Managing projects within time, cost, and performance is easier said than done. The project management environment is extremely turbulent and is composed of numerous meetings, report writing, conflict resolution, continuous planning and replanning, customer communications, and crisis management.
To manage all of these activities requires that the project manager and team members effectively manage their time each day. Some people are morning people and soon learn they are more productive in the morning than afternoon. Others are afternoon people. Knowing your own energy cycle is important. Also, good project managers realize that not all of the activities that they are asked to do are their responsibility.
Effective time management is one of the most difficult chores facing even the most experienced managers. For a manager who manages well-planned repetitive tasks, effective time management can be accomplished without very much pain. But for a project manager who must plan, schedule, and control resources and activities on unique, one-of-a-kind projects or tasks, effective time management may not be possible because of the continuous stream of unexpected problems that develop.
This exercise is designed to make you aware of the difficulties of time management both in a traditional organization and in a project environment. Before beginning the exercise, you must make the following assumptions concerning the nature of the project:
It is now Monday morning and you are home eating breakfast, waiting for your car pool to pick you up. As soon as you enter your office, you will be informed about problems, situations, tasks, and activities that have to be investigated. Your problem will be to accomplish effective time management for this entire week based on the problems and situations that occur.
You will take each day one at a time. You will be given ten problems and/or situations that will occur for each day, and the time necessary for resolution. You must try to optimize your time for each of the next five days and get the maximum amount of productive work accomplished. Obviously, the word “productive” can take on several meanings. You must determine what is meant by productive work. For the sake of simplicity, let us assume that your energy cycle is such that you can do eight hours of productive work in an eight-hour day. You do not have to schedule idle time, except for lunch. However, you must be aware that in a project environment, the project manager occasionally becomes the catchall for all work that line managers, line personnel, and even executives do not feel like accomplishing.
Following the ten tasks for each day, you will find a worksheet that breaks down each day into half-hour blocks between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Your job will be to determine which of the tasks you wish to accomplish during each halfhour block. The following assumptions are made in scheduling work:
The first step in the solution to the exercise is to establish the priorities for each activity based on:
(However, some A priorities can be withheld until the team meeting.) Priority B: This activity is important but not necessarily urgent. Priority C: This activity can be delayed, perhaps indefinitely.
Fill in the space after each activity as to the appropriate priority. Next, you must determine which of the activities you have time to accomplish for this day. You have either seven or seven and one-half hours to use for effective time management, depending on whether you want a half-hour or a full hour for lunch.
You have choices as to how to accomplish each of the activities. These choices are shown below:
After you have decided which activities you will perform each day, place them in the appropriate time slot based on your own energy cycle. Later we will discuss energy cycles and the order of the activities accomplished each day. You will find one worksheet for each day. The worksheets follow the ten daily situations and/or problems.
Repeat the procedure for each of the five days. Remember to keep track of the activities that are carried over from the previous days. Several of the problems can be resolved by more than one method. If you are thoroughly trapped between two or more choices on setting priorities or modes of resolution, then write a note or two to justify your answer in space beneath each activity.
SCORING SYSTEM
Briefly look at the work plan for one of the days. Under the column labeled “priority,” the ten activities for each day are listed. You must first identify the priorities for each activity. Next, under the column labeled “method,” you must select the method of accomplishment according to the legend at the bottom of the page. At the same time, you must fill in the activities you wish to perform yourself under the “accomplishment” column in the appropriate time slot because your method for accomplishment may be dependent on whether you have sufficient time to accomplish the activity.
Notice that there is a space provided for you to keep track of activities that have been carried over. This means that if you have three activities on Monday’s list that you wish to carry over until Tuesday, then you must turn to Tuesday’s work plan and record these activities so that you will not forget.
You will not score any points until you complete Friday’s work plan. Using the scoring sheets that follow Friday’s work plan, you can return to the daily work plans and fill in the appropriate points. You will receive either positive points or negative points for each decision that you make. Negative points should be subtracted when calculating totals.
