The Value in Projects 1

Erika Peterson
OGL 320
Module 3 Paper
September 4, 2018

Project management has been progressively growing across organizations

worldwide. Project management has helped diminish oversights and unsuccessful

results during projects. However, there is more to project management; managing and

designing projects is more than writing things down on a piece of paper and then

creating the project. Designer Yves Behar, in his TED talk video, talks about the

amount of value that is put into projects in turn ultimately creates a greater value. This

is a very powerful statement, defining what is important during the project as a project

manager. In this paper, I will talk about Yves Behar’s values and project execution as

well as my own values.

Yves Behar places value and importance in the design of a project. The value

that he is talking about is acknowledging customer’s wants and needs, the importance

of the partnership among them, and the environment. Not only does Behar design a

product externally but also looks at the whole picture. Additionally, he focuses on

creating a partnership with the project and the people. Creating relationships and

partnerships with people during projects allows Yves to have an advantage at being

successful. Yves is producing a cohesive environment where the establishment of a

common language and professional partnerships help the organization thrive. By

placing value in creating partnerships, Yves has a great impact on others by building

and creating a sense of trust and a product that is affordable but yet high quality.
The Value in Projects 2

Furthermore, Yves also reinforces the importance of commitment and creating value in

our work.

I feel that during his “design driven” approach he is meticulous about the product

and the project itself. I don’t think that it is a challenge for his projects to avoid “scope

creep” because of how focused, motivated, and committed he is to the project

deliverables. By collaborating regularly with clients and his team members and

managing their progress towards their goals he is establishing the value and importance

of each project.

Having been part of projects in the past, I have experienced both projects that do

support my values and others that don’t support my values. Two specific values that

resonate from my experiences in past projects and that have helped shape the way I

intend to manage projects are good communication and community.

I can honestly say that I’ve been part of many projects in the past that have

lacked the value of good communication. To me it really didn’t feel like a project, a

partnership, or collaboration amongst the team members and project manager because

of the absence of communication. The objectives and expectations were unclear and

often times left many members of the team confused, causing delays within the project.

Poor communication at the beginning of the projects was not always the case,

sometimes during the implementation stage changes were made and not the whole

team was notified. Not only did the poor communication cause a small delay in the

project but also caused a few team members to become upset and undervalued.
The Value in Projects 3

By practicing good communication in future project this will avoid confusion, lack

of clarity of the assignment and objectives, may help overcome mistakes, specifically

avoid “scope creep”.

Another value in which I feel strongly about is community. By establishing

community within a project and organization the growth and success of the project can

rise. Community to me means people, which people are the core in every project. It is

important to understand how people function alone and how people collaborate with

other departments and divisions and understanding the culture of the organization. It is

also imperative to establish positive and professional work environments where

everyone’s opinions, ideas and values are acknowledged. Having a community within a

project will also help build trust and respect in each other. Through the use community,

I will be able to bring team members and stakeholders together to advance and manage

a project effectively.

Furthermore, by establishing good communication and community within an

organization and projects I will be able to motivate, lead, and engage team members in

the successful execution and completion of projects. Via good communication each

member will understand what is expected of them, what their role within the project will

be, motivate, recognize, and empower them during the project. This will also help me

gather information about the project status and establish a culture of community and

professionalism within the organization and project. Community will also help people

feel valued and recognized as members of the team.

The Value in Projects 4