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Project Based Problem Solving and Decision Making
­ roject Based Problem Solving
P
and Decision Making

A Guide for Project Managers

Harold Kerzner
Senior Executive Director for Project Management
International Institute for Learning, Inc. (IIL), USA
Copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

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 v

Contents

Preface xi
About the Companion Website xiii

1 Understanding the Concepts 1

1.0 The Necessity for Problem-Solving and Decision-Making 1
1.1 Problems and Opportunities 2
1.2 Research Techniques in the Basic Decision-Making Process 3
1.3 Facts About Problem-Solving and Decision-Making 4
1.4 Who Makes the Decision? 4
1.5 Information Overload 5
1.6 Getting Access to the Right Information 5
1.7 The Lack of Information 6
Discussion Questions 6
References 7

2 Understanding the Project Environment and the Impact on Problem

Solving 9
2.0 Understanding the Project Environment 9
2.1 Project Versus Business Problem-Solving and Decision-Making 11
2.2 Problem-Solving and Decision-Making in the Project Management
Environment 11
2.3 The Impact of Constraints on Project Problem-Solving and
Decision-Making 12
2.4 The Impact of Assumptions on Project Problem-Solving and
Decision-Making 13
2.5 Understanding the Project Environment’s Complexities 14
2.6 Selecting the Right Project Manager 15
2.7 The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Project Management 15
2.8 Differences Between Program and Project Problem-Solving and
Decision-Making 18
2.9 Problem-Solving in Matrix Management Organizational Structures 25
vi Contents

2.10 T
 he Impact of Methodologies on Problem-Solving 29
2.11 The Need for Problem-Solving Procedural Documentation 35
Discussion Questions 40
References 41

3 Understanding the Problem 43

3.0 The Definition of a Problem 43
3.1 The Time Needed to Identify a Problem 43
3.2 Not All Problems Can Be Solved 45
3.3 The Complexities of the Problems 46
3.4 Techniques for Problem Identification 46
3.5 Individual Problem-Solving Conducted in Secret 47
3.6 Team Problem-Solving Conducted in Secret 47
3.7 Decisions That Can Convert Failures into Successes 48
Discussion Questions 53
References 54

4 Data Gathering 55
4.0 Understanding Data Gathering 55
4.1 Reasons for Data Gathering 56
4.2 Data-Gathering Techniques 56
4.3 Metrics and Early Warning Indicators 57
4.4 Questions to Ask 57
4.5 Establishing Structure for Data Gathering, Problem-Solving, and
Decision-Making 58
4.6 Determining the Steps 58
Discussion Questions 59

5 Meetings 61
5.0 Problem Analysis Characteristics 61
5.1 Real Problems Versus Personality Problems 62
5.2 Determining Who Should Attend the Problem-Solving Meeting 63
5.3 Determining Who Should Attend the Decision-Making Meeting 63
5.4 Creating a Framework for the Meeting 64
5.5 Setting Limits on Problem-Solving and Decision-Making 64
5.6 Identifying Boundary Conditions 65
5.7 Understanding How People React in Meetings 65
5.8 Working with Participants During the Meetings 66
5.9 Leadership Techniques During Meetings 67
5.10 Handling Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Conflicts 67
5.11 Continuous Solutions Versus Enhancement Project Solutions 68
5.12 Problem-Solving Versus Scope Creep 68
 Contents vii

5.13 P
 roblem-Solving and Decision-Making During Crisis Projects 69
5.14 Presenting Your Decision to the Customer 70
Discussion Questions 71
Reference 71

6 Developing Alternatives 73
6.0 Finding Alternatives 73
6.1 Variables to Consider During Alternative Analyses 74
6.2 Understanding the Features That Are Part of the Alternatives 74
6.3 Developing Hybrid Alternatives 75
6.4 Phantom Alternatives 75
6.5 Tradeoffs 76
6.6 Common Mistakes When Developing Alternatives 76
6.7 Decision-Making for Managing Scope Changes on Projects 77
Discussion Questions 80
Reference 80

7 Problem-Solving Creativity and Innovation 81

7.0 The Need for Problem-Solving Creativity 81
7.1 Creativity and Creative Thinking 81
7.2 Creativity and Innovation Thinking 82
7.3 Creativity, Innovation, and Value 82
7.4 Negative Innovation 83
7.5 Types of Innovation 83
7.6 Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Attributes That Are Difficult
to Learn 84
7.7 Creativity Roadblocks 84
Discussion Questions 85

8 Problem-Solving Tools and Techniques 87

8.0 Root Cause Analysis 87
8.1 General Principles of Root Cause Analysis 88
8.2 Corrective Actions Using Root Cause Analysis 88
8.3 Root Cause Analysis Techniques 89
8.4 Brainstorming 90
8.5 Rules for Brainstorming 90
8.6 Critical Steps in Brainstorming 91
8.7 Conducting the Brainstorming Session: The Process 92
8.8 Conducting the Brainstorming Session: Evaluation 92
8.9 Brainstorming Sessions: Nominal Group Technique 93
8.10 Brainstorming Sessions: Group Passing Technique 93
viii Contents

8.11 Brainstorming Sessions: Team Idea Mapping Method 94

8.12 Brainstorming Sessions: Electronic Brainstorming 94
8.13 Brainstorming Sessions: Directed Brainstorming 95
8.14 Brainstorming Sessions: Individual Brainstorming 96
8.15 Question Brainstorming 96
8.16 Reasons for Brainstorming Failure 96
8.17 Virtual Brainstorming Sessions 98
Discussion Questions 100

9 Decision-Making Concepts 101

9.0 Decision-Making Alternatives 101
9.1 Decision-Making Characteristics 102
9.2 Decision-Making Participation 102
9.3 Understanding How Decisions Are Made 103
9.4 Cultures and Problem Solving 103
9.5 Routine Decision-Making 104
9.6 Adaptive Decision-Making 104
9.7 Innovative Decision-Making 105
9.8 Pressured Decision-Making 105
9.9 Judgmental Decision-Making 106
9.10 Rational Decision-Making 106
9.11 Certainty/Uncertainty Decision-Making 107
9.12 Controllable/Noncontrollable Decision-Making 107
9.13 Programmed/Nonprogrammed Decision-Making 108
9.14 Decision-Making Meetings 110
9.15 Decision-Making Stages 110
9.16 Decision-Making Steps 111
9.17 Conflicts in Decision-Making 112
9.18 Advantages of Group Decision-Making 113
9.19 Disadvantages of Group Decision-Making 113
9.20 Rational Versus Intuitive Thinking 114
9.21 Divergent Versus Convergent Thinking 114
9.22 The Fear of Decision-Making: Mental Roadblocks 115
9.23 Decision-Making Personal Biases 116
9.24 The Danger of Hasty Decisions 116
9.25 Decision-Making Styles 117
9.26 The Autocratic Decision-Maker 117
9.27 The Fearful Decision-Maker 118
9.28 The Circular Decision-Maker 119
9.29 The Democratic Decision-Maker 119
9.30 The Self-Serving Decision-Maker 120
 Contents ix

