HC Business Project Management Building a Recreational Area Discussion – Description
Based on your reading, in your own words, answer the following questions in complete sentences.
Everyone has been involved in projects. What is the largest project you have been involved in? (You do not have to have been the project manager, you could have played another role.)
Write one sentence that describes the objective of the project.
Describe specifically how this project meets the definition of a project used in this textbook. (How is it unique? What were the time constraints? If it is over, how did you know it was over? If it is ongoing, how will you know when it is over?)
What was your role? Were you the project manager, a volunteer, or some other role? If you were not the project manager, who was?
Was the project part of a larger portfolio or program of projects?
Who else was involved?
What was the budget?
Did you anticipate any risks at the outset? Did the project experience any outside forces that caused a change in either the objectives or the approach to achieving those objectives?
PART 2:
Read the case study below and answer at least two (2) questions. Then reply to a classmate and provide feedback. Do you agree or disagree with their perspective?
A Day in the Life
Rachel, the project manager of a large information systems project, arrives at her office early to get caught up with work before her co-workers and project team arrive. However, as she enters the office she meets Neil, one of her fellow project managers, who also wants to get an early start on the day. Neil has just completed a project overseas. They spend 10 minutes socializing and catching up on personal news.
It takes Rachel 10 minutes to get to her office and settle in. She then checks her voice mail and turns on her computer. She was at her client’s site the day before until 7:30 p.m. and has not checked her e-mail or voice mail since 3:30 p.m. the previous day. There are 7 phone messages, 16 e-mails, and 4 notes left on her desk. She spends 15 minutes reviewing her schedule and “to do” lists for the day before responding to messages that require immediate attention.
Rachel spends the next 25 minutes going over project reports and preparing for the weekly status meeting. Her boss, who just arrived at the office, interrupts her. They spend 20 minutes discussing the project. He shares a rumor that a team member is using stimulants on the job. She tells him that she has not seen anything suspicious but will keep an eye on the team member.
The 9:00 a.m. project status meeting starts 15 minutes late because two of the team members have to finish a job for a client. Several people go to the cafeteria to get coffee and doughnuts while others discuss last night’s baseball game. The team members arrive, and the remaining 45 minutes of the progress review meeting reveal project issues that have to be addressed and assigned for action.
After the meeting, Rachel goes down the hallway to meet with Victoria, another project manager. They spend 30 minutes reviewing project assignments since the two of them share personnel. Victoria’s project is behind schedule and in need of help. They broker a deal that should get Victoria’s project back on track.
She returns to her office and makes several phone calls and returns several e-mails before walking downstairs to visit with members of her project team. Her intent is to follow up on an issue that had surfaced in the status report meeting. However, her simple, “Hi guys, how are things going?” elicits a stream of disgruntled responses from the “troops.” After listening patiently for over 20 minutes, she realizes that among other things several of the client’s managers are beginning to request features that were not in the original project scope statement. She tells her people that she will get on this right away.
Returning to her office she tries to call her counterpart John at the client firm but is told that he is not expected back from lunch for another hour. At this time, Eddie drops by and says, “How about lunch?” Eddie works in the finance office and they spend the next half hour in the company cafeteria gossiping about internal politics. She is surprised to hear that Jonah Johnson, the director of systems projects, may join another firm. Jonah has always been a powerful ally.
She returns to her office, answers a few more e-mails, and finally gets through to John. They spend 30 minutes going over the problem. The conversation ends with John promising to do some investigating and to get back to her as soon as possible.
Rachel puts a “Do not disturb” sign on her door, and lies down in her office. She listens to the third and fourth movement of Ravel’s string quartet in F on headphones.
Rachel then takes the elevator down to the third floor and talks to the purchasing agent assigned to her project. They spend the next 30 minutes exploring ways of getting necessary equipment to the project site earlier than planned. She finally authorizes express delivery.
