Scholars & Designers

Analyzing Scope Creep

As a student in Instructional Design and Technology, I consider my instructional design projects as personal experiences. Though those projects were successful, they were not without problems. Among all my projects, “Online Orientation Program” recorded scope creep. The project consisted of designing online orientation program for distance learners and should present strategies for succeeding in a distance learning environment and should provide an overview of what to expect when taking a distance learning course compared to a traditional instructor-led course (Laureate Education, 2011).

I designed an online, fully asynchronous 3-credit Geometry course for high school students. Trainees were expected to view interactive media presentations and complete online assessments. Students were expected to regularly participate in an asynchronous question and answer forum. Asynchronous discussions were to be delivered through Edu2.0, a course management system (CMS) tool that featured social networking media for threaded discussions forum.

Though the project was successful, Dr. Harold Stolovitch’s project post-mortem template pointed out some deficiencies. Instead of developing activities to engage the learners in the orientation and mechanisms for learner-learner and learner-instructor interaction, I offered rather activities for the geometry course, due to my misinterpretation. My immediate stakeholder (Professor Dawson) called my attention to the fact, the same mistake Simon Wilcowsky and his team made in the case study 23 (Ertmer and Quinn, 2007, p.178). That mistake generated scope creep that set me back for a week due to other project tasks, nevertheless I met the dead line. Dr. Dawson’s constructive feedback helped me handle the project scope creep. Now other stakeholders could benefit from a successful project design.

Looking back and using the tools of Project Management, I would use work breakdown structure (WBS) and would have to develop and monitor a mechanism to enable team members to objectively identify and manage project risks. Consistent risk management and monitoring should surface in all stages of a design project to avoid a poor design project outcome (Yee, Lievesley, and Taylor, 2009). I would have to communicate clearly with my client on agree upon project details for a successful project desired outcomes.

Geer (2011) advised project managers (PMs), instructional designers (IDs) and team members to take stock at the end of a project and develop a list of lessons learned to avoid repeating their mistakes in the next project. Though I did not develop an elaborate detailed document, I took note of what my professor revealed in her feedback. That is why today I could easily point out when an ID or a PM makes similar mistake. Revisiting the past helps shape personal skills. PMs and IDs should take lessons from the past to avoid the same mistakes. The digital age requires of us to remain on the learning curve for adoption and implementation of new and emerging technology (Johnson, Levine, Smith, and Stone, 2010) and technology communication tools.

Scope creep is a fundamental issue in a project management. Any PM could easily avoid scope creep through a clear and effective communication between all participants. The PM has the responsibility to have a sign off document listing agreed upon details for measures to avoid scope creep and have successful project outcomes.

References

Geer, M. (2011). The project management minimalist:  Just enough PM to rock your projects!  Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/56611/CRS-CW-4894953/educ_6145_readings/pm-minimalist-ver-3-laureate.pdf.

Ertmer, P., & Quinn, J. (2007). The ID casebook: Case studies in instructional design. (3^rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Johnson, L., Levine, A., Smith, R., & Stone, S. (2010). The 2010 Horizon Report.

Laureate Education. (2011). Foundations of distance learning. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4744647&Survey=&47=6623504&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.

Yee, J., Lievesley, M., & Taylor, L. (2009). Recognizing risk-of-failure in communication design projects. Visible Language, (43)2, 227-251.

In the multimedia program “The Art of Effective Communication” (Laureate Education, 2011), email, voicemail, and face-to-face constitute three types of communication modalities that characterize “effective communication among all project team members” (Laureate Education, 2011). The interpretation of those modalities depends on individual natural and cultural background; the way and how the author conveys his or her message is very important.

In fact, the text modality of communication serves as a means of keeping records for documentation and for proof. It is like keeping log to provide evidence of what has happened and for reference or research. Text enables and encourages systematic thinking and requires less reliance, however it can present misconceptions on the part of both the writer and the reader, due to some misinterpretation of words. In this particular case, Mark may not even check his email.

The audio and video modalities could disrupt the processing of important arguments, data, evidence, and may cause the receiver to focus on other source that are not directly relevant to the quality of the message (Mann, 1997).

The way I perceived the message from email to voice, to face-to-face, depended on how I interpreted what the message conveyed in terms of its accomplishment and objectives. It was important to me how Jane communicated the message. Though the message was the same, the voice modality carried more weight. In my atmosphere of tiredness Jane’ southing conversational voice promoted my willingness to receive the message, perceive it correctly, simple, direct, straightforward, open, honest, and complete communication without any arm twisting.

I find voice modality of communication to have an extremely powerful and personal effect in promoting a friendly atmosphere and growth, and encouraging trust and cooperation in business. Email modality, on the other hand, is less effective than face-to-face modality, which is more direct and personal, and allows visible intimacy for a greater impact on business cooperation. Voice communication best conveyed the true meaning and intent of the message.

From this exercise for communicating effectively with members of a project team, it is clear that the three different modalities: as written text, audio, and video reveal some of the aspects of communication technologies that influence the 21^st Century communication. The most effective medium of effective communication would be the combination of all three modalities in one hypermedia system, necessary for most companies as they react in the global market.

References

Laureate Education Media (2010). The art of effective communication [Video podcast]. Retrieved March 17, 2011, from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6145/03/mm/aoc/index.html

Mann, B.L. (1997). Evaluation of presentation modalities in a hypermedia system. Computer & Education (28)2, 133-143

Learning from a Project “Post-mortem”

In the previous course, I worked on a personal mini project entitled: Roasting a chicken. Though the project was successful, Dr. Harold Stolovitch’s project post-mortem template pointed out some deficiencies. Geer (2011) advised project managers (PMs), instructional designers (IDs) and team members to take stock at the end of a project and develop a list of lessons learned to avoid repeating their mistakes in the next project. Though I did not develop an elaborate detailed document, I took note of what the participants revealed in their feedback.