9.31 Delegation of a Decision-Making Authority 120

9.32 Choice Elements of Decision-Making 121
9.33 Decision-Making Challenges 122
9.34 Examples of Decision-Making Challenges 123
Discussion Questions 126
­ References 127

10 Decision-Making Tools 129

10.0 Decision-Making Tools in Everyday Life 129
10.1 Use of Operations Research and Management Science Models 129
10.2 SWOT Analysis 130
10.3 Pareto Analysis 130
10.4 Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis 131
10.5 Paired Comparison Analysis 132
10.6 Decision Trees 132
10.7 Influence Diagrams 133
10.8 Affinity Diagrams 133
10.9 Game Theory 134
10.10 Cost-Benefit Analysis 134
10.11 Nominal Work Groups 135
10.12 Delphi Technique 136
10.13 Other Decision-Making Tools 136
10.14 Artificial Intelligence 137
10.15 Risk Management 140
Discussion Questions 142
­References 142

11 Predicting the Impact 143

11.0 Evaluating the Impact of a Decision 143
11.1 Creating a Consequence Table 143
11.2 Performing Impact Analysis 144
11.3 The Time to Implement a Solution 145
11.4 The Definitions for Project Success and Failure Are Changing 145
11.5 Project Decision-Making and Politics 149
Discussion Questions 150

12 The Need for Effective or Active Listening Skills 151

12.0 Active Listening 151
12.1 Active Listening Body Language and Communications 151
12.2 Active Listening Barriers Created by the Speaker 152
12.3 Active Listening Barriers Created by the Listener 152
x Contents

12.4 Overcoming Active Listening Barriers 153

12.5 Techniques for Effective Listening 153
Discussion Questions 154

13 Barriers 155
13.0 The Growth of Barriers 155
13.1 Lack of Concern for the Workers Barriers 157
13.2 Legal Barriers 160
13.3 Project Sponsorship Barriers 163
13.4 Cost of Implementation Barriers 165
13.5 Culture Barriers 166
13.6 Project Management Office (PMO) Barrier 168
13.7 Conclusion 169
Discussion Questions 169
References 170

Appendix: Using the PMBOK® Guide 173

Decision-Making and the PMBOK® Guide 173
Problem-Solving and the PMBOK® Guide 173
PMBOK® Guide: Integration Management 174
PMBOK® Guide: Scope Management 174
PMBOK® Guide: Time Management 175
PMBOK® Guide: Cost Management 175
PMBOK® Guide: Quality Management 176
PMBOK® Guide: Human Resource Management 176
PMBOK® Guide: Communications Management 177
PMBOK® Guide: Risk Management 177
PMBOK® Guide: Procurement Management 178
PMBOK® Guide: Stakeholder Management 178

Further Reading 181

Index 183
 xi

Preface

The environment in which the project managers perform has changed signifi-
cantly in the past three years due to COVID-19 pandemic and other factors. Our
projects have become more complex. There are new internal and external forces
that now impact how problems are solved. The importance of time and cost has
reached new heights in the minds of clients and stakeholders. Clients want to see
the value in the projects they are funding. All of this is creating challenges for
project managers in how they identify and resolve problems. To make matters
more complex, project managers are now seen as managing part of a business
when managing a project and are expected to make both project and business
decisions.
Decisions are no longer a single-person endeavor. Project managers are expected
to form problem-solving and decision-making teams. Most project managers have
never been trained in problem-solving, brainstorming, creative thinking tech-
niques, and decision-making. They rely on experience as the primary teacher.
While that sounds like a reasonable approach, it can be devastating if project man-
agers end up learning from their own mistakes rather than the mistakes of others.
It is a shame that companies are unwilling to invest even small portions of their
training budgets in these courses.
There are numerous books available on problem-solving and decision-making.
Unfortunately, they look at the issues from a psychological perspective with appli-
cations not always relevant to project and program managers. What I have
attempted to do with this book is extract the core concepts of problem-solving and
decision-making that would be pertinent to project managers and assist them
with their jobs.
Some books use the term problem analysis rather than problem-solving. Problem
analysis can be interpreted as simply looking at the problem and gathering the
facts, but not necessarily developing alternative solutions for later decision-making.
In this book, problem-solving is used throughout reflecting the identification of
alternatives as well.
xii Preface

Hopefully, after reading this book, you will have a better understanding and
appreciation for problem-solving and decision-making.
Seminars and webinars on project management, problem-solving, and decision-
making can be arranged by contacting

Lori Milhaven, CSPO

Executive Vice President, Strategic Programs
International Institute for Learning

Harold Kerzner
Senior Executive Director for Project Management,
International Institute for Learning, Inc. (IIL), USA
September 2023
About the Companion Website

This book is accompanied by a companion website:

www.wiley.com/go/kerzner/projectbasedproblemsolving
The website includes instructor manual and chapter wise
PowerPoints with extracts from the book for instructors
 1

1
Understanding the Concepts

1.0 ­The Necessity for Problem-Solving

and Decision-Making

We are forced to make decisions in our everyday lives. We must decide what to eat,
how to dress, where to go, when to go, and even who to socialize with. We may
make thirty or more decisions a day. Some decisions, such as personal investment
decisions, may be critical, whereas other decisions may be just routine. Most of
these types of decisions we make by ourselves and usually have confidence in the
fact that we made the right decision. And for some of the decisions, we can expend
a great deal of time thinking through them.
But once we get to our place of employment, the decision‐making process
changes. We often must involve many people in the process; some of whom we
may never have met or worked with previously. The outcome of the decision can
affect a multitude of people, many of whom may be unhappy with the outcome.
The risks of a poor decision can lead to catastrophic consequences for the busi-
ness. People that are unhappy with the decision and do not understand it may
view you now as an enemy rather than as a friend.
When we make personal decisions, we usually adopt a “let’s live with it” atti-
tude. If the decision is wrong, we may try to change it. But in a business environ-
ment, there may be a significant cost associated with changing a decision. Some
business decisions are irreversible.
But there is one thing, we know for sure in a business environment: anybody
that always makes the right decision probably is not making enough decisions.
Expecting to always make the right decision is wishful thinking.
Problem‐solving and decision‐making go hand‐in‐hand. Decisions are made
when we have issues accompanied by choices to make. In general, we must have
a problem prior to making decisions. But there is a strong argument that an

Project Based Problem Solving and Decision Making: A Guide for Project Managers,
First Edition. Harold Kerzner.
© 2024 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Companion Website: www.wiley.com/go/kerzner/projectbasedproblemsolving
2 1 Understanding the Concepts

understanding of decision‐making is needed and used as part of identifying the

problem and developing alternatives. This is why most books discuss problem‐
solving and decision‐making together.