After completing the work plans for all five days, fill in the summary work plan that follows and be prepared to answer the summary questions.
You will not be told at this time how the scoring points will be awarded because it may affect your answers.
Monday’s Activities
Activity |
Description |
Priority |
1. |
The detailed schedules for Phase II must be updated prior to Thursday’s meeting with the customer. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
2. |
The manufacturing manager calls you and states that he cannot find a certain piece of equipment for tomorrow’s production run test. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
3. |
The local university has a monthly distinguished lecturer series scheduled for 3–5 P.M. today. You have been directed by the vice president to attend and hear the lecture. The company will give you a car. Driving time to the university is one hour. (Time 3 hrs) |
_____ |
4. |
A manufacturer’s representative wants to call on you today to show you why his product is superior to the one that you are now using. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
5. |
You must write a two-page weekly status report for the vice president. Report is due on his desk by 1:00 P.M. Wednesday. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
6. |
A vice president calls you and suggests that you contact one of the other project managers about obtaining a uniform structure for the weekly progress reports. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
7. |
A functional manager calls to inform you that, due to a |
_____ |
9:00–9:30 |
Accomplishment Activity |
|
9:30–10:00 |
||
10:00–10:30 |
||
10:30–11:00 |
||
11:00–11:30 |
||
11:30–12:00 |
||
12:00–12:30 |
||
12:30–1:00 |
||
1:00–1:30 |
||
1:30–2:00 |
||
2:00–2:30 |
||
2:30–3:00 |
||
3:00–3:30 |
||
3:30–4:00 |
||
4:00–4:30 |
||
4:30–5:00 |
||
Total |
Activities Postponed Until Today |
Today’s Priority |
Points |
|
Priority Points |
|
Method Points |
|
Accomplishment Points |
|
Today’s Points |
Legend |
Method of Accomplishment: |
Y = you D = delegate T = transmit R = return A = avoid P = postpone |
Monday
schedule slippage on another project, your beginning milestones on Phase II may slip to the right because his people will not be available. He wants to know if you can look at the detailed schedules and modify them. (Time 2 hr) |
||
8. The director of personnel wants to know if you have reviewed the three resumes that he sent you last week. He would like your written comments by quitting time today. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
|
9. One of your assistant project managers asks you to review a detailed Phase III schedule that appears to have errors. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
|
10. The procurement department calls with a request that you tell them approximately how much money you plan to spend on raw materials for Phase III. (Time 1⁄2 hr) Tuesday’s Activities |
_____ |
|
Activity |
Description |
Priority |
11. |
A functional manager calls you wanting to know if his people should be scheduled for overtime next week. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
12. |
You have a safety board meeting today from 1–3 P.M. and must review the agenda. (Time 21⁄2 hrs) |
_____ |
13. |
Because of an impending company cash flow problem, your boss has asked you for the detailed monthly labor expenses for the next three months. (Time 2 hrs) |
_____ |
14. |
The vice president has just called to inform you that two congressmen will be visiting the plant today and you are requested to conduct the tour of the facility from 3–5 P.M. (Time 2 hrs) |
_____ |
15. |
You have developed a new policy for controlling overtime costs on Phase II. You must inform your people either by memo, phone, or team meeting. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
16. |
You must sign and review twenty-five purchase order |
_____ |
requisitions for Phase III raw materials. It is company policy that the project manager sign all forms. Almost all of the items require a three-month lead time. (Time 1 hr)
9:00–9:30 |
Accomplishment Activity |
|
9:30–10:00 |
||
10:00–10:30 |
||
10:30–11:00 |
||
11:00–11:30 |
||
11:30–12:00 |
||
12:00–12:30 |
||
12:30–1:00 |
||
1:00–1:30 |
||
1:30–2:00 |
||
2:00–2:30 |
||
2:30–3:00 |
||
3:00–3:30 |
||
3:30–4:00 |
||
4:00–4:30 |
||
4:30–5:00 |
||
Total |
Activities Postponed Until Today |
Today’s Priority |
Points |
|
Priority Points |
|
Method Points |
|
Accomplishment Points |
|
Today’s Points |
Legend |
Method of Accomplishment: |
Y = you D = delegate T = transmit R = return A = avoid P = postpone |
Tuesday
