Application Is the Art
Solving Common Project Problems
Ch 14
Introduction
As much technology as we have available today to help us with our projects, we are still humans, thus conflicts will always arise. It is absolutely imperative to promptly find the most efficient solution to such conflicts, as to not hinder the overall progress of the project. Different techniques can be employed to solve a variety of conflicts, from technical aspects to personal disagreements.
Responsibility beyond Your Authority
Especially with larger projects, you may find that you must rely on people and sources over which you have no authority. If such these people are shortcoming of their respective duties, your whole project suffers. Learning how to make sure other people are reliable is a vital aspect of a successful project. This can be achieved by a statement of work, communication plans, network diagrams and sponsors, just to name a few methods.
Reducing the Time to Market
We’ve all heard the phrase “time is money”. Especially in this setting, this phrase proves quite true. Since speed counts in the industry, so it is paramount to employ any techniques you need to in order to finish as soon as possible without the suffering of quality. This can be achieved by project plans, completion criteria, project status meetings, and fixed-phrase estimating.
Managing Volunteers
In many situations, in order to get things done one must enlist the use of volunteers in a project. These people do not question your leadership, however you have no real authority over them, which if not managed properly can hinder or even stop the progress of project. This can be done first of all by treating your volunteers slightly different than you would workers. Be more respectful and understanding, because unlike your workers the commitment of volunteers really does depend on how much they like you as a leader. You can also manage a volunteer project by status meetings, statement of work, status meetings, and having small tasks with strong completion criteria.
Reference:
- Verzuh, Erick (2005). The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. 2nd edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Controlling the Project / Communication
Controlling the Project
Communication
Ch 11
Introduction
Controlling a project differs from planning and defining a project in that it refers to long term management of the project. Control implies the techniques and skills it takes to measure progress, foresee the direction of the project, and for successful and efficient communication.
Project communication
In any situation, communication is usually the most important factor for success in reaching a common goal. Open communication defies a good working group, more than technical skill. Constant and efficient communication amongst every member involved in the project is paramount to the success of the project. Getting right things done in the right way, which, in essence, is a project, takes communication among all members. Helpful techniques are communicating within the team, communicating with management and customers, change management, and closeout reporting. The value of communication is even greater when it comes to project managers. Each team member has four main communication needs: responsibility, coordination, status, and authorization. The project manager could make these responsibilities easier by making task assignments clear, holding individual status meetings, and putting meetings on the calendar.
Configuration management
A subset of change management, which focuses on how to apply [approved] changes, configuration management limits the changes to control documents, in turn avoiding confusion by keeping all members on the same page. This helps to avoid potential disasters, for correcting the issue can be nigh impossible once well into the project. Control documents, computer files, prototypes, and test environments can all be subject to configuration management. To implement configuration management, the first step is to identify products and items that need to be controlled. Next, the management must establish the control structure. This step must take into account access restriction, possible record of changes, and notification for all the members. The final step in the process is to assign configuration management responsibility. Choosing this person should be a cautious choice, one that can handle the job yet still be respected by all the members in the project.
Closeout reporting
Closeout reporting is an often overlooked and neglected project management activity. This is usually because this phase isn’t always the most exciting; however it can be just as important as any other. Since the end product is the goal of the entire project itself, a successful closeout reporting is vital to delivering the final product, whatever it may be. Many closeout tasks can be identified as transition tasks, such as notifying all the project participants of status changes in the project, giving product improvement ideas, or detailing any open tasks by making an updated project plan.
End point
For this particular project that I am undertaking, communication is of uttermost important because of the nature of the goals of the outcome. The final product will be promoting communication through unspoken language or what is known in the field as Kinesics. Kinesics is the non-verbal behavior related to movement, either of any part of the body, or the body as a whole.
Reference:
- Verzuh, Erick (2005). The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. 2nd edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesics
Communication
Ch 11
Introduction
Controlling a project differs from planning and defining a project in that it refers to long term management of the project. Control implies the techniques and skills it takes to measure progress, foresee the direction of the project, and for successful and efficient communication.