1.1 ­Problems and Opportunities1

Problem‐solving usually begins with the identification of a problem. A problem is a

question raised for inquiry, consideration, or in need of a solution. Failure to meet
product quality standards during manufacturing is a problem. Inventory shortages
during a production run are a problem. Having resources assigned to a project that
lack the necessary skills is a problem. These problems, if viewed positively, can
become an opportunity for the astute manager rather than just a problem.
Not all problems require solutions. If you lack sufficient resources to maintain
a schedule, senior management may allow the schedule to slip rather than hiring
additional resources or reassigning resources from other projects that may have a
higher priority.
An opportunity is a favorable chance for advancement or progress. If a compa-
ny’s manufacturing process fails to produce a quality product, then the opportu-
nity exists to improve product quality through

●● Review of the product design process

●● Analysis of manufacturing engineering standards
●● Assessment of quality inspection techniques
●● Evaluation of adequacy of manufacturing management
●● Investigation of motivation and commitment of manufacturing personnel to
implement adequate quality policies and procedures.
The difference between a problem and an opportunity depends on the beholder.
However, problems and opportunities should be differentiated. David B. Gleicher, a
management consultant, distinguished between the two terms in the following way:
A problem is “something that endangers the organization’s ability to reach its objec-
tives, while an opportunity is something that offers the chance to exceed objectives.”2
Peter Drucker made it clear that opportunities rather than problems are the
keys to organizational and managerial success. He observed that solving a prob-
lem merely restores normality; but results must come from the exploitation of
opportunities. He linked exploitation of opportunities to finding the right things
to do and concentrating “resources and efforts on them.”3

1 This section has been adapted from Cleland and Kerzner (1986).
2 Cited in Stoner (1982).
3 Drucker (1964).
 1.2 ­Research Techniques in the Basic Decision-Making Proces 3

Identifying problems or opportunities is a key activity of all managers, includ-

ing project managers. Successful managers do not wait for someone else to tell
them what to do; they must find ways to figure that out for themselves.
There are early warning signs and situations that can alert managers to possible
problems (issues or opportunities). First, when the project team is expected to
perform differently than they did in the past; second, when problems occur result-
ing from a deviation from an existing plan and no previous history exists; and
third, when competitors are outperforming your organization.

1.2 ­Research Techniques in the Basic

Decision-Making Process

Human performance in the way we address problems and make decisions has
been the subject of active research from several perspectives. There has been sig-
nificant research in this area, and most results are part of four perspectives. The
four basic perspectives are:
●● The psychological perspective
●● The cognitive perspective
●● The normative perspective
●● The problem‐solving perspective.
From a psychological perspective, it is necessary to examine individual decisions
in the context of a set of needs, preferences an individual has, and values desired.
From a cognitive perspective, the decision‐making process must be regarded as a
continuous process integrated in the interaction with the environment. From a
normative perspective, the analysis of individual decisions is concerned with the
logic of decision‐making and rationality as well as the invariant choices it leads to.
Yet, at another level that is perhaps more closely aligned with a project environ-
ment, it might be regarded as a problem‐solving activity which is terminated
when a satisfactory solution is found. Therefore, decision‐making is a reasoning
and/or emotional process which can be rational or irrational and can be based on
explicit assumptions or tacit assumptions. It is often impossible to separate discus-
sions of decision‐making from problem‐solving. Yet both involve selecting among
alternatives. The focus of this book will be the problem‐solving perspective,
although, in a project management environment, we could argue that all four
perspectives somehow interact in the way we make decisions.
4 1 Understanding the Concepts

1.3 ­Facts About Problem-Solving

and Decision-Making

There are several facts or generalities that we consider when discussing problem‐
solving and decision‐making:
●● Businesses today are much more complex than before and so are the problems
and decisions that must be made.
●● Problem‐solving techniques are used not only to solve problems but also to take
advantage of opportunities.
●● Today, we seem to be flooded with information to the point where we have
information overload and cannot discern what information is actually needed
or useful for solving problems.
●● Lower to middle levels of management are often valuable resources to have
when discussing the technical side of problems. Senior management is valuable
in the knowledge of how the problem (and its solution) relates to the overall
business and the impact of the enterprise environmental factors.
●● Problem‐solving today is a core competency, yet most companies provide very
little training for their employees on problem‐solving and decision‐making.
●● The project team may be composed of numerous subject matter experts, but the
same people may not be creative and capable of thinking creatively about solv-
ing problems.
●● The people who created the problem may not be capable of solving the it.
●● Few people seem to know the relationship between creativity and problem‐
solving.

1.4 ­Who Makes the Decision?

Problem‐solving and decision‐making may not be performed by the same person.

As an example, the project manager may ask the project team to assist in identify-
ing alternatives for resolving a problem, or the project manager may perform the
activities alone. However, the final decision on which alternatives should be taken
may be made by executives, the project team, functional managers, or stakehold-
ers. As such, when discussing decision‐making in this book, we use the word
“manager” as the person making the decision, and it could represent different
individuals other than the project manager. Usually, the people involved in the
decision are the ones who will be affected by the outcome.
 1.6 ­Getting Access to the Right Informatio 5

1.5 ­Information Overload

Today, there seems to be an abundance of information available to everyone. We

all seem to suffer from information overload thanks to advances in information
system technologies. Our main problem is being able to discern what information
is critical and what information should be discarded or stored in archives.
For simplicity’s sake, information can be broken down into primary and sec-
ondary information. Primary information is information that is readily available
to us. This is information that we can directly access from our desktop or laptop.
Information that is company sensitive or considered proprietary information may
be password protected but still accessible.
Secondary information is information that must be collected from someone
else. Even with information overload, project managers generally do not have all
the information they need to solve a problem and make a timely decision. This is
largely due to the complexity of our projects as well as the complexity of the
problems that need to be resolved. We generally rely on a problem‐solving team
to provide us with the secondary information. The secondary information is
often more critical for decision‐making than the primary information. Many
times, the secondary information is controlled by the subject matter experts, and
we must rely upon them to tell us what information is directly pertinent to this
problem.
Collecting the information, whether primary or secondary, can be time‐consuming.
Information overload often forces us to spend a great deal of time searching through
information when this time should be spent on problem‐solving.

1.6 ­Getting Access to the Right Information

The project manager’s challenge is not just getting the information but getting the
right information in a timely manner. Sometimes, the information that the project
manager needs, especially secondary information, is retained by people that are
not part of the project or the problem‐solving team. An example might be infor-
mation related to politics, stakeholder relations management, economic condi-
tions, cost of capital, and other enterprise environmental factors. This information
may be retained by senior management or stakeholders.
Because timing is essential, project managers should have the right to talk
directly with anyone they need to converse with to obtain the necessary informa-
tion to solve a problem. Having to always go through the chain of command to
access the information creates problems and wastes valuable time. Information is
often seen as a source of power, which is one of the reasons why sometimes the
chain of command must be followed in some companies.
6 1 Understanding the Concepts

Behind every door in a company is information of some sort. Project managers

must be able to open those doors as needed. If project managers do not have access
to those doors, then there are two options: follow the chain of command and hope
that the information is not filtered by the time it gets to you, or invite the person
with this information to attend the problem‐solving meeting. Based on where the
person with the information resides in the organizational hierarchy, their availa-
bility or willingness to attend the meeting is determined. The higher up they
reside, the less likely they will be able to attend your meeting in the near term. The
project manager’s accessibility to information is critical.

