Analyzing Scope Creep:
In the advent of the close to the busy, chaotic, holiday
season, I will use this as an example of how scope creep can ruin things; how
can project management can help deal with the holiday season better.
I tend to start my holiday season in July since I have 27
neices and nephews. I usually start with a list of church socials, school
plays, and other family calendar events. In my family my 3rd sister
is the event planner. After this I develop an more detailed plan of events that
tends to work well with the numerous
brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews,…etc. After determining the schedule and activities
I then tackle communication. I email, postal write, text, and use smoke signals
to inform all family members of the schedule and planned activities. As always
the best laid plans will always be derailed by one or two family members who
have the greatest number of children and cannot adhere to the schedule.
Usually by Christmas day I am tired, irritable, and could
care less about Santa or his reindeer. So what are the risk factors that arise
during the holiday season?
Time: In delivering cookies to my neighbors and business
associates I found that I lacked the time for conversation in a lengthy manner.
I should have had someone deliver the gifts to protect my scheduled time.
Aunt Ruth needed me to stop by for a short period of time
(as she stated) to help with the potato salad. When I arrived she wanted me to
boil, peel, and dice the potatoes. A project manager must stay on top of a plan
so that they know the time and resources of all of the team members. This will
also help if the plan needs to be changed from time to time.
Project monitoring is the collection, recording, and
reporting of project information that is important to the project manager and
other relevant stakeholders. Project controlling uses the monitored data and
information to bring actual performance into agreement with the project plan
(Porny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, & Sutton, 2008).
I feel that with more project monitoring and project
controlling the holiday season will not be the chaotic, stressful mess that it
usually turns out to be each year.
Portny, S., Mantel, S., Meredith, J., Shafer, S., &
Sutton, M. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling
projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc
This is quite relatable story. I think most adults have experienced this type of scope creep during the holiday season. I think other risk factors during the holidays occur with changeability of sales, weather, personal schedules, etc. Schedule control is often a balancing act for project managers due to uncertainty of completing activities on time, and inaccuracies of initial estimates (Lynch & Roecker, 2007). The ways that you have handled this is very effective, because PMs should always adjust the plans when necessary, and make sure that all of the involved members are informed.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Lynch, M. M., & Roecker, J. (2007). Project managing e-learning: A handbook for successful design, delivery, and management. Retrieved February 17, 2013 from https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201340_02/MS_INDT/EDUC_6145/Week%206/Resources/Week%206%20Resources/embedded/6145_Wk6_Lynch_Ch5.pdf
Jarice, I too know all about the issue of scope creep when it comes to holiday planning. These projects almost always grow beyond our intentions. Often we discover that we have to run out and get last minute presents, we have to pick up last minute decorations, or prepare for extra visitors. I don’t know if it is possible to avoid scope creep during the holiday season, but if it is, it has to involve developing a clear-cut plan. While few people see Christmas shopping as a project, it really is. Having a plan in place may reduce a lot of stress during this special time of the year. Perhaps one could purchase extra gifts to hold onto just in case the unexpected visitor shows up with a gift. Perhaps one could plan for additional guests beforehand so that a surprise visitor will be a pleasant addition instead of an unwelcome guest. According to Dr. Van Re Kom, “scope creep is inevitable; build in time and money to deal with it ahead of time”, (Laureate, Inc. 2010). If we plan ahead of time, we will not be nearly as exhausted at the end of what should be a wonderful celebration.
ReplyDeleteReferences
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Overcoming scope creep. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2099917_1%26url%3D