Project Management 101: What is a Project?

Job responsibilities have shifted from standard processes to project-oriented work increasing the emphasis on project management. More and more job descriptions require or prefer experience in project management. Project management is obviously important, but what is a project anyways? As defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI), a project is a temporary group activity designed to produce a unique product, service or result.

Two key characteristics form the definition of a project: temporary and unique. A project is temporary, this means that there is a defined end date and start date. A project produces something unique, the purpose of the project is to develop something that does not currently exist. When you are trying to determine if a task is a project next time, ask yourself, “Is this task temporary?” “Is the outcome of task completion something unique?” If the answer to both questions is yes, you have a project on your hands! Remember projects can come in all shapes and sizes, from building a hospital to writing an article.

Now, let’s test your knowledge on identifying projects! Determine whether each of the situations below is a project (answers at the end of the post).

1. Fulfilling a new traveler request at an operations center
2. Designing a report to track metrics for management
3. Factory production of a car
4. Developing new functionality in an information dashboard
5. Preparing standard reports to management
6. Establishing an operations center

Answer time!

1. Fulfilling requests would be part of routine operations and does not produce a unique result, No
2. Designing the report would create a unique product for tracking and is temporary starting with the design and ending with the completed report, Yes
3. Factory production of pretty much anything is routine work and does not produce unique products, No
4. Developing new functionality creates unique functionality not previously available. If the development is part of the standard maintenance process then this task is routine not temporary (not a project), but if the development is not part of standard maintenance then this task is temporary (a project), It Depends
5. Standard is a key descriptor, anything standard is not unique unless you are creating that initial standard, No
6. Establishing an operations center as a specific instance (unique, temporary) to meet a need (a project), but if establishing operations center is part of your standard scope of work i.e. establishing customer support call centers around the world then this would not produce unique results and this work is routine, It Depends

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the blogger and are not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System.

Why You Should Welcome the F Word, Failure

Failure, I said it, pardon my French. Failure is avoided as much by professionals as by mothers trying to censor the other F word from their toddlers. Why is everyone so afraid of failure? Well, everyone wants to be successful and as defined by Google, failure is the lack of success. Instead of being the lack of success, failure can be the catalyst to success and provide the benefits below.

• Rest: Failure is draining. Take a set period of time (a couple hours to a couple weeks depending on the situation) to take a break from the situation and recharge. During this period actively banish failure-related thoughts and negative feelings from your mind.
• Learn from the Mistakes: Review the situation to determine possible causes for the failure. Once causes are identified, focus on actions to prevent these risks in future situations. Shift the effort away from berating yourself over the past and concentrate on future prevention. Lessons learned documentation in project management is a prime example.
• Self-Evaluate: People are busier than ever with increased mobility and connectivity allowing competing demands (school, work, family, etc.) to reach you 24/7. You rarely get a break for introspection. What motivates you? Why do you do the things you do? What are the sources of (dis)satisfaction in your life? Use the situation to think about the path your life is taking and supporting reasons; it may be time for a change.
• Value Success, Deal with Failure: Experiencing failure helps you deal effectively with future failure. Failure can be shocking to those only experiencing success. A friend recently was in a downward spiral of depression due to a work project being axed. Having little to no previous experience with failure she did not know how to deal with the situation and felt lost, unsure, and unconfident. Her learning curve in managing failure was significantly steeper than others with previous experience, and it took several months for her confidence to return.
• Grow Long Term: Life is full of success and failure; each shapes your life and helps you grow. Living a balanced life is important and for balance to exist there must be both failure and success. Being forward thinking in your approach to failure will promote development both in the present and the future.

These benefits do not mean you should actively pursue failure, but when you experience failure (we all do!) regard it as a positive opportunity instead of a negative consequence. Of course you may need a happy hour outing with coworkers or couch potato time to get over the initial disappointment, but afterwards take advantage of the situation and focus on reaping the benefits of failure. After not being  selected for a position I was upset, but after initial moping (lots of fried foods and sweets) I realized I was missing key qualifications and went back to school for my MBA. Following my MBA, I was well positioned and promoted when the opportunity occurred in my department.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the blogger and are not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System.

Planes, Trains, and Travel Essentials

I live a fabulous life, jet setting to an exotic location every other week to explore new wonders. I wish! I do travel from time to time for business and fun experiencing trial by fire to learn there are key items that would benefit any trip: plane, train, or automobile (or bike or foot or boat...).

