Discussion Week 3

Readings

•  Siebdrat, F., Hoegl, M., & Ernst, H. (2009). How to manage virtual teams. MIT Sloan Management Review, 50(4), 63-68.

•  ISBN13: 978-1118022276 - Kerzner: Chapter 12: ppg: 597-640

         Ghant Charts 

 Pert Charts (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)

            Extensive Planning

            Event and Activity Based

            Reveals Interdependencies

            Allows effects of change to be seen

            Shows impact of late start and early start

Challenges

            All the tasks must be transparent

            Events and Activities must be sequenced

CPM (Critical Path Method)

Precedence – finish to start, start to start, start to finish, finish to finish, percent complete

•  Kerzner: 25.3 Scope Creep pg 1145-1150

Setting Boundaries - Business Objectives and Customer Requirements

        What does the PM commit to deliver?

What are some key causes of Scope Creep?

Keys to preventing/controlling scope creep

        Know the objectives and requirements and know the client expectations

        The customer is not always right

        Determine and evaluate the effect of change

        Get user involvement early

        Build in flexibility

        Know who has signature authority

Questions

1.Kerzner describes the PERT chart in terms of Events and the time to complete the next event in a sequence of events.

•Are there any challenges you might find in planning a complex project around the relationship of events?

•Are these challenges perhaps specific to a Medical Device Company?

2.Taking into account the depth of planning needed to use a PERT chart and CP, would this level of planning help or hinder a virtual team?

•Tell us why you believe this to be true.

Watch and Learn

McChrystal, S. (2011). Listen, Learn . . . then lead. [on-line]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/stanley_mcchrystal.html