The CaRM Manifesto

Capability and Risk Management



With over 25 years of experience in change management, I've reached an important insight: the methods we use for project management haven't significantly changed in decades.

They've become stiff and outdated, limiting the true potential of project managers. Despite the structured frameworks provided by various project methodologies, they often miss a key element: the impact project managers can have on the success of a project.

Our manifesto introduces a fresh perspective on project management, designed to empower change leaders like you to drastically reduce the chances of project failure.

I propose we move beyond the traditional "Project Manager" role, embracing a model where teams are self-reliant and accountable for their outcomes—delivering projects on time, within budget, and to the highest quality.

 We advocate for professionals to be seen as CaRM (Capability and Risk Management) experts, evaluated not on the performance of others, which is beyond their direct control, but on their commitment to our manifesto's principles.

This commitment is what truly adds value to projects. I invite you to join us in this movement to redefine project management and pave the way for a future where project success is in our hands.

Bruce Kamen : Founder of Projectily

The 16 CaRM Principles.

  • The CaRM experts are NOT responsible for making sure people deliver on time.
  • The CaRM experts ARE responsible for making sure there is a plan in place in case the project team do not deliver on time.
  • The CaRM experts will NOT (micro) manage the rest of the project team.
    - Each team member will be made responsible and accountable for their own actions and the effects these will have on the project.
  • The number 1 priority of a CaRM expert is RISK IDENTIFICATION & MANAGEMENT.
    - Mitigate all risks and you shall have no issues!
  • Tracking of project, programme and portfolio delivery will be done using the CAPABILITIES that each of them will deliver.
    - Tracking will NOT be done using the project or programme name/ ID number.
  • The project team are COLLECTIVELY responsible for building a plan outlining all the activities needed to deliver the project, not just the CaRM expert. This is known as the delivery plan.
  • The project team are COLLECTIVELY responsible for identifying dependant activities within the delivery plan, not just the CaRM expert.
  • Wider business stakeholders are COLLECTIVELY responsible for identifying external dependencies that could affect the delivery of the project...not just the CaRM expert.
  • A CaRM expert has their own plan which details all the activities THEY will be doing on the project. This is known as the CaRM  plan.
  • ALL dependencies are risks.
  • ALL key milestones are risks.
  • Project status is reported and based on the LEVEL OF RISK THE PROJECT IS HOLDING AT A GIVEN TIME
    – Project Status IS NOT reported or based on a RAG status of whether it is ‘perceived’ that activities on the delivery plan are on track to deliver at that point in time.
  • Everything being done on the project links back to the CUSTOMERS’ requirements and the capabilities that the customer expects to see once the project has completed.
  • No decisions made on the project affecting the customers’ requirements, the scope of what’s being delivered or the cost to deliver the project can be agreed or implemented without the customers approval (excepting where there have been pre-agreed tolerances that the project team can work within).
  • All medium, high and very high risks are assessed against a set of risk categories including as a minimum financial risk, risk to project delivery, risk to BAU operations, risk to the quality of the final product and risk to meeting the customers’ requirements and their expected capabilities.
  • Scenario planning is carried out against ALL high and very high risks so that contingency plans are known/ in place if the risk were to turn into an issue.