Week 6 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Analysis Report: 100% complete, took 0.1 hours. Client emailed me with sign-off.
Project Plan: 90% complete, took 8 hours. Created draft, received feedback from team members, created second draft, sent to client and sponsor for sign-off. Sponsor responded with several suggestions, which were implemented, and sign-off. Awaiting client sign-off. Produced 5 minutes screencast presenting project plan.
Meet with Team: 100% complete, took 1.25 hours. We discussed the logistics of the project, post project plan, and our plans for the next three weeks before our next deliverable is due.
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. I also completed my assigned reading.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

The creation of the project plan was an important organizational step. The document sets the project in very definitive terms. By working through each element, I was forced to confront and consider many aspects of what the project would and would not be, what would work, and what would not work.
In a sense, my goals were met. The deliverable project plan was completed and submitted on time, as was the presentation of the plan. Yet, this week saw the first major discord and confusion in the team. It was easily enough fixed; upon meeting over video conferencing and discussing the issue, it was found to be a miscommunication; easily put right. My great errors were creating personally-intended content on the project Asana.com site without explaining what it meant, and neglecting to schedule a team meeting for this week until the week had almost gone by.
Once again, we failed to receive client sign-off prior to the due date this week. Yet, this time the deliverable went to the client on Thursday morning. I do not know how to create the materials more quickly. The client takes a while to respond because she is invested in giving us detailed feedback.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

Planning will happen in every project I am involved in. Perhaps more important was the small amount of conflict resolution I mediated, as a part of my role as Project Manager. The team was able to bring a satisfactory conclusion by frank discussion, humility, and listening. Though difficult to go through, it was satisfying to see the end result.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

Last week, I mentioned the laissez-faire approach to management I had used led to a rush to finish at the end. This week, I attempted to be more directive, which led to some resentment. I will have to try and find a middle ground. Fortunately, the lack of deliverables for week 7 give me plenty of time to sort things out.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

I feel I did well this week (with the hiccups mentioned above). While I do intend to be more directive than I have been in the past, I will certainly endeavor to improve my communication with my team members.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

I will review the content and instructional strategy material created by Laura and give some good, detailed suggestions. I will meet with the group on Thursday to discuss the development of the content. I will complete my readings and assignments.

Week 5 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Analysis Report: 90% complete, took 2 hours. Laura took the lead on this. I helped with proofreading, some content, and on presenting the report via screencasting. I requested client sign-off on the analysis report on Friday, but have not yet heard back.
Meet with Team: 100% complete, took 1 hour. We discussed the development of the analysis report. Laura and I met on Sunday to discuss the screencasting presentation specifically.
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

Important here was the first major deliverable task that I was not primarily responsible for. I had to trust my team members to deliver high-quality materials on time, while giving them the structure and guidance necessary for success.
I met my goals in part. The material was created and presented, but there was much harried work on my part Sunday morning, due in major part to the three team members working simultaneously, but not collaboratively, on edits of the analysis report. This led to my having to consolidate all three versions into one document at the end.
Additionally, I emailed the client for sign off on Friday. Normally, she gives me same-day turnaround, so I did not expect a delay. However, the U of M campus closing for weather put a damper on this.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

This coordination of moving parts will be a formative part of all projects I manage in the future.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

I am beginning to see that my vague, "let the chips fall where they may" approach to management leaves much unclear, and leads to unnecessary work.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

I did fairly well with management; the deliverables were completed on time (with the exception of client signoff). However, I will need to define the use of collaborative editing for deliverable content, and definitive deadlines for finalized content that gives the client at least two working days to sign off on ideas.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

I will begin work on the Project Plan tomorrow, on Google Docs, and complete it Tuesday. I will request feedback and edits from my teammates by Wednesday, and forward to the client for approval at that time. I will then begin working on the formatting. This process of incremental deadlines will prevent the last-minute rush of the past week.

