Maxwell Collay

Friday, November 5

Module 3 Writing Assignment

OGL 324

I tend to learn and retain learning material better through videos and lectures, so the

videos provided for module 3 spoke to me the most. Specifically estimating activity resources

was the most interesting topic thus far. At my core I enjoy planning and working with numbers

especially money. I find creating a budget and strategizing to make the project cost effective and

efficient intriguing. With most topics in project management, I previously thought I had a firm

grasp on ideas but of course there’s always something new to learn. Effort-driven and fixed

duration activities are new terms I learned through this module. Not only the terms but the idea

of breaking down each individual activity to yield a more accurate estimate. Within the same

video I was previously referencing the speaker discusses the Law of Diminishing Returns. Which

simply states that doubling the work force will not always cut the project time in half. Basically,

the saying, too many cooks in the kitchen spoils the broth. I am learning more and more that

project management is a much broader profession than I initially thought. Which is by no means

a bad thing, just a thought that I keep having throughout these project management courses.

Scheduling and managing projects was my perception but I am realizing that those are a few of

many responsibilities a project manager has. It is very clear why project managers may need

expert judgment; it is reassuring that this is a common practice and project managers are not

expected to be experts on every aspect of the project. I love the idea of being able to refer to
others when unsure of something, because I am the type of person to involve others to ensure the

bottom line is met.

Lastly, Bottom-Up Estimating is a technique I would see myself enjoy creating. Breaking each

required resource down and examining if this resource is the most cost effective and efficient

route just makes sense.

In regard to my world view after finishing module 3 I am feeling overwhelmed but not

necessarily in a bad way. There is a lot to learn and like all other fields I will always be learning

new ideas within project management even after my academic career is over. In one of the

videos I watched in the module 3 learning materials the speaker refers to published estimating

data, this is another avenue I did not know existed and have further questions on how this works

and where to find such documents. I am curious if this would be enteral information that is

provided by stakeholders or open source. Having a previous blueprint on a specific task or

project sounds appealing in theory but I can also see repeating previous oversights. Resource

calendars is another topic that I did not have previous knowledge about. Resource calendars will

provide when a resource is available and for how long. If a resource is unavailable when the

project requires the project manager must find an alternate resource. Which reminded me on a

low level of registering for classes. For example, I the student, have a list of required courses. I

must balance my work schedule for when the required classes are available. I must then make

sure the class in not full or has a prerequisite I have not met. Then after all those criteria are met,

I can plan my next school schedule. Project management has altered my world view in the sense

that I am realizing that everyone on the planet has some type of project management experience.

It is a truly fascinating field.

 In conclusion I found the learning material for module 3 to be very beneficial in my

learning of this field. In fact, I enjoyed this module the most of the courses I am taking currently

because I find planning, cost estimates and efficiency to be my core interests in project

management.