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Subject:Re: A Long Time Ago From:Joanne Wittenbrook <jwittenbrook -at- ameritech -dot- net> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Sat, 24 Mar 2007 10:42:42 -0700 (PDT)
>Enter the PMO. "Oh no, no, no. You must document every process and
>procedure, for every module, for every facility." This increases the
>doc plan to 133 documents...due on April 13. Doable? I have no idea any
>more.
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Bottom Line: The PM should have planned and allocated resources based on the project. Also, requirements should have been clearly defined when the task was assigned. Ultimately it rests on the PM to know the resources needed and to know the tasks needed in order to make the timeline.
As for making the deadline---The PM should have built in some time to allow for unknown issues and potential need for additional resources.
I have been a PM and I have worked with PMs (some not very good). My feeling is that there are times when the PM is bungling badly. You have two choices; you can knock yourself out, work all night and drink lots of coffee and save the day, or you can do what can be done within the timeline with the resources available.
A long time ago I learned that if you knock yourself out to save the day, the PM will get the credit for being a good PM. If you do what you can reasonably do, and a deadline is missed because of poor planning, let the chips fall where they may. (Be careful to document all communications with the PM.)
Companies will never fix a problem they don't see.
Joanne
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