Week 6 Blog Assignment (EDUC 6415): Scope Creep Experience

A project that experienced issues related to scope creep was also one that felt much like a roller coaster ride. It was participating the in the production of the Back to Class 2012. B2C is an event where a variety of groups and individuals performed. Singing, dancing, rapping, stepping or speaking is what each performance was composed.  Work began well with the initial core of the planning team. After consulting with the production team for the event, the production team grew in numbers and the scope began to creep. Everyone had a unique addition to include in the show.
There was several specific scope creep issues occurred that occurred.  Specifically the addition of more acts/ participants caused the scope to creep. Instead of keeping things simple of course things were complicated; furthermore the scheduled timeframe was yo-yoed, expanding and constricting throughout the process. At first it was scheduled for only 2 hours then grew to four, but finally settling at three hours in length. Luckily we didn’t have to fight for time because there were no other events scheduled on the date of the event, none before or after it concluded. Then, with the many additions the rehearsal schedule was a challenge to complete because as the event drew closer everyone had to complete rehearsals in order to sequence the acts properly.

How did you or other stakeholders deal with those issues at the time? Although this was stressful for me at times because I was one of the individuals overseeing the production and participating in it as well; however, Stakeholder expectations’ grew; however, they handled the issues well. They did want to be informed about the ongoing status of preparations for the performance. The stakeholders wanted to know the course of action and if the actions were done as promised.

Looking back on the experience now, had I been in the position of managing the project, I could have done to better manage these issues and control the scope of the project by organizing and communicating the plan effectively. Furthermore, completing assumptions related to the production and also schedule preparations well before the production should take place. That year we began preparing later than we should. We began preparing at beginning of summer for the act to take place at the first weekend of the fall. Spring preparations would work better to ensure everything was organized and well put together. Risk assessments and resource allocation plans that were documentable instead of verbal conversations would help to see the plan and stick to it.

Estimating Costs and Allocating Resources

The tasks this week is to find two resources that are useful in estimating costs and allocating resources. Searching blogs websites and computer software, discoveries showed me a number of useful tools that will fulfill this purpose. Microsoft excel and other tools based on excel were found. Google Drive also has a plethora of tools, one specifically is Google spreadsheets. Office.microsoft.com and Google Drive (http://www.google.com/google-d-s/templates_finance.html) both provide tips suggestions and lesson resources and videos for using the budgeting tools with both budgeting tools resource assignments, task settings, pay, and costs can be prepared. Both are very detailed in the resources that allow learning to use

Another sight, referenced on flyheartz.wordpress.com, was Bright Hub. It offers organizing tools and templates to effectively and efficiently carry out the budget and allocation process. It also informs about what should be used and not used.

References

Budget image retrieved from: http://empowerla.org/2014-budget/

 Budget image retrieved from:
           http://notmadeofmoney.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/bigstock-Budget-11456087.jpg

Levine, R. (2011). Use our excel project budget template to simply your life. Retrieved

 from http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/75727.aspx

Microsoft Project. (2003). 5 steps to prepare your project budget. Retrieved from
            http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/project-help/5-steps-to-prepare-your-project-budget-HA001141182.aspx

Robin (November 29, 2013) ESTIMATING COSTS AND ALLOCATING RESOURCES

 http://flyheartz.wordpress.com/