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Week 7: Trade-Offs, Change Management, and Project Closure - Discussion
Change Management (graded)
Change continually happens during a project as you learn more information and make adjustments.
Some changes have small impacts and can be easily worked around without much effort. However,
what happens when the proposed change affects the project's scope? Discuss change requests and
what kinds of questions you would have for the customer if he/she requested a change to the project
scope. What are the possible implications of this change request?
Responses
Response
Author
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Scope
Change
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Date/Time
0
4/8/2012 8:23:27 AM
Professor Firestone
Class, scope change control is key to keeping your projects on time and within budget. You'll have a great understanding of how we can do this after this
week's discussion. So dig in.
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Summers Love-Morrison
4/14/2012 7:36:06 PM
I think that inorder to control scope change you must maintain some kind of consistency throughout the entire project. TO be honest Scope
change may be considered a little risky if done at the wrong time. When making tremendous changes like this, one must ensure that it has
been thoroughly reviewed.
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Kathryn Martinez
4/12/2012 7:31:58 AM
To control scope change you must be consistent on what you work at
because if not through experience things get forgotten and you let go
they get pilled up and your work load is heavier than what you
expected. When your project is put together and you know what you
want it is easier for you to get through your projects. From
personal experience when I started a diet plan for myself when
choosing the right products and advice my husband and I went to the
bookstore to find information on how to loose weight. We found the
book we wanted to use and created a plan to get ourselves through.
The best way is creating a plan and sticking to it, things will get you
side tracked and pull you away from your goals but making
a consistent schedule helps you keep things in perspective.
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4/11/2012 8:57:54 PM
Kevin Shaw
Scope change is always a risk in a project. The project mananger should try to prevent scope change when ever possible, but when it does
occur the project mager should keep the sponsor and customer well informed on what will happen to the project if the change does occur.
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4/11/2012 5:41:04 AM
Shadina Pennybaker
Scope change shouldn't be tolerated at all, because as soon as you let it happen once it may happen again. If you give some one a inch
they'll take a mile, in other words, if you let someone get away with something once they'll try it again.
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Derek Cavanaugh
4/11/2012 11:18:10 AM
Scope change is something that a PM will have to deal with in almost every project they are associated with. It is a matter of
business and it isn't something that can be controlled from the beginning of the project in the contract. It is something that
needs to be able to be handled with care and a good PM should be able to handle what the customer wants. If the customer
does want something that would completely change a project then the PM has to also be able to communicate that to the
customer and be able to let them know what will be involved and if it is even possible during the project.
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Mercedes Santana
4/11/2012 9:13:15 PM
Derek, I agree that the scope change is inevitable in almost every project. The changes can be big or small
and the PM should be able to handle it in the best possible way. Always keeping the Customers needs as a
priority. Scope changes can affect cost, time, or staff to name a few.
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Sindy Guerra
4/12/2012 9:55:09 AM
Yes, the whole idea of change management is to be able to handle all the changes as best as
possible. It is interesting that you said that we must keep the customers needs as a priority.
And I agree with that, but as I was reading in the book The Complete Idiots Guide to : Project
Management 2nd Ed, it states that "projects often change direction, shape or size. Goals,
Budget. Schedule. Work plan. Priorities. Personnel. Any or all of these can change during the
life of a project" (pg. 295). The customers contract us as Pms in or der to manage their
projects because they do not know how to. Although they are our priority, we must keep
everything else in balance or else our project can crash. Communication is always key.
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Mercedes Santana
4/12/2012 6:46:17 PM
Control
You are right Cindy, they hire us to get because we are capable of executing
the project as they have envisioned. We are there to run the project from
beginning to end to bring to life a project they may have just had an idea of
what it could be. communication is definitely key in all parts of the working
project in order to not loose time, money, or resources.
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4/12/2012 9:03:06 PM
Shadina Pennybaker
I understand change is inevitable, but there isn't a possible
way to change any of the constraints without effecting any of
the others. Mercedes I don't understand how communication
would stop a project from losing any money, time or
resources?
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4/13/2012 10:08:47 AM
Sindy Guerra
Shadina, what I have understood from the
previous courses I have taken and many of the
readings is that we have to envision the three
contraints like a triangle. Ideally, they should be
balance and each one should be able to have
its maximum effect on a project so it can
succeed. That is the way we plan all our
porjects, but in reality, we know that as the
project takes on its toll, we have to make
decisions that will inevitably affect one of these
constraints. Especially if there is change. When
we have to make a change, it is because it is
not going the way we planned, and one if not
all of these constraints are on top of us. many
times we will choose time over scope or cost
over time, and so on. It all depends on what
goals we have for the project and what is the
best option.
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Albert Wells
4/11/2012 12:58:17 PM
My understanding that scope change occurs when we have the customer, rather they be internal or external, request a change of features
usually adding more to the project. This has to be controlled because the larger the scop the larger the project the larger the project the
greater the budget. I think when it comes to scope control it really comes down to solid communication with your client. Changing the scope
of a project is not bad in my opinion. That being said it needs to be understood by the project team and the client that changing the scope
changes the project budget and timeline. If this is understood and compensated for then everything is positive, however the problem is
usually wanting additional features with out the expenditure of additional resources.
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Aaron Downing
4/10/2012 10:39:13 PM
Scope change will most likely occur when the customer requests that something be added to the original plan. It is probably a luxury to
actually be able to reduce the scope to cut costs, but either of these situations will lead to change management issues. The customer is of
course who you the company is trying to please but from a PM perspective, you also have to balance that with pleasing upper management
which means the project better make a profit or it better lead to more business if it doesn't.
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Herbert Anderson
4/10/2012 11:06:06 PM
Wow, very risky may I add. Scope change has the purpose to modify
the project cost and schedule; the main focus of scope change is
quantity change and support service change. In any case of the
project being added to or change would casus the unknown risk and is
often hard to manage. I feel this scope change should be done only in
any warning case, such as unknown events like the whether.
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Nazish Raja
4/9/2012 7:08:01 PM
Budget’s creating:
Project Management costs
Subcontractor costs
Outsourcing costs
Cost of communication
Costs of hardware
Cost of facilities and utilities, etc.
Travel costs
Cost of quality
Risk contingency
http://forwardmomentum.net/blog/keeping-your-project-within-budget/
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Sanah Fatima
4/9/2012 11:10:01 PM
Change management entails thoughtful planning and
sensitive implementation, and above all, consultation
with, and involvement of, the people affected by the
changes. If you force change on people normally
problems arise. Change must be realistic, achievable and
measurable. These aspects are especially relevant to
managing personal change.
Before starting organizational change, ask yourself: What
do we want to achieve with this change, why, and how will
we know that the change has been achieved? Who is
affected by this change, and how will they react to it? How
much of this change can we achieve ourselves, and what
parts of the change do we need help with? These aspects
also relate strongly to the management of personal as
well as organizational change.
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Sharon Jno-Baptiste Griffin
4/9/2012 8:29:35 PM
Scope change is where a request is considered to change the agreed scope and objectives of the project to accommodate a need not
originally defined to be part of the project and change control is the management process for requesting reviewing, approving, carrying out
and controlling changes to the project's deliverables. Change Control is usually applied once the first version of a deliverable has been
completed and agreed.
Scope change control would be the request reviewing, approving, and carrying out and controlling changes to the project scope.
http://www.epmbook.com/scope.htm
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John Sebastien
4/9/2012 9:47:39 AM
Project Managers must consider that the scope change has to be in-line with the strategic
objectives of the organization undertaking that project and any future changes required to be
brought up in the scope must always follow this basic principle. The moment you feel the scope is
not in-line with the organizational objectives, the usefulness of project seizes to exist and such
projects should either be immediately closed or their scope re-aligned with the strategic objectives
of the organization.
A change control system will include the following:
• Recognizing that a change is needed
• Reviewing all requested changes
• Ensuring that any change is beneficial
• Evaluating the benefits of the requested change
• Identifying alternatives that would achieve the same result
• Identifying all impacted tasks
• Analyzing these impacts and how they affect project performance in terms of time,
money and scope
• Approving or rejecting the request
• Communicating the approved changes to all stakeholders
• Changing the baselines for performance monitoring
• Updating the project scope definition
• Implementing the change
• Documenting the change
http://www.contactpakistan.com/Communitylibrary/PDFs/article0519_ScopeChangeManagement.
pdf
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Frederick Rock
4/9/2012 10:59:05 AM
Change orders exists because there are additions that need to be reckoned with in
terms of cost and time. Some reasons for Change Orders are: Design changes,
unforeseen conditions, and Material Substitutions.
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Echo Woolf
4/10/2012 5:02:12 PM
Change management is necessary because the project never goes as planned. The customer will most likely change their
mind throughout the project and the project team may encounter issues resulting in changes that need to be made. The
reason this information is logged, besides needing to have historical data, is to hold those accountable. Thus, it serves as a
point of reference. Rather than have a "he said, she said" battle, the log can be referred to of the changes that were made,
when those changes were approved and who approved them. This way there is no question. Going back to these records
becoming historical data; future projects may refer back to this log to see some of things that were done on projects. If it was
successful, they may use the changes again. On the other hand, if they aren’t so successful the project team will know what
changes to avoid.
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Joseph Allen
4/8/2012 5:18:06 PM
Change control is important to the project, change will occur in a project and it is important to have a good process.
In my organization we use "change orders". These change orders may be submitted to the customer for approval or used only internally to
track changes. Any deviation in scope, schedule or time is documented and typically signed off on by the project manager and the customer.
The change order is then distributed through the organization so that it is clear the changes that are made and each department can
contribute to how this will affect their portion of the project if they had not been consulted prior to the change.
The customer signs off on the change order so that they are clear in the change and how it will affect the project.
It isn't a perfect system, but it is a process that informs all of the stakeholders involved.
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Miriam Hassan
4/8/2012 7:57:10 PM
In my experience I have found change orders to be a very effect tool when
implementing changes into the schedule, whether internally or at the
request of the customer. Changes to any work scope are inevitable and at
times not feasible, however, when a customer is adamantly requesting
a change it is in the best interest of the Project Manager to give it some
attention. Researching and analyzing the impact the change will have and
providing documentation to the customer is essential. To protect
him/herself and the company, change order clauses should be
implemented as part of the contract. At times when changes are not
feasible, the mere presentation of additional costs and impact on the
schedule are sufficient in deterring customers from insisting on too many
changes/additions to the original plan.
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David Page
4/9/2012 9:34:20 PM
I agree I like the idea of change orders as this is very
informative to everyone and allows for all the correct
people to be informed. Should the customer try to
implement changes in the scope then it is worthwhile
for the PM to evaluate the change request and if there
are implications to the existing project then the PM has
the ability to rework the budget, schedule and
performance based on the customers support and
eliminate some of the issues that may be presented
due to these changes. However, if these changes
come from internal to the project then the PM has the
time to re-evaluate the request and make a well
informed decision based on the information at
hand. Losing control of the scope can and more than
likely will cause larger issues for the project.
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John Sebastien
4/8/2012 11:26:22 AM
Changes in the initial project scope can negatively impact the overall success of
project, which can eventually lead to project failure. However, if a change becomes
necessary, they must stick within the project’s timeframe and budget. Also, the PM
must set a clear change control process that the team and the stakeholder
undoubtedly understand. The entire team must be aware of who is responsible or
accountable for these changes, which can be done during project progress
meetings. However, since the scope is subjected to changes during the project
execution, every effort must be made to maintain flexibility in the WBS.
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Request/Change
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Professor Firestone
4/9/2012 9:41:30 PM
Everyone, let's look a deeper look at a very important 'component' to help manage changes: the change request/control log.
A Change Control Log is used to track the status of all of the individual Change Requests. What are some tracking items you
would expect to see on the Change Control Log?
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Melissa Burr
4/10/2012 5:09:52 AM
Any changes that impact the project or are requested by either the PM or other senior leaders of the project
would put this request in this log. This is a great way to track requests and check on status of them
throughout the project.
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Sanah Fatima
4/11/2012 6:36:49 PM
Melissa, In addition to your post, as per our
book,
The most important responsibilities of a project
manager are planning, integrating, and
executing plans. Almost all projects, because
of their relatively short duration and often
prioritized control of resources, require formal,
detailed planning. The integration of the
planning activities is necessary because each
functional unit may develop its own planning
documentation with little regard for other
functional units
The last three elements require further
explanation. Very few projects are completed
within the original scope of the project. Scope
changes are inevitable and have the potential
to destroy not only the morale on a project, but
the entire project. Scope changes must be
held to a minimum and those that are required
must be approved by both the project manager
and the customer/user.
(Kerzner, Harold. Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and
Controlling, 10th Edition. John Wiley & Sons (P&T), 4/13/09. pp. 411 - 412).
<vbk:9780470885932#outline(11.1)>
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David Page
4/10/2012 5:51:44 PM
The log should cover the request number,
description, the requester, priority, request
date, decisions, status, date
implemented/canceled, and comments. The
log is a way to track the changes and the
history associated with those changes. This is
a great thing to keep for records and as end of
project records for reference for future
projects.
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Frederick Rock
4/10/2012 6:23:42 AM
Some of the changes you could expect to see are:
Current Status - to Identify what the status of the change is whether its work in progress, or open...
Priority - Identify the level of importance of the change
Change Request - Description of the change
Assigned to owner - who is going to ensure it is accomplished
expected completion date - When is it going to be completed
Impact summary - what is the impact to the project.
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Sharon Jno-Baptiste Griffin
4/11/2012 2:07:22 PM
Frederick just to add that the log should also have the original Change Request form plus a
statement of the current status and the ultimate outcome in terms of effect on schedule and
budget.
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Robyn Little
4/10/2012 6:19:00 PM
Some tracking items would be costs, supplies available and needed, time schedules of past, present, and
future planning, the amount of labor available in comparison to time needed for project completion. These
could all impact the scope and add needed changes. I would expect to see all of these components updated
and available on a control log.
