How effectively do you think Rachel spent her day?
MGT - 501
Chapter 1: Case (One day in the life)
This case shows a glimpse of what it is like to be a project manager. It also underscores that being a project manager is more social than technical and that project managers spend the majority of their time interacting with various people who impact a project.
1. How effectively do you think Rachel spent her day?
There are several places where her effectiveness can be improved and there are several things that she did appropriately.
Rachel needs to improve her system of checking her email/voice mail. She had several unplanned breaks and should improve the way she is managing interruptions and the project status meetings. She has not established the right process of communication between marketing and the project management team. She wasted time taking responsibility of Victoria’s project instead of bringing it to the portfolio management team.
Among the things I consider she did correctly, we could mention the good communication she has with her boss. She listens to her team’s problems making a good line of communication between her and her team. Rachel meets with her team members and she provides feedback on a job well done.
Some of the things she could do to improve her effectiveness are:
• Have a consistent email/voice mail communication process.
• She needs to set expectations on days that she is going to be out on client’s places, so that she can manage the team better.
• Rachel does not need to indulge in spreading rumors.
• She lets interruptions and unplanned breaks get in the way of making progress on the real issues.
• At the time she meets with her team, she should not ask open ended questions.
She needs to ask the right questions to get the right information without wasting time.
2. What does the case tell you about what it is like to be a project manager?
Rachel’s day underscores three key functions project managers spend their time performing:
Chapter 1: Case (One day in the life)
This case shows a glimpse of what it is like to be a project manager. It also underscores that being a project manager is more social than technical and that project managers spend the majority of their time interacting with various people who impact a project.
1. How effectively do you think Rachel spent her day?
There are several places where her effectiveness can be improved and there are several things that she did appropriately.
Rachel needs to improve her system of checking her email/voice mail. She had several unplanned breaks and should improve the way she is managing interruptions and the project status meetings. She has not established the right process of communication between marketing and the project management team. She wasted time taking responsibility of Victoria’s project instead of bringing it to the portfolio management team.
Among the things I consider she did correctly, we could mention the good communication she has with her boss. She listens to her team’s problems making a good line of communication between her and her team. Rachel meets with her team members and she provides feedback on a job well done.
Some of the things she could do to improve her effectiveness are:
• Have a consistent email/voice mail communication process.
• She needs to set expectations on days that she is going to be out on client’s places, so that she can manage the team better.
• Rachel does not need to indulge in spreading rumors.
• She lets interruptions and unplanned breaks get in the way of making progress on the real issues.
• At the time she meets with her team, she should not ask open ended questions.
She needs to ask the right questions to get the right information without wasting time.
2. What does the case tell you about what it is like to be a project manager?
Rachel’s day underscores three key functions project managers spend their time performing: