Coordinating projects and peoples time
Problems with our current scheduling system:
Typically we know that some tasks associated with a project will happen e.g. Content audit, Sitemap, Visuals. So we can plan in advance for these.
We also know that the outcome of a meeting will be more work. But we don't always know in advance what this work will be or how long it will take. So we need to respond flexibly to short urgent deadlines.
Solution:
A balance needs to be made between long term strategic planning and short term flexibility. Easy to say, hard to implement. Perhaps only a percentage of peoples time should be booked in advance.
Consequence:
Individual planned tasks may appear to take longer to complete, though the cost will remain the same.
Because peoples' time is booked so far in advance the demand for peoples' time outstrips availability. The high demand means that peoples time is booked in a "I'll take it because if I don't someone else will." This means that peoples time is not being used effectivley, project stages are completed in an adhoc order based on peoples availability. Most web projects should follow a fairly standard routine, where early stages influence later stages in a natural order of planning and execution.
Solution:
The responsibility and understanding of overall project processes and direction needs to be centralised. Devolving responsibility can not work when each project manager has greater responsibility for individual project success, than for the overall success of the operation.
Consequences:
Someone will have a very hard job.
There is a secondary consequence of individuals time being booked on an adhoc basis, no team problem solving. Despite people working on the same project they are rarely working on the same problem. When problems have been shared the resulting solutions have been robust and well understood by everyone, individuals just can not achieve the same results.
Solution:
Plan, Plan, Plan. At the moment our plans help identify costs and overall timings, they do not accurately identify team or individual resource requirements, dependencies or risks.
Once planned book time accordingly, whilst retaining a degree of flexibility.
Consequence:
We need to produce more accurate plans. Plans need to be broke down into smaller chunks. Plans need to identify dependencies. The benefits of improved planning need to be championed, for want of a better phrase.
Conclusion:
I believe that there should be a clear distinction between project managers and account handlers, the two roles do not mix well.
- Time slots are booked too long time in advance
- the flexibility to respond to urgent work is lost
- time is bartered for, this wastes time and creates stress
- moral is lowered, as there appears to be no end in sight
Typically we know that some tasks associated with a project will happen e.g. Content audit, Sitemap, Visuals. So we can plan in advance for these.
We also know that the outcome of a meeting will be more work. But we don't always know in advance what this work will be or how long it will take. So we need to respond flexibly to short urgent deadlines.
Solution:
A balance needs to be made between long term strategic planning and short term flexibility. Easy to say, hard to implement. Perhaps only a percentage of peoples time should be booked in advance.
Consequence:
Individual planned tasks may appear to take longer to complete, though the cost will remain the same.
- Demand appears to outstrip availability
Because peoples' time is booked so far in advance the demand for peoples' time outstrips availability. The high demand means that peoples time is booked in a "I'll take it because if I don't someone else will." This means that peoples time is not being used effectivley, project stages are completed in an adhoc order based on peoples availability. Most web projects should follow a fairly standard routine, where early stages influence later stages in a natural order of planning and execution.
Solution:
The responsibility and understanding of overall project processes and direction needs to be centralised. Devolving responsibility can not work when each project manager has greater responsibility for individual project success, than for the overall success of the operation.
Consequences:
Someone will have a very hard job.
- We don't work in teams, we work as individuals
There is a secondary consequence of individuals time being booked on an adhoc basis, no team problem solving. Despite people working on the same project they are rarely working on the same problem. When problems have been shared the resulting solutions have been robust and well understood by everyone, individuals just can not achieve the same results.
Solution:
Plan, Plan, Plan. At the moment our plans help identify costs and overall timings, they do not accurately identify team or individual resource requirements, dependencies or risks.
Once planned book time accordingly, whilst retaining a degree of flexibility.
Consequence:
We need to produce more accurate plans. Plans need to be broke down into smaller chunks. Plans need to identify dependencies. The benefits of improved planning need to be championed, for want of a better phrase.
Conclusion:
I believe that there should be a clear distinction between project managers and account handlers, the two roles do not mix well.
posted by teleworker at 12:47 PM
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