Plastic Bags: Do not throw away the bags you get from the grocery store or while shopping! I repeat, do not toss these bags away! As a budget conscious citizen (a deal hunter trained by my mom), instead of throwing away bags I keep these in a box in my pantry. These bags separate dirty clothes, shoes, or other items that may spill from everything else.

Surge Protector/Extension Cord: Why are outlets in inconvenient places 90% of the time?! Who can reach behind the bed or wants to use a plug on the opposite side of the room? Leave the frustration to less savvy travelers and bring a surge protector and/or an extension cord. No more choosing between a light in the room or a charged phone!

Reward Accounts: Before you even start any sort of travel, sign up for the reward programs for any airlines or hotels that you plan to use. Points quickly accumulate, especially if you travel for work. These points can be traded in for lots including future flights and stays. To sign up, go to each company’s website, almost all have free reward programs.

Destination Information: Pretty obvious, how will you know if you don’t have the information for the destination: contact name, phone, address, etc. Bring a hard copy just in case your phone or laptop runs out of battery.

Comfy Shoes: You will be walking and nothing is worse than walking on blisters. While you’re packing your comfy shoes, go ahead and throw in a couple of bandaids just in case.

Extra Socks/Undies: Just bring extra…

Accessible Charger: You do not want to dig through your suitcase when you need a charger, just keep one handy either in your purse or backpack for when you need it.

Payment Methods: It’s a good idea to contact your bank or credit card company if you are traveling and plan on using your debit/credit card frequently. Otherwise your card may be locked and payment inaccessible for loss prevention to prevent against identity theft. Also bring some just in case cash for sketchy places where you may not be comfortable using your card.

Rough Itinerary: You don’t have to plan out each minute of your day, but having a list of places you would like to go or things you would enjoy including the name, location, cost and hours of availability will save a ton of time and headache. Instead of spending an hour deciding what to do, you can check your list and slot things based on convenience.

Suitcase with spinners!: Once I began traveling more frequently for work, I hated dragging my two-wheeled suitcase. It was hard to maneuver and would bang into corners. While grumpily pulling my bag, I saw my first suitcase with spinners…Pure magic! 4 wheels that turn in any direction and are easily maneuverable. I was instantly determined to procure one of these magical pieces and now happily count myself as one of the owners of a suitcase with spinners.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the blogger and are not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System.

Office Wardrobe Essentials for Women

Appropriate office attire is a constantly evolving target varying significantly by company culture. Knowing what to wear at the office can become harder to figure out than a Chinese puzzle (even I’m not really sure what this is, I just hear people talk about how hard Chinese puzzles are all the time). Below is a guide of basic items that women can stock their closet with regardless of which organization or what fashion trends they are part of.

• Blazer: Blazers are just awesome. I went from owning one suit-like jacket to having a whole row of blazers after only a few years into my professional career. Blazers instantly amp up your professional presence when thrown over an appropriate outfit or snazz up your casual gear. Often I pair casual dresses with a blazer and end up business casual.
• Comfortable Heels: Heels suck, especially if you’re a flip flop kind of girl like me. Heels do help with your office presence due to the added height subtly directing more attention towards you. That’s why it’s important to get at least one pair of comfortable heels. Shop for neutral colors (black, tan, beige, taupe, navy, brown) with a heel height of 1.5”-3.5.”
• Bag/Purse: A bag or purse large enough to hold a portfolio or laptop is a necessity. Whether going to an interview, work, or networking event, having something large enough to hold your items is helpful and keeps your hands free to hold a coffee while opening the door. I tote around a backpack with a wallet clutch to use when going out for lunch.
• Stockings/Pantyhose/Tights: Whether or not this is part of normal office attire depends on where you work. More conservative cultures may still require wearing some of these stretchy things. Even if your company doesn’t require or prefer stockings, some neutral colored stockings come in handy especially when it’s cold outside.
• The Basics: Keep at least one of each and slowly add as you have time and money: dress, slacks, shirt, button-down, a-line skirt. Remember this is a professional environment so stay away from clothes that are too tight, short, or low-cut. Stick to solid colors (stay away from neon…) or classic patterns (hounds tooth, polka dots, flowers, not animal usually). Also do a walking and sit test of your outfits. Clothes have an odd tendency to pinch and fold when you’re not standing in front of a mirror smoothing out the bunching.
• Coworker Appropriate Casual Wear: At some point of your career you will need to spend time with coworkers outside the office: happy hour, employee event, conference networking. You may not be ‘on the clock’ anymore, but maintaining a semi-professional presence is important. Have clothes on hand that are not quite as stuffy as office wear, but not as casual as when going out with friends or couch potatoing at home. Think nice dress or jeans and a shirt.
• Hair tie: Short hair, long hair, mid-length hair. Sometimes you just want to get your hair out of your face or you need a last minute rubber band like device to wrap around the highlighters at your desk. I keep a few in my wallet.
• Watch/time keeping device: Be on time or early. Don’t keep people too long. Short and sweet, have a watch or other time keeping device.
• Jewelry: I am by no means a girly girl (well, I guess a lot more now than I was), but jewelry is an easy way to accentuate your outfit at the office without buying a new wardrobe. I use jewelry to add color to my otherwise black, black, and more black outfits. Keep the pieces simple and classy.
• Blazer +1 (to leave at the office or in the car in case of emergency): Blazers! You’re probably thinking, but you listed that earlier! Yes, I sure did. This should show you how essential these things are to your wardrobe. Keep an extra blazer at the office or in the car or both, you never know when you suddenly have to meet with the executives or when you will spill tomato basil soup all over you.

