PROJECT MANAGEMENT

CASE STUDY

A DAY IN THE LIFE

This case study mainly discussed the way a project manager allocates her time
to spend one day in her life.

This case shows a daily working life of Rachel, the project manager of a large
information systems project, to mainly discuss whether she allocates her time
appropriately or not.

It describes the tasks performed by a project manager such as:

 Building & sustaining interpersonal relations

 Decision making
 Information gathering
 Coordination of activities
 Handling grievances of people

When we take a closer look at her works on that certain day, then we can classify
those works into four parts: project related, Quasi –project, non- project related,
and routine works. After analyzing those works each by each, therefore we are
able to get the concept easily of whether Rachel has been playing a good role in
project manager.

Rachel’s works are:

Project work:

 Going over projects report and preparing for the weekly status meeting :
25 min
 Progress review meeting: 45min
 Reviewing project assignments:30 min
 Listening to the team mates: 20 min
 Discussing the problem with john: 30 min
 Exploring getting necessary equipments for the project:30 min
  Exchanging information about the technical requirements:60 min
 Agreeing with mary to talk with the team:40 min
 Reviewing the impact of clients request:30 min
 Reviewing emails, project docs, and login on to ms project: 30 min

Routine work:

 Reviewing her schedule: 15 min

 Discussing project with her boss:20 min

Quasi project

 Updating boss on key events of the day:20min

Non project work:

 Socialising:10min
 Getting to her office and settle in:10min
 Project status meeting delayed:15min
 Gossiping with edie:30min
 Everyone getting online &checking work:15 min
 Waiting in mary’s office:10min
 Going home :30 min

Total time for project work=340mins

Total time spend=515mins

So efficiency of Rachel: 340/515*100= 66.02%

Questions

1. How effectively do you think Rachel spent her day?

Ans. In my opinion Rachel proved to be a successful project manager as she

undertakes her all tasks in efficient and effective manner. She reaches office
early s that she can complete her duties and tasks on time.
She communicates with everyone in the organisation from lower level to
upper level to gather all information and communicate information for proper
coordination of activities.

Rachel spend her time on project beyond 66% so we can say that is a efficient
manager and a asset to the company.

2. What does the case tell you about what it is like to be a project manager?

Ans. Project manager is who :

 provides direction, coordination & integration to the project team.

 organisation planning
 improves the projects success rate with better leadership

From this point of view, there is no other job like project manager in terms of
huge pressure. On the other hand, some people might think to be a project
manager can feel a great deal of sense of achievement as long as finishing the
task. Therefore, project manager is a job which needs all kinds of ability
including organizing, allocating resources, communicating, cheering people,
coordinating, politic skill, and so on.

In case also Rachel frequently interacts with project team, identifies issues
i.e., in meeting mary. Rachel tries to find root cause of clients problem in
order to solve it efficiently.