Project communication
In any situation, communication is usually the most important factor for success in reaching a common goal. Open communication defies a good working group, more than technical skill. Constant and efficient communication amongst every member involved in the project is paramount to the success of the project. Getting right things done in the right way, which, in essence, is a project, takes communication among all members. Helpful techniques are communicating within the team, communicating with management and customers, change management, and closeout reporting. The value of communication is even greater when it comes to project managers. Each team member has four main communication needs: responsibility, coordination, status, and authorization. The project manager could make these responsibilities easier by making task assignments clear, holding individual status meetings, and putting meetings on the calendar.
Configuration management
A subset of change management, which focuses on how to apply [approved] changes, configuration management limits the changes to control documents, in turn avoiding confusion by keeping all members on the same page. This helps to avoid potential disasters, for correcting the issue can be nigh impossible once well into the project. Control documents, computer files, prototypes, and test environments can all be subject to configuration management. To implement configuration management, the first step is to identify products and items that need to be controlled. Next, the management must establish the control structure. This step must take into account access restriction, possible record of changes, and notification for all the members. The final step in the process is to assign configuration management responsibility. Choosing this person should be a cautious choice, one that can handle the job yet still be respected by all the members in the project.
Closeout reporting
Closeout reporting is an often overlooked and neglected project management activity. This is usually because this phase isn’t always the most exciting; however it can be just as important as any other. Since the end product is the goal of the entire project itself, a successful closeout reporting is vital to delivering the final product, whatever it may be. Many closeout tasks can be identified as transition tasks, such as notifying all the project participants of status changes in the project, giving product improvement ideas, or detailing any open tasks by making an updated project plan.
End point
For this particular project that I am undertaking, communication is of uttermost important because of the nature of the goals of the outcome. The final product will be promoting communication through unspoken language or what is known in the field as Kinesics. Kinesics is the non-verbal behavior related to movement, either of any part of the body, or the body as a whole.
Reference:
- Verzuh, Erick (2005). The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. 2nd edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesics
Controlling the Project
Controlling the Project
Building a High-Performance Project Team
Ch 10
Introduction
Building a strong and committed team is the dream of any project manager. Controlling the project and keeping it on track, that is the outcome of a hard working project manger. Controlling a project blends the art and science of project management, (Verzuh, Erick, 2005, pg 231).
The challenge of building project teams
Luck and mystery has nothing to do with building good working teams. It is the hard work that goes into selecting the team members and creating in them the will to cooperate and learn to work together. Every team faces several difficulties before assembling as a one unit. Two main factors should be taken into consideration when creating a high-performing team. The first is the clear understanding of the team member that they are teaming up to solve some complex problems and these problems must be solved. Second, working relationship between the forming team players are temporary, hence, it is a must that they learn to get along together. It is all about employee empowerment and employee involvement.
Leadership responsibilities
Actions speak louder than words. This old saying did not go wrong when addressing leadership issues. As project managers, it is not what we believe will influence our team mates but our deeds. What inspires a team is the personal energy that comes out through example. Leaders put the team in motion, focus on the objectives and keep moving forward until goals are achieved. It is rare that the commitment and attitude of the leader drops below that of the team players. On the other hand it is vitally crucial to remember that out team mates are humans. Humans with feelings, egos, and career goals beyond this particular project that they ate part of. Their confidence in us, their leaders, may dictate their level of motivation and dedication to the progress of the project. Our genuine concern to their needs demonstrated in addressing their dignity as human beings, may by a catalyst factor in deciding their dedication to the goals of the project. We all know the golden role that came in the good book, yet it is required of us, as leaders to even treat out team mates with a little bit more that we want to be treated. Always remember to stop before you reach the burnout point for your team members’ production limit.
Active listening
As the old saying goes, listening is an art. However, active listening is double that art. For the listening to be active the listener has to be attentive to the speaker, giving them his full undivided attention. Several factors may hinder out capability as project managers to listen. Some of these hindrances could be summarize in the followings:
- Distraction caused by the environment that we are in, such as degree of comfort and relaxation that a crowded conference room can offer. That can steal our concentration.
