Week One Reflection Paper

Week One Reflection Paper

Author: Reginald Hawkins

Class: OGL 320

Professor: Denise Bates

Date: August 27, 2015

Organizational Leadership 320 just began last week, and the class is off to an exciting

start. After just a few days, I can already tell that I am going to learn a lot in the course that will

help me in my current occupation, and will develop tools from it that I can use in my everyday

life. The first module of this class included the identification of key terms in project

management, articles discussing key topics within the field of study, and an online quiz for

assessing one’s ability to manage a project. This paper will share some personal reflections on

the topics we touched on in the first week of class, and analyze the results of my quiz.

I’m new to the project management subject, as a field of study, so module one was a

great introduction to what I will be learning. The first module of the course introduced me to

some new mechanisms that can be utilized for better project management outcomes. These

tools included: WBS (Work Breakdown Structure), Gantt Charts, Milestones, Baselines, and the

Triple Constraint concept; just to name a few. The Gantt chart is a bar chart that catalogs the

start and finish date of a project, in addition to, marking key elements that sure occur during

the project lifecycle, and their timeframes. Milestones are important events within the project

that when reached symbolize the project has reached an important point, and should be

celebrated upon achievement. A baseline is the approval of a project plan or schedule, this tool

can be used during the project lifecycle to evaluate if the project is still on schedule. The Triple

Constraint theory states, The quality of a project is based on finding a balance between time,

scope, and cost. Essentially, if you reduce one factor the others should increase to

compensate. Lastly, the tool I feel will be the most useful in my career today, the Work

Breakdown Structure (WBS) . The WBS is an apparatus that organizes the work of a project into

smaller pieces, provides a visual of what needs to be accomplished piece by piece, and has

room for recording what does and does not work for future reference. Each is a valuable tool to

the project management process, and should co-exist for success.

There were also some tools familiar to myself that we examined, such as: Risk

Mitigation and Stakeholders . For people in the insurance and banking fields, such as myself,

Risk Mitigation is a well-known term. But, I did not know how it applies to project

management. In my field, this term is about reducing the risk of a potential loss to your

company with smart decision making. In project management, Risk Mitigation is about

planning ahead to anticipate how to handle unexpected events during the lifecycle of a project.

I found that very interesting; quite a spin on a similar concept in two different fields of work or

study. Stakeholders is another term I am familiar with from current line of work. In my

business, a stakeholder is an investor, but in the project management world the term

represents anyone that has a vested interest in a project’s success. Same concept, with a

slightly different meaning. Interesting stuff; I can’t wait to see what other familiar terms I

encounter with different meanings.

This week we also learned the eight Characteristics Associated with Successful Project

Managers . In my opinion, four of the traits mentioned fit me perfectly. I’ve started my own

business, so I feel self-starter is one of my characteristics. I’m definitely flexible ; I work at a

new accounts desk in a bank, and get interrupted all the time by random walk-in clients; so I

have to able to stop, help, and get right back to what I am doing at a high level every day.

Good Communication Skills is next on my list trait possessed, and that’s because I have over

thirteen years of customer service experience; can’t work in that field without this attribute.

Lastly, I have a strong work ethic, and that comes from my father; who worked at a GM plant

for thirty-four years. When it comes to the four characteristics, I feel an average ranking is right

for me accept two of them that could use some work, which would be thinking critically and

being organized . I now practice critical thinking every semester in my Arizona State University

classes, so I’m making progress with that trait. Getting organized, is a separate battle that I

need to put more effort into achieving; but it will happen someday, just one step at a time.

Also in module one, student were offered the opportunity to complete an online

assessment test created by third-party business teaching tools creator, Mind Tools Ltd. The

How Good Are Your Project Management Skills quiz consists of only twenty questions, yet its

results speak volumes. I recently completed the test, and answered each question based on my

own life experiences. The results of the exam provided some interesting insight into my project

management skills, in addition to, creating some new questions about my style. My final score

was a 58 . In my opinion, I did not under or over achieve with that rating. This score places my

project management skills in the average bracket, which is what I expected for someone so

new to this field of study. Based on the MindTools methodology, testers that fall into this

bucket can handle simple projects with ease, but usually struggle with large complex projects.

In my opinion, the test is somewhat accurate in my case. Majority of my projects at my full-time

banking position are small, and manageable. For example, on a daily basis I get a client that

would like to establish a new account. The steps are to interview the client, run their

information in the system, the machine tells me if the customer is acceptable for a new product

with our bank, if yes I open the account, and if no I advise the client; all done. This is a

systematic approach, and it’s a project because of its terminal factor. Yet, I do feel the test has

a little inaccuracy about my project management skills. I’ve created and run an outside

Insurance Agency, and have done so successfully on the side for five years now. In my opinion,

this is a large project, and I did not struggle with its birth. I discuss my approach to this business

within my introductory discussion, and am proud of where it is today. In conclusion, I’m

satisfied with the score, but not convinced about the Mind Tools definition of the subjects that

fall within the same bracket as myself.

