Basic Concepts You Can Use Today
A project management for anyone series
This is the start of a new series we’ll be exploring on Project Management and how to take what you’re already doing and use simple strategies to help with work and home.
In my last newsletter Update Your Resume, Mama we looked at who could benefit from project management. The easy answer, of course, is anyone but mothers are already doing this 24/7.
Why spend time diving into these concepts then?
Project management strategies are typically reserved for those in the workforce who have positions under the title “project manager.” The gap of information to mothers who don’t fit this category felt baffling to me because my research into the subject drew clear lines from project management work to my toddler negotiation roles at home.
In the last newsletter I asked you to think about the projects you have in your life right now. For some, you may have to coordinate your supervisor to finish certain tasks on time so you can complete your own work. For others (like my struggling self every week), you may be tasked with the undertaking of planning and shopping for groceries. All of these projects are relevant and they can all benefit from some strategies we’ll be learning along the way.
Today let’s talk about some basic concepts of project management and then we’ll start breaking down how we can use them.
Core Concepts
When we’re planning a project we need to keep some core concepts in mind.
Defining the need. We need to ask the basic questions about a situation that are typical of all critical thinking processes: who, what, where, when, and how.
Interviewing. This is when we start researching the needs of everyone potentially involved to ask them about their expectations and needs.
Triage. We’re gathering data and also thinking of backup plans in this stage of planning.
Strategic planning. At this point we start prioritizing factors like time, money, and resources.
Executing the plan. We’ve gotten the ball rolling and we’ve delegated tasks to others with deadlines attached.
Conclusion and evaluation. The actions have been taken, the project has been completed on time or not. If it was unsuccessful this is when we reevaluate and initiate another plan or conclude.
Need a real life scenario to see how these lessons will apply to your life? Let’s take a moment to look at the example of feeding my family.
Defining the need. My husband, 18 month old, and I all need foods for breakfast and dinners, as well as packed lunches for the coming week.
Interviewing. I ask my husband what he wants on the list. I ask myself what I’m craving for meals. My daughter repeatedly asks for bananas.
Triage. I write down three meals I could do for dinners, two sides that would overlap multiple meals, and write down gaps in our usual stock of foods for lunches and snack foods. I pick meals that have ingredients that could carry over from one meal to another (example stir fry and rice ingredients can be fajita bowl ingredients in a pinch).
Strategic planning. At this point we start prioritizing factors like time, money, and resources. I know I can use my Safeway app to save money with their coupon deals and get reward points to save in gas. I have a budget of x amount for the week and I consider if I can do drive-in pickup of groceries if I’m limited in time.
Executing the plan. I pick a day that works for my husband and I, if groceries need to be shopped for in person or ordered online. We decide to go shopping together Sunday afternoon so it’s easier to get the groceries in the house.
Conclusion and evaluation. The actions have been taken, the project has been completed on time. We realize it could benefit to have grocery shopping done the day before so there is more energy to meal prep before a long work week.
What looks like a difficult strategy is something most of us are already doing without calling it “project management.” But this kind of break down can take more complicated projects and give you a good place to start from beginning to end.
How would this six-step breakdown look for a work or home project you’re currently work on? Has there been a step in the process you’ve felt stuck on? Let’s chat about it at hello@chanelriggle.com or in the comments.