Do I sparkle? Kicking off the Glitter Conference

This morning starts the glitter conference today.

The focus is on green and sustainable computing.  There is a pretty good group from the representative schools.  Fortunately I was able to travel with colleague Michael Hurley. We had an easy trip, and enjoyable night last night with some guys from Kalamazoo College.

This morning is getting under way with a large group session about sustainability and the evolution of computing on the college campus.

Key point of the intorductory remarks was to provide answers to the problems of teaching and learning not provide solutions disconnected from the reality of learning and research.

Also, how can we organizationally change from constantly deploying change and cycles and move to working with change to affect in the life of the college community.

Question – is our work to support technology or engage the community in the work they do?

Received My 3×5 Index Card in the Mail Today.

Funny coincidence today, the day that I return to the office from day 2 of NERCOMP’s IT Manager Series, I received the note card I sent to myself at day 1 of the series.

The card was to force us to check in with myself about a goal set during the during one of the sessions on that first day.  My card asks -

How well have you shifted your communication strategies to meet the communication styles/needs of the people your work with?

The answer is – I’m not sure.  I have spent a lot of time on talking about communication, what is being done, what we want to convey, what we need to learn, how to be inclusive, etc..But have I shifted my strategies or just attacked communication from my perspective and style and not actually communicated in a manner that works for the various communication styles and information needs of those I work with.

I will need to think about this a bit.  – Any constructive criticism from the peanut gallery?

Reflections on Budgeting and Finance Session

We are about half way through the budget and finance section and my mind is about full so I am checking out for a minute or two to post a few reflections on my forming beliefs on how to manage the user services budget.

First – The story of where the money is and how it is spent is more important to me than the numbers when discussing budget. This gives me the context of how to make choices between project requests.  It also gives others the context for what is happening with the budget and why it was choosen to spend it in such a manner.

Secondly – Numbers do matter as I am the steward of this portion of the college’s budget I need to be prudent in the expenditure of the funds the college entrusts to me.  I need to make the decisions about the budget to impact learning, professional growth, professional accomplishments, and generally position the college for the future.  This means spending wisely and cautiously but not always choosing the cheapest option (there is a reason that it is so cheap).

Third – I need to continue to develop an awareness of expenditures to make sure the money is used consistently throughout the year to minimze the perception of a spending frenzy at the end of the fiscal year. For example the maintence and repair budget is one that is hard to predict from year to year whether or not the budget will be tapped at year’s end or if there will be a remainder.  I think having a list of important (but not critical) projects that could be completed with these funds is important because then I can tell the story of why the project was planned and necessary project should funds become available and not a frivolity purchased with “free year-end” money.

This is a clear area that I need to grow into as it it news to me but I have good examples at my institution which is fortunate.   Suggestions and tips are appreciated as I am still working out this part of my managerial philosophy.

Work Breakdown Structure

We are moving to the next segment of the project management session.

Dwight made the point of this is something that most skimp on but is something where the time and energy will pay off.

Start with major categories of work and then break it down into tasks.  It is so important as it allows you (and others) to know what needs to get done and if you are on task.  I bet people skip this step as they “know” what needs to happen and they will save time.  Much the same way that teachers (new and old) skip lesson planning.

Breaking down the task of assessment/e-portfolio project

Starting with a brainstorming session of all of the work that needs to get done.

Following the brainstorming try to arrange big buckets to assemble the tasks into.

The bigger buckets for this project were determined to be

• Project Management
• Infrastructure
• Training
• Support
• Communication

From this point you would need to work out if their are sub-buckets and then organize tasks under that and you then move on to the project scheduling.

dotproject.net is a free online tool (others are MS Project and Basecamp)

Which pieces of a tool are important

• Ability to Monitor Tasks
• Gantt views of a project
• Critical Paths
• Inputs for Multiple Teams
• Dependencies
• Resources assigned to tasks

Above all it is important to be able to show the project in “picture” format to the sponsor (which is normally at an executive level)

As project manager you need to be intimately involved in the project management software the question is how much do and who do you trust to have the add/modify/delete.  I think this is a floating line as team members and projects require different levels of authority/control/support depending on the circumstances and their role in the project.

Thinking About the Project Plan

Knowing your audience/team is paramount in developing a project plan.

In a project plan you should outline -

• Project Goal and Objective
• Sponsor -
• Stakeholder -
• Timeline – this normally is a killer of projects.  This goes with what ethan and I are talking about with deadlines are a project manager’s friend.
• Resources Required
• Deliverables
• Decision making
• Assumptions
• Risks
• Business process changes
• Project manager
• Project team
• Budget
• Signature

Your project plan is an official document but it is a work in process.

While it is important to know the details of each tenant of a project plan.  It is also of paramount importance to know thy self and accomplish your project planning within the culture of your organization and your style as a manager/leader.

Having a good relationship with consituents seems to overcome a lot of the personal/political organizational stuff of project planning.  – (aside – We need to get people out in the departments to get face time outside of of fixing problems.  How to do this?)

Live from Norwood; It’s Project Management with Dwight Fischer

The starting point is that understanding principles of project management is different than implimenting good project management techniques.  Every project is different and has its own set of problems and variables.

Some thoughts from Dwight’s presentation.