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Derek Cavanaugh
4/14/2012 6:59:39 PM
Robyn, the tracking items you listed were great. When you mentioned the amount of labor
available in comparison to time needed for project completion, I just wanted to say that this is
something very critical to analyze because they will both impact the added financial resource
needed to complete the project or manage the changes to the project. Because resources are
the limiting factor, it is imperative to track those items in order to ensure that the benefit is
maximized.
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4/10/2012 3:56:49 PM
Vanansio Samson
Tracking individuals change request involves the followings:
1-Timesheets
2-Collation of information
3-Reporting
4-Meetings and communications
If the plan was expressed as; phase, activities, and tasks, so too will the timesheets item. If it was expressed
as deliverables, this will show the work against those deliverables.
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Kathryn Martinez
4/12/2012 7:40:28 AM
I didn't expect to see time sheets on the list
but Vanansio this is a great list of items that
can be used to track status.
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Miriam Hassan
4/10/2012 5:41:28 PM
Melissa, Frederick and Vanansio - this is all true, however, shouldn't logging and documenting
all aspects of the project as it progresses/or lacks progression be an normal part of the PM's
responsibility? Logging the activities provides a safety net in the event something does wrong
and the parties involved find themselves in court or at the table mitigating. Also should the
project run beyond the schedule or overbudget the PM has the materials needed to provide a
report to the owners and his bosses.
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Sheila Williams
4/10/2012 7:35:51 PM
The project control log is intended to assist the project manager keep track of
key elements of the project. Some of the items expected on a change control
log are:
Actions: An action item may be needed to help clarify a task, resolve an issue,
or address a potential risk.
Issues: the project manger is often confronted with roadblocks that prevent
effective delivery of the project. This worksheet can help track these barriers to
success to ensure that a timely resolution is provided.
Decisions: These decisions can relate to resolving problems, addressing
priorities of requirements, or updating the schedule. Decisions are logged to
help remind the project team of items in case they come up later in the project.
Document Control: Project teams struggle to deal with massive amounts of
information that are often housed in multiple sets of documents; this is
intended to identify key documents on the project and where they are housed.
Stakeholder List: keeping track of project team members and other
stakeholders, http://philipdiab.com/freetemplates-2/intro/project-control-log/
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Vanansio Samson
4/11/2012 4:25:42 PM
You are right Miriam, but remember, a typical change request can request a
change to a number of project areas including requests to expand or reduce
the scope of the project, requests to modify policies, procedures, plans, or
processes, requests to modify expenditures, and requests to update of modify
schedules. These are all the responsibilities of the project managers, it can be
made internally or externally, directly or indirectly and formally via a written
proposal, and cannot be implemented until they are formally approved.
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Kathryn Martinez
4/12/2012 7:38:59 AM
What I would expect to see in the Change control log
would be a WBS with check points to make sure that
all tasks assigned were completed. When you create a
log to track your status it allows you to see your
progress and achievements.
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Shadina Pennybaker
4/13/2012 11:28:24 AM
I would expect to see dollar amounts for these changes, I would expect to see times and dates for these
changes, and when they were approved or disapproved.
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Summers Love-Morrison
4/14/2012 7:42:28 PM
The log should consist of the following:
Description
Request#
Request Date
Priority Levels
Status
Comments
Remember that you must always keep track of any request that may affect the project.
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4/15/2012 11:35:07 PM
Aaron Downing
Yes indeed. Change requests are really the bane of project management. Requests made by
the customer need to be documented, because they will more than likely affect the scope,
which will in turn add time, complexity and the need for more additional resources.
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4/14/2012 8:40:32 PM
Herbert Anderson
Project Change Control Log
Project Manager: <Firstname Lastname>
Project Change Control Log Author: <Firstname Lastname>
Project Description: <Brief description of the Project>
Decision:
Change
Status:
Change
Date
Approved/Not
Date
Additional
Request
Requester Priority
In
Description
Requested Approved/On
Canceled/Implemented Comments
#
Progress/Completed/Canceled
Hold
The
unique
number
assigned
to each
request see the
Change
request
form
Brief
description
of the
requested
change see the
Change
request
form
Name of
the
Person
requesting
the
change
See the
Change
request
form
See the
Change
request
form
Record the
approval
Record information on the
decision
status of the Change request
obtained from
the Project
The actual date the
change was
implemented/canceled
https://wiki.cac.washington.edu/display/pmportal/Change+Control+Log+Template
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4/15/2012 6:05:32 PM
Syleisha Smythe
The change control log provides a single location where any
project team member can review the changes made and the
current status of all of those changes. Tracking items that would
be included in the change control log would include:





Unique tracking # assigned on the project
impact report
Title (one line summary description of the
change)
Date Created (date the change was
formalized utilizing the PIR)
Cost Impact – in dollars (quantification of the
cost impact of the change)
Schedule Impact – in days (quantification of
the schedule impact of the change)



Scope Impact (quantification of the scope
impact of the change)
Status – indicate where the change is in the
change control processes (Assess, Approval,
Approved, Implemented, Complete,
Rejected)
Status Comments – provide more details
about the status and history moving through
the change control processes.
http://pm-foundations.com/2011/06/16/pm-foundations%E2%80%93-the-change-control-process/
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4/8/2012 9:05:17 AM
David Page
Anything that affects the project scope is going to affect the overall project as
this would impact the resources, budget, objectives, milestones, and
deliverables. Should these change requests be made by the customer then
evaluations need to be made regarding budget, time, and
performance. Objectives are going to have to be re-evaluated as well as cost
and schedule. The PM should work to find alternatives but in the end should
the customer want this scope change it would be necessary to discuss cost,
schedule, and performance. Going a step further risk management would
have to be involved and re-evaluated. Any change to a project large or small
has an impact on the project but when scope changes that is a rather large
implication on the project and really needs to be evaluated via the group
meaning all stakeholders.
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Changes
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Robyn Little
4/8/2012 11:01:43 AM
Reasons for Scope Change
Defining scope management is most easily accomplished by looking at what causes scope change. There are three general reasons that project scope
changes:
1. Scope Creep


The project team increases or decreases project activities or deliverables, or the size of one particular deliverable. This naturally occurs in
projects, but needs to be monitored so that it does not throw the whole project off.
Lola's programmer adding extra functionality to the database application is an example of scope creep.
2. Budget or Schedule Changes


Scope, budget, and schedule all exist in equilibrium. It takes a certain amount of money and work to create the product. The project team
would need to revisit the scope were the project schedule or budget to change because they would be unable to accomplish the same scope.
If the executive director were to ask Lola to deliver the project earlier, she would have to investigate whether the scope needed to be reduced
to achieve the new target date.
3. Project Change Request


Scope can also change simply because someone requests it. A project team member or another stakeholder may request that a change be
made to meet other priorities or because the project will not accomplish the original objectives.
An example of a project change request might be if the funder requested that the database application link up with their financial package. It is
a request to expand the scope.
What is Scope Management?
Scope management means monitoring the project to identify changes to the scope or constraints, or receiving change requests. It also includes investigating
the impact that changes will have on the project and making informed decisions about how to address them.
