Anticlue

That's just some mumbo jumbo project management BS

"That's just some mumbo jumbo BS! Now, what's it gonna take to add sharepoint to our exchange implementation for the email file exchange size." I have to say, I almost burst out laughing, but it was coming from the project sponsor.

Here we sit with an groupwise to exchange migration. It's an old archaic version of groupwise. Organizationally we are migrating to exchange. This is the first recent attempt to come up with a project timeline and a scope. The technology engineers have been doing an excellent job to bring us to this point. We are in the testing, piloting, communicating, and training mode.

In the last two weeks, we started implementing some basic project management process. We are gathering the larger team including key stakeholders, marketing, education and development, and admins. We are beginning to communicate our intent, timeline, and gain understanding with the stakeholders. We even got an executive sponsor for the project.

We have implemented an issues log, instead of just going on and on about the problems at hand. Accountability and responsibility for resolving the issues are assigned. Also the resolution is recorded for future information.

We have implemented a scope change process, with a goal to present to executive leadership for funding requests, and prolonging the project.

We finally derived the first activity list which walked to the project schedule. Timeline for complete conversion and support is ambitious at about 3 months.

So what does one do, with the mumbo jumbo just getter done now statement? First off, I tried to ask question, about why it was needed. Then others pitched in understanding that this was just to derive an exception process. Finally, we will get the senior IS leadership team together to discuss the impact to schedule, funding and resourcing for adding in sharepoint. Also look for the team to do the scope change, not the project manager. The project manager should be able to present the scope change to senior leadership.

After the meeting, get some starbucks coffee, look at the beautiful storm surrounding the city and the effects on the river.