Analyzing Scope Creep

The project which I am currently working on at work has experienced a major amount of scope creep over the months, and it seems to be continuing. It seems as though once one change is allowed, then the changes, or “scope creep” continues to happen over and over again. This has affected both the schedule and the budget. While the end delivery date has remained the same, the intermediate timelines of individual portions of the projects have been moved and juggled around. In terms of the budget it seems as though we (the company I work for) is making the changes requested by the client at our expense. Although I am sure there were funds held aside for this very reason. I cannot say for sure, but only speculate from what I hear and see.

I am actually part of the team that is in charge of implementing these changes. While they are value adds to the web-based courses, these changes come a great expense across the board. To make it even more frustrating these changes in scope would have quite easy to do early in the process, these changes were even suggested by IDs and team leads early on; however since they were over-and-above in terms of interactivity level, we were told to incorporate our ideas. In some cases, we were told they were not possible to do on our system. However, now that the client wants the changes and our company wants to try and secure future business, they are willing to implement what the customer wants at great costs.

Scope creep is something that should be expected to occur in any project. As a project gets involved new things come up, and a PM should know this and have a change in scope ready (Stolovitvh, Video). The PM needs to be prepared, and have his or her team prepared for what might arise. This can be eased through good communication and building a solid relationship with those working on the project. "Avoiding scope creep is not possible." However, monitoring it, controlling it, and thereby reducing some of the pain is possible" (Portney, et al., p. 347). This is why it is imperative to create a sound Statement of Work, project scope, schedule (with wiggle room), budget, communication plan, and close-out checklist. In other words, have a plan in place follow it and communicate it to your team.

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.

Stolovitch. Monitoring Projects. Video Retrieved February 9, 2011 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4744643&Survey=1&47=6447409&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Communicating Effectively

I did not find Jane to carry a positive tone in any of the forms: email, voicemail, or face-to-face. As I viewed each of the modalities I interpreted a similar meaning. In the email I got the message of, if you can't do it, then I will do it myself. In the voicemail her tone came off as somewhat condescending, as did her tone in the face-to-face meeting; however in the face-to-face meeting there was the addition of non-verbal communication that sent the additional message that Jane was not happy, even though she showed a big-fake smile at the end. In each of the modalities I noticed right away the use of "I", "your", and "my own." There was no indication of teamwork. One difference I noticed was in the email the message seemed authoritative, while in the voicemail and face-to-face to meeting Jane seemed somewhat passive.

I think the same message could have been conveyed in a more positive manner. I understand what as a project manager it is Jane's responsibility to make her team accountable and to create a sense of urgency, but there are proper ways to approach the situation. "Merely assigning people to perform selected tasks on a project does not create a project team" (Portney, etal., p. 301). Good communication throughout a project will help to create a team atmosphere.

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.

The Art of Effective Communication [Multimedia Program]

http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6145/03/mm/aoc/index.html

Worm Dissection

All of us have taken a high school biology class, and I am sure that all of us had to dissect a worm. When I taught 10th grade biology, my class had to dissect a worm and many other specimens as well. I have no problem dissecting or teaching students how to dissect, so that is not where this project went astray. The problem was in the communication between me and the more seasoned biology teachers.

For all other dissections throughout this course the specimens where stored in a tub filled with formaldehyde. However, I did not know that the other teachers did not use these worms; instead they used "Walt's Crawlers" i.e. night crawlers used for fishing. It seems the formaldehyde worms were not of great quality... I did not know this, but now I do.

This problem could have been resolved on my end by talking with the other biology teachers, completing the lab in advance, or even reading online that in most classes the live version is preferred. While I would not call this project a complete failure, it was not a success either. The worms were not of the greatest quality because they were old, since no one ever used them. Also, once the students caught wind that all the other classes got to dissect live worms, I heard from that end. It is not nearly as fun to dissect a stinky preserved worm as it is to dissect a fresh one.

My lack of pre-planning and communication caused the lab project to be less successful than I, and the students, would have liked.

Project Management in ISD

I look forward to working with each of you as we explore our way through the ins and outs of project management.

Converting to a Distance Learning Format

Distance learning practices are continually improving as we learn more on how to effectively deliver material at a distance. When converting from a traditional face-to-face class to a distance learning environment it is not as simple as delivering the same material in through a different medium; there are considerations that must be taken into account. The way in which the instructor teaches and the students interact is much different in the online world than it is in a traditional setting. With distance learning there is more pre-planning that needs to be taken into consideration on the part of the instructor, and more interaction that needs to take place on part of the student(s). A good discussion is a key feature to a successful distance learning course, module, etc and remember, it is essential that the course center around the students and their needs.

Pre-Planning Checklist
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B184AnCrv8q_MjhjNDdmYTgtODFlNi00YzVjLTg1YmItNjgxMzljMGEzYTEx&hl=en&authkey=CIfryOoP

Application: Blog—The Impact of Open Source

I looked at the Open Course (OC) websites of MIT and Yale University. They both had similar formats and course layout; I preferred the presentation of Yale's OC http://oyc.yale.edu/. The one thing that made Yale stand apart was that they had Flash files of the lectures. This was important to me because the courses are set up as a face-to-face class would be, so the visuals from the class lecture are important.

