 Reforming Project Management |
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Thursday, July 31, 2003
We don't need no stinkin' users!
Hold-on. Don't shoot me. It's not my line. It's one from Kim Black's recent posting projecttiles in her weblog Navigating Business with Technology. In it Kim writes about perspectives that don't just hamper project success, but bring about the demise. Go Kim! Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Ignorance is Risk
Just got to read the latest issue of Project @ Work. Bill Duncan, Project Management Partners, authored an op-ed piece titled Ignorance is Risk: What you don't know can hurt you. What you think you know can, too. Bill is an old hand at project management and a very active participant in the dialog of what to do about our current state. He claims that even the best of the project management texts contain at least one glaring error. In an effort to right that wrong and to adjust our understanding Bill offers what he calls 10 truths about project management.
My take on Bill's views is he understands better than most people that projects take place in an always uncertain world. To succeed the project manager and team must learn and adjust as they engage with each other and the customer. At the risk of putting words in Bill's mouth, the principle role of the project manager is to anticipate, adjust, and improvise. Sounds right to me. IGLC-11 Conference Notes
I blogged my way through the International Group for Lean Constuction 11th Annual Conference. I tried to get it word-for-word, but I didn't do so well. Still, I hope you will get a sense of what was presented and the discussion that ensued. Take a look. You might also want to refer to the papers on this site. Enjoy! Monday, July 28, 2003
Open Space Planning -- Smashing Stereotypes
We've all learned the behavior that is required of participants to be effective in planning sessions. My 'rules' for that behavior have been:
When Coachville set out to do their business planning they wanted nothing less than their usual remarkability! They chose open space as an environment for engaging the whole of the participants. The purpose of the planning session was to look at what Coachville could be doing to create exceptional coaches. In one way, we came together as strangers. 40 people were invited to attend Coachville's Certified Coaching Intensive. Most of us knew a few people, only a few knew a majority. None of us had worked this way with each other. In a other way, we couldn't have been more aligned around a purpose. We started with Nina East establishing a context of 'general truths'. They were:
The law of two feet: Step up; move on; arrive where your interests take you. So what happened? If I told you, I'd have to...nah. In just five hours the 40 of us tackled 15 topics of interest to us by following the above few simple rules with no third-party facilitation. As individuals, we moved from one space to another contributing as we saw fit evolving the topic as we listened and spoke. I was surprised, no amazed, by the depth and scope of what we accomplished together. I can say by starting with alignment to purpose autonomous interested/committed agents produced what is not possible by pursuing an agenda in the usual format. What did I learn? Organic processes produce far superior results than my usual well-crafted and facilitated agendas. And...I left the session with more energy than I had when I arrived! Next up, project planning sessions in open space...anyone want to try? Sunday, July 27, 2003
Building an Outdoor Room with a Few Simple Rules
Dad knows best...not! While finishing the outdoor room we got to the point of laying the pavers. My son worked concentric circles using a variety of squares and keystone shapes. The rest of the family kept feeding him those blocks as he called for them. He finished the 18 foot circle with a row of darker pavers to give it a crisp visual edge. Up next...laying two walkways to the circle. The pavers for the walkways were 6"x9" and 6"x6" in the ratio of 4 to 3, respectively. This is equivalent to an 18"x18" space. I wanted to work out a pattern that would be repeated throughout the two walkways. One walkway was 42" wide. The other was 84" wide narrowing to 42" as it approached the circle. To further complicate it the brothers decided to build the two walkways at the same time, one working from the driveway to the circle, the other working from the deck to the patio. (Bear with me here.) To me it looked like a mess about to unfold. My landscape architect student son had another idea. He would let a pattern emerge. Working with a few simple rules the two boys could independently approach the circle. Their rules: use 4 rectangles for every 3 squares; bridge 3 rows with 2 rectangles every once in awhile. The rest of us fed the pavers in batches of 4 rectangles and 3 squares. Randomness evolved. Here's my lesson: first, trust competence; second, autonomous agents acting in accord with a few simple rules will produce something functional and unexpected. The circle and the walkways are beautiful...far superior to Dad's repeated pattern. Tomorrow, I'll tell you about another lesson in emergent/organic processes...my participation in a day-long open space planning session for Coachville. Visit the Archives for more postings |
 Reference Papers
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