Begin Well? Sure, Prepare the Work!
June 2nd, 2003 by Hal
Dr. O.P. Kharbanda writing Begin Well! in gantthead.com recommends project managers walk the job each day to set the agenda for the day.
For our project manager, by far the best way to start a new project day is to go around the project site with some of the key members of the team. For one thing, it gives him an instant first-hand status of the project. No report, however detailed, can really convey the "feeling" of just an hour or so spent walking around the site. Just by observing, questioning and cajoling his people, the project manager not only can get answers to his questions, but also can make a mental (or a scribbled) note of actions to be taken once he gets back to the office. In fact, this quick "once around the site" walk, is not only good exercise, but it also sets up the agenda for the day!
C'mon. While I'm the first to recommend walking the jobsite, a morning walk-around is too little too late for keeping projects on track. A Last Planner™ approach to making work ready and declaring work complete on a daily basis will dramatically improve the flow on a project. The walk-around then serves as a means for making new assessments in preparation for the up-coming planning sessions.
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June 11th, 2003 at 3:44 pm
Yup! walking the job site is not productive. It is like tracking Lost Time Incidents - you are looking in the past. A Project Manager should be in tool box meetings, Last Planner meetings, discussions with the Customer to see if his expectations are being met. When a Project Manager walks the job everyday, he is acting like a policeman on patrol - looking for problems.
July 6th, 2003 at 2:38 pm
Gary makes a good point about showing up like a police officer while walking the job. While walking a job (or participating in a peer review of a deliverable) take on a stance of inquiry for learning. That only takes a few questions and an abundance of listening. Forget Dr. K’s suggestions for cajoling. It will only shut down talking.