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Module Seven Paper

Marlina A. Savini-Boggs

March 1, 2022

Arizona State University

OGL 321: Project Leadership, Strategy, and Scope

Instructor: Ben Pandya

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Since first taking the quiz “How Good Are Your Project Management Skills?” until

now, can you identify areas of growth or knowledge regarding project

management specifically, or leadership in general?

More than ever, I have come to believe that communication is key to success.

We often hear these words and as leaders we preach it just as much. But I do question

myself at times, if we truly understand the meaning of communication. Is it a one-way

transaction or are we placing enough importance on giving and receiving feedback? Is

trust possible to have trust without effective communication?

Leadership is about leading people, and with that comes a duty to understand

their needs and gain their trust. Project management is no different, in that, only

through communication can you understand the needs of stakeholders, shareholders,

customers, and team members. When these needs are identified, we are better able to

meet stakeholder objectives and maximize team productivity. It is a given that effective

communication greatly increases morale and in turn, productivity.

Do you find yourself giving more consideration to particular areas, principles, or

practices (e.g. scheduling, scope management, communication styles, etc.)?

Though all areas of project management are important, I find that I am more

interested in PM practices and communication styles. Learning new tools and

techniques are helpful in finding the best approach for different projects. It makes for an

astute and versatile manager. Since no project is the same, these skills and

characteristics I find essential in a PM.

Just the same is the ability to communicate effectively. Communication comes in

different forms and styles, and knowing your audience is a start to providing that line of
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communication. When effective communication is present, so is the need for managers

and team to be more efficient. Trust that their needs will be taken care of just as much

as the need to successfully complete a project.

Given your previous experience, as well as your more recent interactions with the

Harvard Simulation scenarios, how would you define your personal approach to

project management?

Prior to the Harvard Simulations, my focus was solely on meeting project scope,

resources, and schedule targets. I assumed that for a project to be successful all three

criteria’s must be met. Negotiating with stakeholders or introducing different

approaches seemed non-existent. However, after the simulation experience and

dealing with the different problems each scenario presented, I am convinced that with

persistence comes innovation and sustainability. These scenarios pushed me to think

not just on functional areas and operations, but strategically.

Strategic management drives managers to see the bigger picture. Creativity

allows them to think outside the box and make decisions that are most beneficial long

term, thus sustainable. Because those decisions are put into action by people, it is

most crucial to remember that aspect which we often forget while trying to achieve

goals. Project management includes people management, and my personal approach

would include prioritizing people’s needs.

What areas do you tend to emphasize or privilege while managing projects where

trade-offs are inevitable?

This would vary with project objectives and goals. Depending on scope,

schedule, and resources, trade-off decisions would be made in accordance with project
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priorities as outlined by stakeholders. When there is a need for trade-off, it is best to

consider the alternative plan and risks associated with trade-off to lessen the blow.

In what areas do you find your biggest challenges?

My biggest challenge in project management so far would be breaking habits and

trying different approaches. With careful consideration of the objectives each project

presents, I would like to be more open and creative in my approaches. I feel that I get

caught up in the details provided in the objectives that I do not allow myself to think

outside the box. This would tie into my previous statement in the importance of

strategic thinking and the need to do so moving forward in this PM journey.

How can project management skills be useful in government jobs, education, the

non-profit sector, etc.? In other words, what are your “takeaways” that hold direct

relevance to you professionally? Be specific.

Project management skills are not just limited to PM but applies to any career path and

personal life. Hard skills such as technical abilities in creating plans and schedules are

just as important in the Human Resources field as it is in PM. People skills and

effective communication are even more important as we deal with customers daily. My

journey in learning and developing PM skills is directly assisting in my growth as an HR

professional. For example, while handling contracts, there is a list of tasks to be

completed prior to approval. Some of these tasks can be done simultaneously while

others not. For some tasks, there is a hard time in which the task must be done, or the

process would have to restart, risking the loss of a potential client or not meeting quota

for that period. In this case, having skills such as planning, scheduling, control and

monitoring are very much relevant to my job in HR.

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Potential areas to focus on include:

Suggestions on how to manage the three most visible levers of project

management (scope, resources, and schedule).

• Identify the scope and have a clear understanding of what the stakeholder wants

• Ensure the resources and schedule is realistic

• Negotiate all or some (scope, resources, schedule) if need be

• Share details with team to prevent top-down or bottom-up tensions

• Plan for risks, uncertainties, and contingencies

• Prioritize criteria’s to better prepare for trade-offs

• Be innovative in approaches and think strategically

• Remember people management is a vital part of project management

Most often mentioned in Project Management courses are the three areas of

project management (scope, resources, and schedule). These areas outline the goals

of the project and stakeholder objectives. It is most important to understand what is

defined in each area as it essentially gives you the information needed to successfully

complete the project. To have knowledge of the project or product is also important in

determining whether the objectives outlined can or should be discussed further to

ensure it meets the goal.

Project management areas/criteria are just as important as the tools and

techniques used in your approach. The level of scope usually drives the schedule and

resources. Schedule is critical when dealing with competitive advantage and resources

make it possible to meet that scope and schedule. However, part of those resources

includes the laborers (or those doing the job). Consider this when looking to be most
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productive with the resources on hand, especially when it is limited. Be creative in

managing those areas and approach in a way that is most efficient.

Critical trends or patterns that you found in the different scenarios.

• Coaching and training are a great way to maximize productivity of team members

with low-skill level

• Outsourcing is effective in low-skill level teams or to save time for other tasks

• Fast tracking or crashing are highly effective in projects with high level of scope

and short timeline

• When going against time, prototypes are great way to identify issues early on

and finding solutions

• Standups and status meetings are a must in keeping staff up to date with project

progress and status

• Team morale is the key to productivity

When managing limited resources, level of scope is crucial when factoring team

skill level as well as coaching and mentoring. Constant communication keeps the team

updated on project status as well as feeling inclusive. I also found that fast tracking or

crashing can be effective in projects requiring high quality and short suspense.

Specifically, in these types of projects, prototypes are the best way to identify issues

early on and come up with ways to mitigate it early on.

Your own personal “model” of the causal relationships that exist within projects.

I believe that for every action is a reaction. How we handle risks, uncertainties,

and trade-offs determine the outcome of the project. Therefore, it is important to have

alternative solutions, contingency plans, risk management, and assumptions in a project

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plan. Identifying them up front makes transitions smoother when handling issues.

Uncertainties and risks are likely to exist in most projects and the more prepared you

are as a PM to control it, the better chance there is for project success.
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References:

MindTools.com. How Good Are Your Project Management Skills?.

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_60.htm [Accessed: 27 February
2022].

Buede D. & Robert, P. (2009). A Project Managers Guide to Making Successful

Decisions. Good Decision-Making: The Key to Project Success. Management Concepts
Cleden, D. (2016). Managing project uncertainty. Taylor & Francis Group.

Kliem, P.R.L. (2011). Ethics and Project Management. ProQuest.