In my opinion, I have a systematic approach to project management. When you work in

finance, everything is heavily regulated. So a systematic approach is the safest style to utilize

for assuring yourself that you remain in compliance. For example, at my bank, when we quote

interest rates, we have to mention the annual percentage yield to every client. So when I

present an interest rate, I print out a rate sheet, slide it in front of the client, point to the

desired rate, then to the annual percentage yield associated with it, while verbally disclosing

the information. This not only places the information in front of the client, it also reminds me

visually of what needs to be expressed. That’s just one example, I have this systematic

approach with everything I do at work, school, and my side business.

In conclusion, I feel this class will help me develop my project management skills, and

move from average to exceptional, in this category. I’m fairly young, and plan to be on the job

market for at least another thirty years before retirement. Every occupation I’ve possessed has

required some project management skills, and every job in the future will be no different. Using

this class as a foundation to develop those skills now, is ten times better than moving up the

latter with an employer and not having these mechanisms in place. Actually, not having these

skills might hinder me from moving up the ranks equally as much as not having a college

degree. I look forward to the rest of this class, in addition to, what its teachings could mean for

my future in the workforce, and in life.

Works Cited

Cook, Liz. "How Good Are Your Project Management Skills?" MindTools. Mind Tools Ltd, n.d.

Web. 27 Aug. 2015. <http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_60.htm>.

Harvard Business Essentials: Managing Projects Large and Small. Boston: Harvard Business

School, 2004. Print.

HBR Guide to Project Management. Boston: Harvard Business Review, 2012. Print.

Week Two Project Failure Analysis Paper


Class: OGL 320


Date: September 2, 2015

Not all projects find their way into the perfection basket after completion. In fact, some

projects just flat out fail. In my opinion, the five biggest reasons I believe are the cause for

project failure include: meager governance, lackluster implementation, enterprise environment

misjudgment, communication gaps, or poorly defined requirements. Actually, some projects fail

because of a combination of one or more factors mentioned earlier. This paper will analyze my

five choices for project failure reasons, explain how they could affect a projects outcome, and

why I chose them as the cream of the crop for turning a project into a flop.

My first choice of potential project failure influences, and my most obvious selection,

project governance . If a project is falling off the success path, and the project manager cannot

isolate where the discrepancy lies, a possible correction cannot be generated to move the

project back on track. Project governance determines who’s accountable for work results and

responsible for performing work processes. Without this component, if a team member is the

weak link in a project, he or she would be hard to locate, and correct, in time to save the

project. For example, a bank I use to work for determined that our branch was missing deposits

at the end of every day. After analyzing footage of our branch operations for weeks, and

monitoring our staff in person for an equal amount of time, we were cleared of any possible

wrong doing. In fact, while this project of studying us commenced, the branch was still losing

deposits. I found later discovered the company turned their focus away from us, and found the

discrepancy. When the checks were sent downtown, an employee was removing checks and

cashing them elsewhere. He was prosecuted, and now no one employee can be assigned to

processing the same branches checks for more than a week. This adjustment worked, and all

because of project governance.

Next on my list of potential project failure reasons is lackluster implementation . You

can do everything correctly in the planning stage, and have a flawless build-up phase, but if you

don’t execute as designed, the project will be doomed. For example, in 2007, the New England

Patriots became only the second team in NFL history to finish a regular season undefeated by

conquering the New York Giants in the final game. The same teams met in that seasons Super

Bowl, and this time the Giants ruined the Patriots chance at a perfect all around season by

winning the championship game. New England had video tape of how New York played in their

previous meeting, reviewed it over and over again leading up to the game, but failed to execute

the same proven plan in the implementation phase (aka The Super Bowl). A lack of execution

caused the project to fail, and the same would happen to any project that misses the mark in

the implementation phase.

My next choice of project failure influencer is enterprise environment misjudgment ,

which occurs quite often. Enterprise environments are external properties, which can impact a

project in a good or bad manner. These extraneous influences could be political, legal, ethical,

environmental, technological, social, and even stakeholder related. Without a clear

understanding of these foreign causes, a project could encounter delays, and possibly

cancellation. For example, my wife and I honeymooned in Hawaii. One of the sights we placed

on our itinerary was the Dole Plantation , where the biggest pineapple field in America

resides. We went, we saw the plantation, but there were no pineapples. The fruit was not in

season, so our project failed for environmental reasons. A project manager should have a deep

understanding of the enterprise environment of which their project could be attached,

otherwise they could lose the deliverable to a factor that could have been foreseen.

My next choice, and another obvious one, communication gaps . Projects are team

based initiatives, which require enormous amounts of interactivity between each person

involved. Any system that’s team based, is reliant on quality interpersonal communication to

progress in the right direction. A clear example of this resides in the article we just read titled,

10 project management lessons from the Titanic disaster by Calvin Sun. When wireless

operator, Jack Phillips, received a warning about possible icebergs in the area; it was a

communication gap that prevented him from warning the Titanic of the danger that the ship

could be facing. That’s how important communication is in a team system, and project

management; it could save not only a project, but lives as well.

