Turning Work into a Game! Making Work Fun!

The IBM Connect2013 Conference was held just a few weeks ago in Orlando Florida.

In one of the sessions, Jane McGonigal spoke on the subject of turning work into a game.

I was interested in hearing her presentation since I have several years of video game Design, Development, and Management in my background.

Her presentation starts about the 39th minute in this video: http://www.livestream.com/ibmsoftware/video?clipId=pla_1f71840d-234b-4b5b-b205-06c3e6ad205a

Her presentation challenged me to make my work, and the work of others, into a game.

It's been working for me.

I've had some very tough tasks that I didn't want to do, so I told myself that I'd get some points if I got them done. It worked! It motivated me to get the tasks done. It also helped me to focus on what mattered!

Now, I've started offering and giving out points to our team for tasks that we need to get done.

What are you doing to make your work (and the work of your team) fun?

I was recently talking to the people I manage about how they need to help their project manager to keep the "Monkeys" of his back.

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Help get the Monkeys Off your manager's back
This idea of "monkeys on the manager's back" comes from an article published by Harvard Business Review. It is one of their most requested reprints.
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The article talks about tasks as "monkeys." The manager is trying to get the Monkeys off his back and onto the backs of those who work for him. Some people who work for him might try to get him involved again (like by asking him to review their work, or asking him for guidance) which puts the monkey back on the manager's back.

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Here's the link to the article: http://hbr.org/product/management-time-who-s-got-the-monkey/an/99609-PDF-ENG

A helpful worker will try to keep the monkeys off of the manager's back.

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The GROW Model:
We have this GROW Model of Coaching that stands for "Goal, Reality, Options, What Will you do." The GROW Model says we can tackle issues by first looking at the Goal, then looking at reality (what are the issues?), then listing the Options (what different things could be done to tackle this issue?), and then deciding What Will I do (which option is the one I propose to take). I've used a similar technique for years to encourage people who report to me to provide me with solutions (rather than problems) and their recommended path to solve the issues. If you put yourself in the position of your manger, wouldn't you want people to come to you with solution options and a recommended path?
Links:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GROW_model
• http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_89.htm
  

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The Freedom Ladder:
We also have this concept of the Freedom Ladder. The idea is that you need to take on more responsibility to get tasks done and be more independent. At the bottom of the ladder we have a worker who waits for instructions. The next "rung" of the ladder is a worker who asks for work. Then we progress to the next level where we have a worker who Recommends a solution and then acts on it (see the GROW Model above). The next level on the ladder is a worker who acts (does the work) and then advises the manager what was done. The top level is someone who just acts! Put yourself in your manager's "shoes" and think about which type of worker you would want working for you.
Link: http://www.chriscrofttraining.co.uk/pdf/leadership/thefre_1.pdf

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It applies to email too!

I explained to this person I was coaching how these concepts also apply to email. Some people copy their manager just to show that they're getting work done, or to give the manager a FYI (For Your Information). But, managers already get so much email. One idea that I use is to think about what it's like to be my manager getting copied on my email. Does he want to receive email about this now, or would he rather that I wait until it's resolved and then get a copy of the last email in the thread so he can see the solution and closure? Or, does he need to even see this at all?

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Another help for my manager: spreading around my questions
I learned a few years ago that I don't always have to go to my manager for help. I can ask others to help. By spreading around my questions, I am able to interrupt my manager less often. It also helps to make sure that my manager is not a "bottle neck" where everything needs to go through him.

But, keep in mind "balance" in all things
We also have to remember that all these things are not "hard and fast" rules that must be followed all the time. Sometimes it makes sense for all involved to ask the manager for assistance. A good example is an issue the manager can solve in 5 minutes, but if you were to go to others, or figure it out on your own, it might take hours of your time and the time of others. Clearly, in this case, it would be best to just ask your manager.

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What have you found to help your manager?
Please comment or recommend this article to others. I'd like to hear how you've found ways to help your manager.

Notes from the Mentoring Conference call this past week

This past week, a good friend of mine, Ron Hadley, spoke on Mentoring on the PMlessonsLearned.com conference call I host.
The presentation is available at PMlessonsLearned.com (see the link for "Files and Presentations"). The recording is now available for the next few weeks by phone (for the phone number and access code for the phone recording see details on top left of PMlessonsLearned.com - It will be available until the next conference call on June 3rd) and the MP3 and other recordings will be available on-line in the next few weeks (see the link for archives on the website at PMlessonsLearned.com).

