Back to the basics - Project Tasks part 2: WHY?

(link to part 1: http://itprojectguide.blogspot.com/2007/09/back-to-basics-project-tasks-part-1.html)


WHY? Why do we put effort (aka cost) into task management? Because our boss tells us to? PMBOK demands it? What else would a PM do? I think the reason is to reduce risk to the overall project AND if the effort in managing the task(s) is not equaled or exceeded by the benefit (reduced risk) then they should not be tracked. An example of this is managing tasks around putting computers on everyday so programmers can do their work...seems pretty meaningless to track this - right? (hopefully all agree) - HOW MANY TASKS of similar nature do we actually have in our plans? What if our team, by nature, tests code to a point where it's a very high level of quality prior to reaching QA - ALL THE TIME. Do we need to enter a task for unit testing? The time to enter, update, time to discuss with developers, etc. could be substantial (a 3 month project with bi-weekly project meeting where 15 minutes is spent on this for 5 people adds up to about $3,000) for a task with no real benefit.

So, my answer to WHY is simple: To reduce risk. Task management:

• ensures understanding of deliverable scope and benefit
• understanding of effort/resources to deliver
  
• helps in tracking and communicating delivery timeline
• uncovers predecessors that may not have been identified prior
• allocates people

Task management reduces risk (reduces cost) - delivery/completion of the task delivers value - different sides of the track.

Ubuntu - new Beta

http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/gutsybeta
I am totally sold on Ubuntu, great operating system, great approach (open source), solid product overall!

Back to the basics - Project Tasks part 1: WHAT

(click for full view)
Let's take a step back to the basics - what is a project task. From Webster.com: 1 a: a usually assigned piece of work often to be finished within a certain time b: something hard or unpleasant that has to be done

National Direction - ?

What are we doing and where is our leadership?

http://icasualties.org/oif/WndByState.aspx

State	Wounded	Deaths	Total
ALABAMA	465	64	529
ALASKA	103	15	118
AMERICAN SAMOA	37	6	43
ARIZONA	620	88	708
ARKANSAS	423	52	475
CALIFORNIA	2919	404	3323
COLORADO	457	52	509
CONNECTICUT	222	28	250
DELAWARE	43	13	56
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	20	3	23
FLORIDA	1264	157	1421
GEORGIA	813	116	929
GUAM	21	6	27
HAWAII	120	20	140
IDAHO	260	29	289
ILLINOIS	1034	135	1169
INDIANA	587	81	668
IOWA	314	45	359
KANSAS	360	42	402
KENTUCKY	430	63	493
LOUISIANA	550	76	626
MAINE	194	20	214
MARYLAND	389	70	459
MASSACHUSETTS	450	63	513
MICHIGAN	906	144	1050
MINNESOTA	483	56	539
MISSISSIPPI	250	45	295
MISSOURI	651	68	719
MONTANA	210	21	231
NEBRASKA	219	43	262
NEVADA	172	32	204
NEW HAMPSHIRE	171	19	190
NEW JERSEY	419	67	486
NEW MEXICO	254	31	285
NEW YORK	1312	164	1476
NORTH CAROLINA	724	90	814
NORTH DAKOTA	83	14	97
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS	2	5	7
OHIO	1147	161	1308
OKLAHOMA	461	61	522
OREGON	449	64	513
PENNSYLVANIA	1181	175	1356
PUERTO RICO	180	32	212
RHODE ISLAND	100	11	111
SOUTH CAROLINA	356	49	405
SOUTH DAKOTA	113	17	130
TENNESSEE	534	82	616
TEXAS	2659	350	3009
UTAH	224	21	245
VERMONT	92	18	110
VIRGIN ISLANDS	9	6	15
VIRGINIA	641	106	747
WASHINGTON	825	78	903
WEST VIRGINIA	190	20	210
WISCONSIN	529	76	605
WYOMING	93	11	104
	27734	3785	31519

His mentor turns on bin Laden............

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/21/news/edgerges.php?

After Osama bin Laden reappeared on the world's television screens on the sixth anniversary of 9-11, commentaries focused on his newly blackened beard and his changed message. But more important was the reaction of a Saudi cleric.

In an open letter, one of bin Laden's most prominent Saudi mentors, the preacher and scholar Salman al-Oadah, publicly reproached bin Laden for causing widespread mayhem and killing.

"How many innocent children, elderly people, and women have been killed in the name of Al Qaeda?" asked al-Oadah in a letter on his Web site, Islamtoday.com, and in comments on an Arabic television station.

