Task & Project Management Flashcards
1
Q
Define:
Projects:
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- Have a fixed time frame. A clear beginning and definitive end. Temporary by nature.
- Have specific, predefined purpose(s). Objectives established in advance (time, cost, quality, and outcomes)
- Generates distinct results. Not operational functions. Have high impact which means greater risk is involved.
- Multistep. Involve an interconnected set of tasks and may, but not always, involve others-a whole team rather than a single individual.
2
Q
Define:
Tasks:
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- Are single step. They can typically be done in one sitting or a single chunk of focused time.
- May be ongoing, more routine, and operational in nature.
- Provide limited impact and risk.
- Usually can be completed by one person, as opposed to a team of people.
3
Q
Define:
Project Owner:
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
The person who initiates or sponsors the project and defines high-level requirements.
4
Q
Define:
Stakeholder:
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
The people impacted by the outcome of the project.
5
Q
List:
Project management knowledge draws on 10 areas:
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- Integration
- Cost
- Human Resources
- Stakeholder Management
- Scope
- Quality
- Communications
- Time
- Procurement
- Risk Management
6
Q
Skilled project managers (PMs) possess the following skills and characteristics:
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- Organized - PMs are methodical, they follow systems and processes and use tools to keep things in order
- Effective time managers - PMs understand how long tasks should take, they priortize and they plan their approach.
- Excellent communicators - PMs are direct, specific and clear in their communication.
- Diligent with follow-up - PMs monitor, assess, track, and gather status updates on a continual basis. They always know where their projects stand.
7
Q
Common reasons a project can become unwieldy…
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- Lack of process
- Scope creep or change
- Failure of others to do their part
- Budget or time underestimation
- Lack of controls such as no one overseeing or monitoring what is happening
8
Q
Define:
Scope
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
the goals and parameters of a project, establishes what the project entails and what it does not entail.
9
Q
Define:
Scope creep
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
when critical elements are constantly changing or expanding.
10
Q
Five stages of a project
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- Initiating
- Planning
- Executing
- Monitoring and Controlling
- Closing
11
Q
Stage 1: Initiating
5 Stages of a Project
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- defines the scope
- defines deliverables - such as budget, deadlines and other constraints
- identifies all business owners and stakeholders as well as team members needed to complete the project.
12
Q
Stage 2: Planning
5 Stages of a Project
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- specific tasks are defined and phases established
- create realistic timelines
- create a logical order for task completion
13
Q
Define:
Precedent task
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
must be completed before another one can be done
14
Q
Define:
Dependent task
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
can only be done after another task has been completed
15
Q
True or False
When you determine an estimated duration for each task, always include a safety margin of additional time (50%) to deal with the unexpected.
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
True
16
Q
Stage 3: Executing
5 Stages of a Project
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- tasks are assigned and constraints such as deadlines and budgets are communicated
- make specific and direct requests regarding what needs to be done and by when
- share any constraints to which that person needs to adhere
- document communication in writing even if a request was made in person by sending a follow up email reiterating the request
17
Q
The following definition is called…
If management has delegated you to manage a project that requires assigning tasks to others, it is called…
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
Indirect authority
18
Q
Stage 4: Monitoring and Controlling
5 Stages of a Project
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- the PM’s role is to ensure everyone is on target and the project is being executed according to plan.
- do not micromanage, trust your team and check in frequently
19
Q
Communication is essential during the monitoring and controlling phase. Some communication strategies PMs can employ are…
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- Formal project meetings (face to face)
- Informal communication (phone, email, conference call etc…)
- Regular status updates
- Shared documentation
20
Q
Stage 5: Closing
5 Stages of a Project
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- PM verifies that the established outcomes were achieved
- fixes any problems that may still be left unresolved
- evaluate the final results, what worked and didn’t work, discuss the process and lessons learned
21
Q
The following are…
- Microsoft Project
- Gantt Chart
- Google Docs
- Basecamp
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
Tools for Project Management
22
Q
Define:
Gantt Chart
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
a visual representation of a project that illustratesa variety of elements
developed in the mid 1890s by an engineer
23
Q
Best practices for task collection & organization
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
- collect everything - write it down
- electronic vs. paper
- master vs. daily lists
- define next actions
- refer to it frequently
- cross things off!
24
Q
True or False
Processing tasks is the act of actually completing them—the “doing” of the work.
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A
True
25
# The following describes what?
“performing two or more tasks at the same time.”
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Multitasking
26
When we rapidly switch from one task to another we are...
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Switchtasking
27
# True or False
Research shows that only about **2.5%** of people in controlled studies can multitask without performing worse at either task.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
28
# Define:
Background tasking
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
tasks that can be done simultaneously, because one or both tasks do not require mental effort.
| example: listening to music while cleaning the house.
29
# The following describes:
Complete one task after another in order of priority.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Serial tasking
30
# Define:
Rapid refocus
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
to focus fully on the task at hand and then smoothly transition that concentration wholly to the next task.