My last choice of project failure factors, in my opinion, is my ultimate selection. Poorly

defined project requirements can kill a project faster than any other influencer. A project

manager can’t achieve the right deliverable if he or she does not know what it should contain in

the first place. For example, when I was an internet programmer, upper management advised

us they wanted a secure login page for a new web site being created. We ended up making the

page with passwords that required four to twelve characters, letters, and numbers. Needless to

say, some of our users had their accounts hacked because of the soft login stipulations

mentioned earlier. This was a case of poorly defined requirements, which should have been

more specific from the beginning to achieve success.

In conclusion, some may look at my five selections and think I am being conservative

with my choices. I don’t see it that way, and really feel I’ve chosen five project killers that wreak

havoc on projects every day. The best solution to avoid these potential pitfalls is through the

use of upfront risk mitigation preparation before the start of each new project. Preparing for

possible project influencing events can help avoid them in the first place. Yet project failure

begins and ends with the project manager, so a good project manager must train for the

unexpected and the expected to be successful.

Works Cited

Cook, Liz. "How Good Are Your Project Management Skills?" MindTools. Mind Tools Ltd, n.d.

Web. 27 Aug. 2015. <http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_60.htm>.




Sun, Calvin. "10 Project Management Lessons from the Titanic Disaster." TechRepublic. N.p., 14

Apr. 2012. Web. 2 Sept. 2015. <http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-project-

management-lessons-from-the-titanic-disaster/>.

Week Three Planning Perspective Paper


Class: OGL 320



This week, I’ve discovered what I feel is the secret menu for planning a project

successfully. Yes, there’s key components to project planning such as: Charters Scope

Statements, Work Breakdown Structures, etc.; but those are components necessary to have a

valid plan, and not a guarantee for a successful one. In my opinion, after further research, there

are three hidden factors that separate a successful plan from a mediocre plan. Those three

components are: stay focused on value, projects are partnerships, and remember there are

humans involved with every project. This research paper will breakdown my discovery, and

explain my conclusion.

First thing to remember when designing a project plan, value is important. The final

deliverable for any project must be of value, thus every piece of the project plan should be

treated with a value equivalent to the expected final deliverable value. In Yves Behar’s

discussion, he mentions the leaf lamp. There are so many lamps out there, how can you make

something so common special, and worth paying a premium? It’s light, a person can get that

anywhere these days. The unique design is what made the lamp special, and it tells a story.

Since the value is in the lamps design, the portions of the project plan related to the design

element of the lamp, had the most attention. For example, light bulbs are common, but Mr.

Behar stated they spent months on the design of the bulbs. A prime example of how important

it is to remember the expected value of the final deliverable, and radiate that level of value in

the key portions of project plan that will deliver that final outcome. Another example comes

from my life experience. I own a condo, and I joined the HOA board of directors. My first

project was to find someone to take care of our landscaping. I looked for value over price, and

the main reason was because I had two big trees in front of my dwelling that I needed trimmed

tastefully. This project supported my interests, and I got a great balcony view from its

completion. Always remember, value is key.

The next component is something project managers tend to lose sight of during

planning from time to time. When creating a project plan, we should always remember projects

are partnerships. A partnership is a relationship that requires compromise by all parties

involved to work, and a project should be no different. A great example of this is in

Yves Behar’s presentation, he provides a picture of the project team that worked on the

jawbone headset. In that photo, you see the designers making modifications to the look of the

device, while functionality driven technicians were making adjustments to the technical

infrastructure of the device based on the output of the design team. The partnership exhibited

in this example shows the technology team compromising their existing functional device plan

with the plans of the design team, to help create a deliverable that fits the plan of the project.

Mr. Behar’s design drive works, but it only works with a team that believes a project is a

partnership, and follows through on that philosophy. I have an excellent example of this ideal,

my wedding. This project definitely relied completely on both parties believing in the

partnership philosophy. My wife wanted a singer performing at the after party, I wanted a DJ,

and we ended up having both. My wife wanted chicken and barley for our wedding meal, I

wanted braised beef and mashed potatoes; we ended up meeting each other half-way with

braised-beef and barley. The list goes on and on, but my point is clear, a project is a

partnership. A project, like a wedding, can never reach fruition if it’s not treated with that give

and take, take and give, philosophy. So from day one of project planning, begin mapping out

the process with a give and take attitude throughout.

Lastly, when planning a project, we sometimes forget that people are humans. Project

managers create plans based on assumptions, but from time to time lose sight of what the cogs

are that make this project machine operate. When planning a project, we should always plan

for human elements, base the schedule around human ability, and remind ourselves that the

final judge of the deliverable will be humans. For example, if a key component of a project plan

requires a specific team member, what happens if that team member has to take a medical

leave? Another example would be when the projects schedule is generated, is the project

manager truly basing the set time intervals on what each team member can possibly complete

within the allotted time; essentially, is the schedule fair? Moreover, always remember the

success or failure of the final deliverable will be determined by humans. Yves Behar’s speech

reminded me of that key element that should be remembered throughout project planning and

implementation. In his video, he shows how the jawbone earpiece was designed to become a

part of a human beings face. The curve in the device was built to mold itself to the cheek bone

of the user. Also, people love fashion statements, so the device was designed to be a part of

that feeling. The values that Mr. Behar wanted in this device helped him achieve the deliverable

his company was looking for, and kept the team away from scope creep. Remembering the

human side of project design keeps the project on track, and attainable.

