thoughts, ideas, projects and musings
Archive for April, 2008
April 11, 2008 at 2:50 pm · Filed under digital life, life
There comes a point in every project when silly season starts — it started for me 2 weeks ago. I’ve pinpointed the reasons and I’ll be clear to watch for the signs in the future.
When all is going well on a project, when the timelines are bouncing along nicely and budgets are being met, there’s a danger that project complacency kicks in. The complacency often manifests itself as over confidence in our ability to deliver and essentially, sneak in some promises which are above and beyond the original scope. Silly season leads to panics about managing expectations and about project timelines.
If you’re on a project and it’s going well, just warn against silly season. I’ve had a headache this week undoing the fallout.
Today’s photo, like others, was taken whilst I tapped away on my computer in my office. Figured out what’s wrong?
April 10, 2008 at 7:52 pm · Filed under news
I’m in the middle of leading a project at work that reaches it’s first major delivery point next week. We’ve taken good time with key sponsors to ensure that we’re clear on their vision — and our delivery plan meets that vision.
Salient lessons learnt this week though and if truth be told, it’s a lesson that I’d prefer not to have learnt. My internal customer has placed a new demand on the project which, in my view, jeopardises the rest of the deliverables. Privately, I fume but as a professional, I’ve just got to get on with it.
A great vision overlayed with strong direction helps define the plan. Spend good time to work with that vision and make sure it’s all emcompassing – cover every base. Be flexible if you need to, but ensure that your sponsors understand and own the consequences every much as they will bathe in the glory of the finished article.
Gah. Leaders!
April 10, 2008 at 6:58 pm · Filed under life
Every working day, I spend a good few hours in conference calls with colleagues in the US and Europe. In general, they are not terribly productive as much of the side conversation and nuances of the points are lost to those who can only listen in.
It takes a special skill to chair a conference call and make it productive. In a face-to-face meeting, you can see when someone is thinking through a point or is trying to interject.
I find them frustrating — they’re fine as checkpoints, but not where action is needed and decisions need to be made. Take good notes, circulate the minutes, make sure people know what they’ve gotta do!
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