Since these are free learning courses there is not the communication between the student and instructor like you would find in a paid-for distance learning class. Both OC took information from past courses, such as, the course syllabus, lectures with corresponding notes, and assignments and exams with answers. While I feel there was pre-planning that went into the creation of these courses I do not that either university followed the recommendations for online instruction listed in our course textbook.

While the OC where not set up on a CMS, that I could tell, some they contained some of the options that our text set out as components of a CMS. Yale's OC included readings, content presentation, and student assessment but lacked the communication aspects such as group project space and assignment drop-boxes. The fact that those aspects are missing are fine by me though because of the purpose behind these types of courses. "Open Yale Courses provides free and open access to a selection of introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. The aim of the project is to expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn" (Wikipedia, 2010).

Since there is not communication, due to the nature of these courses, there seems to be little thought to designing for communication to maximize active learning among students. "An OpenCourseWare (OCW) is a free and open digital publication of high quality university‐level educational materials. These materials are organized as courses, and often include course planning materials and evaluation tools as well as thematic content" (ocwconsotium, 2010). The fact that these courses are free-of-charge and are there to give access to students that may not have the opportunity otherwise, or someone like me that may want to learn more about architecture or the environment, makes these courses a great asset. There are multiple universities that have OC available spanning wide variety of courses, or subjects so regardless of where you are educationally, I can almost guarantee there is a course that would interest you and teach something you did not know previously.

References:

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Open Yale Courses. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved December 5, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Yale_Courses.


Open Course Ware Consortium. (2010). What is open courseware? Retrieved December 5, 2010, from http://www.ocwconsortium.org/aboutus/whatisocw.

Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

Example 3: Asynchronous Training

In an effort to improve its poor safety record, a biodiesel manufacturing plant needs a series of safety training modules. These stand-alone modules must illustrate best practices on how to safely operate the many pieces of heavy machinery on the plant floor. The modules should involve step-by-step processes and the method of delivery needs to be available to all shifts at the plant. As well, the shift supervisors want to be sure the employees are engaged and can demonstrate their learning from the modules.

I would approach this situation by setting up a Learning Management System (LMS) where the employees could access asynchronous web-based modules on safety training. By conducting these modules on an LMS, and not a CMS, it "focuses upon an individual and tracks the learning needs and outcomes achievement of that person over a period of time" (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, p. 238). The number of modules the employee would be required to take would be dependent on the companies needs and on how each individual employee's outcome on particular portions of the training. While some employees may require more training others might be able to take less because they show to have a better understanding of the safety practices. In addition, since the supervisors want the employees to be able to demonstrate what they have learned, these modules will needs to include interactive, hands-on types of scenarios for the employees to work through.

I also think a good addition to the modules being delivered on an LMS would be an internet forum, or message board. This would allow the employees to ask any questions that may arise, without feeling incompetent by asking a supervisor, because this could set up as "anonymous" where the employees could post questions for the supervisors to answer. For those that are not familiar an internet forum "is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages" (Internet forum, 2010).

Examples of the use of these technologies and how these technologies have been successfully used in distance learning.

1. This example came from the Department of Veterans Affairs in regards to their LMS: “It’s a wonderful tool in fulfilling educational goals for individuals and supervisors alike. As a user I control my own learning plan in the VA LMS, comparing it with my own Individual Development Plan (IDP) to see what gaps might exist. It’s a valuable tool, and is easy to use. As a supervisor, I see my staff’s learning plan and history, what training has been completed, and I can set required dates,” Marston said (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2010).
2. Ten reasons You Should Consider an LMS:
a. A Learning Management System provides a focal point for all your course development work.
b. A Learning Management System is the only effective way to track who has been given what training and when it was given.
c. An LMS allows you to automatically test students to see if knowledge transfer is really occuring.
d. A secure Learning Management System protects private training resources, such as procedure and policy manuals, software screens, and other sensitive files.
e. E-Learning software retains records and monitors learners' progress, allowing you to measure whether your training investment is being returned to you.
f. Modern Learning Management Systems provide interactivity and multimedia, making learning more effective and interesting.
g. An LMS saves money when compare to the increased travel required for classroom learning.
h. Your LMS will provide measurable results, where classroom training may not.
i. A properly-maintained Learning Management System will cost very little to operate, after the initial licensing fees.
j. Quite simply, an LMS can leverage the expertise of a few individuals and distribute it efficiently to a large number of employees, customers, or business partners (Learning Management Systems, 2006)

References:

Department of Veterans Affairs. (2010). VA LMS – It Works! Retrieved November 21, 2010, from http://www.insidelms.va.gov/insideLMSpages/successStories/successStories.shtm#expand- success1

FlexTraining Learning Management System (2006) A Learning Management System for the Rest of Us. Retrieved November 21, 2010, from http://www.learning-management-system.us/

Internet forum (2010). In Wikipedia. Retrieved November 21, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Message_board#cite_note-vBfaqFORUM-0

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.