3 experts have described difficult decisions they had to take in one project.
Now think about what was important for them in taking the decision the took. Would they act differently in a different context? Why?
(If you are part of an ongoing PM bootcamp cohort on DEXA, also copy your comment to your group)
Expert 1: Sarah, Project Manager in Construction
Decision:
Sarah had to decide whether to continue construction during an unexpected severe weather event. Continuing would risk worker safety, but halting the project would delay completion and increase costs.
Reflection:
For Sarah, worker safety was paramount. She ultimately decided to halt construction despite the financial implications. This decision was influenced by the ethical responsibility to ensure the well-being of her team and compliance with safety regulations.
Different Context:
In a different context, such as a less severe weather condition where safety risks were manageable, Sarah might have decided to implement additional safety measures and continue working. The balance between safety and project deadlines would shift based on the severity of the risk.
Expert 2: Michael, IT Project Lead
Decision:
Michael had to choose between two software solutions for a critical project. One solution was well-known and reliable but expensive, while the other was less expensive but relatively untested.
Reflection:
Michael prioritized reliability and long-term stability. He opted for the more expensive, well-known software to ensure project success and minimize the risk of future issues. Trust in proven technology and risk aversion guided his decision.
Different Context:
If the project had a more flexible budget or if the timeline allowed for thorough testing, Michael might have considered the cheaper, untested software. In a startup environment with limited funds, cost-saving could outweigh the risk, prompting a different choice.
Expert 3: Lisa, Marketing Campaign Manager
Decision:
Lisa faced a dilemma between launching a marketing campaign on schedule with incomplete market research or delaying the launch to gather more data. Launching on schedule could capture immediate market opportunities but risked missing the target audience due to insufficient insights.
Reflection:
For Lisa, understanding the audience and ensuring the campaign’s effectiveness were crucial. She decided to delay the launch to complete the research, believing that a well-targeted campaign would yield better long-term results despite the short-term delay.
Different Context:
In a fast-moving market where timing is critical, such as during a holiday season or a trending event, Lisa might prioritize speed over comprehensive data. Here, capturing the market opportunity quickly could be more important than perfect targeting.
Analysis
Common Factors in Decision-Making:
Values and Priorities: Each expert’s decision was heavily influenced by their core values, such as safety, reliability, and effectiveness.
Contextual Factors: The specifics of the project environment, such as severity of risks, budget constraints, and timing, significantly impacted the decisions.
Acting Differently in Different Contexts:
Sarah: In a less severe weather situation or with different safety protocols, she might balance safety and deadlines differently.
Michael: With more time or in a financially constrained environment, he might take a calculated risk on the cheaper software.
Lisa: In a time-sensitive market, she could prioritize a timely launch over exhaustive research.
These reflections highlight the importance of context in decision-making. While values provide a foundation, the specific circumstances and constraints of each project can lead to different decisions.
For each of these professionals, in making tough calls they prioritised the project, putting into consideration the goals and objectives of the project in the first place. They also considered the people. Without the people, as the PM, you can’t successfully achieve all that you set out to. So, getting the people to a place where their needs are met and they get the work done is a win-win.
Let’s not forget that project management is above all about achieving the planned objectives with the planned resources and within the planned timeframe.
And in order to deal with endogenous and exogenous factors, communication is needed that respects stakeholders.
One project manager’s decision may differ from another’s, but what is fundamental is the solidity of the team and its adaptability to any situation.
In my country, there’s an adage that goes ‘there’s never a problem without a solution’.
In taking decision, you deal with what is most important in the project or what will be the best for the project
What was important to them was ensuring proper management of the situation faced. They used different approaches depending on what they were faced with.
Reflect on what was important in taking the decision:
Ethics of their organization was important for them in taking the decision they did and also counting the cost and ensuring not to compromise on ethics and openness in their decision making.
Would they act differently in a different context, why?
I think they wouldn’t have acted differently in another context due to the fact that no matter the difficulty faced, the project team had adequate communication to the appropriate stakeholders. And this is crucial in the success of any project.
Why the Project Managers took the decision they made.
The major reason why they took the decision is that they are focused on the project goal. In achieving the goal they had to be flexible in addressing the challenges that came up. Hence through stakeholders engagement and collaboration, they were able to resolve issues and achieve their project goal.
Would they have acted differently?
Yes would have acted differently if all resources were available, stakeholders were not affected and are satisfied. But under the circumstance they wouldn’t have acted differently if they were to achieve their project goal.
Kennedy Anyanwu
Cohort 15
Yes they would act differently on a different context.
WHY?
Firstly the to project management see handling different project , obviously what A plans and decision would be will be different to B plans and decision would be depict the fact that they would follow same skills. Also them would be having different team’s to work on the project. If the two project managers are working on a project as a team then there won’t be difference in their plan and fulfillment of the project.
I think what was important to them was counting the cost, ensuring that they did not compromise on ethics and openness in the decisions made with regards to the stakeholders of the project.
While past projects can be used to set precedents for future projects, each project is actually unique in nature and should be handled in relation to the unique circumstances surrounding it.
They would react differently in different context because each situation requires different approach