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

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