Michael AyresComputer Scientist IT Systems engineer program/project manager| Mace & AssociatesSan Francisco, Ca, United States
When leading a project with a large government agency in California, I was a little befuddled by some resources , contractors like myself, were asking for a roles and responsibilities assignments, a RACI chart. It was only a few months later that I realized they wanted detailed instructions and steps to take.
For example, one project was to select and implement a MDM, mobile device management, solution and I was working with a team of 'expert' security engineers. One component of the project was to stand up a small testing lab in the security center. I was trying to manage at that work package level. When can you, these security experts, stand up the lab and get it operation, how long will it take, what is you estimate finish date?
I expected them to report at the weekly project status report meeting something like:
Task 5, testing lab: on schedule, have ordered needed hardware and software. Have to upgrade a infrastructure element unexpectedly. Overall task status Green, on schedule.
They, and one fellow in particular security expert, was expected me to tell him and other SMEs to Make a plan for the test lab - Bob Order the equipment Mary, Assemble the pieces - Tom Test the test lab - Bod etc.
They were expecting the PM, me, to tell them how to do their jobs.
The only role and responsibility here was for the assigned task (stand up the test lab) owner to complete the task as scheduled and report on its progress.
This was a huge disconnect.
I have contracted at other organizations where task owners actually managed their task without being told how to dow their own work. Saving Changes...
Was there any type of technical or solution lead for this project as that's usually the "go to" right-hand person for the PM who would provide guidance regarding the "how" for team members?
Kiron
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1 reply by Michael Ayres
Nov 08, 2018 9:01 AM
Michael Ayres
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I was dealing a young man who had been assigned to the project. I should have been dealing with his manager, the resource manager at the start of the project and have him as being responsible for the work package. If he delegated it to the other man, so be it. When I was a Visa International, which had a very mature PM process, every work package in a project had a owner who committed publicly to having the resource for the work and to getting it done by a certain date. Also at DoD, I could not image someone assigned to a project asking to told how to do their work. What is to be done, etc. The overall PM, IMHO, ought to mange the what, the resource and team members the how. This is a principle in object oriented programming; you have a specification, the what, and separate body, the implementation, the how. The how may vary at time, as long as the what remains realized.
The ideal world can be a little bit different from what you experience in a real project. However, you always may need to understand the mechanics/logic behind the scene.
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1 reply by Michael Ayres
Nov 08, 2018 9:03 AM
Michael Ayres
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I didn't get fully what was behind some 'team' members asking for a RACI chart at first as I was coming from some more advanced PM environments.
Saving Changes...
Michael AyresComputer Scientist IT Systems engineer program/project manager| Mace & AssociatesSan Francisco, Ca, United States
Nov 08, 2018 7:04 AM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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Michael -
Was there any type of technical or solution lead for this project as that's usually the "go to" right-hand person for the PM who would provide guidance regarding the "how" for team members?
Kiron
I was dealing a young man who had been assigned to the project. I should have been dealing with his manager, the resource manager at the start of the project and have him as being responsible for the work package. If he delegated it to the other man, so be it. When I was a Visa International, which had a very mature PM process, every work package in a project had a owner who committed publicly to having the resource for the work and to getting it done by a certain date. Also at DoD, I could not image someone assigned to a project asking to told how to do their work. What is to be done, etc. The overall PM, IMHO, ought to mange the what, the resource and team members the how. This is a principle in object oriented programming; you have a specification, the what, and separate body, the implementation, the how. The how may vary at time, as long as the what remains realized. Saving Changes...
Michael AyresComputer Scientist IT Systems engineer program/project manager| Mace & AssociatesSan Francisco, Ca, United States
Nov 08, 2018 7:51 AM
Replying to Abolfazl Yousefi Darestani
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Michael,
The ideal world can be a little bit different from what you experience in a real project. However, you always may need to understand the mechanics/logic behind the scene.
I didn't get fully what was behind some 'team' members asking for a RACI chart at first as I was coming from some more advanced PM environments. Saving Changes...