When she returns to her office, her calendar reminds her that she is scheduled to participate in a conference call at 2:30. It takes 15 minutes for everyone to get online. During this time, Rachel catches up on some e-mail. The next hour is spent exchanging information about the technical requirements associated with a new version of a software package they are using on systems projects like hers.
Rachel decides to stretch her legs and goes on a walk down the hallway where she engages in brief conversations with various co-workers. She goes out of her way to thank Chandra for his thoughtful analysis at the status report meeting. She returns to find that John has left a message for her to call him back ASAP. She contacts John, who informs her that, according to his people, her firm’s marketing rep had made certain promises about specific features her system would provide. He doesn’t know how this communication breakdown occurred, but his people are pretty upset over the situation. Rachel thanks John for the information and immediately takes the stairs to where the marketing group resides.
She asks to see Mary, a senior marketing manager. She waits 10 minutes before being invited into her office. After a heated discussion, she leaves 40 minutes later with Mary agreeing to talk to her people about what was promised and what was not promised.
She goes downstairs to her people to give them an update on what is happening. They spend 30 minutes reviewing the impact the client’s requests could have on the project schedule. She also shares with them the schedule changes she and Victoria had agreed to. After she says good night to her team, she heads upstairs to her boss’s office and spends 20 minutes updating him on key events of the day. She returns to her office and spends 30 minutes reviewing e-mails and project documents. She logs on to the MS project schedule of her project and spends the next 30 minutes working with “what-if” scenarios. She reviews tomorrow’s schedule and writes some personal reminders before starting off on her 30-minute commute home.
How effectively do you think Rachel spent her day?
What does the case tell you about what it is like to be a project manager?
What are the pros and cons of being a project manager or being assigned a project?
How would you stay on task/keep track of progress with this kind of schedule?
What are the 3 most important skills a project manager needs to be successful?
respond to this person: this is what logan wrote
What does this case tell you about what it is like to be a project manager?
Rachel’s day as a project manager showcases the need for multitasking, communication, and leadership skills. From socializing with Neil to addressing rumors with her boss or Eddie, she efficiently manages her time. The delayed status meeting and conversations with Victoria highlight a need for adaptability and openness to collaboration. Rachel confronts challenges, like the breakdown in communication with the marketing team, with assertiveness. She demonstrates leadership by providing updates to her team and boss, reviewing project documents, and utilizing strategic planning. This case emphasizes the dynamic nature of a project manager’s role, requiring effective communication, problem-solving, collaboration, adaptability, and leadership skills to navigate diverse situations and stakeholders successfully.
How effectively do you think Rachel spent her day?
Rachel demonstrated effective time management skills throughout her day. Despite interruptions and unexpected events, she efficiently addressed messages, prepared for meetings, and engaged with various stakeholders. Rachel’s assertiveness in addressing communications breakdowns and brokering solutions with Mary demonstrate her leadership qualities. However, spending time gossiping with Eddie might have been less productive, if she hadn’t learned of the likely loss of an ally to another firm. Overall, Rachel effectively balanced her responsibilities, tackled challenges, and communicated with her team and clients, making her day a successful one as a project manager.
this what abdiqni wrote:
I believe Rachel comes early to her office to catch her work before her project team arrive was a good plan, but she has been devoted her plan and cause her to delay the important tasks of her project. Rachel was trying her best and she did handwork to successful complete for her for the best of her ability, but she can’t be everything for the “the large information system project” she should have project communication manager that manages and controls the communication between parts. Any project has to have a time constraint that means the enforcing time is import and the work should be complete within the timeframe. In this case Rachel has been distracted for her schedule by meeting with other project managers and doing task that are not part of her schedule.
“The request of several things that client’s managers are beginning to request features” this request has to be the project set up stage and should be part of project scope. So, I believe that was out of the plan. Changes the scope of the project or not agree up on will affect the outcome of the project which can cause delays and require additional resources.
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