Here are my notes from the call:

• With Mentoring, go slow before you go fast
• Many people concentrate on "Who" to be mentored by before they concentrate on "What" to be mentored about. Take the time to plan the "What" first. Start with the goal in mind.
• Mentoring is a way to develop, so what are you trying to develop?
• Discuss strategies that are outside your comfort zone to be put into practice before the next meeting. This will push you to grow.
• An important value of mentoring: Mentoring builds relationships which works at the need to build "purpose at work" which builds retention of your best people.
• Start with a one year commitment, you can always keep going if it works well. This will set a goal and it isn't too long to commit to.
• Ron suggests that it's best to find someone in your company/organization but from another department. This will help you to learn to navigate your organization.
• Ron recommends that you make an agreement at the start of the mentoring.
• Types of mentoring: one on one or group mentoring. Group mentoring is starting to grow in use. The group presents and issue, brainstorms solutions and then at the meeting the following month they discuss how they handled it.
• It is best to have written goals for mentoring
• What should your mentoring work on? Try to get a 360 degree assessment. If you can't get one at work, then ask people what you should work on.
• Ron said one of the best lessons he learned from his mentor was that he was always bringing his lunch and eating alone, but the mentor told him he should never eat lunch alone. (note: I (Henry) suggest the book "Never Eat Alone" by Keith Ferrazzi)
• When asked what the best format is for a meeting with your mentor, Ron suggested: Review the progress of the last meeting's action items and discuss what needs to be done to move forward (discuss next steps and action items) for the next meeting. Ron suggests that mentoring meetings should be once a month and should last about 1 to 1.5 hours.
  
• Where to find a mentor? Ask at work (ask your manager first), church, and/or other organizations you belong to (PMlessonsLearned.com or your local PMI Chapter for example)
  

I hope you think about getting a mentor!

Please comment on my draft outline for a presentation on PMOs

On June 22, 2010 I'm scheduled to present at my company on my experience dealing with starting up a PMOs. I hope to also present this on a future PMlessonsLearned.com call.

I would appreciate your thoughts and comments on this outline. Also, what do you think of the title: PMO's that Go!

Draft Outline:

Title: PMO’s that Go!
Speaking Date: June 22, 2010
Target Date to send out draft outline for comments: May 19, 2010
Target date for comments back on Draft outline: May 21, 2010
Target date to send out Draft Slides: May 26, 2010
Target date for comments back on Draft Slides: June 2, 2010
Final Slides Due: June 7, 2010
Speaker: Henry Will

• Goals of Presentation
o Provide Lessons Learned to increase effectiveness of other PMOs
o Provide a roadmap for anyone starting a new PMO
• Introduction
o overview of material to be covered
o Poll audience to find out where they are and where they are going
PMO involvement
• PMO reports to them
• Lead a PMO
• On PMO team
• Report to PMO
• Just want to know more about PMOs
• Story: Historical
o Organization was purchased by IBM
o PM maturity was weak:
Few standard processes, No written processes. Very little of anything documented
Not much planning, most executing
Very little tracking
Some people would say this is agile (it’s not!)
o How the PMO was “born”
Corporate compliance became an issue
• First Steps:
o Forming the PMO: What type of PMO are we? (picture from PMO Community)
o Hot Focus: Fix Compliance Issues (picture: Fire and fire extinguisher)
o Analysis:
Stakeholder Assessment
PM Maturity Assessment
o Charter
Contents of charter
• Value Proposition
• Scope / Out of Scope
• Stakeholders
• Plans / Priorities
• Success factors
• Organization Chart
• Digging out (picture: we’re in a deep hole that we need to dig out of)
o Tricks used while fighting “Red Tape” and on Wild Goose Chases
Defining priorities each week
Daily focus – what will provide the most value?
Followup using Lotus notes
o Being Honest in reporting
• Digging in (picture: getting our hands dirty, getting to work)
o Communications
Newsletter
Monthly Focus
o Standardized Reporting
Track what you want to improve
Metrics: facts are our friends
Dashboards and Risk Action Issue Log
o Grow the team
Resources
• Added a PMO representative for new contracts/clients
• Off-shore resources
Techniques
• G.R.O.W. model
• Monthly Focus
• Weekly meetings
o Mentors
o Changing the Culture
Drop off in Lunch and Learn Attendance
Heart of Change
• Sense of Urgency
o Process Execution Validation (PEV)
• Future Plans
o Show Graph of compliance Vs Best Practices
Compliance will move toward steady state and then Best practice work will be able to move ahead:
o Best Practices
Selling / Emotional Quotient
Process Improvement
Standard reporting
• Financial
• Resource Management
Communications
• Lessons Learned
PM Proficiency
PM Maturity
Templates
PM Career Development
Tools
• Recap (And Q&A)
• Reference
o Tools:
Mindmap: Freemind
o Mentoring
o Book(s)
Heart of Change
Getting things Done
EQ
o My blog, contact info, etc.