Reading the Winds of Change
The scope creep was a surprise for Lola. She was surprised to find that the scope had changed. I let her, and now you, in on a little secret of project
management. There are a few signs that will let you know when change is about to happen. It does not have to come as a complete surprise.
 Unclear scope
The project overview statement should outline what the project is to deliver, and should be clear and accurate. It is similar to the blueprint for a house. If it is
vague, the carpenters might show up and put the kitchen in the basement. Oops. That might not be what you had intended, but i t was not communicated
clearly enough. The project manager needs to define the scope clearly so that everyone knows precisely what the project is about.
 The what is not aligned with the why
Every project is delivered for a reason. Lola's project intends to facilitate tracking donations to the agency. Therefore, she needs to deliver a project that will
achieve that objective. Delivering a database that tracks people who might donate will not achieve that objective. This is often the case with projects. The
"what" is not aligned with the "why."
 Something does not quite fit
The project scope will probably include a number of key deliverables. Lola is delivering a database, a training manual, and sessions for the users. These are
all related to one another and make sense to deliver as one project. If the project scope were also to include analysing the type of programs offered by the
agency, one would have to wonder whether it really fits. It doesn't, and should probably be delivered as another project. Look for activities or deliverables in
your project that do not quite fit with the rest.
 Deliverables have not been approved by the appropriate body
This is a common reason that scope changes. It is very important that deliverables be approved by anyone who has the authority to later disagree. This is
especially true when work builds upon previous deliverables.
One of the first things that Lola did was develop a document stating what the database would do and the information it would collect. She then had the
executive director approve this document and agree to what she was doing. The project team created the database based on this document. As long as she
delivers a database that accomplishes what she agreed upon with the executive director, the executive director cannot claim that she did not know what to
expect. If Lola did not have the executive director approve the project scope, she could have claimed that Lola delivered a database that she did not request.
 http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/research/rom20.html
309580071
Scope
change
0
4/8/2012 11:52:07 AM
Vanansio Samson
One truth of business is that scope change will happen. A riskier concept is that customers may not understand the costs associated with the scope change,
and as a project manager, it is important to make certain that, the project team, customer, sponsor and stakeholder all understand the relative costs in
identifying and performing scope changes in a lifecycle. The best way to change the scope is through a project scope change control process, by changing
the deliverables, team, and budget. It is important to understand the following ten (10) causes of scope change:
1- Business needs
2- Business benefits
3- Proper planning was not done
4- Planning suffered a lack of stakeholder engagement
5- Scope inflation, scope creep
6- Realized risk
7- Project Resources
8- Project Funding
9- Project schedule
10- A corrective action needs to occur.
Out of the ten, only one relates to evil (scope creep and scope inflation.
309656666
Change
management
Melissa Burr
0
4/8/2012 3:55:03 PM
If a requested change will change the scope of the project then this type of change request by the customer would need to be thoroughly explained to the
customer so they can make an educated decision and know all the impacts of the decision. Questions I would ask of the customer would just be to give
choices of two paths to help determine which choice is best and what is most important to them (ie spending less money or extended timeline, etc)
310440858
310185028
Project
scope
change
0
4/9/2012 4:15:07 PM
Vanansio Samson
Project sometimes change mid-stream, and depending on the size and nature of the change. A project manager should let the customer know that by
changing a project scope, he may need to submit a revised budget and/or timeline for a sponsor's approval before he can implement the change.
310440858
RE:
Project
scope
change
310185028
Echo Woolf
4/9/2012 10:07:46 PM
You make a good point. When a change request is submitted, the changes affects
other areas of the project. Therefore, revisions do need to be submitted in order to
have an understanding of how the new time frames, budget, or resources need to
be monitored. Once those changes are approved, they also need to be
communicated to all stakeholders. Additionally, they must be recorded in the change
log so there is a point of reference. Knowing who made what changes, when the
changes were made and what the changes are helps to keep the project flowing
smoothly.
310377233
Managing
change
requests
0
4/9/2012 8:49:18 PM
Tyrone Labad
Effectively managing change requests would be key to achieving project goals and at the same time ensuring that the client is satisfied with the project they
they have received. For doing this, there must be a proper process established right at the early stages of the project as to how change requests are going
to be incorporated. Every change that is requested must be properly and thoroughly documented by the customer and then submitted to the project
manager. The project manager should then analyze the extent of change needed and its impact on the project constraints and objectives. Post this there
must be a decision taken whether or not the change should be implemented or not. If it is a major change that would negatively impact the project goals, the
project manager must have a discussion with the customer why the change is difficult to implement, its impact and possible alternatives on what they can
do. If needed, the project sponsor can be called upon as a last resort to take a call on what should be done.
310389570
Scope
Change/Scope
Creep
0
4/9/2012 9:03:29 PM
Brandi Williams
The client may want modifications made or material changes. The client may want the budget drastically reduced or contract amendments. If the customer
request changes to the project's scope, the PM must assess the reasons for the change and what is needed. Questions such as: What is the added value
the scope change will provide?, What are the market needs and time required to make the scope change, payback period, return on investment, and selling
price?, What is the impact on the length of the product life cycle?, Is there a product liability associated with the scope change and can it impact our image?
(2009, Kerzner p. 953)
The possible implications of change requests could be excessive costs, poor return on investment, high risks, stiff competition, technical complexity, legal
and regulatory issues, etc. These possible implications could result in the project's failure or resulting in a major loss. (2009, Kerzner p. 954)
310418014
Change
Mnagement
Sheila Williams
0
4/9/2012 9:37:17 PM
Proposed changes in the scope: There are a variety of ways a change in the scope of a project can affect the project. Number one is cost. Generally,
something big enough to result in a change in scope is often not cheap and most likely was not factored into the project's budget when it was developed.
The second reason involves vendors. If you're going to need to hire the work out to vendors, resulting from the scope change, consider how much time it's
going to take the vendor to do the work.
310571950
Change
Requests
0
4/10/2012 9:11:18 AM
Daniel Worcester
I know there would be quite a few questions for the customer regarding the who, what, where, why, and how however I would want to know that the
customer is fully aware of the impacts of the change that is requested. After reviewing the requested change I would want to ensure that I had enough info
on the changes that I could make it fully aware to the customer the results of the change. I have seen in the past that customers have asked for changes
and were not made aware of what the impacts were going to be because of the changes. Ensuring that the customer is aware of the changes will help to
eliminate any misunderstandings and may alter the changes to ensure that there is no negative impacts on the project.
310602183
RE: Change
Management
0
4/10/2012 10:40:38 AM
Marquita Blair
Modified:4/10/2012 10:45 AM
Change requests can be such a tricky thing. When the proposed change affects the project's scope
there has to good reason for such a change. Because change requests may modify project polices,
scope, cost/budget, project schedule, quality ant etc. even the risk management plans must be re-evaluated.
The decision whether to accept or reject a change would be based on a number of rules.
The fundamental logic should be:
Is the change unavoidable?
Does the change increase the overall benefit to the organization, taking into account any impact on the costs, benefits, timescales and risks?
Is the Project Team able to make such a change?
