Sunday, March 2, 2014

EDUC 6145 Week 8 Reflection

 How would you characterize your attitude toward project management and the role it can play on ID projects? How, if at all, has your attitude changed throughout this course?
My attitude about project management has been changed or altered to realize how critical effective efficient project management is to the progress and success of the project. Throughout this course being exposed to the variety of resources and necessary resources to prepare for projects, start and finish projects. Personally I realized my current professional role as college Instructor and Computer Lab Manager that duties of the project manager are done in theses settings. The knowledge gained is a true asset to the success of impacting students, colleagues project teams ID roles and future projects.
·         How do you see project management blending with the instructional design process? How does it apply to the ID context?
Furthermore, project management and the instructional design process parallel or overlap in practice despite having some different terminology. They both require careful detailed planning. Failure to plans results in a plan to fail. The preparation measures taken will pay off before during and after getting the project in motion. Managing the 5 variables, which I was not previously knowledgeable about will help me know the path to travel for future projects. Scope creep although I have experienced it but I did not know what it was called but now I know what to expect since these variable require management in any and all projects
Every Project Requires the Managementof 5 variables: Time, Resources, Expertise, Quality, and Scope(Budrovich) 
Project tasks and responsibilities are measures taken by project managers and Instructional Designers too. Reading much of the content throughout this course reminded me of the instructional design process, specifically the tasks and responsibilities below.
 Project Manager Tasks: Define activites, Identify and engage stakeholders, allocate resources, manage activities, close out the project, plan and execute follow-up and support.  (Stolvich)
Project Manager Responsibilities: Launch the project, manage the different pieces, meet commitments and follow standards. (Stolvich)

·         Whether you are serving as the Project Manager on an ID project, or working with a PM who will manage the project, what skills and competencies would you like to further develop?
Time management skill is something that must always be improved to manage any given situation accordingly. The need to do this is an ongoing task that influences and can very well dictate the success of a project.
.people management skills as well will always be a unique task to tow. “The People Stuff” details the challenges that are often encountered.
Trust Your Judgment
Let Go of Perfectionism
Celebrate the Chaos Within
Embrace the Work Itself
Take the Risk
Just Say No
Listen, Understand, Collaborate
Just Do It!
Consciously Choose Your Attitude
Be the Change You Want to See
(Greer, 5, 2010) 
This will be one of the most valuable resources that were discovered through this course.
·         Provide a specific example of how you will use what you’ve learned in your current job or in a job you anticipate having in the future.
As the lab manager finding more efficient and effective business practices to maintain and enhance the student experience is an ongoing project. Some of the tools discussed and explored are useful in that they will allow me to estimate and figure how much paper is provided and used for printing needs by the student population. The Project Management Minimalist resource clarified elements of project management that were previously unclear. The 10 steps to project success will help me to manage projects issues and work related tasks in more organized manner to care carefully cover all aspects of a project.
Step 1: Define the project concept, then get support and approval.
Step 2: Get your team together and start the project.
Step 3: Figure out exactly what the finished work products will be.
Step 4: Figure out what you need to do to complete the work products. (Identify
tasks and phases.)
Step 5: Estimate time, effort, and resources.
Step 6: Build a schedule.
Step 7: Estimate the costs.
Step 8: Keep the project moving.
Step 9: Handle scope changes.
Step 10: Close out phases, close out the project.                                                                 
  (Greer, 5, 2010) 
This course has broadened and defined my understanding of what consists of project management and how it can be a massive process to perform. Also, “The People Stuff” is so very valuable in helping me management the many people and wide ranging attitudes and personalities encountered continuously throughout the days.

Reference
Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects! (Laureate custom ed.). Baltimore: Laureate Education, Inc.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.). Project Kickoff. [Media Video].
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.). Project Management and Instructional Design. [Media Video].
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.). Practitioner Voices: Barriers to Project Success  [Media Video].
 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.