Project management, a complex process targeting multiple outcomes, requires, for competency, the acquisition of a variety of knowledge and skill sets across areas of expertise (Brill, Bishop, and Walker, 2006). According to Lin (2006), instructional design is “the systematic and reflective process of translating principles of learning and instruction into plans for instructional materials, activities, information resources, and evaluation” (p.3). While the complexity of the roles of a PM requires of him or her knowledge or ideas about instructional design, the nature of the duties of an ID demands him or her to understand project management. The point is clear; the PM and the ID possess similar skills: Problem-solving skills, at the minimum. As a math teacher, designer, and project manager, I was able to generate a positive needs analysis, chose the content, structure the tasks, develop successful instruction, and to evaluate performance. I successfully created an annotated list of online resources (including the URLs) that could learners who were new to a distance-learning environment, geared my orientation specifically toward deliverable tasks, and attained the prescribed project goal and objectives.

I was unsuccessful in including training information on other various technology tools such as wikis. I could not believe. As a teacher, I assumed my participants (Ph.D., MS, and BA holders) knew how to interact with wikis. That was the greatest lesson I learned: Never assume! Some wikis have problems. If I did the EDUC 6135 before that project, I would have chosen the appropriate course management system (CMS) and learning management system (LMS).

Revisiting the past help shape personal skills. PMs and IDs should take lessons from the past to avoid the same mistakes. The digital age requires of us to remain on the learning curve for adoption and implementation of new and emerging technology and technology communication tools.

References

Brill, J.M., Bishop, M.J., & Walker, A.E. (2006). The competencies and characteristics required of an effective Project Manager: A web-based Delphi Study. Educational Technology Research and Development, (54)2, 115-140.

Geer, M. (2011). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects! Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/56611/CRS-CW-4894953/educ_6145_readings/pm-minimalist-ver-3-laureate.pdf.

Lin, H. (2006). Instructional project management: An emerging professional practice for design and training programs. Workforce Education Forum, (33)2, 1-18

Deciding Upon Priorities

ID

While an Instructional Designer (ID) may carry his or her roles solely, a Project Manager (PM) resorts to different people once the project gets underway (Laureate Educate, 2011). Reflecting on my experience as a math teacher, project management constitutes an essential part of my work as an instructional designer belonging to multidisciplinary work groups (van Rooij, 2011). The complexity of the roles of a PM requires of him or her knowledge or ideas about instructional design, and the nature of the duties of an ID demands him or her to understand project management. As a teacher, I act as project manager, guiding the process, motivating my students (team), assessing their work, and providing guides (problem-solving techniques) to them to be successful. The team (students) also develops project management skills.

According to Lin (2006), instructional design is “the systematic and reflective process of translating principles of learning and instruction into plans for instructional materials, activities, information resources, and evaluation” (p.3). Acting as an instructional designer (ID), I would consider the needs and context as priorities during the initial phases of a project. Instructional design constitutes a way of thinking, of planning and of increasing the likelihood of a proposed solution, which will result in measurable improvement of an existing condition. ADDIE consists of systematic approaches to instructional design to analyze a performance problem, then design and develop a program. I will seek to develop clear and detailed description of all objectives, including performance measures and performance target to achieve the desired outcome. I will identify the key stakeholders for whom the project is being performed, will determine the benefits: Returns on investment (ROI) that the stakeholders projected from the project, and will think about the characteristics as bench mark for comparison should in case the project would address an existing situation.

As a normal procedure, I would undertake a formal investigation and documentation of the likelihood of the project being successful. It is important to think of what the project team as a whole, as well as each individual expert member would like to accomplish. I will study the parameters of the objective function, subject to the constraints to ascertain the feasible region for optimal output. I will analyze the human resources matrix, to ascertain which individual will work on an activity and the work effort that each resource will invest in the activity.

My role as an ID, prompts me to think as a PM. In any project, pre-planning is essential in seeking in advance if there is a need to think of any unforeseen (uncertainty) that might positively or negatively impact the clear, specific set objectives, for remedy. As a designer I need to be proactive. As a teacher and an instructional designer, I assume the role of a project manager in the classroom. I consider a project management as an extension to an instructional design. The designer follows a detailed systematic procedure to implement the design. Like an instructional designer, an effective project manager considers factors in the physics of the societal changes. While the instructional designer practically uses the appropriate technology to guide his or her design, the project manager focuses on the changes in economies, the people, management, and the organization, as the world interacts in a global market. The instructional designer is the architecture providing the blue print from start to finish of a program, while the project manager coordinates the unique interrelated activities of the goal-oriented project from start to finish. It is easier for the instructional designer to assume both the role of the designer and a project manager; though the converse may not necessary be true, it is important that the PM should have some ideas about or skills if an ID. As an effective manager, the PM coordinates and oversees each aspect of a project from start to finish. S/he may not be able to solve all the problems but s/he can solicit the help from the multidisciplinary project teams rather than through individual effort. Effective project management is a critical competency for anyone participating in such teamwork and, certainly, for today’s instructional design (ID) professional.

References

Brill, J.M., M. J. Bishop, M.J., &  Walker, A.E. (2006). The competencies and characteristics required of an effective Project Manager: A web-based Delphi Study. Educational Technology Research and Development, (54)2, 115-140.

Lin, H. (2006). Instructional project management: An emerging professional practice for design and training programs.Workforce Education Forum, (33)2, 1-18

Portny, S.E., Mantel, S.J. Meredith, J.R., Shafer, S.M., & Sutton, M.M. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
van Rooij, S.W. (2011). Instructional design and project management: Complementary or divergent? Educational Technology, Research and Development, (59)1, 139-159.

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