Topic Teasers Vol. 37: Creating Question Lists

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  Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)  

We are one of several project team housed in the PMO. We are farmed out to various silo departments in the organization to manage and deliver projects for them. Although this is all internal, there is enough variation in practices and needs from division to division that we are often caught short and have to redo work. How do we overcome this problem?

A. Create a list of the questions you have and the answers you and the team have surmised based on past projects. E-mail them to the department manager prior to relocating to their area for the project work. If he sees an error, it is his place to correct you.

B.  No one knows all the answers at the beginning of a project. Ask as you go, and hopefully most of the questions you anticipate will disappear when you just follow the WBS path and discover more about the project.

C. Use the team to draft a list of questions that would have answered problems on past projects. Brainstorm other “need to know” or “nice to know” information that you as the project manager can get answered before the project start date.

D. A great way to annoy the department manager who is counting on you, and destroy his/her image of your team as competent, is to have lots of questions before you even begin work on the deliverables. Keep your mouth shut and hope for the best.

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