manager, a man to whom you reported for the six years that you were an engineering functional manager. (Time 2 hrs) |
||
18. The data processing department manager informs you that the company is trying to eliminate unnecessary reports. He would like you to tell him which reports you can do without. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
|
19. The assistant project manager for cost informs you that he does not know how to fill out the revised corporate project review form. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
|
20. One of the functional managers wants an immediate explanation of why the scope of effort for Phase II was changed this late into the project and why he wasn’t informed. (Time 1 hr) Wednesday’s Activities |
_____ |
|
Activity |
Description |
Priority |
21. |
A vice president calls you stating that he has just read the rough draft of your Phase I report and wants to discuss some of the conclusions with you before the report is submitted to the customer on Thursday. (Time 2 hrs) |
_____ |
22. |
The reproduction department informs you that they are expecting the final version of the in-house quarterly report for your project by noon today. The report is on your desk waiting for final review. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
23. |
The manufacturing department manager calls to say that they may have to do more work than initially defined in Phase II. A meeting is requested. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
24. |
Quality control sends you a memo stating that, unless changes are made, they will not be able to work with the engineering specifications developed for Phase III. A meeting will be required with all assistant project managers in attendance. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
25. |
A functional manager calls to tell you that the raw data from yesterday’s tests are terrific and invites you to come up to the laboratory and see the results yourself. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
26. |
Your assistant project manager is having trouble resolving a technical problem. The functional manager wants to deal with you directly. This problem must be resolved by Friday or else a major Phase II milestone might slip. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
9:00–9:30 |
Accomplishment Activity |
|
9:30–10:00 |
||
10:00–10:30 |
||
10:30–11:00 |
||
11:00–11:30 |
||
11:30–12:00 |
||
12:00–12:30 |
||
12:30–1:00 |
||
1:00–1:30 |
||
1:30–2:00 |
||
2:00–2:30 |
||
2:30–3:00 |
||
3:00–3:30 |
||
3:30–4:00 |
||
4:00–4:30 |
||
4:30–5:00 |
||
Total |
Activities Postponed Until Today |
Today’s Priority |
Points |
|
Priority Points |
|
Method Points |
|
Accomplishment Points |
|
Today’s Points |
Legend |
Method of Accomplishment: |
Y = you D = delegate T = transmit R = return A = avoid P = postpone |
Wednesday
27. You have a technical interchange meeting with the customer scheduled for 1–3 P.M. on Thursday, and must review the handout before it goes to publication. The reproduction department has requested at least twelve hours’ notice. (Time 1 hr) |
||
28. You have a weekly team meeting from 10 A.M. to 12 noon (Time 2 hrs) |
_____ |
|
29. You must dictate minutes to your secretary concerning your weekly team meeting which is held on Wednesday 10 A.M. to 12 noon (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
|
30. A new project problem has occurred in the manufacturing area and your manufacturing functional team members are reluctant to make a decision. (Time 1 hr) Thursday’s Activities |
_____ |
|
Activity |
Description |
Priority |
31 |
The electrical engineering department informs you that they have completed some Phase II activities ahead of schedule and want to know if you wish to push any other activities to the left. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
32. |
The assistant project manager for cost informs you that the corporate overhead rate is increasing faster than anticipated. If this continues, severe cost overruns will occur in Phases II and III. A schedule and cost review is necessary. (Time 2 hrs) |
_____ |
33. |
Your insurance man is calling to see if you wish to increase your life insurance. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
34. |
You cannot find one of last week’s manufacturing line manager’s technical reports as to departmental project status. You’ll need it for the customer technical interchange meeting. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
35. |
One of your car pool members wants to talk to you concerning next Saturday’s golf tournament. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