1.7 ­The Lack of Information

Even though we have information overload and access to secondary information

sources, there is no guarantee we will have readily available all of the information
we need. People that need to make decisions must accept the fact that they gener-
ally will not have all of the information they need on hand. This can happen at all
levels of management, not just on projects. We must be willing to make the best
possible decisions based upon the information we have at that time, even if it is
partial information.
Too often, we rely on the chain of command for getting the information to help
resolve a problem. If people believe that “possessing information is power,” access
to the needed information can be a problem especially if they withhold some of
the information. Because of the criticality of the project’s constraints, time is not
necessarily a luxury. Project managers must have the right or authority to access
those who possess the information. This assumes, of course, the project manager
knows where the information resides. This is sometimes the greater challenge,
especially if the needed information is nowhere to be found within the company.
We must go outside the company to get the critical information.
Problem‐solving is most frequently based upon the best available information.
Having all the information needed to make a decision is wishful thinking.

Discussion Questions

1. Why must problem‐solving and decision‐making be discussed together?

2. How do you differentiate between a problem and an opportunity? Can guide-
lines be established for differentiation?
3. When competitors are outperforming your organization, is this a problem, an
opportunity, or possibly both?
  ­Reference 7

4. Problem solving is considered as a “core competency” for future project man-

agers. Why has this recognition not happened sooner?
5. In the future, will project managers be expected to make more or fewer deci-
sions by themselves, and why?
6. What are the differences between primary and secondary information?
7. Why have project managers been challenged by not being able to get access to
the right information in a timely manner?

­References

Cleland, D.I. and Kerzner, H. (1986). Engineering Team Management. New York: Van
Nostrand Reinhold, p. 229.
Drucker, P.F. (1964). Managing for Results. New York: Harper & Row, p. 5.
Stoner, J.A.F. (1982). Management, 2. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice‐Hall,
pp. 166–167.
 9

2
Understanding the Project Environment
and the Impact on Problem Solving

2.0 ­Understanding the Project Environment1

There are several activities that project teams must perform. Two key activities
carried out in the management of a team include: deciding what needs to be done
and then doing it. In this chapter we deal with the decision‐making process when
managing within a project environment.
A decision is the act or process of selecting a course of action after consideration
of the alternative ways that resources can be used to attain organization objectives.
In the process of making a decision on traditional projects, the decision‐maker—­
usually a team member or a subject matter expert assigned to the team—­carries
out certain activities:
●● Evaluation of the current environment and situation
●● Assessment of what the situation and environment will be when the decision
will be implemented
●● Analysis of how the decision will affect the “stakeholders” who have an interest
in the outcome of the decision
●● Selection of a strategy on how the decision will be implemented.
Decision‐making is the process through which alternatives are evaluated and a
course of action is selected as the solution to a problem, opportunity, or issue.
Team decisions are inseparable from the team and the organizational planning
elements: mission, objectives, goals, and strategies. Every principal decision

1 This section has been adapted from Cleland and Kerzner (1986).

Project Based Problem Solving and Decision Making: A Guide for Project Managers,
First Edition. Harold Kerzner.
© 2024 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Companion Website: www.wiley.com/go/kerzner/projectbasedproblemsolving
10 2 Understanding the Project Environment and the Impact on Problem Solving

made in the context of a project team’s activities should help the team members
to decide
●● What is to be done?
●● How will it be done?
●● Who will do it?
●● Why is it being done?
●● When is it to be done?
●● Where will it be done?

It is through the decision process that a determination of future action for the
team is made. The decision‐making process is a rational attempt to achieve results.
Decision‐making encompasses both an active and passive use of resources.
An active decision is one made through full consideration of the existing mis-
sion, objectives, goals, and strategies and a sincere attempt to make effective and
efficient use of resources. A passive decision also consumes resources. If a
­decision‐maker is not active in making a decision and procrastinates, organiza-
tional resources are consumed during the period of procrastination. If no deliber-
ate decision is made, in reality, a decision has been made to do nothing. Resources
continue to be consumed in the same manner that has been done in the past, often
to the neglect of stakeholder consideration.
Stakeholders are the people, organizations, or institutions who contribute in
some manner to or receive benefits from the decision. A product design team
would have stakeholders composed of manufacturing, reliability, quality control,
and design engineers plus representatives from customer service, marketing, and
production control. Each of these professionals, as well as the organizations they
represent, would have a vested and rightful interest in the decisions that are made
in the design of the product. A decision made by the project team leader on behalf
of the team should include stakeholder involvement. There is a valid reason for
doing this. A decision must be implemented through a process of

●● Delegation of appropriate authority and responsibility

●● Allocation of human and nonhuman resources to support the decision
●● Commitment of the people to make the decision workable
●● Design a monitoring and control system such as the Earned Value Measurement
System (EVMS) to determine if the decision is accomplishing the results that
are desired.

Key decisions in modern organizations are influenced by laws, government

regulations, environmentalists, and the actions or reactions of

●● Competitors
●● Suppliers
●● Customers
●● Collective bargaining units
●● Employees
 2.2 ­Problem-Solving and Decision-Making in the Project Management Environmen 11

●● Stockholders
●● Creditors
●● Local communities
●● Professional societies.

Consequently, the decision‐maker should always be mindful of how key deci-

sions will be received by stakeholders who have a vested interest in the outcome
of the decision to resolve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity.

2.1 ­Project Versus Business Problem-Solving

and Decision-Making
Project managers today believe that each project that they are managing is part of
the business and therefore they are managing part of a business rather than just a
project. As such, project managers are expected to make business decisions as well
as project decisions. However, there is a difference between project decision‐­
making and business decision‐making:

●● Project decision‐making focuses on meeting baselines, verification, and valida-

tion. Business decision‐making focuses on market share, profitability, customer
satisfaction, and repeat business.
●● Project decision‐making involves the project team whereas business decision‐
making may include marketing, sales, and senior management.
●● There are multiple tools that project managers use for project decision‐making
but many of the tools used for business decision‐making are mainly financial
tools such as ROI, NPV, IRR, and cash flow analysis.
●● The focus of project decision‐making is project performance and deliverables
whereas the focus of business decision‐making is financial performance, busi-
ness benefits, and business value created.
●● The results of project decisions appear quickly whereas the results of business
decisions may not appear for years.
●● Most of the problems addressed as part of project decision‐making are to main-
tain the baselines whereas business problems focus on alignment or changes to
the business strategy.

