Jargon buster

What is a ‘Johari window’ and how can you use this form of analysis to reduce your project risks?
 
The ‘Johari window’ was initially developed as a technique for personal development, whereby you ask yourself two questions: ‘how well do I know my own weaknesses?’ and ‘how well do other people know my weaknesses?’

But first, some background. Where did the name ‘Johari’ come from? Although it sounds like the name of an ancient Japanese zen master, it actually has a humbler provenance. It was coined by psychology researchers Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in 1955, when they created a tool that emphasised soft skills, such as behaviour, empathy and cooperation. The eagle-eyed among you may have already noticed that their first names are Joe and Harry, hence ‘Johari’. 

Johari windows are not only used for personal development, however. They are also used within project management to map out weaknesses and better understand your projects. Let’s look at what this jargon means, and how you can use it to improve your project outcomes.

There are four boxes in a Johari window:

Secrets
Project risks that we know about, but which are not known outside the team, are ‘secrets’. 

An example might be the fact that the Challenger Space Shuttle’s rubber seals were vulnerable to failure in low temperatures. The risk was not understood outside the engineering project team, which then led to a fatal explosion.

Notoriety

But what about risks that other people perceive about our project that we are unaware of, or at least downplay and disregard? 

Many commentators felt that the NHS’s National Programme for IT was taking an unrealistic approach, and yet the project team soldiered on, ignoring the risks until the project was finally cancelled at a whopping cost of £10bn.

Unknowns

These risks are the icebergs that could sink the ship. The captain can’t see them, and the public is also unaware. Donald Rumsfeld wittily called these the ‘unknown unknowns’. 

Common Understanding

This is the ‘sweet spot’ we are aiming for in risk management, where we are in control of the risks and demonstrating to stakeholders that we are in control. As a project professional, this is where you want most risks to surface from obscurity into a mature understanding of their relevance, both internally and externally. 

Using Johari windows can be key to identifying your project risks. By knowing what the project’s weaknesses are, you are better able to address them and ensure that they do not sabotage your efforts. If you’re curious to explore further, Dr Peter Parkes explains more about Johari techniques in his 2011 book, NLP for Project Managers. 

Brian Wernham is a main APM board member and 'hands on' programme management consultant. His book, Agile Project Management for Government, is published by Maitland & Strong.