In conclusion, the three values I referenced in this paper will shape the way I manage

projects in the future. Thanks to the video featuring Yves Behar, I was able to discover these

three components. I feel they are great rules to live by as a project manager, and will help me

stay on track with how I plan projects. Everybody has a secret menu these days, and it’s always

loaded with those special trump cards that give that possessor that little extra edge. These

values are my secret sauce, and will give me that extra edge. I’m glad I found them, and now it’s

time to utilize these valuable tools.

Works Cited

"Yves Behar: Designing Objects That Tell Stories." YouTube. TED, 21 May 2008. Web. 10 Sept.

2015. <https://youtu.be/QGn8F4j6pH8>.




Week Four: Case Study Bonanza


Class: OGL 320



This week, I had the privilege to read some very interesting project management

material. The three case studies, A Rush to Failure? , The Estimating Problem, and Fargo

Foods , contained special scenarios, in addition to, valuable insights. First, this essay will dissect

each case study, and identify their challenges or issues. Lastly, I will compose a few suggestions

that would have been provided to each fictitious project manager based on the situations, and

end my paper with some key points acquired from these readings.

The first case, A Rush to Failure? by Tom Cross, focused on a repair project that would

take place on the a space station orbiting earth. The Canadian Aeronautics Administration

(CAA) had been awarded a contract to build, and install robotic arms on the International Space

Station, that could be used for repairs not fit for a human spacewalk. The contract had a

valuation of $1.2 billion dollars, so the longer it takes for the project to achieve completion, the

higher the cost, and the lower the return; so every second counted. To battle time, the project

managers chose a rapid schedule for completing the project. This speedy approach to project

management assured the project would remain on schedule, but it came at a price. The device

encountered horrible glitches throughout testing of each build, and the team just could not get

the device to work as designed. The group finally decided to evaluate whether they should keep

the project schedule on a fast regimen, or slow things down for better quality assurance. The

project leader valued speed over all else, and kept the schedule intact. Needless to say, the final

deliverable was flawed, and could not be utilized for the task it was designed to handle. The

company plans on releasing numerous updates until they can get the product operational, and

functioning as designed. I value quality over speed, and would have advised the project

manager to put more effort into QA; even if it slows the project down. If seems like they’ll be

spending more money continuing on their current route, over perfecting the product, then

releasing the final less-flawed version. For example, there are some video game companies that

follow the path the team in this case study chose, and they spend millions updating their

software afterward. Then there are companies like Rockstar Games (creators of GTA 5) and Id

(makers of Doom), who both have the same motto when you ask them when a product will be

released, when it’s ready. In my opinion, that’s the right answer.

The next case study, The Estimating Game by Harold Kerzner, focused on project time

allocation estimating. The scenario revolved around a project manager name Barbara, who was

notified that she had been selected as the point person for a job her company just earned. Time

estimates are usually constructed during the bidding phase of the project for Barbara’s

company, and the project managers are omitted from that stage of the process. So normally

when a project manager receives a new project, they trust the time estimates already in place.

Barbara is not that type of leader, and she decided to examine the data ahead of the project

implementation. Immediately she noticed a discrepancy in the estimated time allocation for the

project, and dove right into figuring out its cause. A critical work package in the project had

been given an estimated completion time of 12 weeks by a class seven employee. Barbara had

previous experience with the work involved, and knew that it would take 14 weeks for

completion. Before she completely committed to the faultiness of the estimate, she decided to

find out what philosophy determined these numbers. She asked the committee responsible for

this data, and they provided the algorithm used to reach such conclusions. It seems the group

responsible, did not take into factor the high complexity of Barbara’s project when generating

their estimates. She even checked with a class nine colleague, that confirmed the work package

time frame had been underestimated, and a class seven employee would need 20 hours to

complete the task. In my opinion, I like the fact that Barbara checked the numbers instead of

just assuming the numbers were right. Also, I think she made the right choice by not jumping to

conclusions, and did a little research to confirm her belief. Now she can correct something that

could have potentially delayed her project.

The last case study, Fargo Foods by Harold Kerzner, focused on the potential problems

that could surface when formal project management is implemented for the first time in an

organization. The successful fictitious company, Fargo Foods, saw constant revenue growth

year after year. Despite the consistent success, management felt their structure could be

better. They decided to implement an overall project management system, which would help

with the flow of new creations. But, after four years of utilizing this new process, it was found

to be flawed. To fix the system, the company decided to interview team members that are a

part of this machine. The organization wanted to isolate where the flaws occurred, then begin

the healing process in those target areas. After thorough research, a lack of project

management dedication was found. This absence of commitment to a project most likely

stemmed from the omission of the project managers from the planning phase of the project. In

my opinion, the company needs to start including project managers from the beginning of

every project, and that will fix this problem. Another dilemma that surfaces from time to time;

executives want to have some dates fixed on project schedules. This gets in the way of the

project manager doing his or her job, and should not be allowed. There are many other

problems the interview uncovered, but it would take a whole new paper to define and

breakdown each one. I feel they are handling the process well by conducting this interview, and

will find a solution because of this step they are taking. The organization handled this situation

the correct way.