Is the change best done now, or would it be more beneficial to defer it until the current work is complete?
How is going to be responsible for this change, will there be shared risks?
310667648
Scope
Change
0
4/10/2012 1:42:07 PM
David Froning
Scope change has to be monitored. The PM has to keep track of the scope change and monitor the the change requests entered by the customer. Many of
these changes are able to be consumed by the project and a slight amount of scope creep is expected. Many times though the customer decides by
necessity or just because change happens to make major changes to the final product that could affect the scope in a huge manner and that needs to be
investigated and understood by all parties to make additions to the project scope.
310754407
Change
Mgmt
0
4/10/2012 5:27:49 PM
Syleisha Smythe
The first question that comes to my mind is, "Should this be a separate project?". But
depending on the complexity of the change being requested it may be something best
handled as it's own project. For instance if the project is for a system implementation
and the change being requested requires cloud computing integrations, then the
complexity of the change warrants its own project, time, scope and cost allocations.
312521880,31254 310836333
Considerations for
Why to Have
Change Control
0
Professor Firestone
4/10/2012 7:52:37 PM
All, having a formal process is essential and there are some controls that need to be in place. For example, why should the change request be reviewed by
the functional department that will be impacted by the change?
312521880
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Herbert Anderson
4/14/2012 8:50:42 PM
Main reason would be the knowledge and skills address to the department. They understand the issue more then anyone else. Plus they
could focus on the problem faster and with more resource; therefore that functional department should be presented the change request log.
You wouldn't require a doctor to view a request log for a plumbing project. The experience needs to be set in the rigth place for the change
request.
312547246
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Albert Wells
4/14/2012 9:45:22 PM
My understanding is that you want the functional department that will be impacted by the change to review the change request because thy
have the greatest understanding of the rammications of a change. For instance I work in the training department. If my GM wanted to make
changes to the department he would confer with my operations manager to ensure that it would not have negative impacts on the
department as she has the greatest knowledge of what will and won't work, and how changes can affect our efficacy.
312470120
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Melissa Burr
4/14/2012 6:56:21 PM
The change request should be reviewed by the functional department that will be impacted because there may be impacts that are not
realized by the requestor that the affected department would bring to light. It could also create tension in the work environment if the affected
areas aren't consulted and make their opinions of their own department/area unimportant.
312166928
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Robyn Little
4/13/2012 8:51:33 PM
They know their workers best. They know who can fill in or who will fit best into certain areas. They would also need to adjust their schedules
to accomodate and relay information to their teams.
312832289
312677281
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Kevin Shaw
4/15/2012 10:41:20 AM
The change request should be viewed by the affected functional departemnt because the change could possibly mean additionla resources
being taken from tghe department or additional resources being put back into the department which will affect their budget either way.
312832289
312677281
RE:
Considerations
for Why to
Have Change
Control
Sanah Fatima
4/15/2012 5:19:47 PM
Modified:4/15/2012 5:20 PM
Kevin, I agree with your statement. I think when we can
negotiate terms and conditons with clients we should bring this
up too, we should let the clients know ahead of time that if
they decied change scope it would be to additional cost, and
explain client how it might affect financially that why client
would make sure that they are hundreed percent sure of thier
original change scope. no client wants to spend more money
than they have to right? our job should be to explain
everything as clear as possible so there is no
misundrestanding.
Have you heard about the quote. "CEO don't know
anything" what this means that is that he have lot of money
and a big Idea. now he needs us to explain every step of the
way and he learns as he goes. :)
311098789,31125 311060478
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Leigh-Ann Joseph
4/11/2012 11:25:52 AM
I agree with both Daniel and Tyrone, any and all changes should be reviewed by the
functional department, including manager and team, to ensure the changes can be
accommodated. As we are aware there are many parts to a projects, it is imperative
that any changes be reviewed first by the team that is directly involved, and I would
also advise that all other teams and stakeholders be informed, either in one of the
Minor Reviews, or by way of alternate communication. It would depend on how
critical a change it is and how it ultimately affects the project.
311254346
311098789
311060478
RE:
Considerations
for Why to
Have Change
Control
Sheila Williams
4/11/2012 1:21:29 PM
Also, the functional department is responsible for providing the labor for the project; it is imperative that they be informed of
any changes that occur because they have the responsibility of determining how the project tasks will be completed.
311254346
311098789
RE:
Considerations
for Why to
Have Change
Control
Joseph Allen
4/11/2012 7:37:50 PM
I agree with you, the functional manager is typically responsible for the tasks that the change order may
address. Supplying the resources to accommodate the tasks.The functional manager is also typically the
expert in the area, and can not only review for resource support, but review for technical content as well.
In addition, the functional manager may be supporting multiple projects within the organization and will have a
good overview of what can be supported from their department as a whole.
311011418
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Daniel Worcester
4/11/2012 8:46:42 AM
Any direct impact to how a department does work should be evaluated for a variety of reasons. Some of the more important reasons include
ensuring that the proposed change can be done by the department at its current level. A sure fire way to set up for failure is to assign a
department a change and not realize that the department could not take on the change because of manning, skill, manufacturing, or
equipment reasons.
311328861
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Marquita Blair
4/11/2012 9:35:44 PM
The change request must be reviewed by the functional department that will be impacted by the change
because Functional department managers and senior corporate management are the people responsible
for reviewing change request proposals and all their attached documents. Besides the fact that their
department has to make sure that they can even accommodate the request with adequate enough resources.
311335857
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Nazish Raja
4/11/2012 9:47:31 PM
It is important for the functional department to be reviewed because so the project is getting completed properly so that it gives a good
expression for the client. Having the project reviewed more than once gives other eyes to catch something that the other eye couldn't catch. I
believe spending 10 mores minutes on the reviewing the project is better then the project coming back with bad comments etc.
311565215
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Syleisha Smythe
4/12/2012 1:59:48 PM
Modified:4/12/2012 2:28 PM
Change requests should be reviewed by the functional manager impacted by the
change in order to gain their insight into the logistic of enacting the
change. While the change may be necessary it may not be possible currently or
may require additional materials or tools to be accommodated. Only the
functional manager can really speak to those points.
311721876
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Kimberly Brewer
4/12/2012 7:42:49 PM
There are a couple basic reasons the impacted team should be made aware of the new requirement and should be able to assess the
requirement and give input as to whether it will work or not.
They have to determine if it will fit into their current operations or if they will need to make adjustments to make it work. Also they might have
some insight that other people/departments don't have that could add value to making the decision or not.
311119910
310944819
RE:
Considerations
for Why to Have
Change Control
310836333
Tyrone Labad
4/10/2012 11:21:08 PM
Given that change requests come in on an ad hoc manner, and there can be multiple change requests coming in from multiple stakeholders,
it is extremely essential that each of the changes are properly tracked, analyzed, communicated and decisions taken in a proactive manner,
so that these change requests do not impact meeting the project objectives. Every change request that comes in must be reviewed and
analyzed by both the project manager and the functional department that would be impacted by the change, as they would be able to set
expectations on how this change would impact project objectives and constraints, based upon which the decison makers can take a call on
whether or not to implement the change.