2.2 ­Problem-Solving and Decision-Making in the

Project Management Environment

In order to understand decision‐making in a project management environment, it

is first necessary to understand how the project management environment differs
from the traditional environment we are all used to. The project management
environment is an interaction between people, tools, processes, and routine
12 2 Understanding the Project Environment and the Impact on Problem Solving

business work that must be accomplished for the survival of the firm and project
work. Project management activities may be considered secondary to the ongoing
business activities necessary to keep the business ongoing. Because of the high
level of risks on many projects and the fact that some of the best resources are
assigned to ongoing business activities, the decision‐making process on many pro-
jects can lead to suboptimal or ineffective decisions.
There are other factors that make decision‐making quite complex in a project
environment:

●● The project manager may have limited or no authority at all to make the
decisions even though they may have a serious impact on the project’s
outcome.
●● The project manager does not have the authority to hire people to work on the
project; they are assigned by functional managers after an often‐lengthy nego-
tiation process.
●● The people on the project team may not be able to make meaningful contribu-
tions to the decision‐making process. They may need to revert back to their
functional managers for decisions to be made or approval of a decision.
●● The project manager may not have the authority to remove poor workers
from the project team without assistance from the functional managers.
●● The project manager may not have any responsibilities for wage and salary
administration for the project team members; this is accomplished by the func-
tional managers. Therefore, the project manager may not be able to exert pen-
alty power if the workers make poor decisions.
●● The team members are most likely working on other projects as well as your
project, and you have no authority to force them to work on your project in a
timely manner.

Because of the project manager’s limited authority, some project managers sim-
ply identify alternatives and recommendations. These are then brought to the
executive levels of management, or the project sponsor, for the final decision to be
made. However, some people argue that the project manager should have the
authority to make those decisions that do not alter the deliverables of the project
or require a change to the constraints and baselines.

2.3 ­The Impact of Constraints on Project

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

The boundaries on most projects are the constraints that are imposed upon the
project team at the initiation of the project. For decades, project managers focused
primarily on the constraints of time, cost, and scope when making decisions. But
 2.4 ­The Impact of Assumptions on Project Problem-Solving and Decision-Making 13

in today’s environment, we are undertaking more complex projects and many of

these have significantly more than just three constraints. Other constraints might
include:

●● Quality
●● Safety
●● Risks
●● Impact on other projects
●● Impact on ongoing or routine work
●● Customer satisfaction
●● Stakeholder satisfaction
●● Capacity limitations
●● Limitations on available resources
●● Limitations on the quality of the available resources
●● Compliance with government regulations
●● Company image and reputation
●● Cost of maintaining goodwill
●● Maintaining ethical conduct
●● Impact on the corporate culture.

Simply stated, all these constraints play havoc with the decision‐making process.
The time constraint probably has the greatest impact on decision‐making. Time is
not a luxury. The decision may have to be made even though the project manager
has only partial information. Making decisions with complete information is usually
not a luxury that the project team will possess. And to make matters worse, on some
projects, we often have little knowledge on what the impact of the decisions will be.

2.4 ­The Impact of Assumptions on Project

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

At the beginning of a project, it is imperative for the project team to know not
only what limitations or constraints are imposed upon them, but what assump-
tions have been made. The assumptions are related to the enterprise environmen-
tal factors that surround the project. Usually, the assumptions are listed in the
project charter or business case, but more often than not, it is just a partial list.
To make matters worse, assumptions can and will change over the life of a pro-
ject. The longer the project, the more likely it is that the assumptions will change.
Good project managers establish metrics to track the assumptions to see if they
have changed. Examples of assumptions that are likely to change over the dura-
tion of a project, especially on a long‐term project, might include:
●● The cost of borrowing money and financing the project will remain fixed.
●● The procurement costs will not increase.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
and numbers of people we should like to meet here. You
remember he had come back invalided from the Soudan, and
though he was quite young, about thirty, he had gained great
distinction. He was Major Caruth, I think, and his name must
have been Alexander, for his mother called him 'Alec.'
Everyone liked them both, but we used to think him just a
little reserved."

"I thought him extremely polite—quite a model of courtesy, in

fact."

"Well, yes, he was, and especially to the elder ladies; but he

never showed any marked attention to any of the younger
ones. He was the most devoted son possible, and it was quite
beautiful to see the manner in which he looked up in his
mother's face when she came to his side with that inquiring
glance on hers."

"He had nearly died, and he was all she had," replied Mrs.
Evans. "Heir to a fine property, I believe. I scarcely think that
Mrs. Caruth could be the one Joyce mentioned. Was it likely
there would be any intimacy between the daughter of a poor
country clergyman and people of position like those Caruths?"

"I do not know. You see, clergymen go everywhere."

"But not always their wives and daughters," said Mrs. Evans.

"Did you notice the name of the place Joyce's friend lived at? I
have the address of those we met at Mentone; it was Ferns—
something—crag, probably."

"Was it Fernsclough?" said Augusta, eagerly.

"I really believe it was."

"Then the lady is the same. Her place is Fernsclough, Salop."

"Well, what of that? Her giving Joyce a character to go out as
children's maid puts away the suggestion of intimacy at once.
She might do that, and never speak to or communicate again
with one who was disgracing herself by taking a sort of
servant's place."

"Joyce said that Mrs. Caruth wanted her to go to Fernsclough

for an indefinite time."

"Perhaps that was an invention, in order to raise herself in our

eyes, my dear child. I have seen more of life and character
than you have, Augusta."

"I can hardly think that," replied the girl; "I could not imagine
Joyce saying an untrue word. She is not that sort of girl. And,
mamma, she is my cousin and a lady, though she is not rich. I
cannot help feeling sorry for her. If these friends of hers
should turn out to be the Caruths we met, and at some future
time we should see them again, what will they think of us for
letting Joyce go?"

"Think, you foolish girl! What can they think? Just that as she
was too proud to go to Fernsclough, she was too headstrong
to be guided by us, and went her own wilful way. You need not
trouble your head about that."

But Augusta was not quite happy, in spite of her mother's

assurances; and Adelaide was still less so.

CHAPTER IV.
THOUGH Joyce Mirlees' twenty-first birthday brought some
clouds and storms, it was not wholly without peace and
brightness. More than a dozen letters reached her from
various quarters. Her uncle did not forget Joyce, but wrote
warmly and lovingly, and promised to be at The Chase before
she left it.

Other letters were from old friends at Welton, who did not fail
to send birthday greetings and simple gifts to their former
pastor's daughter. One packet, containing some beautiful
fancy articles, came to her from her Sunday scholars, who had
worked them for the dear teacher whose absence they
regretted more and more, they said. Yet it was plain that one
and all pictured Joyce amongst loving kinsfolk, and amid
luxuries of every kind, for they seemed half afraid that their
simple tokens of love would look very poor and mean amongst
her birthday gifts in her new and splendid home.

If those who had bestowed such patient labour on the dainty

articles could have seen how Joyce looked at them through
gathering tears, but with a glad face, and heard her soft
whisper, "Not alone in the world. Not forgotten, though
absent, thank God!" they would have been more than repaid.

The very answering of these gave Joyce happy employment

during the afternoon. Besides, she had not been without
personal greetings. The very servants at The Chase had
learned to love their master's orphan niece, who spoke gently,
and thought of and for them, as they went about their daily
duties. They ventured to offer good wishes, and one little
country girl begged her to accept a pin-cushion which she had
risen earlier to make for Miss Joyce.