In conclusion, I’ve taken some great key points away from each of the case studies

mentioned. The first case study reaffirmed my belief that speed is not more important than

quality, and you have to find a way to get that perfect balance with every project managed. The

second scenario helped me come to one conclusion, be careful with time estimates. The final

case study, gave me a great look at how to handle a breakdown in a project management

system. Going forward, if I ever encounter a scenario similar to any of the case studies

discussed in this essay, I think I’m ready to handle the challenge.

Works Cited




Kerzner, Harold. "Fargo Foods." Project Management: Case Studies. 4th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John

Wiley & Sons, 2013. 174-177. Print.

Kerzner, Harold. "The Estimating Problem." Project Management: Case Studies. 4th ed.

Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2013. 229-231. Print.

Week Five: It’s Execution Time


Class: OGL 320



It’s the fifth week of class, and it was another session filled with insightful information.

The first half of this course was devoted to understanding planning a project, and now we are

focused on the execution phase of projects. This module covered how to manage conflict, foster

successful team communication, how to create high performing teams, and manage human

resources. This paper will discuss what I’ve learned this week, and provide some examples of

how I have utilized the tools acquired, or will in the future.

Managing a project team is a critical factor of successful project execution, and this

week we dove deep into this subject. There are various elements that when implemented

correctly equate to a strong, and thriving team. One key component is helping team members

realize the projects purpose and value. Participants usually gain motivation from the

understanding of a projects goals, believing in its agenda, and finding value in its potential final

outcome. For example, before the Super Bowl, you see coaches in the locker room yelling and

chanting to motivate their players. The players are rallying around the same goal. Usually, the

team that wins, is the one that has more faith. Another key component, empowering team

members, can be a big help. A project manager does not have time to micro-manage everyone,

while achieving their daily job objectives. In the video, Steve Jobs talks about Managing

People , he mentions team work is about giving people power and trusting everyone to do

their part. In my opinion, that’s empowerment, and can build confidence if executed correctly;

which is something a manager wants every team member to possess. The next key component

of a high performing team is communication. A team that lacks this skill will be unable to

achieve flow and chemistry, of which both are needed to achieve harmony. Actually,

collaboration is the key to most projects. For example, in both videos featuring Steve Jobs, his

companies revolve around having a collaborative three hour meeting or weekend long retreat

of sharing ideas. With that philosophy in play, look what his companies churned out. Another

important factor of a great team is the ability to adapt. Flexibility, in companies and projects, is

a necessary trait to possess in this rapidly changing world. Microsoft, IBM, Apple, all had the

ability to adapt, while MySpace, AOL, and RadioShack were the contrast. Of the previously

mentioned companies, it’s clear what could happen if flexibility is not in your mission. Another

key component, morale, can fuel any team. It’s simple, high morale equals high motivation,

while the low morale equates to the contrast. The components mentioned are what I seek to

establish, and magnify in my teams in the future. I believe achieving each will help my teams

excel, and make me a better leader.

Another topic discussed this week, that I found fascinating, was the subject of handling

conflict. I felt this was an important area to research, because every team has conflict. Actually,

if a project manager is unable to handle this subject, there might not be a team to lead at all.

One technique provided is that of avoiding the dilemma. This is a route I find myself taking

quite often, but it’s not always the best route. A lot of times, it just delays the conflict, and I just

have to face the situation at a later point. In the future, I want to seek more compromises in

conflicts, or collaborate and problem solve. In my opinion, those are the best routes for any

disagreements faced. Compromise makes everyone involved somewhat satisfied, and

sometimes thats the best solution in a conflict if both parties are reluctant on budging from

their stance on a topic. Yet, if I cannot steer a problem down that path, I’m going to try to

problem solve it before I come to the conclusion that maybe it’s just a deal breaker. For

example, I work for a bank, and quite often I receive a client that would like fees reversed.

Sometimes, I’ll credit back half the fees if they were not a bank error, and if it’s a one-time

courtesy. This way we still make money, and the client receives a little back of what they could

have lost; a prime example of a compromise. Then I will try to problem solve the situation, by

helping the customer understand how to avoid this scenario in the future. I want to improve

this process, because it will help my career now, and moving forward.

Lastly, we analyzed Human Resource Management, and discussed various tips to master

this science. This topic was very important to me, especially since I plan to use my

Organizational Leadership degree to pursue a career in this field. One helpful suggestion is to

maintain a tracking and issues log to track what issues have occurred, and who is responsible

for resolving each. Another valuable tip, keep up to date work performance reports to monitor

the current status of the project. Also suggested, change requests should be tracked, with a

proven authorization system in place to minimize procedure chaos. Finally, use historical data

and educational documentation to improve future project execution. All valuable tips that I can

see helping me in the future.