311119910
310944819
RE:
Considerations
for Why to
Have Change
Control
Sharon Jno-Baptiste Griffin
4/11/2012 2:24:27 PM
Tyrone great post and I agree. Just to add that depending on the structure of the organization, a project manager may have
little authority and thus the functional manager would be responsible in approving the changes. It is also important for the
functional manager to know all changes taking place as ultimately the project manager moves on to a different project, but
the functional manager remains and have to deal with the deliverables of the project.
311317212
311235726
Change
Management
0
4/11/2012 7:06:42 PM
Donte Whiting
A change request is a formal proposal for an alteration to some product or system. In project management, a change request often arises when the client
wants an addition or alteration to the agreed-upon deliverables for a project. Such a change may involve an additional feature or customization or an
extension of service, among other things. Because change requests are beyond the scope of the agreement, they generally mean that the client will have to
pay for the extra resources required to satisfy them.
311317212
RE: Change
Management
311235726
Michael Boston
4/11/2012 9:16:54 PM
There are a few different types of changes that I am familiar with. CCD (construction change directive) RFI (request for information) RFP
(request for proposal). These typical start with the inquirer y about a project question or function that either leads into a alternate route of
completion which may or may not lead to a cost and CCD is a directive from the owner to do a change of project scope but either way typical
a RFP is sent and approved and a formal change order is issued to guarantee that the owners have approved the change order and that
additional costs will be paid.
311325750
Change
Management
0
4/11/2012 9:30:34 PM
Kimberly Brewer
The Change Management Process should outline how all changes are analyzed and made or
rejected. If a customer is requesting a change to the scope of the project they must first
understand the timeline, quality, resource and cost implications. If they agree to pay the cost
and we have the available resources and do not have other time constraints that prevent the
additional work, then I think we would probably make the change. However, if the quality of
my output is going to be impacted negatively, I would fight to not make the change. If there is
no negative impact to quality, I think the change might be ok.
311575011,31158 311368095
Change
Control
Board
0
4/11/2012 10:51:48 PM
Professor Firestone
Going further with this one, Folks, part of a Change Management Plan for projects is having defined a Change Control Board.
The Change Control Board has three options when considering a change request. They can accept the requested change, they can reject the requested
change, or they can hold the requested change over for a future project, edition, or version.
If a requested change is accepted by the Change Control Board, who should be notified of the approved change request and how would this be
communicated?
311589177,31159 311575011
RE:
Change
Control
Board
311368095
Syleisha Smythe
4/12/2012 2:27:38 PM
If the Change Control Board approves a change, it will need to be
communicated to all project stakeholders. This should be communicated
immediately upon making the decision in writing (email is fine) and then
reviewed/discussed during the next upcoming project status meeting.
311598350,31166 311589177
311575011
RE:
Change
Control
Board
4/12/2012 3:06:32 PM
Echo Woolf
Like Syleisha mentions, all stakeholders should be notified. Typically, there
is a communication plan for the project; therefore notifying the
stakeholders appropriately based on what was agreed upon in the
communication plan would be the best way to handle things. Additionally, it
should also be mentioned in a meeting just to clarify to there is no
misunderstandings. Also the project manager and functional managers
may choose to make a formal announcement to the project team as well.
311661296,31192 311598350
311589177
RE:
Change
Control
Board
4/12/2012 3:31:52 PM
David Froning
You are right on board. THe Communication Plan for the project needs to be followed immediately after a
change request has been accepted. This will allow for the teams to get started immediately on the changes
and follow with as little as possible scope change due to the communication gaps.
311926720,31247 311661296
311598350
RE:
Change
Control
Board
4/12/2012 5:59:13 PM
Sheila Williams
To comment, the CCB decides whether or not it will implement the change and the decision
will be based on factors such as: the severity of the change; cost vs benefit or can it be
handled in the project’s schedule. If the CCB decides that the change is to be implemented, it
is communicated, via written document, to stakeholders, project manager, project team etc. t
affected by that change. http://www.cse.dcu.ie/our_services/pm/managing-userrequirements.html
312472092
311926720
311661296
RE:
Change
Control
Board
Miriam Hassan
4/13/2012 8:50:52 AM
As Sheila has mentioned, it is not necessary to notify all the stakeholders
involved in the project regarding a change notice, but only those who are
directly affected by said change, including the project manager, project team
members and and trades managers (subcontractors). Identifying the
seriousness of the change and how it will impact the project is also a
determinant regarding who should be notified.
312472092
311926720
RE:
Change
Control
Board
Donte Whiting
4/14/2012 7:01:14 PM
One caution here: often it's lots of small-scope changes that do
the damage, rather than the big, obvious ones. Consider this
when defining your PCR criteria. For example, your change
management plan should define change request categories,
such as what is major or minor: Major changes These should
be documented as a PCR. Major project changes: Affect
requirements or work items on the critical path, delaying
significant milestones or the overall project end date by a
certain time percentage or duration. Major change criteria
should be defined for each project. Require additional funding
(in dollars or percentage of budget). Again, the amount should
be defined for each project. Minor changes These routine
changes don't require a PCR. Minor changes: Don't
significantly affect the plan. They don't extend the completion
date of milestones or tasks with project dependencies. Have
no negative financial impact. No project budget variance will
occur as a result.
311500779
RE:
Change
Control
Board
311368095
4/12/2012 11:04:17 AM
Daniel Worcester
The whom that needs to be informed is anyone who has a direct relation to the change. If it is a change that is going to affect the next project
than I would leave it up to the supervisor's to inform there crews. As far as "how" I think it depends on the change and the nature of the
project. If it is a work to be done than that needs to come over as a work request added to the path. If its how a work is going to be done it
should be communicated through the chain of command and posted in the Standard Operating Procedures SOP.
311497993,31201 311419930
RE:
Change
Control
Board
311368095
4/12/2012 6:19:18 AM
Brandi Williams
If the Change Control Board has been approved all stakeholders (client(s), project manager(s), functional manager(s), and team members)
need to be notified. This notification needs to be formal (in writing), as well as announced to the team in-person. Some companies prefer to
send email communications as their form of "in writing". There have been a few occasions where I have received "confidential" emails from
management that pertain to a "change of plans" for a project's process, however, most formal change requests are noted in writing
(confidential memo, hand-out, or something similar) and a meeting is held making the announcement to the functional team members. At this
meeting, questions and concerns are addressed about how this change will take effect and what steps need to be made in order to
implement the change.
312012151
311497993
311419930
RE:
Change
Control
Board
Joseph Allen
4/12/2012 10:56:21 AM
I completely agree Brandi. All of the stakeholders in the project should be informed of any change, and the change order
should be in writing with specifics on cost, scope, and and addtional time required.
Each organization may have a different process in to how they communicate the change, but the process should dictate that
the change is in writing and that all stakeholders including team members be informed. The team members may not receive
the change from the change control board, however the project manager or some other lead in the project should
communicate this change throughout the team. This communication is necessary so that all team members understand the
change and how it may affect and be related to their specific tasks.
