Analyzing Scope Creep

Having not had a personal or professional experience with a project that involved Scope Creep, in response to this week’s question, I will analyze a real life example from an article by Jean Scheid, I discovered on Bright Hub.

The article explains the dilemma of the Chrysler PT Cruiser. According to Scheid, Chrysler Corporation had mastered the design, production, and advertising of the PT Cruiser, but they failed to include dealer showroom delivery times into the project equation. As a result, dealers lost deposits and customers were forced to purchase cars from other automakers. Stakeholders reacted negatively to the situation by placing unpleasant phone calls to top heads at Chrysler production plants. To try to resolve the problem, Chrysler decided “to ship out cars to any old rails in any old city and let the dealers figure it all out” (Scheid, 2011).

Had I been the manager of this project, I would have done three essential things: I would have created a Work Breakdown Structure; a Project Schedule, and a Communication Plan.  These documents particularly, the Communication Plan would help determine everything a project manager needs from initiation to testing to completion to delivery to market, as well as the project tasks that need to be completed. (Scheid, 2011)

A properly designed Project Schedule is very important because all members of the team would be able to review it consistently and address problematic areas. Lastly, team members must communicate in order to ensure a successful project. Levine states “Having a communication plan in place is an essential component for good project management. This document ensures that all stakeholders are equally informed of how, when, and why communication will happen.

Communication is often a very effective way to solve problems, deal with risks, and ensure that tasks are completed on time” (Levine, 2011). I observed on the streets in America I no longer see much of the PT Cruiser. I often wondered why it had such a short life span, I would never have known had I not had this assignment. It is unfortunate that Chrysler’s failure to analyze their delivery times had such a negative impact on their initial sales.

References

Levine, R. (2011). An Example Communication Plan for the Project Manager. Retrieved June 7, 2012, from http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/16931.aspx

Scheid, J. (2011). Product Scope Creep. Retrieved June 7, 2012, from www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/.../94628.aspx

Estimating Costs and Allocating Resources

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/project-help/estimate-activity-duration-HA001139963.aspx

This article is a great resource. For those of us who do not know how to create a project schedule, or are currently learning the details of project management the article guides you through the process. It explains how to determine the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). These directions are simple to follow. For me, it takes away the fear of learning project management. It is very simple for the first-time learner of project management and creating project schedules.

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/use-this-process-to-estimate-effort-hours/614248

In this article Tim Mochal explains the process to estimate the total effort required for a project. He states that there are three early estimates that are needed for a project--effort, duration, and cost. Of the three, effort hours must be estimated first. This information is helpful for me and perhaps to you also since project management might be new to most of us. I would not have considered effort in planning a work schedule neither did I know it was determined in hours and it should be estimated first.

Communicating Effectively

My interpretation changed from one modality to the next based on the mode of delivery of the message. The email I had to read. I did not have to respond. The voice mail I had to listen. I did not have to respond. However, the face-to-face allowed me to identify with the problem, listen, and decide to react to a request. The face-to-face provoked a response, while the other two did not.

Email

While the email served as formal form of communication, and its contents urgent and important, tiredness would have prevented him from responding in an urgent manner. After a long day’s work no one wants to sit at the computer responding to emails. Unless Jane included a return receipt from Mark when he received the email message, she would not have a record that he received it, and could not hold him responsible for not responding.

Voicemail

Voicemail is somewhat similar to email. Even though it is an informal mode of communication, the caller can leave a message which is a documented record. Unless Mark responded to Jane’s voice mail message, Jane would have no way of knowing if Mark got her message.

Face-to-Face

The face-to-face message was an informal means of communication that was delivered in person. In this setting, Mark had an opportunity to ask for clarification to ensure that he would deliver exactly what was needed. However, there was no record of the conversation. The tone of her voice helped me decide if I wanted to help her.

The factors that influenced how I perceived the message was gleaned from my own personal experiences. If I am too tired I do not go to my computer. While I love technology, I am not one of those who use the phone every second of the day, checking emails or doing business. I do not receive email on my cell phone and do not regard emails as urgent communication. If someone calls my phone whose number I do not recognize, I do not call back. If it is important enough they would leave a message for me. My house phone is my business phone. Most people who call on that phone are marketers, therefore, the need to check those messages that go to voice mail have low priority.

