List for One, Please

On a recent project visit to a project with only one person and when I asked the Foreman how his planning was going I was told it was "going well."  But when I asked if the Foreman was doing task cards he said "no."

(Some of you might be wondering what a task card is and why it matters if one is filled out.  A task card is used at Willmar Electric to make sure all of the resources needed to do a task are present and ready to go before a task is begun.  A detailed list of all the manpower, information, space considerations, material, equipment and tools (MISMET) that are needed to complete a task are written down on the card.  It also lists out the goal for the task and any safety concerns that might be present during the task.)

Some of you might be wondering why would a project with only one person needs to plan it's work? 

Let me go in another direction for a moment. 

Last week I went to see my Dad at his new job as the School Administrator at Community Christian School in Willmar, MN.  When I walked through the door I notice him writing something on his note pad.  For as long as I can remember my Dad has maintained a note pad with a to-do list.  When he comes up with something that needs to get done but he can't do at that moment he writes it on his list.  When he finishes something from the list he crosses it off the list.  A very simple low tech solution. 

When I notice was are out of something at our house.  The process is pretty simple.  Check the store room to see if we have any more on hand and let my wife know that we need more form the store.  She then adds it to her weekly grocery list. At the Chapin house my wife goes to the store at most once a week but yet we are never out of anything we might need!  (Wants are another question.  We run out of Oreos and other unhealthy things from time to time.  I am sure that has more to do with good judgement.)

When I am working on something at home by myself like replacing a pool pump, fixing the garbage disposal, or installing a screen door nothing is more frustrating then not having everything that I need on hand.  Having the wrong tool, the incorrect size or coming across a missing part leads to another to trip to the garage or, even worse, a trip to the store makes we want to throw the tool in my hand the isn't working correctly at the wall.

I was given an article by a co-worker last week titled "The 10 Commandments of Project Cost Management" and commandment #3 is "thou shalt have a pilot's checklist when approaching a project."  The paragraph goes on to explain that in order to be effective you need a written list.  Keeping a list in your head is never as effective as writing it down.

My Dad could track his to-do list in his head.  But I am sure that anybody that has done things that way or is currently using that method can relate to the process of forgetting something or somebody.

My Wife could track the grocery list in her head or just stroll up and down the aisles buying things as she came across them.  But I sure that anybody that has done things that way can remember getting home only to have it hit them that they forgot something and are now faced with heading back to the store, calling their spouse to see if they can stop at the store or decide they will continue to live without the items they forgot.

I have never meet somebody that thinks keeping track of things in their head is more efficient that writing it down. 

Of course writing it down is better. 

Everybody agrees, right?

Even if it take a little longer the time saved by not having to stop, search and start over, not to mention the time it take to redo something, makes up for the time spent planning. 

Let go back to my project without task cards.

Clearly my examples point out that I think planning is important.  I understand that even if you have read this far you might still be willing to argue that planning isn't worth the effort.  But you can't deny that I, David Chapin, think planning is important. (It's pretty clear what my opinion is!!!)

And in this example I am the boss.  I run the company.  The project gets judged in part on how it does it planning.  I was sent to this project by the Project Leader to grade this Foreman.  He got a failing grade.

Whoops!

I wonder if anybody's supervisor thinks that the employee is too organized?  I doubt it.

I wonder if anybody's supervisor thinks that the employee should skip the planning phase?  I doubt it.

I wonder if anybody's supervisor thinks the people working for them shouldn't write things down?  I doubt it.

I realize that it isn't everybody nature to just naturally write things down or to detailed planning.  But what if I told you your future promotions, raises and status depended on it?  Do you think you would be organized, plan and write things down?  My Dad and Wife do it and they don't even have that big of an incentive. (Clearly I am not in charge of them.)