Collect these pieces as a normal part of your life, a blazer here, a blazer there, a blazer everywhere…just kidding…but opting for one of these pieces instead of the new shoes you were about to buy will pay off. Trying to buy all of these items just before you need the items will be costly and stressful. Take your time, look for sales. Personally, I opt for when stores have semi-annual clearance and take an additional 30-70% off of clearance items.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the blogger and are not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System.

10 Things You Need for Your First Day at Work

Congratulations! 

You sailed past the torrential waves of applicants and interviews to finally land your new job. Smooth sailing from here, right? Not quite…the initial impression you make with your team will have a far reaching and long lasting impact on your career at your new organization. Begin mapping out a successful career by preparing the following to navigate unexpected first day obstacles to a great first day start of a promising career.

•   Pen + Paper (preferably a notepad or portfolio with a pen clip): Odds are your work area will be stocked with basic office supplies, but most likely you will speak with several people before getting to your new space. Day 1 is a lot to take in, make it easier to remember by taking notes. 
• Cash: I know we live in an electronic world of credit/debit cards, mobile payments, even virtual currency! Cash?! Some companies have cafes that allow you to pay with your badge, but your badge is probably not active yet and the cafes may not accept these ‘new-fangled’ payment methods. Wait, isn’t my team or manager supposed to take me out to lunch? Not always, plus schedules are busy. Don’t rely on the expected and just bring a twenty just in case (emergency snacks!).
• Government-issued ID: You’re new; few people know who you are. Plus, there may be some remaining new hire needed and you don’t have your badge yet. Bring along the ID.
• Appropriate apparel: Remember, keep it professional. Call ahead and speak with the recruiter/hiring manager, ask them what you need to bring, what you need to wear, and when and where you need to arrive.
• Contact information of your manager: Get this before the unexpected happens. You never know if you’ll end up stuck in traffic for 3 hours (yes, me), sprain your ankle (yes, me), or lock yourself accidentally in the office stairwell (actually, not me). Trust me, it’s better to let your manager know instead of him or her wondering what happened to you.
• Contact information of the recruiter: Nothing is worse than finally getting to the building and realizing you don’t actually know where to go or who you are supposed to speak to. No worries, give your recruiter or the person that contacted you during the hiring process a call and ask.
• Breath freshener: Trust me, always have this on hand.
• Comfy shoes: You may be spending your entire first day on your feet: walking, touring the facilities, meeting your coworkers. Instead of awkwardly shifting feet every few seconds or longingly staring at chairs and benches, how about just wearing some comfortable shoes (office appropriate of course)?
• Timeliness: I’m sure you’ve heard this. Being on time is late. You probably get frustrated when your flight is delayed or someone is late to dinner; don’t be the delayed flight or late person at dinner. If you arrive early and others are there, it’s a chance to develop relationships. If it’s just you, then you have a little bit of breathing room to relax and prepare for the meeting.
• Excitement and enthusiasm: Your position is only available because there’s a need for you. Your team is most likely excited about you joining to help out the team, but even if they aren’t, excitement and enthusiasm for the work and your coworkers goes a long way.

These things may seem tiny and inconsequential, but first impressions are always sculpted by the subtle details. I remember one coworker sharing he knew I would be great to work with based on our first meeting due to my organization and enthusiasm (apparently I arrived at the meeting a couple minutes early with a pen and paper and seemed interested in the meeting topics – score for a favorable first impression!).

At the very least, now you have a quick checklist to run through when getting ready for your big day!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the blogger and are not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System.