The form of communication that best conveyed the true meaning and intent of the message was the face to face. The delivery was done in a relaxed, unhurried tone. She had a pleasant personality. Even though her message was not delivered as if it was urgent, it still conveyed the message of urgency and how important the con. Also, Mark had an opportunity to clarify the information by asking questions to determine exactly what was required of him. However, he did not have anything in writing confirming that there was a conversation neither required him to sign a document as having received the reports.

The implications of what I learned are that failure to communicate effectively will cause my project to fail. Success means ensuring that my team members understand what I am trying to communicate by giving them an opportunity to ask questions to clarify information (Portny, et al. p. 358). To ensure that my team members receive the communication, I would have them sign and return that they read the document. Having team members sign off on documents “enables project managers to verify that their audiences received and interpreted their message in the way intended” (p. 358). Also, I would include an area for them to add comments if necessary.  This method will serve as a permanent record and make each person accountable for the decisions they made. When communicating with members of a project team it is important to be “clear, concise and focused” says Stolovitch (Laureate, Education, 2012).

In the future, what would help me to communicate effectively is to have scheduled structured meetings that will give all members of the team an opportunity to meet at the same time. Members of the team would be able to give feedback on the progress of the project as well as clarify any issues they may be having. Most importantly, I would document all aspects of the project and have the key persons sign off as necessary. I would ensure that communication of all types is recorded and feedback received in a timely manner. According to Portny “project managers might never know whether the intended audience even read the reports” (p. 358), if there is not a request for a response in writing.

References

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Stolovitch, H. Communicating with Stakeholders [Video Program]. Laureate Education, Inc., 2012

The Art of Effective Communication (n.d.). [Multimedia Program]. Retrieved May 17, 2012, from Laureate Education, Inc., 2012

Learning from a Project "Post-mortem"

The project I undertook was to write a book. I knew I wanted to write a book that would be a self-help, yet I did not want to reveal too much personal information that would embarrass my family. It was important to know where to drw the line. When I began writing, I did not look at it as a project, but as something I wanted to do. Linn defines a project as “a single objective to be achieved, and the project terminates upon the accomplishment of that objective” (Lin, p. 4). I did not consult with anyone. I did not know what the topics would be initially; neither did I know in what order they would be. I did not have an established plan. Portny, et al “the success of a project depends on how clear and accurate the plan is and whether people believe they can achieve it” (Portny, et al, p. 79).

I did not use a written Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) which is an organized, detailed, and hierarchical representation of all work to be performed in a project” (p. 86). Even though I did not use a professional format for the task, I believe I accomplished my goal. I was able to determine the needs – in this case the topics that I would cover; design the layout and cover, write the material. I used the top-down approach which includes: “specifying all work assignments required for the entire project; determine all tasks required to complete all tasks; specify the sub-tasks (p. 92).

The project’s success was due to several things. I worked alone; remained dedicated to the task. I did my own typing, design and layout; I also created the cover design. I had knowledgeable people proof read for errors and reviewed regularly. Because I was the only individual working on the project I did not have problems with communicating, neither did I have to deal with internal problems. Had I included a Statement of Work (SOW) to guide me in scheduling beginning and ending dates, I would have been more organized. Also, had I researched the market carefully, I may not have selected the publisher who published my book.

References

Lin, H. (2006). Instructional project management: An emerging professional practice for design and training programs. Workforce Education Forum, 33(2).

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Project Management in Education and Training

Thank you for visiting my blog! My goal is to make it interesting as well as informative in the hopes of inspiring you to continue to subscribe.

Distance Learning Technologies

Voki and Poll Everywhere

Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek (2012) in the course text Teaching and Learning at a Distance, suggested the importance of focusing on selecting instructional strategies that engage all the learners in active learning. To do this, they said: “the instructor may need to de-emphasize the “informative” part of the instruction for more “discovery” of information” (p. 159).