36. |
A functional manager calls to inform you that, due to a change in his division’s workload priorities, people with the necessary technical expertise may not be available for next week’s Phase II tasks. (Time 2 hrs) |
_____ |
37. |
An employee calls you stating that he is receiving conflicting instructions from one of your assistant project managers and his line manager. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
9:00–9:30 |
Accomplishment Activity |
|
9:30–10:00 |
||
10:00–10:30 |
||
10:30–11:00 |
||
11:00–11:30 |
||
11:30–12:00 |
||
12:00–12:30 |
||
12:30–1:00 |
||
1:00–1:30 |
||
1:30–2:00 |
||
2:00–2:30 |
||
2:30–3:00 |
||
3:00–3:30 |
||
3:30–4:00 |
||
4:00–4:30 |
||
4:30–5:00 |
||
Total |
Activities Postponed Until Today |
Today’s Priority |
Points |
|
Priority Points |
|
Method Points |
|
Accomplishment Points |
|
Today’s Points |
Legend |
Method of Accomplishment: |
Y = you D = delegate T = transmit R = return A = avoid P = postpone |
Thursday
38. The customer has requested bimonthly instead of monthly team meetings for Phase II. You must decide whether to add an additional project office team member to support the added workload. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
||
39. Your secretary reminds you that you must make a presentation to the Rotary Club tonight on how your project will affect the local economy. You must prepare your speech. (Time 2 hrs) |
_____ |
|
40. The bank has just called you concerning your personal loan. The information is urgent to get loan approval in time. (Time 1⁄2 hr) Friday’s Activities |
_____ |
|
Activity |
Description |
Priority |
41. |
An assistant project manager has asked for your solution to a recurring problem. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
42. |
A functional employee is up for a merit review. You must fill out a brief checklist form and discuss it with the employee. The form must be on the functional manager’s desk by next Tuesday. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
43. |
The personnel department wants you to review the summer vacation schedule for your project office personnel. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
44. |
The vice president calls you into his office stating that he has seen the excellent test results from this week’s work, and feels that a follow-on contract should be considered. He wants to know if you can develop reasonable justification for requesting a follow-on contract at this early date. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
45. |
The travel department says that you’ll have to make your own travel arrangements for next month’s trip to one of the customers, since you are taking a planned vacation trip in conjunction with the customer visit. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
46. |
The personnel manager has asked if you would be willing to conduct a screening interview for an applicant who wants to be an assistant project manager. The applicant will be available this afternoon 1–2 P.M. (Time 1 hr) |
_____ |
47. |
Your assistant project manager wants to know why you haven’t approved his request to take MBA courses this quarter. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
9:00–9:30 |
Accomplishment Activity |
|
9:30–10:00 |
||
10:00–10:30 |
||
10:30–11:00 |
||
11:00–11:30 |
||
11:30–12:00 |
||
12:00–12:30 |
||
12:30–1:00 |
||
1:00–1:30 |
||
1:30–2:00 |
||
2:00–2:30 |
||
2:30–3:00 |
||
3:00–3:30 |
||
3:30–4:00 |
||
4:00–4:30 |
||
4:30–5:00 |
||
Total |
Activities Postponed Until Today |
Today’s Priority |
Points |
|
Priority Points |
|
Method Points |
|
Accomplishment Points |
|
Today’s Points |
Legend |
Method of Accomplishment: |
Y = you D = delegate T = transmit R = return A = avoid P = postpone |
Friday
Rationale and Point Awards
Activity
48. |
Your assistant project manager wants to know if he has the authority to visit vendors without informing procurement. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
|
49. |
You have just received your copy of Engineering Review Quarterly and would like to look it over. (Time 1⁄2 hr) |
_____ |
50. |
You have been asked to make a statement before the |
_____ |
grievance committee (this Friday, 10 A.M. to 12 noon) because one of the functional employees has complained about working overtime on Sunday mornings. You’ll have to be in attendance for the entire meeting. (Time 2 hrs)
RATIONALE AND POINT AWARDS
In the answers that follow, your recommendations may differ from those of the author because of the type of industry or the nature of the project. You will be given the opportunity to defend your answers at a later time.