In conclusion, this week’s class had a lot of educational value. I enjoyed the previous

sessions, but it felt really good to move on from project planning, and into studying project

execution. In my opinion, the two subjects are just like night and day. Project planning is more

about mapping out the schedule, creating a budget, and generating how the final deliverable

should turn out; while project execution is the contrast, and focused more on managing human

resources, developing a team, and handling conflict. Both parts go hand in hand, but this week’s

subject felt very exciting, and I look forward to digging deeper into this area.

Works Cited




"Creating High-performing Project Teams." YouTube. YouTube, 07 Nov. 2011. Web. 24 Sept.

2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QjwoNVI1uU>.

"Steve Jobs Talks about Managing People." YouTube. YouTube, 12 June 2012. Web. 24 Sept.

2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f60dheI4ARg>.

"Steve Jobs Brainstorms with the NeXT Team (1985)." YouTube. YouTube, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 24

Sept. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNeXlJW70KQ>.

Week Six: Risk, Conflict, and Openness


Class: OGL 320


Date: October 1, 2015

It’s week six in Organizational Leadership, and yet again, filled with more interesting

material. This module had a focus on conflict, open information, risk control, and adjustments

in the project management world. Both are very important topics, but I want to pursue a

different route than just discussing everything learned within the current week. Instead, this

paper will focus on what I feel are the two most fascinating learning tools within the current

module. The first portion of this essay will fixate on the Altex Corporation, case study by

Harold Kerzner, with the last half concentrated on the TED presentation Dare to Disagree by

Margaret Heffernan. Both are compelling, eye opening, and insightful.

The case study by Mr. Kerzner focused on a fictitious weapons maker, Altex

Corporation. The company developed tools of destruction during the cold war, and was just

awarded a potentially lucrative contract if all the right pieces fell into place. The organization

received the go ahead to enter the research and development phase for a new advanced

missile technology. This project consisted of 60 days of planning, while the entire initiative

would take an estimated two years for completion. During the cold war, risk management plans

were not a necessity. Nevertheless, the new project manager felt a course of action for

potential risks should be mapped out before the implementation phase. The Sponsor advised

the manager of the project to omit the creation of a risk management plan from his schedule,

or create one and keep it hidden, because of the implications it could have on the entire deal.

The benefactor believes a plan that exposes the amount of risks entailed in the project, could

allow the customer to see the project might be shrouded by so much uncertainty that it should

be postponed or cancelled. With that belief, the Sponsor would like to keep the risks associated

with the plan away from the client; at least until the project is so far along that sunk cost and

time lost would be too high for the client to terminate idea or reallocate the project to another

vendor. In my opinion, it’s a bad idea to omit the creation of a risk management plan from a

new project. This type of blueprint helps the team isolate, rate potential risks, and hypothesize

ways to counter them during the execution phase. Essentially, without the risk management

plan in place, the team could be blindsided by an exposure that does occur, and that could have

been avoided had such a document been devised ahead of time. I feel this sort of preparation

would be necessary for any project, especially for something like weapons creation, that it’s

impossible to avoid the build of one. Also, this case study provides an example that maybe the

triple constraint triangle is actually a quadruple constraint triangle , as some project

managers suggest. The company discussed in this case study may be fictitious, but it’s probably

somewhat based on a real world entity. With that said, it’s clear, the organization is willing to

sacrifice scope (creating a product less than par with the planned design) and quality (they

are aiming for a missile that’s 60 to 70 percent of specification), without increasing cost or

time ; which equates to lower expectations. This was definitely one of the most intriguing

case studies of our class.

The next tool of study this week that I would like to examine is TED presentation Dare

to Disagree featuring speaker Margaret Heffernan. This former CEO discusses conflict, and why

avoiding strife is not necessarily a good thing. To explain her view point, she first sets the scene

by presenting us with a story about a research physician who studies patterns in disease. This

woman she spoke of, uncovered data that insinuates a high number of children with cancer had

mothers that were x-rayed during pregnancy. This research found a connection between cancer

and the radiation emitted from these machines, which were once considered a great

technological advancement. Despite this breakthrough, American and British medicine

continued using these machines on pregnant women for some time after the information was

published, before finally abandoning the practice. Actually, the founding physician had to fight

for 25 additional years before full acceptance of this important data. Physicians could not bring

themselves to believe that this modern marvel, x-ray technology, could be as harmful as she

described. So the founding doctor had a strategy in place to handle this conflict, and the plan

was to create more conflict. Sounds backwards, but for this scenario it actually worked very

well. She enlisted the help of a fellow colleague, who happened to be a statistician. Rather than

asking him to study the data and endorse her findings, she requested he try to prove the

information is incorrect. This worked, because as Margaret Heffernan stated, it was only by

not being able to prove that she was wrong, that George could give Alice the confidence she

needed to know that she was right. I never imagined creating conflict could be used as a tool

for the benefit of the subject of the clash, until I encountered Ms. Heffernan’s presentation.

Margaret’s words describe my feeling about this system best when she says, it's a fantastic

model of collaboration. The presenter finishes her speech with a focus on open information.