As an instructional designer, in order to ensure that the students are engaged in learning, the two possible learning technologies that will offer them the best means for learning in the scenario “Interactive Tours” are: creating a Voki, and using the survey tool Poll Everywhere. From experience with high school students and the use of technology, most of them are actively engaged when they have to use their skills to create different designs. Learning to create a Voki is designed to keep students engaged as well as to elicit some fun.

What is Voki?

Voki enables users to express themselves on the web in their own voice using a talking character. You can customize your Voki to look like you or take on the identity of lots of other types of characters… animals, monsters, anime etc. Your Voki can speak with your own voice which is added via microphone, upload, or phone. Voki lives on your blog, social network profile and will soon be integrated in various instant messaging platforms. You will also be able to download it to most video supported phones. (Retrieved from http://www.voki.com/

In this particular scenario, students can create a Storyboard of the tour of the museum by giving character and voice to the Voki.  Once the Voki is created, the students can copy and paste the link on their website for sharing with others.  

Here is an example of how a Voki is successfully used in distance learning.  I used the Voki to introduce my distance learners to the class I designed. The Voki can be accessed from https://www.coursesites.com/webapps/login/

The other technology I will use to involve students and create interaction on the selection of the two pieces of artwork will be a survey such as Poll Everywhere.

What is Poll Everywhere?

Poll Everywhere is a simple survey which is completed in three simple steps. First the teacher asks a question. Secondly, the students respond using twitter, their cell phones or a web browser. Thirdly, responses are displayed live. Each student is connected to the poll by a common number that they input into their phones. Responses are immediate. I selected Poll Everywhere because it is interactive. Also, it gives students the feel that they are making a contribution and that their opinion counts. Some teachers have obtained grants for clickers or student response systems, but without one of those devices students can use their cell phone or a web browser. There are several benefits to using Poll Everywhere. The following are some of the benefits to teachers.

Benefits

Poll Everywhere encourage honest answers through anonymous response; conduct real-time, in-the-moment formative assessment; Enable students to review responses online; use any cellphone (SMS), smartphone, laptop, desktop, or tablet; absolutely free (plus affordable premium plans); measurable increases in student achievement & engagement; save time with automatic grading & attendance tracking (Retrieved from: http://www.polleverywhere.com/k12-student-response-system).

Click on the link below to discover how Poll Everywhere has been used successfully in distance learning for all age groups.

http://alalearning.org/2010/02/11/engaging-learners-with-poll-everywhere/.

These two learning technologies as outlined above will provide a variety of learning experiences as they accommodate each student’s different learning styles. From my perspective these are the best choices given the scenario.

References

Chaney. A (2012). Voki Tip of the Week: Recognize Student Achievement with Voki. Retrieved from http://blog.voki.com/2012/03/13/voki-tip-of-the-week-recognize-student-achievement-with-voki/

Hamilton B. (2010). Engaging Learners with Poll Everywhere. Retrieved April 26, 2012, from http://alalearning.org/2010/02/11/engaging-learners-with-poll-everywhere/

Phillip L. (2012). Example of Voki used in Distance Learning. Retrieved April 26, 2012 from https://www.coursesites.com/webapps/login/

Poll Everywhere. Retrieved March 16, 2012 from http://www.polleverywhere.com/k12-student-response-system

What is Voki? Retrieved March 16, 2012 from http://www.voki.com/about_voki.php

From FtF to Blended Learning

A training manager is frustrated with communication among his trainees in a face-to-face environment and decides to convert his training to a blended learning format.  While this move is practical, it is not very easy, and would require hours, or even months of planning. The challenges of this transition are explained; plus ideas and tips for success are summarized in a format that is easy to understand. The areas of concern are addressed in a best practices guide. These are:

• Pre-planning strategies
• Communication tools
• Ideas for enhancing program
• From manager to facilitator

Reflection on Distance Learning

As I am writing this, I recall one of my tenth grade students telling me about his desire to complete an online learning degree. He loves gaming and animation, but would prefer to go to school from home. This was my opportunity to let him know about the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning. In 5-10 years my current students will be in the 23-28 age groups.  This is an immobile group of people who love to spend hours on the computer playing games or looking at videos. Unless the courses contain material that entices them distance learning would not appeal to this group. As a whole distance learning education will continue to focus on the more mature population, and those who need to juggle their family activities. Siemens in his video segment on the Future of Distance Education stated that “new communication technologies; contributions by experts around the world and increased use of multimedia, games and simulations will change the face of distance learning as people become more comfortable with the technologies” (Siemens, Laureate Education, Inc., 2012).  Based on this view, I feel distance learning will be fully embraced by the younger population because of their level of comfort in using the technology.