312012151
311497993
RE:
Change
Control
Board
Brandi Williams
4/13/2012 1:16:47 PM
Thanks for your comments Joseph! - I know I am super-annoyed when I find out some change related to my
job functions or department from someone who works on another floor or someone totally from a different
area. I feel left-out and blindsided. It is so important to inform your immediate team members before the "word
hits the streets" and is exaggerated.
312664367
RE:
Change
Control
Board
311368095
Kathryn Martinez
4/15/2012 10:00:30 AM
From my line of work I have never heard of having a change control
board. With all my employers they trust us to do our job, if you don't
trust your people on a project then how does any work get done? We
are free to make the changes necessary to get our job done.
Especially in project management if you don't foresee the problems
you wouldn't do get being in project management. As a project
manager you are to know those issues before hand before you start a
project that is what Risk Assessment is for that way it doesn't take up
your time and resources and creates over cost.
311430961
Week 7
0
4/12/2012 7:20:33 AM
Kathryn Martinez
When the change affects the project scope if you are the project manager
you make the necessary adjustments to fix the project to keep it in scope. If
your customer request a change in project scope if you are the project
manger you make the changes for the customer but make them aware of
the consequences of the change and how it will effect their project.
311992851,31202 311718757
Change
Requests
0
4/12/2012 7:38:14 PM
Professor Firestone
Ah, Everyone, there are many types of controls that need to be in place. For example, why should the change request be reviewed by the customer or
functional department that will be impacted by the change?
312024042
311992851
RE:
Change
Requests
311718757
John Sebastien
4/13/2012 12:17:05 PM
Modified:4/13/2012 12:18 PM
These changes must be reviewed by the customer and functional department, so as
to assess the value and effectiveness of those changes, as well as the impact that
this change will have on the project. Also, this change/s can affect the cost
estimates, activity sequences, schedule dates and resource requirements.
Therefore, adjustments to the project management plan and other documents may
become necessary.
312024042
311992851
RE:
Change
Requests
Michael Boston
4/13/2012 1:53:08 PM
Modified:4/13/2012 1:54 PM
Yes changes need to be reviewed not only for those obvious reasons to but verify that there is not any over charges or
excessive labor amounts added into the changes.
312003009
RE:
Change
Requests
311718757
4/13/2012 12:48:47 PM
David Froning
Can the functional team make the change at this point in the project? What if the customer can not accept the change due to his
process? Change requests are sometimes huge because they may break something else in the process of making the change.
312189793,31223 312018926
RE:
Change
Requests
311718757
4/13/2012 1:37:06 PM
Brandi Williams
The change request needs to be reviewed by the customer or functional department because there may be an issue that requires a revision
or addition to the change. Circumstances for both the customer and functional team may not be ideal for the change to take effect
immediately, and may require a delay. Or, there may be other risks, for instance, the functional department may need to recruit additional
staff (or let some staff go) to accommodate the change. For example, if it's a construction project and the client wants a 3-car garage instead
of a 2-car garage, the functional team needs to be sure they can make that change at the current stage of the home's construction because
the foundation and structure already in place may not allow for such a modification at this phase of the project. Or it may be a customdesigned wedding cake and now the client wants to change the color or tier-layer. The baker may be able to change the tier-layer, but not
match the color (maybe they ran out of silver icing) and will have to check with the client if it is okay to use a different color trimming on the
extra tier-layer. The client may want the colors to stay uniform with the wedding party. I can go on and on, but the point is changes can be
major or minor, both they still impact the project's desired outcome. Therefore, the client and functional team must communicate openly
about the change request.
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4/13/2012 9:49:57 PM
Professor Firestone
Great discussions/dialogues throughout the entire thread! Keep going!
Everyone, knowing the entire project from 'head to toe' with regards to the major measurements is key to a project manager's
being able to address requests for change. As a project manager, how would you approach being more specific with your
response to a change request?
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Requests
Tyrone Labad
4/14/2012 3:13:34 AM
The later in the project changes come about, the more difficult it is to incorporate them, and hence the project manager must
try to get the scope and requirements right as early in the project as possible. Keeping the customer involved in the project,
right from the start would be key to effectively managing and implementing the project. By having very close interaction with
the customer, they would be able to immediately offer any review comments that can be incorporated in the requirements.
Also, as stated by Brandi above, customer should review all changes that are requested and approve them, as they would
finally be responsible and hence make the decision after considering impact of change on the scope, quality, cost and
schedule of the project.
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Donte Whiting
4/15/2012 4:27:44 PM
I agree; keeping the customer involved in the project from the start will help with managing and implementing
the project. One thing that I believe to also be a good factor in sticking to the scope. Walk the project with the
customer before the start of the project and point out possible road blocks and unforseen tasks.
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Requests
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Frederick Rock
4/15/2012 7:41:16 AM
These changes need to be review to ensure that they meet the all the requirment of the customer and that the functional department can
meet the new requirments encluding quality and time lines.
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Leigh-Ann Joseph
4/15/2012 9:28:19 PM
The change request should be reviewed by the customer as they are one of the key
stakeholders of the project. Ultimately, they need to approve the change and the
impact it will have on the outcome of the project. Hopefully, the change will result in
a desired outcome with only changes in the process or subtle changes in the
tasks. Sometimes, however, the changes are involve more making it even more
crucial to inform the customer.
The change request should be reviewed by the functional department as they will
ultimately be affected by the change and will need to make informative decision.
It is a good practice to inform all members of the project team of any changes to
keep everyone aware of the progress of the project.
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An
Example to
Try
0
4/14/2012 12:01:51 PM
Professor Firestone
Would it be fair to surmise that being on top of everything in the project means all the difference in the world = project? Here is a D.A. type of situation and
question.
Suppose that you are actually managing a program that is composed of more than two dozen projects, world-wide and taking more than two years to
complete. What would be your approach for being on top of all that is happening (and, perhaps not happening) with the program? [Have some realistic fun
with this one, please.]
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RE: An
Example
to Try
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Kimberly Brewer
4/15/2012 4:28:14 PM
If I'm managing the program, I have 12 project managers or at lest project managers responsible for each of the 12 projects. I would expect
from each of the responsible owners a weekly status report. In addition a monthly project review meeting that would require everyone to
meet and review each project. I would expect that this is a mandatory meeting and if one cannot make it, they have a back up that will be
present to represent their project. I would expect a daily half our review of the most critical project items.
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RE: An
Example
to Try
312335492
Albert Wells
4/15/2012 8:30:35 PM
First I would cry, then I would dance, I then I would pass out in disbelief. Having accomplished all of this. I think I would look at the projects
and the amount of risk associated with each one. High risk projects get a single PM to manage them, where as low risk projects could be
doubled up. I think we would also need to take into consideration geographic location if they are world wide. Its hard to be abreast with a
project on opposite sides of the world. If I had two though it would require clear rules and guidelines for communication.
