Personal Scope Creep

In a previous post I discussed my believe that I failed to plan my daughter's first birthday correctly. Since this is the only thing that I have been responsible for that can be closely related to a project manager's role I will use it again. Experiencing scope creep is the reason I believe that the project was not as successful as it could have been. I experience scope creep in my budget which effected my resources both material and human. A month before the party, I signed up to take a fondant and gumpaste class so that I could make my daughter's cake. I found a design on Google images that I was just absolutely in love with.I was the human resource that was responsible for the cake. However, a few days after my first class I began experiencing car trouble and in completely wiped out my savings. I was counting on having that has a cushion for the budget, just in case I went over. Now I was in a position to where I had to readjust the budget because I not only needed money for materials, but I had to survive until payday.

I managed to still pull off a great design using the knowledge I gained from the first class. I burnt the midnight oil making sure that I had all materials lined up and packed up. The next day, I packed the car with party materials and the baby. Ten minutes down the road I look in the review mirror and the top layer of my cake has slid off and is smushed against the side of the box. I did not do the proper research to know that the homemade fondant I made was not suited for hot weather and melts rather quickly. Scope creep was returning at the last minute. As a result of a new set back I now had to think quickly on how to fix the situation and call in some group members to take over task that I was not able to handle in time. In the end, the top half was saved and looked great and the party came to gather right as the time was up. Everyone gave great compliments on the party, but they had no idea the amount of effort it took to pull it off.

Tools of Communication

As I read Mark’s email I understood the urgency that was conveyed about him getting his information to his teammate. In the last part of the email Mark is asked to let Jane know when he can get his information to her and is told that she can not do her part unless he does his. Even though, there is not a negative tone in the email I believe that some irritation could have been interpreted by Mark depending on his emotional state at the time of reading the email. There are times when we are irritated by others or stressed and when someone asks us to do something, no matter how innocent it seems, it can be taken in the wrong context. As I listened to the voicemail, being able to hear Jane’s tone definitely does take the risk of a negative interpretation away. I believe the best for of communication was face to face because Mark is able to see those non verbal cues that are very important in effective communication. Mark is able to her Jane’s non-threatening tone as well as see that her expression is one of understanding.

Through this exercise I have learned then when we are communicating information we have to think about how it can be interpreted by the receiver. If we feel that the information can be taken out of context it is best to have face to face communication. However, if we chose to have face to face communication we have to make sure that our emotional state is one that is non-threatening. If we are stressed and irritated about something the receiver has nothing to do those nonverbal entities will make the receiver feel that the communicator is being negative. All in all I think the best thing to do is what teachers have told us all our lives; think before you act.

Project "Post-Mortem" Review

My daughter’s first birthday was July 24th. I was in denial so I did not start thinking about the party plans until June. This was my first mistake because I had no idea how much planning it took to take a vision and turn it into reality. In the eyes of the guests, the party was a success, but being the perfectionists that I am and knowing what the vision actually was I felt it was a failure.

Being the creative person that I am and the fact that it was my daughter’s birthday I wanted to make her invitations and her cake myself. I also wanted to rent a place and decorate the place according to the theme I had chosen. It was in the planning process that I feel the failure started. I had never thrown a party before and especially not one of that magnitude. There were over 100 people on the guest list and the entire event was on my shoulders. I was unprepared for the details that it was going to take because I had waited too long due to my denial. It also does not help that I am indecisive and that I would spend hours in the store contemplating decorations for the venue as well as for the cake.

Although I did not have to manage other people, managing an event in itself was a learning experience that I feel I can apply to many other areas. Planning and preparation is the key to any success whether it is business or personal.