Please provide your comments right here on the blog. Thanks!

Rule of Thumb for calculating resource costs

I have a good friend, Mike, who works for the government. We were talking the other day about resource costs (we were speaking hypothetically, we didn't exchange any proprietary information). As a Project Manager, I've always thought in terms of resource costs as dollars per hour and sometimes as dollars per day. But, Mike was talking about resources in terms of thousands of dollars per year.

I can see that for PMs, this would be a much better way to measure resource costs on a project.
You can use the rule of thumb of 2000 hours per year to multiply by the hourly fully-loaded rate to get the yearly rate.

Of course, if the resource is only working for 6 months you can easily divide by two. Or, if the resource is only quarter time or a quarter of the year you can divide by 4.

It's all straight forward, but I find it easier to look at resource costs in this $1000/yr view. It also makes it so much easier to add up resources quickly to estimate project costs.

Example:
Resource A is $100/hr with 30% overhead. This translates to $130/hr or $260,000/yr
Resource B is $140/hr with 50% overhead. This translates to $210/hr or $420,000/yr
If I have a project (or task) with 2 A resources and 3 B's, the that's $520K plus #1260K= $1780K/yr
If it's a six month project (or task), then that's $890K for the project (or task).

I hope this little trick helps you out like it does for me.

Project Management is Like a Banana Split

Project Management is Like a Banana Split

My wife and I shared a Banana Split the other evening in Ocean Grove. We try to do that once a year.

I got to thinking (afterwards of course) how Project Management is like sharing a Banana Split.

• It's a joint effort - you need a team to tackle the project (even if you can eat the whole thing alone, think about the team that brought all the parts together: creating ingredients delivering them, building that banana split, and then eating it!
  
• Building (and eating) a Banana Split is a temporary endeavor to produce a product or service (Now, that's the definition of project management and a Banana Split certainly fits that)
  
• Projects also have lots of different flavors
• Project team members come in lots of different flavors too
• You need to give the cherry to someone else (the cherry tops the Sunday and it's fun to give it away, just like it's best to give the credit for the project to the team and the sponsor)
  
• Sometimes when the job is done (like when you're done eating a Banana Split), you're 100% successful, yet there is a sticky mess left behind, but nobody is all too concerned about it!

This reminds me of a team I worked with in another country. We had a tough task ahead of us. It was a hot summer day and the schedule was very tight (requiring long hours). One of the team leads suggested we buy ice cream for everyone. We got management approval and went and bought an ice cream for every member of the team. Now, that's a reward that goes a long way!

I'd like to see your comments about how Project Management is Like a Banana Split!

Starting a PMO

For the past few months, I've been starting a PMO at work.
A PMO is a Project Management Office.

I thought it might make sense to blog about some of the goals, challenges, and plans.

PMO Goals (for our PMO at least):

• The PMO needs to demonstrate ROI (this is a tough one and honestly one we need to start working on)
  
• The PMO must promote and "sell" the value of Project Management to the members of all of the project teams it oversees and upward to management (this includes coaching, development of people to be better Project Managers, and educating people in the PM processes, templates, and tools)
  
• The PMO must provide a means of common, standard reporting and common PM processes (templates and tools should also be included)
  
• The PMO must collect all the status and roll this up to the mangement/executive it reports to (eventually, this status should be proactive in providing suggested solutions)
  
• The PMO must provide PM administrative support to each project

Challenges - The challenges of our PMO and how we are handling them:

• PMO Resources - there always seems to be more work than resources. We're handling this by tracking every responsibility and request and then constantly re-priortizing. We also are in weekly communication with our executive to discuss our priorities.
• Balancing Priorities - There are a few high priority activities on our lists. We need to take a time slice for each to at least get each one started (sort of like taking a bite of each item on your plate). Many times we are waiting on others to move ahead, so getting a little progress on each item is a big help toward accomplishing the goal.
• Finding the answers - Especially with the compliance items we're working on, it's difficult to find the person who has the answer to the questions we need to resolve. For Example: we might be looking for the person who has responsibility for all of the desktop software licenses. In our big organization, it takes a while to track that down. We're working to solve this by asking people who have tracked down this information in the past.
  
• Scope Increase - The two "biggest baddest" words in project management! Yes, it happens in a PMO too. People are constantly trying to put a bunch of "monkeys on our backs" by trying to delegate more work to us. We handle this by keeping our roles and responsibilities clear. Actually, just writing this helps me to realize that we should document our Roles and Responsiblities. Maybe I should review my recent presentation on PMlessonsLearned.com on the subject of "RACI Roles and Responsibilities" and apply it.

