The nature of intergovernmental projects provides many opportunities for managing relationships, work, and problems in novel ways. These opportunities can be mined for creative approaches to moving project activities toward successful completion.

Optimal solutions, however, do not always entail the use of the most elaborate technologies or the latest management techniques. You don’t necessarily need a "brand name" tool or pre-packaged commercial methodology. Generally the most valuable resources any project possesses are the individuals involved. Often the best solution is found in the common sense and practical experience of the participants. They bring to the table a wealth of knowledge about programs, practices, people, and politics.

Many of the projects we studied involved veteran professionals with a strong sense of what could work in a given situation. They had a deep appreciation for the limits of time, money, staff, and authority, but also had a willingness to try realistic new ideas. Since there are so many local agencies involved in each project, participants often learned from one another and shared their insights with state staff as well. Many project teams understood the critical importance of project planning, process analysis, data definitions and the like because they had encountered these as practical problems in their regular jobs. They knew these were important considerations and usually figured out how to deal with them without the aid of expensive consultants or special project management methodologies or software tools. In projects strapped for resources, this was often the only way to get the job done. Happily, it is often a very effective way.