One of the key factors that affect work efficiency is clarity. Are you or the people you are supervising clear about what needs to be done? Are you or they clear about how to do it as well as the resources available for solving any difficulties? Projects today are large and multidiscplinary and currently organisations are focussing on keeping their human resources as trim as possible. Rather than having a one dimensional role, employees today are given tasks to do that lie in multiple areas. So how do you, as an employer or employee manage these projects?
My PhD project is very broad and crossdisciplinary and I have other projects that I am leading simultaneously. So to ensure that my work on all projects progresses smoothly and as efficiently as possible, I have formulated the following rules for myself:
* The tasks that have been set or that I am setting are absolutely clear. If there are any doubts or questions, these should be raised immediately.
* If there is any problem at any stage, I first try to find the solution myself and if that doesn’t work I seek advice from the person I know will have the required expertise. The trick here is to ensure that I do try to solve the problem first but don’t spend so much time trying to solve it that it results in undesireable delays to the projects.
* There are also several tools I use to help me manage the different projects I am working on. These include mind maps – a fantastic way of breaking down tasks, remembering them as well as linking them to other tasks. I also make gantt charts that lay out the workplan: different phases of the project, the discrete tasks, who will work on them and and when these will be completed. FreeMind and Openproj are easy to use opensource software for creating mind maps and gantt charts respectively. But as always, a balance must be maintained to ensure the time spent creating these is not being counter productive.
* On the basis of problems faced, solutions devised or findings, I revisit the workplan and if there any changes that must be made, I discuss these immediately and amend the workplan.
* The last point is follow-up. Nobody likes following up on people or have people constantly questioning you. However, this is a necessary evil. It is to easy to let a complicated task drag on losing sight of when it needs to be delivered or at times even an easy task is forgotten. I try to give adequate time for task completion and ask how it is going once the person has had a bit of time to work on it. And I briefly update/ report back on my own on the progress being made.
Do you think these rules will improve how you work? Are there other techniques you apply that make you work best?
My PhD project is very broad and crossdisciplinary and I have other projects that I am leading simultaneously. So to ensure that my work on all projects progresses smoothly and as efficiently as possible, I have formulated the following rules for myself:
* The tasks that have been set or that I am setting are absolutely clear. If there are any doubts or questions, these should be raised immediately.
* If there is any problem at any stage, I first try to find the solution myself and if that doesn’t work I seek advice from the person I know will have the required expertise. The trick here is to ensure that I do try to solve the problem first but don’t spend so much time trying to solve it that it results in undesireable delays to the projects.
* There are also several tools I use to help me manage the different projects I am working on. These include mind maps – a fantastic way of breaking down tasks, remembering them as well as linking them to other tasks. I also make gantt charts that lay out the workplan: different phases of the project, the discrete tasks, who will work on them and and when these will be completed. FreeMind and Openproj are easy to use opensource software for creating mind maps and gantt charts respectively. But as always, a balance must be maintained to ensure the time spent creating these is not being counter productive.
* On the basis of problems faced, solutions devised or findings, I revisit the workplan and if there any changes that must be made, I discuss these immediately and amend the workplan.
* The last point is follow-up. Nobody likes following up on people or have people constantly questioning you. However, this is a necessary evil. It is to easy to let a complicated task drag on losing sight of when it needs to be delivered or at times even an easy task is forgotten. I try to give adequate time for task completion and ask how it is going once the person has had a bit of time to work on it. And I briefly update/ report back on my own on the progress being made.
Do you think these rules will improve how you work? Are there other techniques you apply that make you work best?
