forewarned, forearmed

This week, in reading about project management, I was amazed at the advice Make sure to have a plan. Or, more to the point, I was amazed that there was a need to give such advice. Who would attempt a project in which other people were counting on you, and not develop some sort of a plan first?

Apparently people do. Crazy people.

I was really fascinated by some of the software out there to help keep projects on time, on budget, and on track. I wish I had one of those for everyday use. I already pretty much do mental Work Breakdowns, but completely underestimate the time needed to complete the tasks.

How long will it take me to finish my homework today?

About two hours.

Wrong! PERT says twelve hours. You forgot to factor in eating, sleeping, laundry, and staring off into space at random intervals.

I think this kind of software would be invaluable to a project manager who is in charge of a lot more than just herself and her homework!

So that's what the PM wants to accomplish. The other piece of good advice from the readings this week was preparing for possible risks. I loved the idea of the "cube" in Cervone's readings, where risks can be plotted and assessed as to risk, probability, and effect. This also seems like a sensible way to prepare for possible obstacles and avoid pitfalls.

Even though there are many types of program plans, each with their own processes and sub-processes, it's worth toting around a tabbed binder with project plan details to get the project where it needs to be.