There were loving words, too, from Sarah Keene, who

alternately rejoiced and wept over her nursling, bewailing her
coming departure with one breath, and expressing her firm
conviction in the next, that it would be overruled for good,
and that her darling would be above all of them yet.

There was one more letter not named hitherto, which, though
full of kindness, brought some disappointment. The writer,
Mrs. Caruth, said all that could be expected from an old and
true friend. But there was no other message, though she
mentioned casually that her son, being quite well, had
rejoined his regiment instead of availing himself of the longer
leave at his disposal.

It was still early evening, and Joyce was in her own room,
when she heard a light tap at the door, and the words, "May I
come in, Cousin Joyce?"

The voice was Adelaide's, but the tone of it was so different

from her ordinary one that Joyce could hardly believe her
ears. She, however, opened the door and convinced herself
that her visitor was indeed Adelaide, the elder and much more
beautiful of her two handsome cousins. She also somewhat
resembled Mr. Evans in disposition; but, like him, had rarely
courage to express her sentiments when they differed from
those of her mother and sister.

"May I come in?" she repeated, as she hesitated on the

threshold of Joyce's room.

"Certainly. I am glad, very glad, to have you."

"That is kind, Cousin Joyce; kinder than I deserve. I am come

to make a confession, Joyce; I have been very unkind to you.
Will you forgive me?"

"I do not understand. You have done nothing," said Joyce,

amazed at the visit, words, and look of her cousin, who had
taken her hand, and was holding it between both her own.
"Perhaps I have not done much, after all," she said; "but one
has often as much cause to grieve for the not doing what is
right and kind as for active unkindness. Cousin Joyce, I have
had a revelation to-day. I have had a peep at my own heart
and life, and I am dissatisfied with both, especially in
connection with yourself. When you spoke to my mother this
morning and told her what you were going to do, how you had
made up your mind to leave the only relatives you have in the
world, because under their roof you had a shelter, not a home,
I felt so sorry for you, so ashamed for ourselves. It was your
birthday morning. You are twenty-one to-day. I was the same
four months ago, and then my mother did not know how to
lavish enough of costly things upon me. I had cards—works of
art that had cost pounds; flowers in profusion, letters,
messages, callers, jewellery, finery of all kinds, and a grand
evening party given in my honour. And you, Cousin Joyce, had
nothing but the coldest greeting, and an offer of our
secondhand and third-best clothes. Please let me finish—" for
Joyce would have stopped the confession half-way. "I do not
know how it was brought about, but I seemed to see
everything you had endured under this roof from the day of
your coming. No welcome, no sympathy, no home, no
friends."

"Yes, my uncle has always been kind, and I have had Sarah
Keene. Besides, I was but a stranger who had to win the
affection of strangers, though they might be relatives; and I
really believe you care for me after all!" cried Joyce, looking
up into Adelaide's face, and smiling through the tears which
her cousin's words had brought to her eyes. "Forgive me,
Adelaide. I want forgiveness, too, for I have judged you rather
hardly, I am afraid."

"No, you have not; I have never been kind, but I want to be
now." And two pairs of arms went out, and two girls' lips met
for the first time in mutual affection and forgiveness. Then
they sat down side by side, each encircling the other with one
embracing arm.

"We shall be friends as well as cousins for the future. Until

now, we have been neither," said Adelaide. "I wish you were
not going away, Joyce. If you will stay, I will try to make The
Chase more of a home to you than it has been. But how can
you, after what mamma said this morning? I think that
proposal about the dresses and your helping to alter ours was
too dreadful."

And the girl blushed with shame at the recollection.

"I should not have minded about working early and late if you
had wanted help and we had worked together," said Joyce. "If
any one here had been ill, I should have thought nothing too
much to do for them, night or day. Supposing that my uncle
had been poor, and had given me a home with his children, I
would have slaved for him and them most cheerfully, and
taken care that his kindness should have cost him nothing in
the end. But you are all rich, and every wish can be gratified;
and the thought of being sent to sew under the orders of
Russell was—"

"Hush, dear Joyce! I cannot bear it," interposed Adelaide, as

she laid her white hand on her cousin's lips. "That alone would
have driven you from us, and after what mamma said, you
cannot stay. Now you must show you have forgiven me by
taking this little birthday gift," and drawing a ring-case from
her pocket, Adelaide tried to place a beautiful ring on Joyce's
finger.

"Do not ask me, dear; I cannot take it," said Joyce.

"I bought it myself, and I have so large an allowance that it

cost me nothing; I wish it had. The having too much money
takes from us the joy of self-sacrifice."
"I cannot take it," repeated Joyce. "How would that diamond
look on the hand of a maid to little children? Besides, I have
rings that belonged to my mother, if I wished to wear any."

"You have not forgiven me," sighed Adelaide.

"Yes, and I will take a gift, too, and prize it. Spend ten
shillings on a little brooch in cut steel, and I will wear it, and
never part with it while I live. And give me your likeness; I
should like to have it, though I shall always picture your face
as it looks to-night."

"You shall have these trifles, Joyce, and I will keep this, no
matter how long, until you are willing to wear it." And
restoring the ring to its case she put it into her pocket. "Now
what else can I do for you?" she asked.

"My uncle breakfasts earlier than you and the rest do. I have
been used to pour out his coffee and join him at table. I think
he will miss me at first. Will you sometimes breakfast with
him?"

"How selfish I have been not to notice this, or care for his
loneliness! Rely on me, I will breakfast with him always,
unless by some special chance I have been up very late the
night before."

"I shall neither be missed nor wanted," said Joyce. "Indeed, I

begin to fear I shall soon be forgotten."

But she smiled as she said it, for she was glad to think that
the father and daughter would be brought together by her
own departure.

Then these two girls became more confidential, and Joyce

gave her cousin every particular respecting the work she had
undertaken, the manner in which she had obtained the
situation, and of the fact that Mrs. Caruth was sending her
own maid to accompany her on her journey to Springfield
Park.

"It seems quite amusing to think that one who is travelling

with such an object should be so attended, does it not?" asked
Joyce.

Adelaide looked thoughtful, then replied, "Mrs. Caruth must

think a great deal about you. Does she understand what you
are going to do?"

"I am not sure, but I do know she is my friend. She was

almost like a mother to me until I was about seventeen, and
when I had none of my own. Then—"

"Then what?"

"Her son came home for a time, and she had him, and I
became more of a companion to my father."

"I believe I have seen both Mrs. Caruth and her son. Does she
call him Alec?"

"Always. He is about thirty-two now. You see I was only nine

when he was twenty, and as the child of his old tutor, he made
a pet and playfellow of me. It seems strange that we should
both be grown-up people after a few years."

"He is very fond of his mother, and she of him," said Adelaide.
"Indeed, he seems a good, noble-minded man altogether.
Augusta thought there was no one like him during the eight
weeks we spent at Mentone."

A statement which did not appear to give unqualified

satisfaction to Joyce, for she paused a moment, then, in a
constrained voice, though with an attempt at archness, she
asked—
"Did Major Caruth think there was no one like Augusta?"