• A lot of IT projects come from the needs of others – This makes sense as Technology Services are a service to others on campus.  Typically it falls to IT to manage the process and project this also makes sense as Tech folk know the most about technology but what about the cultural part of the project.
• The life cycle of enterprise level technology is shortening.
• Framing the project and developing a good plan is a starting point as it give people a road map of what needs to get done to check of a project.
• How important is it to have a 30 sec speech on each of the projects you work on?
• A project is a temporary endeavor under taken to create a unique product or service.
• Someone is always in charge.  It may be that the person who is in charge needs to be reminder they are in charge so they can take on the leadership role.  (bottom up projects)
• Project management is about changing behaviors (need to think about this as part of the web help desk implementation).
• Knowing why projects fail is important to know as it helps you understand what needs to be laid out in the project plan.
• It is important to know what you are responsible for in the project.  Are you responsible for total success or just successful implementation.  This comes down to the issue of who is the sponsor or initiator of the project.
• A good charter process is going to tease out more questions and key points that need to be resolve.

Layers of Project Management

• Managing Self – understanding of ones role in the organization and how to organize the information and tasks you are responsible for
• Manage Process or Project – manage a single project
• Manage Multiple Projects – as you become a leader/manager you are probably at this level
• Manage Exex Attn & Decisions – When you are good at project management you get the attention of the top level administrators and thusly, their projects.

Reasons for Project Failure  -

• Failure to align project with organizational objectives
• poor scope
• unrealistic expectation
• lack of executive sponsorship
• lack of project management
• inability to move beyond the individual and personality conflicts.

Homework for Upcoming NERCOMP Managers Session.

We received a section of a Moody’s report titled “2008 U.S. Higher Education Outlook: Stable Outlook f0r 2008 as Both Challenges and Strengths Intensify in the Longer Run” that we are supposed to read and reflect on so we are prepared to discuss several questions.  (Unfortunately I can not share what I am reading as it is copyrighted and we were told specifically not to distribute).  

First of all wo that title is an overwhelming summary of the document. Secondly, I had planned to read it when I first received it three weeks ago but I guess that is life as a procrastinator.  

I will be blogging the answers to these questions as I work through the document.  

1. What key issues will have the greatest potential effect on the higher education industry over the next decade?
2. What impact will these factors have on individual colleges/universities?
   1. Which schools will most likely experience positive momentum?  Why?
   2. Which schools will remain relatively stable? Why?
   3.  Which schools will most likely struggle? Why?
3. What type of school do you work at?  How do you think these factors are going to financially impact your school?
4. What implications do these factors have for your IT department?  For your IT budget?
5. What suggestions would you have for your Chief Information Officer (CIO)?  Your Chief Financial Officer (CFO)? 

I hope the document makes some sense to me and that my responses make some sense to you and encourage any proding/response that you could offer.  

Sand, Golf Balls, And Beer

A version of this parable was demonstrated at the an IT Manager’s workshop I attended to kick off the priorities and time management segment.  It was a good story then but I like this version better as it includes the two beers metaphor.  

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous yes.

The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. Now, said the professor as the laughter subsided, I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things—your family, your children, your health,your friends and your favorite passions—and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. 

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. 

The sand is everything else—the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first, he continued, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first—the things that really matter. Set your priorities.

The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and said, Im glad you asked. 

The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, theres always room for a couple of beers with a friend.

 

Thinking More about Interuptions

I have been struggling with the idea of managing interruptions through avoidance – working somewhere else – as we spent a lot of time talking about during the time management session.

In particular, I have been very aware of the number of interruptions I have imposed on others and that they have impose on me.  In all actuality, I don’t feel that I am interrupted all that often.  Instead I see these ‘interruptions’ more as the natural interactions of a collaborative computing services staff.  We need to work together and feel comfortable going to a colleague for perspective, suggestion, etc…   What I have realized from the last two weeks is that being available is part of being an effective team member.   Supporting the technology necessary to run a campus is so intertwined that any one Computing Services job can not be executed effectively without consulting with ones colleagues.

I am wondering if it Is worth worrying about interruptions?  Or is it better to acknowledge that we will be interrupted and have to interrupt others from time to time and move on?  I do think that we can help each other manage the need to interrupt by

• sharing what we are working on
• developing a shared understanding of priorities
• holding regular (and efficient) project and staff meetings – planning time is productive time
• maintaining a calendar of our time – to help others know the soft spots of your weekly schedule

What are some other ways that we can help each other manage the need to interrupt.

On Managing Interruptions

We talked a lot about the problem of being and remaining on task and how interruptions effect this favorable behavior.   In talking about this phenonemnon, I had these thoughts that I hope to eventually turn into a strategy for managing interruptions or changing the culture of interruption seems common to computing services.

• Giving others the right to say I prefer not to be interrupted  – this is a cultural change so I wonder the actual possibility.
• Minimize the times that I interrupt others to the times that are absolutely necessary.
• Develop systems for people to know that when I am working on something that emergencies are the only reason for interruption.
• System for checking in with staff about their projects and needs so I am accessible on my terms (now that I write that it seems harsher than what I actually have in mind) mutually acceptable terms.
• When I do interrupt make sure it is necessary and honor the time I am using to address the emergency by being focused and concise with their time.
• The importance of modeling the behaviors that respect everyones time and need to be on task.

I would invite others to post comments on how you manage interrupts or optimize time on task.