Chapter 7, 8, 9 Ideas

Chapter 7 deals with the very important issue of establishing and identifying the task relationships. A smart and effective project manager must be smart concise at identifying what tasks needed to be completed, and assign these tasks in sequence so that there are no delays in the progression of the overall project. Additionally, a project manager should also be capable of conducting what is called bottom-up estimating, which includes an estimation for everything from labor to materials. The last bit to remember from Chapter 7, of course, is the idea that as project managers, we can all benefit from acknowledging that computers are merely tools for data storage and calculations.

Chapter 8 warns the readers of the possible mistakes that one may fall into. Specifically, it stresses that no one should make estimates that one will regret at a later time. Whether it is making ballparks in elevators, estimating without complete specifications, confusing the estimate with a bid, or simply padding the estimate, these are all common mistakes that we should always avoid. Instead, we ought to gather the right people for the estimate or make an educated estimate from experience. Lastly, the managers should always be familiar of the differing estimation techniques that are available.

As the name Chapter 9 implies, this chapter focuses on the careful balance cost, schedule, and quality.The chapter goes over the different techniques that are used to sustain a higher level of production, but also warns the readers of the risks involved in outsourcing. Reading this chapter reminds me of one of the class discussions from previous classes. While we all would like to have everything at a low cost, on schedule, and a quality product, there doesn't seem to be a way to meeting all three standards. If we could, then we have found the winning formula. But in most cases, it would appear that we can only achieve two out of three. To me, this is something that I will always keep in the back of my mind.