensors and data from Chandrayaan 2 Sattelite to have real time data supporting identification and management of risks at real time. The mission had a Plan B landing as part of mitigation for the risks associated with Soft Landing and any disturbances faced while entering Lower Lunar Atmosphere.
Gratitude is the most powerful Leadership Skill
Leadership in organizations that often step over complex projects like Chandrayaan-3 requires adaptability & gratitude to prosper. The notes of all leaders started with gratitude to every individual specialist involved in the mission and organization. This is a small gesture with a big impact. High Performing Teams require leaders who know the art of motivation and their every act would be forward thinking to prepare the team for Next Mission.
Imbibe Continuous Learning and Improvement in the Culture through Actions
Chandrayaan-3 benefited from the lessons learned from previous missions. This highlights a culture of continuous improvement and learning from mistakes. Thise shows how the team had a retrospect to learn from previous failure and actioned it with fruitful outcomes rather than limiting it to just slides or documents.
Proactive Communication & Stakeholder Management
Maintain clear and open lines of communication among team members, stakeholders, and the public. Chandrayaan-3’s progress was communicated transparently, building public trust. The live telecast maintained clear transparency which allowed the team to focus on critical landing tasks, rather than petty distractions to answer phone calls from stakeholders or News Reporters.
Resilience and Perseverance
Space missions just like any new technology ventures like Generative AI, etc. often face setbacks. Chandrayaan-3 demonstrated ISRO’s resilience by persevering despite the challenges of a previous failed landing attempt. There we no shadows of doubts or pressure demonstrated or carried from previous failed attempt from the leadership, thus not
Innovation and Technology Advancement:
Push the boundaries of technology and innovation. Chandrayaan-3 showcased India’s technological capabilities and its commitment to advancing space exploration. Just like any organization, some flagship missions are worth the risk to establish authority in the market w.r.t. Innovation & Technological Advancement Capability.
In summary, Chandrayaan-3’s mission offers valuable lessons on project management and leadership, emphasizing the importance of clear vision, effective teamwork, risk management, and innovation. These lessons can be applied to projects across various industries to enhance their chances of success as an organization with effective leadership.
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