When I think about 10-20 years in the future, this same group will be 33-48 years old, perhaps the children of those mentioned earlier. Technology would be even more advanced and being designed by this age group. With the instant availability of technology, I foresee distance learning to be more affordable as well as accessible to a larger segment of our population. The birth of Coursera has changed the perception of distance learning. Had I not been in this course, I would not have known such an opportunity exists. ”Coursera is on a mission to change the world by educating millions of people by offering classes from top universities and professors online for free. In the future, they hope to give everyone access to the world-class education that is now available to a select few” (Marketwire, April 18, 2012). Based on their vision, I can see them partnering with Title I schools and offering computers to those who need them.  If they offer these programs to this segment of the population, they would fulfill the dream of empowering people with education that will improve their lives, the lives of their families, and the communities in which they live.

As an instructional designer I can be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning by promoting the program myself because of the experiences and knowledge I have gained in this course. As a matter of fact, I am trying to sway some of the teens to consider taking online classes after they graduate high school. One young man said to me “I can’t do that, I will be distracted.” The younger generation is not being exposed to distance education as much as they should. The only simulation of online learning that takes place in schools is the recovery classes that students take to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. Because of the perceptions of society about distance learning, I perceive it is not an easy task to sway the minds of those from the traditional school of thought. Also, I would have to convince an employer that I can change the face of distance learning if given the opportunity. As I near the end of this module and continue to browse the Internet for jobs online, it is clearly not an easy market to get into. It seems a bit difficult to find a voice in the field of instructional design. Perhaps I can write a proposal to Coursera to convince them to partner with and share their wealth with some of the Title I schools or even the Community Colleges to give those students a chance of a free education while at the same time they will be promoting distance learning. If Coursera gets involved in changing the lives of the underprivileged, it will be a great advertisement for distance learning.

In order to be a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance education I would have to keep up-to-date with the emerging technologies and continue to promote the work. Also, I would have to find a platform from which to work. It will be difficult to seek for continuous improvement if I am not a part of it. Unfortunately, my agenda is not for promoting continuous improvement in the field of distance education as much as I am seeking a solution to change the face of education so that students would stay in school. I enrolled in this class not from the perspective of being an advocate of distance learning, but because it was a convenient way of pursuing a higher education. The skills I have learned in this distance learning course are superb and given the appropriate technology, I can create meaningful activities for my students. If given the opportunity to become an instructional designer, I would have a platform from which to promote distance learning.

As I read the excerpt “Critical Minds for Change” I reflected on the sentence “Like the children and adults I knew in Africa, the boy was denied the benefits of education because of his poverty, the need to work and the dreadfully inefficient distribution of education resources” (Burge p. 122). I am thinking about writing a grant that would provide technology to the less fortunate to increase their participation in distance education.

References

Burge, E. (Ed.). (2007). Critical minds for a change. In crafting the future: Flexible higher education. Open University Press/McGraw Hill Education.

Coursera by Marketwire. Retrieved April 19, 2012 from http://finance.yahoo.com/news/princeton-stanford-umichigan-penn-offer-090000887.html

Siemens, G. (n.d.). The Future of Distance Education [Video Program]. Laureate Education, Inc., 2012.

The Impact of Open Source

After reviewing the open course programs, I surmise that if I had done my homework well enough I would have chosen an open source course rather than pursue a degree program. The open course I selected was Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The particular class I selected to review was “Technologies for Creative Learning.” It was carefully pre-planned and designed for a distance learning environment. The course description included activities which focused on new educational technologies, and created opportunities for students’ reflections on learning experiences. The instruction was centered on students learning Web 2.0 technologies.