- Some times a prior knowledge of the spoken subject may rob out full attention given to the speaker. That might give us the false conclusion regarding what is being said, believing that giving more attention to the speaker will is not necessary since we know all needed to be known about the subject at hand.
- People talk in different styles according to the part of the world they are from or according to their level of education. Listeners tend to shut speakers off when using a different style than ours.
- Also a negative past experience with the same speaker may shut us off to his ideas. A good listener has to detach themselves from any prejudice against the speaker because of prior experience.
End point
Although we all as project managers could benefit from learning how to put teams together and how to work with them and get them to work with each others. Yet in this particular project, that is one thing I have to touch lightly. I’m performing the vast majority of the work plan tasks myself. The administrative portion of the project will be taken care of by the acting dean at CE in the form of rolling on decisions and budgets.
Reference:
- Verzuh, Erick (2005). The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. 2nd edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Building a High-Performance Project Team
Ch 10
Introduction
Building a strong and committed team is the dream of any project manager. Controlling the project and keeping it on track, that is the outcome of a hard working project manger. Controlling a project blends the art and science of project management, (Verzuh, Erick, 2005, pg 231).
The challenge of building project teams
Luck and mystery has nothing to do with building good working teams. It is the hard work that goes into selecting the team members and creating in them the will to cooperate and learn to work together. Every team faces several difficulties before assembling as a one unit. Two main factors should be taken into consideration when creating a high-performing team. The first is the clear understanding of the team member that they are teaming up to solve some complex problems and these problems must be solved. Second, working relationship between the forming team players are temporary, hence, it is a must that they learn to get along together. It is all about employee empowerment and employee involvement.
Leadership responsibilities
Actions speak louder than words. This old saying did not go wrong when addressing leadership issues. As project managers, it is not what we believe will influence our team mates but our deeds. What inspires a team is the personal energy that comes out through example. Leaders put the team in motion, focus on the objectives and keep moving forward until goals are achieved. It is rare that the commitment and attitude of the leader drops below that of the team players. On the other hand it is vitally crucial to remember that out team mates are humans. Humans with feelings, egos, and career goals beyond this particular project that they ate part of. Their confidence in us, their leaders, may dictate their level of motivation and dedication to the progress of the project. Our genuine concern to their needs demonstrated in addressing their dignity as human beings, may by a catalyst factor in deciding their dedication to the goals of the project. We all know the golden role that came in the good book, yet it is required of us, as leaders to even treat out team mates with a little bit more that we want to be treated. Always remember to stop before you reach the burnout point for your team members’ production limit.
Active listening
As the old saying goes, listening is an art. However, active listening is double that art. For the listening to be active the listener has to be attentive to the speaker, giving them his full undivided attention. Several factors may hinder out capability as project managers to listen. Some of these hindrances could be summarize in the followings:
- Distraction caused by the environment that we are in, such as degree of comfort and relaxation that a crowded conference room can offer. That can steal our concentration.
- Some times a prior knowledge of the spoken subject may rob out full attention given to the speaker. That might give us the false conclusion regarding what is being said, believing that giving more attention to the speaker will is not necessary since we know all needed to be known about the subject at hand.
- People talk in different styles according to the part of the world they are from or according to their level of education. Listeners tend to shut speakers off when using a different style than ours.
- Also a negative past experience with the same speaker may shut us off to his ideas. A good listener has to detach themselves from any prejudice against the speaker because of prior experience.
End point
Although we all as project managers could benefit from learning how to put teams together and how to work with them and get them to work with each others. Yet in this particular project, that is one thing I have to touch lightly. I’m performing the vast majority of the work plan tasks myself. The administrative portion of the project will be taken care of by the acting dean at CE in the form of rolling on decisions and budgets.
Reference:
- Verzuh, Erick (2005). The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. 2nd edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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