Project Life Cycle

You recall me blog titled “Scope Creep”. I am currently experiencing another phenomenon that has a work parallel. Here is my view of the “Project Cycle” at work.

1) The need for a system re-write and/or enhancement is identified. Sometimes, the need is mandated by the FCC or other regulatory bodies.
2) The project is assigned to a business owner. In my example, I’ll use Finance as the owner.
3) The owner writes requirements, which describes what the end product looks like.
4) Requirements are handed off to Information Technology (IT), the programmers.
5) IT provides a cost estimate (sometimes IT will UNDERESTIMATE the cost because they want the work, then the will blame cost overruns on Finance).
6) Finance writes a business case, which includes a cost / benefit analysis.
7) Management reviews the business case.
8) The case is either approved or rejected.
9) If approved, IT and Finance agree to a timeline and the work begins.

The cycle is pretty straightforward. However, there are always unforeseen problems that creep up. When it looks like the project is off track, things start to unravel and the finger pointing begins. Unfortunately, IT has the trump card. “We aren’t going to make our deadline because your requirements weren’t detailed enough”. Yes, I have been burned on this one on more than one occasion.

My home business case:
1) Project description: Two Bedroom Makeover.
2) Business Owner: Me
3) Requirements: Remove popcorn from the ceilings in Jared’s room and guest bedroom, apply texture to the ceilings and paint ceilings, walls, doors and baseboards.
4) Hours Estimate: 35 hours (mentally calculated by me)
5) Cost/benefit analysis done by me. $140 in materials, labor is “free”. Benefit is updated bedrooms at minimal cost.
6) Project is approved by me (my intent was to surprise Kristin, so she wasn’t consulted)
7) Timeline is jointly reviewed and approved by me and me. Deadline is set for August 12th, the day before I fly back to Utah.

Once I cleared all the self talk red tape and started work, it didn’t take me too long to realize I have some IT tendencies myself, I underestimated the work it would take to finish the project. My biggest error was to not factor in the “enabler affect”. Without my enabler (Kristin), I have had to deal with extraneous activities such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, mail and shopping. After a week of evening work and a full Saturday, the project is about 35% complete. The project is in trouble and the finger pointing has started. Of course all finger pointing begins and ends with ME. I anticipate putting in some late nights this coming week. I don’t even want to think about next Saturday!