/ˈʃrɜːdɪŋərz ˈprɒdʒɛkt/
Definition
A strategic initiative that is simultaneously completed and not completed, depending entirely on who’s asking and what slide deck it appears in. Typically exists in a superposition of “ready for launch”, “blocked by dependencies”, and “pivoting to align with business priorities.”
Common Manifestations
- Reported as done in the roadmap but still in QA in Jira
- Described as “in the wild” by Marketing and “in staging” by Engineering
- Subject to rebranding as a “Phase 0 pilot” when deadlines die.
- Invoked in leadership meetings to prove “momentum”
Usage Example
“As of this morning, Schrödinger’s Project is both live and awaiting sign-off. Please update the status accordingly.”
HR Guidance
Do not open the box. Observing Schrödinger’s Project forces it into one of two states: success (for the slide deck) or failure (for the post-mortem). Maintain plausible amibiguity until next quarterly review.