MA Week 8 - Project Managing my MA

Project Managing my MA

Plan - version 1

I’m now on version 3 of my outline plan for the delivery of this term’s two modules. I have a background in management and project management, and a plan seemed to be the best way to get a handle on what I need to do. I went through the learning outcomes and tried to understand what actions I would need to take to achieve each one, then I worked the actions up into a plan and cross-referenced it back to the outcomes. That way I could understand if I was missing any outcomes. It also gave me a set of bite-sized objectives for each week, so I could keep tabs on my progress.

Plan - version 2 - growing day by day!

 

By and large this seems to have worked OK. There are a few lower priority tasks that haven’t got done, but these are just things like writing up a talk I’ve been to, not core tasks. I’ve also had to move some actions to other weeks, but that kind of “juggling” is a normal part of project management. I feel comfortable with that. I have handed in my two presentations the night before the deadline and I got good feedback on the first one (still to deliver the second one) so the plan has obviously hung together well.

There are some things to think about, though, which I decided to note down whilst I’m pulling together work for the final Christmas deadline.

1.       With the benefit of the hindsight of having got part-way through the modules, I’m not completely sure I interpreted the learning outcomes totally correctly, or in the fullest sense, in some cases. This means I have caused potential for some rework or further work. How I could have avoided this is not clear; understanding always develops as you undertake any project. However, from the outset, I have regularly checked back between the outcomes and my objectives and I think I have covered (or will cover) everything that’s needed.

 

2.      I had underestimated the intensity of the course. I knew it would be time-consuming, but I hadn’t realised how intense I would find the Friday sessions in college and the practical work I’ve undertaken. Now that I realise this, I try to allow myself breaks. I had expected to be able to do quite a bit of work on the course at the weekend but instead I am doing more during on weekday evenings, and trying to leave some free time on Saturday and Sunday to take a mental break from it.

3.      I have (I think) over-researched some topics at the expense of others. For example, I seemed to spend a long time researching the creative industries in other countries. Whilst this was very interesting, I think I should have stepped back to reflect on what I was trying to achieve and the level of information I actually needed for my presentation. I need to bear this in mind as I work on my essay in the next couple of weeks, and indeed throughout the course.

All in all I am happy to say that I believe I am on track for the December 11^th deadline. I will hand in the three versions of the plans, complete with scribbled notes, to evidence my use of project management techniques.

 

Plan - version 3 - must be nearly Christmas!