Analyzing Scope Creep

My experience with scope creep occurred when I was designing a website for a church.  After the client informed me of what they wanted, I laid out the design specification just like they asked.  A five page website turned into a ten page website.  In addition, it was a problem when I added the changes to the final bill. I have it specified in the contract about adding pages.  As a web designer, it is my goal to make the site easy to navigate, aesthetically pleasing, well organized and to have a satisfied customer. Furthermore, as a web designer, I am flexible and often do many changes for free but five additional pages were too much.  After the experience, I learned:

1.       To add a more detail terms and conditions in the contract.

2.       To inform clients  not to add things that are not necessary,

3.       Have several  meeting before starting the project

4.       To inform clients if I  have to make a significant change

5.       To realize most of the time clients really do not know what they want.

Avoiding scope creep is not possible but if you monitor and control it by :

1.       Using a control system in all project plans

2.       Agree upon all changes

3.       Require changes to be approved in writing (Portny, et al, 2008).

References:

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. “Monitoring Projects”

Communicating Effectively

When working with a team it is your duty to communicate with them. The process in which you deliver the message can have an effect on how the message is understood (The Art of Communication).

According to Dr. Stolovitch, written communication need to:

1.       Begin with a well-defined idea

2.       Express the situations

3.       Suggest possible answers

4.       Clarify in what form you want the response

The email was straight to the point. In addition, the email was very polite. Since the information was needed immediately, I probably would have copied other members of the team on the email.   In previous experience copying others in the email usually gets a quicker response. No one wants other to know they are behind in a project.  In addition, they was a proposed solutions since it was suggested to Mark to send Jane’s data if he was unable to send the entire report.

The voicemail was very polite and to the point. She emphasized the importance of the data. She did not raise her voice or seemed angry.

 I would have not talked to him over the divider. I have been closer, so less people could hear the conversation.  In addition, her facial expression did not appear she was sincere.

The modalities provided the opportunity to examine my communication skills.  I understand how important it is too communicated effectively. For example, there was no set deadline in the email.  In the voicemail Jane seemed to be almost apologetic. The face to face conversation the facial expression did not appear to appeared to be genuine.

This had me reflect on the two old clichés  it is not what you say but how you say it and mean what you say and say what you mean.

References:

Stolovitch (n.d). Communicating with Stakeholders. Retrieved  November 20,2011 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6052000&Survey=1&47=7729129&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.

The Art of Communication. Retrieved  November 20,2011 fromhttp://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6145/03/mm/aoc/index.html.

Learning from a Project “Post-mortem”

While employed as a HIV Medical Case Manager our agency had several employee trainings.  The trainings used PowerPoint as a method of delivery.  Supervisors delivered the training relevant to their department.  My instructional design classes have taught me how to effectively design and deliver presentations.  After several presentations, I recommended that one staff member should develop the entire presentation.  I was asked why.  I did not want to insult anyone but I had to be honest.  The presentations are not very effective and most of the staff agreed.  They were too long, overuse of bullet points, misuse of animation, transitions, fonts, and color.  I told my co-workers that something I learned from class.  I explained, until I started the instructional design program, I was not aware of the mistakes I was making in PowerPoint.  In addition, I explained to my co-workers, I am a team player and I am more than willing to share my knowledge.  I explained to them that the goal of a PowerPoint presentation is to guarantee legibility, make the message simpler, enhance learner engagement, and focus learner attention on critical points and to provide another channel of communication (Pugsley, 2010).  In addition, I informed my co-workers that when designing a presentation you should be mindful of the color, fonts, and animation you use.  I volunteered to take on this task. My intention was to create a presentation that was uniform, easy to navigate, pleasing to the eye and that could be used repeatedly.  It was approved.  I sent out an email asking each supervisor to email there material for the presentation by as certain date.  This project did not go well.  Only four of seven supervisors emailed the information for the project.  The other three felt they could do a good job by themselves.  The presentation I develop came out very well.  It was very informative and eye catching.  I received positive feedback from most of the staff.  I regret this project because it caused animosity among the three supervisors who prepared their own presentation. I was unaware that some of the supervisors did not want me to change their presentation until close to the date I needed the presentation.  I blame myself and upper management for not informing me.  In addition, I blame myself for not communicating more with the supervisors. This project could have been better if I had resolved interpersonal conflicts and created and maintained a focus team (Portny, et al, 2009).  

References:

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Pugsley, L. (2010). Design an effective PowerPoint presentation. Education for Primary Care, 2   1(1), 51-53. Retrieved November 10, 2011 frofrom EBSCOhost.