"He neither troubled himself about her nor any other girl. I
mean so far as paying special attention went. He was
everything that was kind and courteous, but the elder ladies
and the children absorbed the larger share of his time—
somewhat, I think, to the disgust of the grown-up girls. If
hazarded a guess, it would be that he had no heart left to
give, and that he was far too noble and true a man to pay
unmeaning attentions, which could lead to nothing but regrets
and pain for another. I suppose he has no sister, or he would
be a model 'brother of girls.'"

"No, but he is a brother of girls for all that. He would be to all

such, if circumstances called for his help, what the son of a
pure-minded, virtuous, Christian mother should be. I know
him so well."

Joyce's face was lighted up by a bright, glad look, born of

precious memories, but it faded as she said, "I am not likely
to meet Major Caruth again. I was Miss Mirlees, and a power
at Welton, as the parson's daughter in a country parish always
is, you know. Three days hence I shall be 'only a servant.'"

"Joyce, you must give up this plan of yours; I cannot bear to

think of it. My father cares for you; I want you at The Chase.
Augusta will come over to my side, for she is not nearly so
hard as she seems. We have both been carefully educated in
selfishness, and even a first step in the right direction costs a
great effort. But I can stir her to it, and we will make a
combined attack on my mother, who must give in. Say you
will stay."

"Not now, dear. But if ever the time should come when I can
be sure you all wish for me, or if I am needed by any, I will
return."
Adelaide was obliged to be satisfied with this. The girls parted
with expressions of affection and pledges of future friendship;
and Joyce laid her head on her pillow with a lighter heart than
she had done for months past.

Mr. Evans was expected home the evening before his niece
was to leave The Chase, but in place of him came a telegram
—

"Accident on line. Train delayed, but none injured. Expect me

at noon to-morrow."

Joyce was to leave the station at nine, so her uncle would not
arrive till after she was gone. Mrs. Evans declined to see her,
but sent word that when Joyce came to her senses, and was
prepared to submit and acknowledge she had done wrong,
she might write and say so.

Augusta, doubtless urged thereto by her sister, rose early

enough to say farewell to her cousin. Sarah Keene watched
her out of sight as well as she could through falling tears, and
prayed for a blessing on her head, and Adelaide, bravely
mounted beside Joyce in the shabby conveyance which took
her and her luggage to the station, whispered cheery words to
the very last moment, when, in company with Dobson, Mrs.
Caruth's staid waiting-woman, she started on her journey.

Moved still further by the new and better feelings just born in
her heart, Adelaide declined to drive with Mrs. Evans and
Augusta, and went instead to meet her father on his return at
noon.

It was a great surprise to Mr. Evans when he saw Adelaide's

beautiful face glowing with eager expectation, in search of
some traveller whose arrival she anticipated. He did not for a
moment associate her presence with his own home-coming,
until her eyes met his as the train stopped, and stepping
forward, she exclaimed—
"Papa, I am so glad you are here safe and sound!" And lifting
her face to his she kissed him lovingly again and again, then
slipping her arm through his, went with him to the carriage
which awaited them.

"That first kiss was poor Cousin Joyce's," she said. "She left it
for you, and I promised to deliver it."

"Joyce's! She is surely not gone? I thought you would all have
joined to keep her until my return. My only sister's only child
to leave The Chase in such haste!"

"She could not stay. I tried hard to persuade her, for, papa, I
am sorry I have not been kinder to Joyce. We are friends now,
dear friends, and I hope we shall always be so. I cannot blame
Joyce for going. How could she stay? But you do not know all
yet. I trust things will turn out better than they seem to
promise. I think I ought to tell you all about Joyce's birthday
and what was said, only you must promise to say nothing to
mamma. I cannot help thinking she is a little sorry now, and
she is more likely to feel regret about Joyce's going if no one
speaks of it."

Then Adelaide told her father all that had passed, and Mr.
Evans listened, not altogether sadly, for his daughter made
the most of all that had been bright for Joyce on her birthday
—the loving letters and souvenirs from Welton, Mrs. Caruth's
consideration for her cousin's safe convoy, the opening of
hearts between themselves, and the new-born friendship,
which was to bind them more closely than the ties of
relationship had done.

"And," continued Adelaide, "Joyce will never disgrace the

name she bears. I only wish I were more like her."

There was much to cheer Mr. Evans in what he heard from his
daughter, and acting upon her suggestion, he made no
allusion to Joyce's departure. His silence was both a relief and
a reproach to his wife, who expected a scene, and was
conscious that, in spite of her desire to free herself from a
sense of responsibility, she could not even excuse herself for
her treatment of Joyce.

On the following morning, when Mr. Evans went down,

expecting to take his breakfast in solitude, and feeling how
much he should miss Joyce's gentle ministry, he found
Adelaide already seated at the table. She rose as he entered
and lifted her face for a kiss.

"Now another, papa," she said. "That is for Joyce. You must
give me one every morning for her, as I am her deputy."

It was such a new thing for Mr. Evans to be greeted thus by

his own children, that he could hardly realize that he was
awake, but he showered many kisses on the fair, bright face
that waited for them.

"I did not expect to see you, my dear," he said.

"No, dear papa, but I must try to be a better daughter. I told

you yesterday that I was beginning to learn new lessons. If I
become what I wish to be, remember, Joyce was my first
teacher. When I asked what I could do for her, she told me
what I might do in a little way for you. But for her, I should
not be here; however, I will not leave you to a lonely meal
again."

And Adelaide kept her promise.

CHAPTER V.
JOYCE reached the station nearest to Springfield Park at three
o'clock, having had a change of trains, and a stoppage of an
hour and a half on the road. Mrs. Caruth's maid, returning
direct to Fernsclough, would rejoin her mistress before six.

Her train would not, however, start for twenty minutes, so she
was able to tell her mistress that she had seen Miss Mirlees in
charge of a grey-haired coachman, who, with two little girls,
awaited her arrival.

"Are you the young person for Springfield Park?" asked the
man.

Joyce replied in the affirmative.

"I am the coachman. The groom would have brought only a

trap, but the little ladies were wild to see their new maid, and
Mrs. Ross would only trust the children with me."

The man intended Joyce to understand that to drive any but

members of the family and their friends would be beneath the
dignity of so old a servant, and that the presence of the little
girls explained his own.

"No doubt Mrs. Ross feels that the children are safest with
you," said Joyce.

"Just so. She has had time to know what I am, for I drove her
when she was no bigger than the least of them, and I was in
her father's service. Now you step in next the eldest one—
Miss Mary. She should have been a boy by rights, but nobody
would like to change her for one now. Your things will be
brought by that lad, who has a trap close at hand. They are all
together, I suppose?"

Joyce pointed to her belongings on the platform, said farewell

to her escort, and sent messages of thanks and love to Mrs.
Caruth. Then she followed the coachman to a little carriage, in
which were seated two lovely children in the present charge of
the station-master's daughter.