She goes on to say, Open information is fantastic, open networks are essential; but the truth

won't set us free until we develop the skills and the habit and the talent and the moral courage

to use it. Ms. Heffernan’s correct, because the information about this disease and its

connection to a human made device had been openly available for years. It wasn’t until the

founding doctor did as Margaret suggested by breaking the silence and creating conflict, that

her field was granted the ability to do their best thinking. Definitely the best TED presentation

I’ve ever watched.

In conclusion, this weeks’ course module had a lot of material that I will be using in the

future. The tools provided a cluster of great information, and solid thoughts. Some key points

taken away are the ability to use conflict as a tool, sometimes the silence of a situation is scarier

than the potential strife, and maybe the quadruple triangle constraint does exist. Just another

week in Organizational Leadership filled with great knowledge.

Works Cited




"Dare to Disagree." Margaret Heffernan: Dare to Disagree. TED Global, June 2012. Web. 01 Oct.

2015. <http://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_dare_to_disagree?language=en>.

Kerzner, Harold. "Altex Corporation." Project Management: Case Studies. 4th ed. Hoboken, NJ:

John Wiley & Sons, 2013. 229-231. Print.

Final Reflection Paper


Class: OGL 320


Date: October 9, 2015

PART ONE:

Principles and Practices of Effectively Managing a Project

A project is a group of temporary activities that an organization executes to achieve

specific goals and objectives. The deliverables from the project may include the development of

a system product, change in processes, product launch, strategic plan implementation and

problem solving. The temporal nature of a project implies that it has a specific timeframe that

depends on whether it is a single project, a program with different projects, or a portfolio of

similar projects.

Project management, on the other hand, relates to the use of planning, organization,

coordination, and controlling skills and knowledge in the achievement of project goals

(Heerkens, 2002). The success of any project lies solely on the project manager who is in charge

of establishing the project s life cycle, directing resources, determining the course of the

project, and monitoring project progress.

Typically, a project s success or failure relies on the triple constraint triangle decisions

that the manager of a project makes. The three constraints namely cost, time, and scope need

to meet the overall objectives of a project outlined in the project statement of work. For

example, if a project extends its timeframe as a result of increased activities then the quality or

the cost gets sacrificed for the successful completion of the project within the stipulated scope

of work. Such decisions determine the outcomes anticipated by clients regarding the

deliverables from each project phase.

However, there exist specific laws of action that are recommended for any project

management to obtain effectiveness, namely (Peter & Morris, 2013):

The Commitment Principle - The prime reason for the termination of organizational projects is

the withdrawal of resources allotted to the project by the project sponsor as a way of backing

out of the project activities. Therefore, commitment to the completion of any project by both

the resource provider and the project team is mandatory for the achievement of the defined

objectives. The principle of commitment implies that both parties are aware of the risks

involved, have a clear outline of how to share those risks, and are willing to undertake the

challenge. Therefore, the need for appropriate management controls that encompass the

application of relevant skills, technology, and equipment, mitigates the commitment risks

associated.

The Achievement of Objectives Principle - Effective project management should focus on

attaining the set objectives during all the phases of the project by ensuring that the deliverables

meet the clients needs, and satisfy the project activities progress. Any deviation from the set

objectives in any defined model should be reconciled to get the project back on track. The

success of any project is usually marked by the acceptability of the deliverables and the

satisfaction of triple constraint criteria. Hence, evaluation of every activity should be done to

enhance project success.

The Consistency Principle - The main variables of the process of project management should be

applied consistently to prevent an unexpected outcome. If a specific formula is used to produce

an item, then changing any part of the formula will alter the deliverables of the next product

phase. Similarly, the scope, time, quality and cost factors, that determine internal efficiency of

project management, should adhere to previous baselines in order to attain consistency. The

trade-off between these four variables affects the project management decisions that

ultimately reflect the effectiveness of the project team.

The Strategy Principle - A project should have a clear work breakdown structure (WBS) that

highlights the project activities from the initiation stage to the close-out stage. The strategies

can be outlined in documents such as; the Project Charter that identifies the project manager

and states the project purpose; the Project Statement of Work that states the goals, scope, and

constraints of the project; the Responsibility Matrix that lists the core members of the project

team against their duties; Risk Management Plan; Project Schedule and the Communications

Plan that identifies the content, methods, and channels of communication among team

members. The strategy principle differentiates successful projects from non-projects.

The Management Principle - This principle provides the actual plan of exactly how the project

is going to be carried out rather than how it should be done. The management controls are

essential for the monitoring, evaluation, and measurement of project progress. This process of

management will involve control of the costs, risks, and quality to prevent changes to baseline

schedules. This approach will verify that the project is progressing within scope.

The Single-Point Responsibility Principle - This principle supports the management by

exception perspective; whereby the project sponsors disengage from the day-to-day activities

of the project. Therefore, a single position should exist that bridges the gap between the

project sponsor, and the project team. Thus, the project manager acts as the channel of

communication between the resource provided, and the delivery team. The implication is that

potential disturbances to the project progress are eliminated and the project team can focus on

attaining the targets preset by the sponsors.