Plans: - The plans of our PMO

• Common and standard reporting templates and Metrics: We're working on a standard reporting spreadsheet that records all the basic data we need from each Project/Program to insure that the metrics we're reporting are supported by hard data. This is a very high priority at this time because we just started work on a new project that can be used to create all the reporting and then we can roll it out to other projects.
• We're concentrating on Compliance. This is compliance with all rules, regulations, business operation guidelines, controls, and any other directives that would be required to pass an audit. This also includes contract compliance. This is one of our main measurements at this point that would be rolled up above our sponsor, and so we need to be working on this.
• Some lower priority elements of our plan:
  
• Process Improvement: We hope to promote and participate in process improvement to improve project efficiency.
  
• Quality: Later we hope to add some spot checks to give feedback and improve on the PM artifacts
  
• Coaching: We are constantly involved in coaching people, giving feedback, and promoting the PM processes
• Education: We have already begun doing some Lunch and Learns to help people discuss the PM processes and improve on them

These are just a few quick thoughts I've had this morning (since I wasn't able to sleep). I'm sure that I probably missed a few "200 pound Gorillas" that I will remember in a few minutes. Hopefully I'll be able to blog more on this in the future.

I'd like to hear your comments.

Pushing a Rock

The last bunch of days at work have been very busy, but I don't feel that I accomplished much.

Did you ever have days/weeks like that?

I'm reminded of physics class in school. The teacher told us that if you push a rock all day, but it doesn't move, you've done no work. Our class argued that point, but the teacher always wins :)
We argued that if you pushed all day, you'd get pretty tired and you would have sweated a lot. The teacher didn't budge, just like the rock.

Well, I've felt like I've been pushing a rock today. I sure was busy all day, but I'm not sure the rock moved!

Sometimes you work hard at something and you feel like you didn't accomplish much at all. But, you don't find out until later that you actually accomplished something good.

I was trying to think about how this is like God's kingdom and remembered that Jesus told a story about some people who were later surprised to find out that they accomplished something good. Jesus told the story of the people who said "when did we help you?" and Jesus replied "when you did it for the least person, you did it for me." (note: that's the Henry Will paraphrase).
Here's the Bible reference: Matthew 25: 39-40.


So, be encouraged! You're efforts for good will eventually pay off!

PM Controversy: Ratio of Developers to BAs

Let me first set up the background to this controversial question and then I'd like to have your comments here.

Just as Sacha Chua said when we talked two weeks ago, it's great to keep in touch with friends and colleagues through social networking tools like linkedin and facebook, but it's even better to meet face-to-face!

Yesterday, David (a coworker who just passed his PMP last week-YEAH David!) invited me to a great lunch with Betty (a PMP who I used to volunteer with several years ago in the local PMI chapter) and her husband, Jonathan, who's worked in roles as a Developer, BA, and PM. David had worked with Betty years ago and this was a chance for us all to catch up.

We were having a great discussion and then Jonathan dropped the "controversial" question:
What do you think is a good ratio of developers to Business Analysts (BAs)?

I sensed an awkward pause of quietness in the conversation...

Well, I guess I inherited this from my dad, he often says and asks things that are bordering on the absurd to illicit a response from people. So, to break the "ice" my response was: "One to one. That's worked for us on some difficult projects in the past where we're redesigning a system from scratch (i.e. Business Process Reeengineering: BPR)."

Well, it did what I hoped, it opened things up for a great discussion.

Jonathan added that it depends on whether or not the BAs are also testers too. And, it depends on the type of project. We also discussed that it depends on the knowledge of the domain by the BAs and the type, competency level, and experience level of the BAs.

It's the classic PM response to any question: "It Depends!"

I was wondering what your answer would be to the question of what a good ratio of Developers to BAs is. What's worked for you? Please comment!

I'm planning to post responses in a few weeks over at PMlessonsLearned.com!

Studying for the PMP Exam

I have a lot of requests from people asking me how to study for the PMP Exam.

By far, my biggest suggestions are:

• Make use of the FREE PMlessonsLearned.com group that I founded and lead. We have had several testimonies from people passing the PMP Exam that said that this was their most valuable tool to passing the test. We have 3 sub-groups, you are interested in the PMP Exam study group. Also, visit the archives page to get the recordings of all the study topics. And, join the yahoo group to get all the free presentations. ALL FREE! Yet, extremely valuable.
• Get the PMP Exam Preparation book from RMCproject.com - It will teach you to "Think" like a Project Manager should think. You must learn that mindset to pass the test
• Contact with your local PMI chapter. They usually have training classes or can point you to some. Find your chapter at pmi.org - this link may work http://www.pmi.org/GetInvolved/Pages/PMI-Chapters.aspx
  

If you have any further questions, please contact me using the contact link