Project Accountability

Project accountability in woodworking & furniture making. How can someone achieve that if they’re new to this process and may be looking to take on or better manage clients? The simplest answer…hold yourself accountable….

As a woodworker many (if not all) aspects of a project will fall on you responsibility wise. You have to ensure the plans you have will yield the desired end result, buy the correct amount of wood, ensure your tools can handle all the tasks, set timelines and checkpoints, plan out quality control measures, meet customer expectations and of course actually MAKE the project come to life.

The list above isn’t all inclusive, but it’s a good starting point to get your brain fired up and moving.

One tip I’ve found over the years is to make a list and hold yourself accountable. The list is the easy part but staying accountable can at times be challenging. Be open. Be honest. These really help the process too.

I have more recently decided to create videos as a different type of accountability for myself. I talk about plans for a project along with some shots of what I might be working on at that time and publish it for the world to see (in any way they see fit).

I’ve always wanted to remain transparent with projects and builds. In woodworking there’s no place to “hide”. I enjoy being authentic and open so it’s not even something I think about as an option when a build is concerned.

What are your go to tips for staying accountable? How do you keep yourself in check on a project or a build?