"How many people have been forced to flee their homes, and how much blood has been shed in the name of Al Qaeda?"...................

Courage and Sacrafice

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-12/119026384614870.xml&coll=1

Tim Lister

I had the GREAT PLEASURE of attending a IT Conference (CAI sponsored) today in which Tim Lister presented Risk Management - Project Management for adults. Excellent presenter....provided excellent information regarding risk management.....his (and Tom DeMarco's) Waltzing with Bears book is a must read for any PM.

Project Management Tool Review

Just wanted to track tools I've looked at and reviewed: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=puDAkq4iYr842yVKrwGZEMg
I'll provide updates as I review more

Google Apps- websites are now officially a commodity

Curiosity - based on an article in either techmeme.com or techcrunch.com - got me to look at Google Apps. I've always found that the best way to learn something is to actually use it - on an actual site - http://www.isshinryu-nj.com/. Google apps is basically the 'selling' of the same tools with different limitations based on the model that you are looking at: Small Business, Enterprise, School, Personal and within each some are free and some at a cost. Apps include web home page, web site hosting/development, gmail, calendar, chat, etc. (and support). The home page gets created by default, as well as the gmail, the website and docs are all driven by your content. The min. cost to you is a domain registration fee ($10). My overall impression:

• tools are not really integrated - just grouped
• website development via page maker is still not for the faint of heart (aka non-technies)
• the help you get is the help you seek (you're on your own)
• gmail is good, but not as good as yahoo mail (probably the only thing yahoo has going for it)

OVERALL though....I'm impressed with the direction being taken - a tool box of integrate'ible very effective web site development/team-communication tools.

THE MOST IMPORTANT learning I got from the exercise I received was: websites are now a commodity - just as PC's become in the late 1990's. In the very near future tools will be available to allow EVERYONE to develop and have a substantial website of their own without the need for a techie's help or support.....developers beware.......the base website development market is now officially closed.

MY RECOMMENDATION: Go and try Google Apps - a $10 education on the near future.

John Stewart - oh my

Sad but true............what a disgrace. It also gives a good look at questioning that is actually more about making statements (Sr Management meetings?)
http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/index.jhtml

@task - WOW!

All I can say (after a quick review of the functionality) is WOW! I think someone finally built a PM system that includes everything someone would want. Take a look at the feature list:
http://www.attask.com/overview/features
Pretty impressive and VERY EASY to use. Clean interface. I did get lost a bit, but that's to be expected with any tool at this level. You're able to track issues and costs/benefits at a task level (great), review resource utilization, access to an incredible number of reports, update information via single records or table/grid approach....etc. I plan on spending some more time playing around and will provide more info later on......Ria R. thanks for the opportunity in reviewing this product.

Logistics......

Logistics is the art and science of managing and controlling the flow of goods, energy, information and other resources like products, services, and people...(from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logistics)
Starting a project, resource planning, migrating servers, etc.......do you:

• have the room
• the workstations
• pens, paper clips, white boards
• contacts with agencies........etc.........???

Things just don't fall from the sky or grow on trees (?? well they do, but I'm making a point).
Part of any major (or minor) solid project plan needs to include consideration for logistics. As some great general (Alexandr?) said 'Logistics doesn't win a war - but it sure could lose one'.

Found some interesting reading here: http://www.nato.int/docu/logi-en/logist97.htm

Contemplation

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

When you become a Master - your moves appear very basic

Interpersonal Communication

Some good reading from WikiPedia regarding interpersonal communication: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpersonal_communication

It really helps to read do read....especially the barriers to effective communication (emotions? do people get emotional?? no........

John Keegan - Mask of Command

Just reading 'The Mask of Command' again (2nd? 3rd? time) - and thought I'd say something about the Duke of Wellington - the leading general during the Napoleonic wars. According to Keegan, Wellington would often use his visual and hearing senses to understand the current state of battle, determine weaknesses in his/his-opponents line, etc. For instance, seeing troops 'lean in' to the advance might indicate the level of fire coming at them as well as their spirit of advance. Shouldn't we be doing the same with our teams/people? Turn off the email, put down the memos, put aside the time lines, etc. and listen what the people are saying watch how they work, their intensity, attitude, etc. these indicators will tell you more about the state of the project then anything else. If people are saying the dates won't be met - listen to them - the message is clear and action needs to be taken to make a change.....