Estimating Costs and Allocating Resources

When working and leading a project as a Project manager, you need to take the time to create and utilize resources that can benefit the overall project.  When searching for resources on creating a budget, I came across many resources that would seem very helpful and beneficial to a PM.  One of the resources was an article and one was a software program that seemed very easy when communicating with other team members.

The article that I thought was very helpful was called 5 Steps to Prepare Your Project Budget.  In this article there are many different formulas and points to consider when completing a project budget.  The article provides templates for charts and definitions of terms that are used when creating a budget.  I have never worked on a project where I have needed to create a budget, so this article did teach me a few things about budgeting and keeping all of the different costs and tasks on mind when creating a budget.

A software program that seemed very user friendly and I can see it being a great resource was SmartDraw.  Through this software you can create many different forms of charts, diagrams, budgets and schedules.  The software allows you to easily notify and communicate with you team members on any changes or progress that happened with the project.  There was an article written by an IT Director that took you step by step through the parts of the software he utilized and how it helped his team complete a project.  It was nice to see the testimonial of a person who had used this software first hand and seen benefits while utilizing it. 

There are many resources and a lot of information on the web regarding creating budgets.  Being new to this side of a project, I learned many ideas and concepts that a PM should keep in mind while working and leading a project. 

Communicating Effectively

Communication these days can come in many forms such as e-mail, face-to-face and by phone.  The ways in which the material is sent can lead to different interpretations of the meaning behind the message.  Even in some cases, it can be misinterpreted and blown out of extreme if you are not clear concise and focus in your delivery method. (Dr. Stolovich, 2009).  I was asked to take a look at three examples of the same message being delivered and see what I noticed about the delivery methods. 

 

The first delivery was through an e-mail. In the e-mail, I perceived the sender to be frustrated and upset that another team member. That team member had not completed their work, and therefore, the sender would end up being late on her assignment.  The wording in the e-mail was very short and “to a point”, but the sender did end it by saying “I really appreciate your help”. 

The second delivery method was by voicemail.  In this method I could sense that the sender was not as upset or frustrated as the e-mail had lead.  I could still feel a sense of emergency from the sender, but by hearing her voice and the tone that she had, the voicemail was not as condescending as the e-mail. 

Last was the face-to-face interaction.  This method lead me to believe that the sender was not upset or frustrated at all, but understanding that the team mate might have been very busy and just hasn’t had the time to complete his portion. 

The way in which we communicate is very important as a Project Manager.  You need to be calm and thoughtful when presenting or passing on information in any method you decide.  Some people have a preference in the way they are asked to complete tasks or given directions on a project. It all boils down to building relationships with your teammates and understanding who they are as a person in the working environment.  Bad communication can lead to a long, drawn out project where nobody involved is having fun.

References

Stolovich, Harold. (2009).  Communicating with Stakeholders (Video Presentation). Laureate Education.  

Learning From a Project: "Post-Mortem"

It is always best to reflect and grow on past experiences.  A few weeks ago I was asked to teach a professional development class (3 hours) to my fellow colleagues on creating flipcharts and using ActivInspire Promethean software.  Although receiving wonderful feedback from my peers, I felt as though the overall effectiveness of the class was not as good as I wanted it to be. 

Prior to the class, I thought about the A.D.D.I.E. model.  I had sent out a survey asking questions about what the learners hoped to get out of the class.  From feedback I saw that they needed a review of the basics and then the steps needed to create activities for their students to do with the Promethean.  I asked my peers to bring their laptops for the reason that they would be doing to steps along with me.  I provided flashcards so that they may create a resources book to have handy when working on their own. 

Overall, I think the positives were, I took the time to describe all of the tools and basics that are needed to just operate and navigate the software first.  I took them step-by-step through the steps on how to create “hide/show” objects, and boxes for them to have the children sort and move objects.  While talking, I had my peers doing the steps.  Many thought this was wonderful because they were able to try and I was there to answer questions and provide more guidance if needed. 

Items that I could have improved on were, providing the steps in a written format for them.  I thought with the flashcards they could write them in a way that they would remember them, but it turns out, most would have just like to have them my way.  Another aspect that I will improve next time, is dividing the class into a novice/intermediate class.  While I had to take the time to assist some in a more detailed one on one base, the others were ready to move on and learn more. I felt bad, that I wasn’t able to challenge them and show them more techniques. 

Even though my peers were thankful and gave me a good review, I would have liked feeling better in the end.  I have been asked to present and teach more in a few months, and I am already looking ahead to add some of the changes I feel will be more effective.  

Hello!

Welcome to my Project Management Blog.  As mentioned in my Bio, I am a student at Walden University and I am currently enrolled in a Project Management Course.  Project Management is something that I am a little comfortable in, seeing how in my current profession (as a teacher) I am placed in roles that require me to lead others to an desired outcome in many different areas.  I am excited to finally learning tips and steps to becoming a more effective project manager.

I hope you can gain any little knowledge from this blog as you can, and feel free to leave comments or share any opinions that you may have.

Sincerely,
 Candace