The course utilized a course management system (CMS). The CMS included a syllabus, course calendar, assignment instructions, as well as learning objectives. There were specific readings that were required in order to complete class assignments. Students were able to download videos of previous class sessions as well as communicate in groups. Instructors provided examples of past projects to give students an idea of what their counterparts did and for them to see what was expected of them. There were assessments for which the instructors provided the solutions. Students received immediate feedback. The open course met the seven lessons for online instruction as cited by Graham, Cagiltay, Lim, Craner, and Duffy (2001). Instructors provided clear guidelines for interaction with students; the assignments were designed well enough to facilitate meaningful cooperation among students; students presented course projects; instructors provided feedback; there were deadlines for course projects, the tasks were challenging; students’ work was displayed and students were allowed to choose project topics. (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, Zvacek, 2012, p. 179)

I particularly liked the fact that students role-played and became facilitators. It was a creative way of get students involved and also an opportunity for them to learn some leadership skills. The differences I noticed with the open course were that classes met once or twice a week, thereby reducing the amount of stress. The classes were free, and students had access to any archived class 24/7. The course activities were interactive which involved all students.

In the course text “Teaching and Learning at a Distance,” the authors stated “many administrators have expressed concern that courses taught at a distance do not have the same standard of quality associated with the on-campus courses” (Simonson et al, p. 209). After examining the open course, this is far from the truth. This open course had lots of rigor and interactivity. I learned a new game called “Scratch.” It is not necessary to learn programming to use Scratch. It is a logical game. One of the assignments was for students to teach someone else how to use Scratch. I accepted the challenge and learned Scratch. It was very engaging.

References

Resnick, Mitchel, and Karen Brennan. MAS.714J Technologies for Creative Learning, Fall 2009. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare), http://ocw.mit.edu (Accessed 01 Apr, 2012). License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Distance Learning

Welcome to my Distance Learning blog!


Before this course, I had two different definitions for distance learning. One was a self-study type of learning that was done in the comfort of one’s home made possible through direct mail correspondence and considered private, one-to-one interaction between teacher and student. The other was learning via a satellite location or video conferencing where students sat in a classroom and listened to a lecture from a professor who was located at another place.

In this week’s learning I discovered the enhanced definition of distance learning. Simonson et al, (2012), defines distance education as being inclusive of the following components: “institution-based, formal education where the learning group is separated, and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors” (Simonson, 2012, p.32).

What I learned this week was not all new information. But, it allowed me to look back in time to when my parents were recipients of certificates from correspondence schools. It is sobering to know for centuries major colleges and institutions have developed and produced successful correspondence courses from which our parents benefited.  The “roots of distance education are at least 160 years old” (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 37). Based on what I have learned this week, I would redefine distance learning as a correspondence course, which is delivered electronically, that allows all types of people located in different places to access and process information at any time through email, blogs, wikis and discussion boards while developing learning communities.

I see distance learning as Simonson sees it as “a disruptive technology” (p. 11). In that it influences or disrupts everyone’s life in a way that causes one to make decisions that one did not anticipate. It propels you forward even when you do not want to go forward. For example, I had no desire to get a new phone. I was content with simplicity. As I started taking this course, I realized that if I have a smartphone it would allow me to check into class, listen, and download information, etc. As new technology emerges, it completely disrupts your lifestyle. I can envision in a few years to come, buildings being devoid of adult students physically sitting in them as more people gravitate towards a more convenient way of life.

Dede (1990) describes how delivery of distance education will be more powerful in the future. He says “For at least another 15 years, the information technologies will continue to rapidly increase in power while decreasing in cost. This will have two major effects on distance learning: the synthesis of computers and telecommunications, and the growing affordability of sophisticated technology for instruction.” We are already there at that place, right now!

I envision as distance education explodes, there will be a need for qualified and experienced instructional designers. I foresee a lot of competition in this growing field, which means employers, will be looking for the best. Personally, I want to guarantee myself a place by learning and applying everything I learn to the best of my ability. “The challenge for ID professionals is not only to evolve the field, but also to assure that the products of sound professional design practice lead the e-learning enterprise” (Moller et al, 2008, p. 70).

References

Dede, J. (1990). The evolution of distance learning: Technology-mediated interactive learning. Journal of Research on Computing in Education; Spring90, Vol. 22 Issue 1, p247, 18p.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1: Training and development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.