Week 4 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

• Project Charter: 100% complete, took 3 hours to date. This is my primary responsibility. I  completed the sections on critical risk factors; assumptions, constraints, and risks; and materials, while updating the financial section with a hypothetical budget. I created a review screencast.
• Asana.com page: 100% complete, took 3 hours to date. This was my primary responsibility. With the help of my teammates, I adjusted some milestones, added tasks, and deleted others into a WBS. I created a Gantt chart for reference.
• Meet with Team: 100% complete, took 1.15 hour. We worked together on the WBS structure and discussed questions for the client.
• Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. In addition, I completed my assigned reading.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

The importance of these steps was in starting the team project with a solid foundation, so that all the team members know what is expected of them and what they need to be working on. The charter, specifically, was important so that the client and sponsor agree with the team on our basic project foundation.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

I began work on the project charter and Asana.com page last week, so their completions were sequela of that recent work. The team meeting was similar to meetings I have had in the past. I expect to be in many team meetings and develop many initializing documents for future projects.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

Just in the detail and care that goes into managing the members of a team, their understanding, and expectation. The value of good communication cannot be overstated.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

I am happy with my performance this week. I feel that our team has a solid foundation to build upon, and a clear vision of the way forward. At the risk of sounding arrogant, I don't know if there is any step this week that I could have improved upon. 

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

Our team will meet on Thursday to discuss the analysis report. As Lead Evaluator, I will be involved in its completion to a small extent. My plan is to being thinking about evaluative methods on Monday and have several suggestions for the team for Thursday's meeting.

Week 3 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

• Meet with Client: 100% complete, took 1.1 hours to date. This was my primary responsibility. I met our client and received information about the project scope and materials. I made copies for my team members.
• Project Charter: 66% complete, took 2 hours to date. This is my primary responsibility. I updated the charter with information from the client meeting. I still need to complete the sections on critical risk factors; assumptions, constraints, and risks; and materials. I need to review the charter and create a review.
• Asana.com page: 50% complete, took 1.5 hours to date. This was my primary responsibility. I added all major milestone deliverables and a few subtasks. I still need create a work breakdown structure (WBS) and a Gantt chart of the deliverables.
• Meet with Team: 100% complete, took 1 hour. I presented the information from the client meeting to the group. We decided upon a project scope.
• Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. In addition, I read my assigned reading and projects.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

This week's steps were essential for our teams' understanding of the scope of our project. I led the team discussion, and our team understands the scope now and what is required before our next meeting. All the steps I had planned to complete were done this week.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

I began work on the project charter and Asana.com page last week, so this was a sequela of that recent work. The client and team meetings were similar to meetings I have had in the past. I am sure to be in many other client and team meetings in the future of this project, and others.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

The intricacy of this style of management is becoming more clear to me. I begin to see the attention to detail that goes into every step.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

I did moderately well this week. The client and team meetings went well. My presentation to my group answered any of their questions. I likely should have planned to complete the WPS sooner that this coming Tuesday, as more clarity of tasks would have been helpful in engendering understanding among my team members. 

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

I will review the existing co-teaching modules that are available online. I'll review existing eLearning development software to decide upon our platform. I'll meet with my team on Tuesday to create the WBS and Gantt chart. I'll complete the project charter and present it to the class. My plan is to follow what we have learned about WBS and break each deliverable down to its definable core components.

Week 2 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

-Project Charter: 25% complete, took 1 hour. This was my primary responsibility. I simply put the basic information into this, since it is not due for a few weeks. I need to add more information about the scope of the project and individual responsibilities, as more information becomes available.

-Asana.com page: 10% complete, took 1 hour. This was my primary responsibility. I invited my teammates and added a few basic tasks. This will be filled in, with time, once I meet with the client and understand the specific tasks better.

-Meet with Client: 5% complete, took 10 minutes. This was my primary responsibility. I contacted my client and set up a meeting for this coming Wednesday afternoon to discuss the project itself, and what she has in mind. I asked my team members for any questions they might have for the client.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. In addition, I read my assigned reading and spoke to Dr. Weaver about meeting with my client. I completed a preliminary team evaluation.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

These were many of the initial steps to getting the project off the ground. I met all the goals that I set for this week.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

I have not created a project charter, or Asana.com page before. I have met with a client on an instructional design project before (unassociated with a class). I will likely do these things for the majority of instructional design tasks I initiate in my role at Southern College of Optometry.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

Not yet. It's too early to pick up on patterns, I think. Compared to my previous project management experience, I am being more definitive in my planning, however.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

I still need to flesh out the Project Charter and and Asana.com site, but that is more for want of information at this point. Completion of my tasks was easily done and at a good standard of quality.

I feel that some of my team members may want more direction at this point, but I feel I have little to say, until I meet for the client on Wednesday.

I still need to learn more about the specific steps of managing a project, and what our project is going to be about.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

Next, I'll meet with the client and update the project charter using the information I glean from that meeting. I'll update the Asana.com site with specific tasks as well, which can become more specific with time. My team and I will meet sometime near the end of the week and discuss how things are going and what our next steps are.