In one of my prior positions I was hired on as a contractor to complete time studies on a paint line. It was a crane manufacturing/assembly plant and the paint line was just recently added. The goal was to establish time standards to base labor rates and lead times for customers. There was a large variety of products that were routed through the paint line. The process consisted of a sandblast, prime, paint, and a bake to cure the paint. As the project progressed I found myself doing increasingly more tasks that had to do with improving ergonomics and work instructions rather than establishing a standard to improve upon.
There were some standards and work instructions that had been developed from a previous paint line but they were minimal. So as I was completing my portion of the project I also found myself having to create work instructions along the way. There was a deadline for having these time studies completed and it was in jeopardy because of all the unexpected tasks introduced and requirements from stakeholders in the project. I did bring these issues up and the fact that it may be difficult to meet the deadline with my manager. I was given some resources to aid in the process, mostly SME's that were buried in other projects and it was difficult to get time to talk to them. It was never made clear or given much priority but I was expected that I accomplish these tasks and figure out my own way to do it.
Looking back there are definitely strategies and approaches that could have been better utilized to control the scope of the project. Dr. Stolovitch recommended a change of scope document to get formal approval and specific resources added to the project. This would also help any changes in budget schedule to get clearly communicated to maintain clear expectations throughout the project. Dr. Stolovitch also cautioned project managers to not spend too much time on activities that surround a change in project scope. It was difficult to avoid in my situation and the quality of the project definitely suffered because of this. Ideally, it would have been helpful to implement a change control process as suggested by Lynch & Roecker (2007). In this scenario the change was unavoidable. When this is the case a project manager should “...identify their impact on the project plan and obtain approval from the customer and sponsor.” (Lynch & Roecker, p. 96) The simple fact of controlling a scope change allows those who are accountable for project activities to plan ahead in case there is a need of additional resources, funds, or time.
References
Lynch, M. M., & Roecker, J. (2007). Project managing e-learning: A handbook for successful design, delivery, and management. London: Routledge. Copyright by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Reprinted by permission of Taylor & Francis Group, LLC via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Justin,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post!
Vince Budrovich's advice also seem appropriate in this case: “Get decisions from stakeholders formalized and in writing so that you always have proof that you didn’t make a controversial decision on your own. “ (Budrovich, 2010)
As you indicate, the change of scope for extra work was never clear and not formalized. Without written documentation, I think you could have been the one left holding the hot potato if the project had been delayed. I could see a scenario in which you would be held accountable for delaying the project by doing all that "unnecessary" creation of instruction - something "you decided to do on your own."
In this case, it looks like the change of scope was intended to get the time standards guy to do a bunch of other work as a "bonus". This kind of "improvement" has happened to me too - it is not really adding to the quality of the project goal, it is just adding in extra work because you happen to be in the right place at the wrong time.
Resource:
Budrovich, V. (2010). Video Podcast: Practitioner Voices: You Can’t Win Them All. Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved April 4, 2011 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com
Hi Justin,
ReplyDeleteWith scope creep being defined as the attempt to improve the project’s output as the project progresses - it can easily be mistaken that it is a "natural" element of a project. There have been many times that the people in a project (such as a stakeholder) often feel the need to improve a project as it is being done - to them, at a glance, it would seem more
efficient.
However, in your case, it seems that there was also less of a consideration where people are burdened with more work and multiple project deadlines than can be reasonably expected to be accomplished - which can lead to both people working in a project often feeling overwhelmed and pressed for time.
References:
Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Justin,
ReplyDeleteIn one of my lives one important piece of the project hadn't been considered because the Project Manager wouldn't ever let anyone in on anything. He only communicated with the Project Manager from the other company.
I spent days, as a secretary, calling all over Ventura, Kern, and Santa Barbara Counties looking for a crane that was big enough to handle this piece of deep-sea gear.
Sorry, but you mentioned cranes and that set me off.
You mentioned, in your solution: "Dr. Stolovitch recommended a change of scope document to get formal approval and specific resources added to the project. This would also help any changes in budget schedule to get clearly communicated to maintain clear expectations throughout the project." You are certainly correct, the stress on the budget and time line seriously impacted the project.Dr. Stolovitch recommended a change of scope document to get formal approval and specific resources added to the project. This would also help any changes in budget schedule to get clearly communicated to maintain clear expectations throughout the project." Both Dr. Stolovich and Dr. Budrovich would agree that part of managing Scope Creep is both a clear initial "Communication Plan" and a "Change Document."
I hope you weren't treated as badly as Dr. Budrovich was, in his example. Writing a procedure manual, or anything like that, is always difficult in any circumstance. How did it end for you?
Lisa
Laureate Universities Video Program:
"Managing Projects"
“Practitioner Voices: You Can’t Win Them All"
Hi Justin,
ReplyDeleteYou were certainly put in a precarious position, but scope creep is more common that we know. In my three years as an instructional designer, I have seen it on many projects. The company I work for does a great job in managing the requested changes with a flexible and adaptive approach, all handled by the Project Manager so the SID and ID can continue to focus on the deliverables. In most cases, when we identify the scope creep with the client, we present an updated timeline and budget. This helps the client to understand that the "extras" they ask for cannot be folded in with the original contract. Usually, the new timeline and budget are accepted, or a second project is initiated and additional people are brought in to help.
I think it's interesting that you mention the change control process. Change Management is a new area of consulting that we are offering our clients. Many times, the change identified by the client is the process, software implementation, etc. but additional factors are not considered. I think we will continue to see a need for Change Management as much as a need for Instructional Design when designing, developing and even delivering training.
Thank you for sharing. You definitely got me thinking about the common problems of scope creep, and how they are not just isolated to the field I work in.
Meredith