---
title: TOP Thinking on | Path Dependency
description: Path Dependency | For more than three decades, we have been challenging the orthodox thinking about strategy and project execution in our TOP Thinking blog.
---
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# TOP Thinking on
#### [The Power Of "Path Dependency"](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/the-power-of-path-dependency)
Path Dependency gives you control over both your project and its business value but is it is a concept too often ignored - learn more here
#### [Is Your Project Already In Trouble?](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/is-your-project-already-in-trouble)
The lack of clear, specific 'desired business outcomes' statements measurable with a true/false question driving the project dooms projects to fail in part or in full.
#### [Potential Threats To Portfolio Management Offices - 3 Outcomes](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/potential-threats-to-portfolio-management-offices-3-outcomes)
The Portfolio Management Office must ensure the project delivery methods deliver the business' desired outcomes, rather than just "finishing" a project.
#### [How To Identify Your 'Desired Business Outcomes'](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/how-to-identify-your-desired-business-outcomes)
Your project's desired business outcomes can be your primary measure of success only when you know how to define them
#### [Business Outcomes — The Holy Grail For Projects](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/business-outcomes-the-holy-grail)
The definition of your desired business outcomes is the 'holy grail 'of projects that every manager needs to understand.
#### [Benefits Have To Be Planned, Managed And Delivered To Be Measured](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/benefits-have-to-be-planned-managed-and-delivered)
Benefits don't just happen, they have to be planned, actioned and delivered. Benefits delivery is a change process - not a measurement process.
#### [The Value Of Defining 'Desired Business Outcomes'](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/the-value-of-defining-desired-business-outcomes)
Defining clear, specific, measurable desired business outcomes changes your project, reduces your costs and increases the value. Really!
#### [The Pre-Requisites To Strategic Growth](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/the-strategic-growth-challenge)
Strategic growth is too often undermined by a lack of value delivery processes. Five in particular that can be easily put in place.
#### [Projects Don’t Deliver Outcomes Or Benefits Only Outputs | Myth 6](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/projects-dont-deliver-outcomes-or-benefits-only-outputs-myth-6)
The idea of projects not being responsible for benefits is false and needs to be rejected.
#### [Projects Exist To Solve Problems | Myth 5](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/projects-exist-to-solve-problems-myth-5)
Projects do not just exist to solve problems, they are commissioned to deliver the business benefits and value.
### TOPics
- [Benefits Management (29)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/benefits-management)
- [Business Case (24)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/business-case)
- [Business Simplification (5)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/business-simplification)
- [Capability Development (38)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/capability-development)
- [Capital Investment (24)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/capital-investment)
- [Change Management (17)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/change-management)
- [Consultants (1)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/consultants)
- [Costs and Waste (16)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/costs-and-waste)
- [Engineered Thinking/Ideas/Innovation (8)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/engineered-thinking-ideas-innovation)
- [Fifteen Critical Insights (15)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/fifteen-critical-insights)
- [Idea / Project Initiation (3)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/idea-project-initiation)
- [Mental Models, Beliefs and Myths (18)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/mental-models-beliefs-and-myths)
- [Outcomes Thinking (10)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/outcomes-thinking)
- [Path Dependency (10)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/path-dependency)
- [Prioritization (13)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/prioritization)
- [Process Management (11)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/process-management)
- [Productivity Improvement (7)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/productivity-improvement)
- [Program / Project delivery (40)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/program-project-delivery)
- [Project Controls (52)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/project-controls)
- [Project Governance (90)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/project-governance)
- [Project Management (4)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/project-management)
- [Project Success (46)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/project-success)
- [Project Validation (2)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/project-validation)
- [Risk Management (5)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/risk-management)
- [Scope Management (5)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/scope-management)
- [Standards/Frameworks/Methods (14)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/standards-frameworks-methods)
- [Strategic Project Portfolio Management (16)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/strategic-project-portfolio-management)
- [Strategy Execution (39)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/strategy-execution)
- [The TOP Four Lenses (1)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/the-top-four-lenses)
- [TOP compared to orthodox approaches (7)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/top-compared-to-orthodox-approaches)
- [Value Delivery (83)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/value-delivery)
- [Value Equation (60)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/value-equation)
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