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RE: An
Example
to Try
312335492
Herbert Anderson
4/15/2012 12:50:44 PM
With strong project management skills, that person wouldn't have a life to enjoy. For
example with 60 hours away from home, it hard to spend time with your family. In
fact I've read in our text book that, "There are severe risks that are not always
evident. Some project management positions may require a sixty-hour workweek
and extensive time away from home. When a project manager begins to fall in love
more with the job than with his family, the result is usually lack of friends, a poor
home life, and possibly divorce. During the birth of the missile and space programs,
companies estimated that the divorce rate among project managers and project
engineers was probably twice the national average. Accepting a project
management assignment is not always compatible with raising a young family.
Characteristics of the workaholic project manager include:
•Every Friday he thinks that there are only two more working days until Monday.
•At 5:00 p.m. he considers the working day only half over.
•He has no time to rest or relax.
•He always takes work home from the office.
•He takes work with him on vacations.
So think about two dozen project world-wide, you would become a PM robot. For
some reason when I signed up for this major, I didn't think about my family, however
i didn't have a son at the start of my education. I think a great PM could be anyone
with skills, but a better one would be someone young with no kids or no-one to take
care of, but themselves.
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RE: An
Example
to Try
Derek Cavanaugh
4/15/2012 7:26:48 PM
If you are a managers of a program like this there are two things that can be thought about it and Herbert you are correct
about this but not all people are like that. There are always people that have the right people below them that are able to
handle more things and may not need their direct manager to be on their cases everyday or every week even. I think as a
manager like this you would need to know who is managing what and what project needs more control from you. As or
having a 60 hr work week top managers like this are not the only ones doing this and if you really think about it is is only
really an 12 hour day and considering where in the world you are having projects then there will be many days where you
may need to be at work from say 6am to 6-7 pm to make sure everything is done. When it comes to being someone that has
risen from where they started to a manager that is doing something like this it is someone that is going to be use to taking
work home as well as knowing how to relax the best and what may even be the fastest way for them to relax.
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RE: An
Example
to Try
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Leigh-Ann Joseph
4/14/2012 2:50:41 PM
Professor Firestone, this project example is extremely large, but I am aware they
fully exist. I find myself fortunate to have been working in a Project Management
role over the last three years but my experience has been very local and with one to
three projects at a time. Before really getting into my core courses at DeVry, I
wasn't even aware that the tasks I was completing actually played a role in our
overall Projects on campus. Once i realized this, I started tracking them with MS
Project so I could apply them to my PMI once I graduate. I do hope to one day
become this PM that you are describing, with full confidence and abilities to to take
on multiple projects spanning many countries. For a PM in this role, one of the key
things for success would be complete and constant communication. Although I
have managed what I now know are smaller scale projects, I have been a part of a
big picture for our Head office and other four campuses. The tool we use to keep in
constant communication is MS Sharepoint, as well as pages on our custom
website. Using these applications we are able to update and keep all five
campuses, including our Head Office and Head Project Manager, abreast of all
actions, tasks completed, and updates in real time. We also meet weekly with
conference calls and webinars.
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RE: An
Example
to Try
4/15/2012 8:34:10 PM
Michael Boston
I agree this would be a very large project unless you look at it in a different way. Lets say this is a construction project and the
general contractor has a PM that has been assigned to the project. Under the GC's PM is a list of subcontractors who each of
them has its own PM assigned to manage the project. In this case it is very feasible that there would be twelve or more PMs
to look over even if the project is very small in scale. I can see this in many different types of business where there are
subcontractors assigned to take on portions of the project that must be managed by the main PM.
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Example
to Try
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Marquita Blair
4/14/2012 3:30:48 PM
More than likely I see this as IT type of project, I can not see this type of situation in
an engineering firm for example. Being that there are more than two dozen projects,
that are world wide and taking two years to complete, the best approach for me
would be to appoint a project-co-captain per project. I would need constant contact
with that one leader because this is too much work to leave the burden of such a large
scale project on one person (the PM), he is going to have to have some help because
trying to keep up with this many employees and their progress is impossible. If there
was a co-captain he could directly communicate project issues to the PM, with the PM
managing the project as needed through them. They should all be communicating on an
Intranet type system keep all info cc'ed between functioning groups and the PM.
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Example
to Try
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Sharon Jno-Baptiste Griffin
4/14/2012 11:19:22 PM
While managing multiple projects is essentially the same as managing a single project, there are two important differences. First, the scale is
vastly different, as you have to do the same thing (manage a product) several times throughout a day. Secondly, you have to learn important
soft skills like prioritizing, delegation and risk management – terms that take a whole new meaning when applied to multiple projects.
To learn the art of managing multiple projects, one should learn the following techniques:




Scheduling resources – Since you have to plan for several projects simultaneously, you need to schedule manpower and
physical resources to ensure that no one project is given all the attention or neglected totally.
Establish priorities – prioritizing is crucial to managing multiple projects. By assigning higher priority to value-added tasks,
you can allocate your time to those specifics that yield higher and better results.
Delegate – In conjunction with establishing priorities, you need to delegate all but the most important tasks. This often means
trusting your team a lot more, and for this reason it is important to have people with you that you have worked with before and /
or people with experience.
Integrated project scheduling – With multiple projects, you have to schedule different tasks and phases of your projects in
simultaneous time slots. Maybe you’re in the final stages of one project and in the development / production phase of another,
while you have two projects in the planning phase. Integrating your activities to ensure that different phases of different projects
can be executed in harmony at the same time.
While managing multiple projects is essentially the same as managing a single project, there are two important differences. First, the scale is
vastly different, as you have to do the same thing (manage a product) several times throughout a day. Secondly, you have to learn important
soft skills like prioritizing, delegation and risk management – terms that take a whole new meaning when applied to multiple projects.
To learn the art of managing multiple projects, one should learn the following techniques:




Scheduling resources – Since you have to plan for several projects simultaneously, you need to schedule manpower and
physical resources to ensure that no one project is given all the attention or neglected totally.
Establish priorities – prioritizing is crucial to managing multiple projects. By assigning higher priority to value-added tasks,
you can allocate your time to those specifics that yield higher and better results.
Delegate – In conjunction with establishing priorities, you need to delegate all but the most important tasks. This often means
trusting your team a lot more, and for this reason it is important to have people with you that you have worked with before and /
or people with experience.
Integrated project scheduling – With multiple projects, you have to schedule different tasks and phases of your projects in
simultaneous time slots. Maybe you’re in the final stages of one project and in the development / production phase of another,
while you have two projects in the planning phase. Integrating your activities to ensure that different phases of different projects
can be executed in harmony at the same time.
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312583492
RE: An
Example
to Try
Sheila Williams
4/15/2012 11:49:39 AM
This is great information and well said, Sharon. All I would say, is that in order to manage two dozen projects, worldwide, that is taking more than two years to complete would mean that the project manager has to have a very good tracking
tool, excellent interpersonal skills, and trustworthy team members; without it, failure is just a matter of time!
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RE: An
Example
to Try
Summers Love-Morrison
4/15/2012 6:06:30 PM
Sheila,
I totally agree. In order to make a project of this magnitude happen, the PM must have members that have
integrity and are trustworthy. Another key element is teamwork. Teamwork is needed in order to ensure the
project is done accordingly and accurately.
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