The Project Structure Principle - The effectiveness of a project manager in delivering tangible

results depends upon the structural framework of the organization. Function-oriented

structures limit the authority of the project manager causing the top management to interfere

in the operations of the project even when they lack the relevant project skills. Project-oriented

structures, on the other hand, give the project manager the power to negotiate for more

resources to run the project if the need arises.

The Cultural Environment Principle - Effectiveness in project management relies heavily on the

ability of the project team to work to their full capacity. Various methods and techniques can

be employed to set up a supportive culture within the organization. For instance, social

interactions based on mutual trust could boost the relations among team members causing

them to be more productive. The leaders could also serve as a source of inspirational

motivation through leading by example. The members of the organization who are not part of

the project team should offer moral support to the group that may inspire them to stretch to

the limits of their capacity.

Besides the above principles, there are standard practices that could enhance effective

project management such as:

Obtaining resources from the sponsor - A project will be meaningless if the resources

necessary for its execution are absent. The project manager should exercise the authority to

negotiate for additional resources from the project sponsor in order to fund the project to its

completion.

Taking time to understand the needs of stakeholders - Most projects are designed to meet

either of the social needs, clients requests, market demand, or environmental objectives. The

project manager needs to tailor the project to meet the expectations of the primary consumers

by taking time to understand them.

Splitting the project into success-oriented phases - Each phase of the project life cycle is

important in the successful completion of the entire project. Failure in one phase could imply

failure of the entire project. Therefore, a project phase should be structured in a manner that

ensures its success. An example of a project life cycle entails the program plan, the product

requirements, the product design and eventually the actual product.

Execution of the project while making provision for naturally occurring changes - A project

manager should train for both the expected and the unexpected. Finding a balance between

the two extreme outcomes can be achieved through a controlled tracking system that could

ultimately reflect effective project management.

PART TWO:

Areas of Project Management of which I Excel

In the past, I ve participated in a project or two at my work place, but lately I have

desired to lead more projects from the initiation stage to the close-out stage. Given my strong

work ethic and communication skills, these are the areas of project management that I believe I

can best excel in:

Project Coordination – It s easy for me to talk to people and assign them project activities and

resources due to my ability to convince people with my friendly nature.

Project Control - I have analytical skills that can be used to track the progress of the project and

reconcile any deviations from the project s critical path (Kerzner, 2001).

Areas with much more to Learn

Project Planning - The necessity of preparing strategy documents such as the work breakdown

structure (WBS), estimates such as the project logic diagram and budget schedules implies this

area of planning has more concepts that I need to learn.

Area where I have experienced the Biggest Growth in Knowledge/Skill (Press, 2004)

Time and Schedule Management - I can estimate the duration of activities of any project and

develop a plan for those activities. Currently, I easily determine the length of time taken to

serve customers in the bank due to the skills I have acquired from the project management

unit.

Communication - Despite my thirty plus years worth of communication skills, effective project

management knowledge has impacted my methods of communication and how I channel

project information at my work place.

Human Resources Management - From the qualities of a good project manager, I developed

my leadership skills to match that profile. I am able to organize a team at my place of work and

obtain the right people to fit the positions within the team. Therefore, I can effectively perform

the human resource management function.

Quality Management - In project management, managers develop and control processes to

ensure project objectives are met to the stakeholders' satisfaction (Project Management

Institute, Inc., 2008). Similarly, I have learnt to tailor my services to meet the needs of the

consumers, through quality planning and management.

Risk Management - Whenever a client seeks a loan from my bank, I am able to identify the

potential risks, and assess mitigation measures that could reduce huge risks.

Procurement Management - I can easily oversee delivery of materials and equipment needed

for any project undertaking within my work place. The skills of soliciting resources and

administering tender contracts acquired from the planning phase of projects have boosted my

procurement management ability.

Value Management - I have also gained an in-depth understanding of how to establish a

systematic approach to the control function of management by measuring the performance

based on existing baseline schedules.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that most businesses today have embraced the concepts of

projects and project management unlike in the past when the financiers managed their own

projects without the relevant technical expertise. The importance of having a project manager

to link the project team to the investors of the project cannot be disputed given the need to

have an effective support system to the team members. The availability of standards and

guidelines of how to manage a project has also transformed the quality of deliverables from

such projects. Furthermore, the acquisition of project management skills, such as those I have

obtained over the past seven weeks, has introduced the effectiveness factor; which is

essential for the success of any project undertaking. This was a great class, and I value the

knowledge I ve gained from the time spent in this course.

References

Heerkens, G. (2002). Project management. . New York: McGraw-Hill.

Kerzner, H. (2001). Project management a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and

controlling (7th ed.). New York: John Wiley.

Peter, W., & Morris, G. (2013). Reconstructing Project Management (1st ed.).




Press, H. B. (2004). Creating Teams with an Edge: The Complete Skill Set to Build Powerful and

Influential Teams.

Project Management Institute, Inc. (2008). A Guide to the Project Management Body of

Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) (4th ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc.

Week One Reflection Paper

Documents

Transcript of Week One Reflection Paper