Priority |
Points |
A |
10 |
B |
5 |
C |
3 |
Method of Accomplishment |
Points |
Y |
10 |
T |
10 |
P |
8 |
D |
8 |
A |
6 |
Activity Rationale
Rationale and Point Awards
Activity Rationale
Fortunately, there is sufficient time if the lead times are accurate.
Activity Rationale
PRIORITY/ACCOMPLISHMENT MODE
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
||||||
Activity |
Prior. |
Accom. |
Prior. |
Accom. |
Prior. |
Accom. |
Prior. |
Accom. |
Prior. |
Accom. |
1 |
B |
D,Y,T,P |
B |
D,Y,T,P |
A |
D,Y,T |
||||
2 |
A |
D,Y,T |
||||||||
3 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
4 |
A/B |
D,Y,T |
||||||||
5 |
B |
D,Y,P |
B |
D,Y,P |
A |
D,Y |
||||
6 |
B |
D,Y,P |
B |
D,Y,P |
B |
D,Y,P |
B |
D,Y,P |
B |
D,Y,P |
7 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
8 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
9 |
B |
Y,P |
B |
Y,P |
A |
Y |
||||
10 |
B |
Y,T,P |
B |
Y,T,P |
B |
Y,T,P |
B |
Y,T,P |
B |
Y,T,P |
11 |
A |
D,Y,T |
||||||||
12 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
13 |
A |
Y,P |
||||||||
14 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
15 |
B |
P,Y |
A |
Y |
||||||
16 |
B |
Y,P |
B |
Y,P |
B |
Y,P |
B |
Y,P |
||
17 |
C |
A,Y |
||||||||
18 |
B/C |
D,Y,P |
B |
D,Y,P |
B |
D,Y,P |
B |
D,Y,P |
(continues)
657
PRIORITY/ACCOMPLISHMENT MODE (Continued)
19 |
A/B |
Y,P |
A/B |
Y,P |
A/B |
Y,P |
A/B |
Y,P |
||
20 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
21 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
22 |
A |
D,Y |
||||||||
23 |
A |
D,Y,T |
||||||||
24 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
25 |
B |
Y,T,P,D |
B |
Y,T,P,D |
B |
Y,T,P,R |
||||
26 |
B |
Y |
A |
Y |
||||||
27 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
28 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
29 |
A |
Y,D |
||||||||
30 |
A |
Y,T |
||||||||
31 |
A |
Y,D |
||||||||
32 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
33 |
C |
Y,P |
C |
Y,P |
||||||
34 |
A |
Y,T |
||||||||
35 |
C |
A,P |
C |
A,P |
||||||
36 |
A |
Y,T |
||||||||
37 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
38 |
B |
Y,P |
B |
Y,P |
||||||
39 |
A |
Y |
PRIORITY/ACCOMPLISHMENT MODE (Continued)
40 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
41 |
A/B |
R |
||||||||
42 |
B |
Y,P |
||||||||
43 |
B |
Y,P,D |
||||||||
44 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
45 |
B |
Y,P |
||||||||
46 |
A |
Y,T,D |
||||||||
47 |
A |
Y |
||||||||
48 |
B |
Y,T,P,D,R |
||||||||
49 |
C |
Y,P,A |
||||||||
50 |
A |
Y |
TIME MANAGEMENT EXERCISE
Now take the total points for each day and complete the following table:
Summary Work Plan |
|||
Day |
Points |
||
Monday |
|||
Tuesday |
|||
Wednesday |
|||
Thursday |
|||
Friday |
|||
Total |
CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY QUESTIONS
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