"Come in," cried the elder child. "We wanted to see you, so
mamma let Price bring us. I am Mary, 'papa's Molly,' they call
me, and that is Alice. She turns her face away because she is
shy, but she will be friends soon. Mamma said we must be
very good and not make you sorry, because you have no
father and mother."

Tears sprang into Joyce's eyes, which the child noted instantly,
and her own face grew sorrowful.

"Why do you cry?" she said. "Let me kiss the tears away, as
mamma does mine, if I am only sorry, not naughty."

The winsome creature pulled Joyce's head down to her own

and smiled, until her new attendant was fain to smile in
response.

"There, that is right. Now look how pretty the park is, and see
the deer under the trees. They feed out of our hands, and
they will know you very soon, because you will be with us."

Joyce saw that her new surroundings would be even more

beautiful than her uncle's home, and she drank in with delight
the loveliness which met her eyes on every side, whilst Mary
prattled unceasingly till they reached the house. There she
was met by a pleasant, motherly person, who introduced
herself as Mrs. Powell, the housekeeper, and led her upstairs
to a good-sized cheerful room, very comfortably furnished,
and opening into a still larger one, in which were two little
beds. Both rooms again opened into the day nursery, a
delightful apartment, in which everything suggested the
personal superintendence of a thoughtful, loving mother.

The little girls had been taken charge of by Mrs. Ross's maid,
Paterson, and the housekeeper told Joyce that when she was
ready she was to come to her own room for refreshment.

"Here are your boxes in good time," said Mrs. Powell; and
thus Joyce was able to make the needed change in her dress.
She was about to go down, when, recollecting her new
position, she turned back for one of the aprons, ironed so
carefully by Sarah Keene's hands, and over which, as badges
of coming servitude for her darling, she had shed many a tear.

"Never mind," thought Joyce; "they are honourable badges, so

long as they accompany faithful performance of duty, work
done as in God's sight, and depending for its success on His
blessing."

So, with a bright face, the reflection of a brave heart, she

went down, after having occupied a few moments in thanking
God for a safe journey and a kind reception.

"I always have an early cup of tea," said Mrs. Powell, "and I
thought it would be the best for you, along with something
more substantial, after a journey. Your future meals will be
taken upstairs with the children. Mrs. Ross will see you in the
morning; but she and the master are away—only for the day;
they will be back to-night. My mistress trusted you to me, and
I promised to make you comfortable," said Mrs. Powell, with a
look of great kindness in her motherly face.

"It was very good of her to leave me in such hands," said

Joyce, with an answering smile. Then Mrs. Powell dropped her
voice to a whisper—

"Let me say a word about yourself, my dear. My mistress

trusts me, and she said—only to me, mind—that the friend
who wrote in answer to her inquiries had told her a little of
your history. How that you were a lady, used to be served
instead of serving others, and that if you chose to accept a
home with her, there was one open to you; but that you
preferred service to a life of dependence."
"What did Mrs. Ross say? I hope she did not think I wished to
deceive her in any way," said Joyce.

"No, indeed. She honours you for preferring work to

dependence, and says that if she finds you what she has been
led to expect, you, in turn, shall find a real home and true
friends at Springfield Park. There, my dear, I hope you will
sleep the sounder for knowing this; and if it will comfort you
to hear it, my heart warms to you, and you have one friend
already."

To Joyce this was like having her old friend Sarah Keene by
her side, and she thanked the kindly housekeeper most
heartily and gratefully for her encouraging words.

But the tea was being neglected, and Mrs. Powell turned
Joyce's attention in that direction; so, impelled by a healthy
girlish appetite, she made a hearty meal, much to her new
friend's satisfaction.

One hour after she spent with the children, of whom, however,
she was not to take formal charge until the morning. Then the
housekeeper, being at leisure, showed her through the house
and a portion of the gardens, and finally left her to indulge in
happier thoughts than she could have imagined would be
possible to her under her new circumstances.

Joyce rose early and dressed the children, the little one having
overcome her shyness, and being now willing to make friends.
She was sitting, telling them a baby-story, when Mrs. Ross
entered the nursery after breakfast, and greeted her with the
utmost kindness.

At the sight of their mother, the children rushed to her side,

and, clasped in her arms, forgot for the time their anxiety to
know the end of Joyce's fairy story.
How the girl sped at Springfield Park may be gathered from a
letter, written after three months' experience, to Sarah Keene.
Many shorter letters had been exchanged between Mr. Evans,
Adelaide, the old nurse, and Joyce; but she purposely
refrained from saying much about her position, until a
sufficient time had elapsed to allow her to form a fair
judgment as to the wisdom of the step she had taken.
 MRS. ROSS SENT A NOTE A LITTLE LATER.

"
Springfield Park, Sept. 6th."
 "After three months, dear old nurse and friend,
I can say that I am glad I came here. Every one
is good to me; the children are so sweet that it is
delightful to work for them; and I do work,
Sarah."

"I try to earn every penny, and I have proof

that Mrs. Ross is satisfied. Yesterday she told me
how glad she was that the children had learned to
love me, and that she was much pleased with my
mode of managing them. Then she gave me my
quarter's wages, and I found considerable
sweetness in receiving my first earnings. I was to
have seventeen pounds a year and all found; but
Mrs. Ross placed a five-pound note in my hand,
and would not receive any change."

"You must know I cannot occupy my time in

only dressing and attending to the children and
their clothes; the former are so docile, the latter
so handsome and abundant that they receive
little damage, and when at all shabby they are
given away; so I began to teach, and turned
everything I knew to account in order to benefit
my darling charges."

"Mrs. Ross found out what we were doing, and

said, 'You are teaching my children to love
information by leading them gently, and making it
attractive. How have you acquired such an
excellent method?'"

"'I taught in our Welton Sunday Schools,' I

said. 'My little scholars were the children of the
very poor; but I took more pains with them
because their learning time is short and their
opportunities are few. If my method has any
merit, it is owing to my dear father's example,
which I tried to copy.' My eyes filled. I could not
keep back my tears when I thought of him, and
of all I owed to his loving training."

"Mrs. Ross laid a gentle hand on my shoulder,

and said, 'Do not cry, Joyce. I feel deeply for you.
It must be hard to look back and think how things
were whilst he lived. I have heard so much of
your father's excellences, and how you were both
loved by rich and poor.'"

"'I am not unhappy,' I replied. 'Service here is

not servitude, and I am much better satisfied to
earn my bread than to owe it to the charity of
another.'"

"'You are right; but I should be wrong to accept

the faithful labours of a governess in return for a
nursemaid's salary. Henceforth you will receive
forty pounds a year, and, Miss Mirlees, I shall look
for you, with the children, in the drawing-room
daily, when we have no formal company and are
alone, or have only a few friends.'"

"I began to wonder if my old Welton frocks

would be good enough, but that evening a parcel
came to me, containing a dress-length of good
mourning silk, with all requisites for making it up.
Mrs. Ross sent a note a little later, to say that it
was a mark of the satisfaction felt by her husband
and herself at the improvement in their children."

"I can now wear my dear mother's watch and

ornaments without their seeming unsuitable, and
I shall once again find myself amongst people of