“Project: Last Stand” — Why IT Project Management Feels Like Squid Game

 

"You either meet the deadline… or you’re out."

If you’ve ever managed an IT project with tight deadlines, conflicting stakeholder demands, and budget cuts mid-execution — you’ll understand when I say: IT Project Management sometimes feels like you’ve been dropped into Squid Game.

No, I haven’t been chased by masked guards or played red light, green light (yet), but the stakes in IT projects — while less bloody — can still be painfully high.

So, let’s take a tongue-in-cheek look at how IT Project Management mirrors the deadly games of Squid Game. You might laugh, you might cry — and hopefully, walk away with a deeper respect for the chaos PMs navigate daily.


🎯 Game 1: Red Light, Green Scope

You’re off to a great start! You’ve got requirements, a scope statement, and alignment. Suddenly a stakeholder yells, “Wait — can we also make it work on iPads, offline, in three languages?”

Welcome to the Scope Freeze moment. If you move before alignment returns… the whole project resets. 🟥

Lesson: Scope control isn’t about saying "no" — it’s about saying "not now" (and documenting everything).


🧊 Game 2: Gantt Chart Glass Bridge

Each task on your Gantt chart looks solid... until you step on one labeled “Data Migration”. Uh-oh — that’s when you realize the timeline estimate came from 2019 and was copied from a different project entirely.

Lesson: Estimates are guesses — test before you leap. And always check if the glass is reinforced (a.k.a validated by the team).


🪢 Game 3: Agile Tug of War

One rope. Two teams. Devs on one side pulling for refactoring, test coverage, and velocity. Stakeholders on the other pulling for features, features, features.

Lesson: Alignment isn't a war — it's a dance. Agile isn’t just a method, it’s a mindset. And a strong Product Owner is your referee.


🍬 Game 4: Stakeholder Honeycomb

Trying to carve a solution from a vague vision like “Just build something like Uber, but for hospital IT, and make it secure… and fun.”

Break the “shape” (aka misread expectations), and its game over.

Lesson: Never begin development with ambiguous requirements. Clarify, wireframe, demo early. Always ask: “What does success look like to you?”


💣 Game 5: Daily Stand-Up Landmines

Status: “Almost done.”
Translation: I haven't started yet but don't want to say so.
Step on that. Boom.

Lesson: Encourage honest reporting. A safe space for blockers saves your project. Pretending everything’s fine? That’s the real danger.


❄️ Game 6: Budget Freeze Tag

Need more testing time? Need another dev? Too late — the finance department has entered freeze mode. Hope you enjoy working nights.

Lesson: Budget discussions must happen early and often. Always have a buffer and learn to sell the value of investing now to prevent pain later.


🚨 Final Game: The Go-Live Gauntlet

It's launch day. QA is throwing bugs at you. UAT testers say, “It’s not working on my machine.” The client wants to change the logo last minute. Someone just pushed to prod without telling anyone.

Lesson: No go-live is ever perfect. What matters is how prepared, calm, and communicative you are. A smooth launch is earned through months of chaos management.

🧠 Why the Comparison Works

Like Squid Game, IT project management tests:

  • Resilience under pressure

  • Decision-making with limited resources

  • Team dynamics when goals conflict

  • Clarity in chaos

  • And ultimately, survival

The difference is: in IT, if someone “gets eliminated,” it’s usually just a missed KPI, not your actual life. But the emotional toll, the rush, the team spirit, and the relentless uncertainty? Very real.

🧩 Final Thought

In Squid Game, players fight for their lives. In IT, we fight for project delivery — sometimes with almost as much desperation.

So, the next time your project manager seems a little too intense, just remember they might be playing their own version of Project: Last Stand.

And if you're a fellow PM, give yourself some credit. You're surviving the impossible, one change request at a time. 💼💥

💬 Do you agree with these comparisons? What’s your “Squid Game” moment in IT? Share your thoughts in the comments!

#ProjectLastStand #ITProjectManagement #SquidGameSatire #PMAndre

Location: Penang, Malaysia

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The art of defect tracking - the perception of a good project

Image
Defects are all part of any project. How you manage them will determine how successful the project is perceived to be. You may have many defects but managed well, you can still give your customers / partners a perception that the project is going well. Why do I use the word perception ? Because inherently people's view on how things are going are based on perceptions. This may or may not be anchored on the reality of the situation. Part of the skill of a good project manager is marketing the situation at hand. With good marketing skills, a good project manager can create an illusion that the project is going well while sorting out issues in the background. More on this in later postings. Defects are essentially tasks that were not in the original project plan due to oversight or lack of planning. So instead of tasks to be done earlier in the project, these will need to be inserted into the plan later on in the project life cycle or even in post implementation phase. How ...
Read more

Project Management Lessons from the Chinese New Year Lion Dance on Stilts

Image
Project Management Lessons from the Chinese New Year Lion Dance on Stilts As a project manager with several years of experience, I often find inspiration for leadership, teamwork, and execution in the most unexpected places. This Chinese New Year, while observing the preparation for a mesmerizing Lion Dance on stilts performance, I couldn’t help but draw parallels between this ancient art form and the essential components of project management. Watching the performers rehearse with precision, dedication, and teamwork reminded me of the critical importance of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and collaboration during a project deployment. Here are some key takeaways: 1. Preparation Is Everything: The Foundation of Success The Lion Dance on stilts is a breathtaking display of acrobatics and cultural artistry. However, what most spectators don’t see is the extensive preparation behind the scenes. Each performer practices tirelessly, ensuring every move is synchronized, every jump calculated,...
Read more

No Mistake Is Beyond Fixing—If You Own It Early: A Project Manager’s Perspective on Risk Management

Image
  No Mistake Is Beyond Fixing—If You Own It Early: A Project Manager’s Perspective on Risk Management In the dynamic world of IT project management, risks are inevitable . Whether it's a misaligned scope, underestimated timelines, or unforeseen technical challenges, the true test of a project manager lies not in avoiding risks altogether but in recognizing and addressing them promptly .  Project Management Institute Watching this video about the Citicorp building in New York, it does bring home the importance of integrity and owning the mistake early as well as to be able to drive the necessary changes to resolve the issue. The Power of Early Risk Recognition Identifying risks at the earliest stages of a project is paramount . Early risk awareness facilitates proactive risk management, enabling teams to allocate resources effectively and develop mitigation plans . This proactive approach allows for informed decision-making and timely adjustments to project plans, schedules,...
Read more