I am a PhD student trying to grasp a little bit of knowledge in managing mega-projects. I do not know where to focus yet. However, this blog meant to be a journey, a day-to-day project lesson-learned report if you will.
One thing I learn from project management is people don't like it. They don't like project plan, project charter, issue and risk log. Waste of time! But actually they do it all the time. Planning their wedding. Asking the deadlines. Managing risk when crossing the road. Estimating their budget to buy a house. FUNNY isn't it? People do it informally, but when it comes to formal have-to-do project management lists, they found no-value doing so.
I worked as a PMO (Project Support Office) in my company only to find that my job is actually providing those lists and I'm getting paid to make sure that my colleague, the honorable project managers and their team, do the BORING thing every week. Hahaha. This, as you can predict, is a tough job. Your boss wants it to be done, but there seems to be a little interest from the people I supposed to be serving. Me in the middle: squeezed!
The good old me will analyse why those lists are important, and will communicate or should I say "persuade" my fellow project managers to use it based on how it will help them with their projects. "Mandatory" motivation, after all, will only make my job even worse. The persuasion helps a little, I think, but at the end of the day, it is up to the project manager and his team, whether to use the list for great benefit, or just to please me and my boss. It is their project. Any approaches are welcomed, as long as it: meet the deadlines and the quality (budget is not a problem in my company).
Well, here I am in Manchester again. Doing my PhD, hoping to become someone who understands project management, and mega-project management in particular; and one day a lecturer wanna be. And this is my journey.