31
# The following describes what...
Do all of the items that are similar in nature in one period of time, (stapling, folding letters, or stuffing envelopes) so you only have **one** ramp up (get everything out and organized) and **one** slow down (put everything away)
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Batching
32
# Define:
Time blocking
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
block off time on your calendar to focus on one specific item or a batch of items.
33
# The following describes what?
Work will expand or contract to fill the time available for its completion.
*That means if you have all day to complete one task, that one task will take you all day to complete.*
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Parkinson's Law
34
What is the de facto system?
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
When someone taught you how to do a certain task in a certain way - institutional knowledge.
35
# True or False
A system is the established way of doing things.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
36
The most effective systems are:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Clear
* Consistent
* Correct
* Consensual
* Concrete
37
# True or False
Gain as much understanding as possible regarding context before you begin changing existing systems.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
38
# The following describes what:
**A set of techniques and tools for process improvement.** It is heavily data-driven and requires users to follow a defined sequence of steps aimed at achieving specific targets.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Six Sigma
| created by an engineer at Motorola in 1986
39
# True or False
It is important that administrative professionals know the name Six Sigma, and understand its purpose, especially when discussing process improvement.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
40
# Define:
Time Management
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
The skill of being able to allocate time effectively to achieve required results.
41
# True or False
Every minute spent planning saves 10 minutes in execution.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
42
# True or False
A mere 10 to 12 minutes of planning can save you 100 to 120 minutes in wasted time and effort throughout the day
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
43
Reasons for poor time management
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Too much to do
* No systems/lack of process
* Bad habits (procrastinationand disorganization)
44
# Quote:
*“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”*
This is the essence of wasting time. To effectively manage time, you must also manage and minimize time wasted.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Peter Drucker
45
# True or False
Opportunity cost has been described as “the cost of an alternative that must be forgone in order to pursue a certain action. **OR** the benefits you could have received by taking an alternative action.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
46
Common **time wasters**, include:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Overabundance of coworker chit-chat
* Overabundance of web browsing
* Multitasking
* Frequent interruptions
* Ineffective use of downtime
47
# True or False
A typical office worker gets only 11 minutes between each interruption, and it takes an average of 35 minutes to return to the original task after an interruption.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
False
| It takes 25 minutes to return to the task after an interruption
48
# True or False
Interruptions are essentially distractions that come to you. You do not go out seeking them. Interruptions can come from technology—incoming email or phone calls, people dropping in unannounced etc...
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
49
# True or False
You must plan for necessary interruptions to happen and are indeed an inescapable reality of the modern workplace.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
50
# True or False
Unnecessary interruptions are ones you have the power to manage and minimize with honest communication to find an alternative time to 'catch up'
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
51
Create 'Do Not Disturb' signals such as:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Whiteboard messages
* Time blocking
* Visual signal such as headphones or earbuds
52
# True or False
**Remove yourself** from interruptions by working elsewhere on a short term basis is also another strategy for managing interruptions.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
53
# Define:
Downtime
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
time in which you are not busy.
54
Effective *ways to use downtime* include:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Clean the break room
* Organize desk drawers
* Dust shelves
* Put together marketing packets
* Refill forms
* Restock supply closet
* Purge old paperwork
* Personal development training
* Goal setting/progress review
55
Strategies to help minimize the time wasting impact of technology:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
1. Manage Technical Interruptions (you control technology, not the other way around)
2. Use call forwarding feature
3. Turn off email notifications
4. Web search in batches
5. Train others - create cheat sheets on how to change printer toner etc...
6. Adapt quickly to new technology
56
Strategies to help ease the inevitable technology transitions/upgrade:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Learn what to expect ahead of time
* Build extra time into your schedule to 'get to know the new system'
* Always make sure you have backups of your work.
* Use the help features
* Make notes
57
# Define:
Time management matrix is based on what two key elements?
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
1. Importance
2. Urgency
58
# First Key Element
Importance
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
a measure of value
(a task is important if it contributes to your goals or has a significant negative impact if not completed)
58
# Second Key Element
Urgency
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
a measure of time
( a task is urgent if it requires immediate attention or has an imminent approaching deadline)
59
# Time Management Matrix Quadrants
**Q1: Necessity (High Importance, High Urgency) = DO IT NOW**
These tasks are both highly important and highly urgent.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
This quadrant includes tasks that are:
* crises
* emergency meetings
* last-minute deadlines
* unforseen events
60
# Time Management Matrix Quadrants
**Q2: Productivity (High Importance, Low Urgency) = DO IT NEXT**
Theses tasks are important but not urgent
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
This quadrant includes tasks that are:
* High-impact projects
* Brainstorming
* Planning
* Prevention
* Relationship building
* Learning and renewal
61
# Time Management Matrix Quadrants
**Q3: Distractions (Low Importance, High Urgency) = MINIMIZE IT**
These tasks are not important but have a high level of urgency.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
This quadrant includes tasks that are:
* Unnecessary interruptions
* Irrelevant meetings
* Unnecessary reports
* Unimportant phone calls, emails, etc.
62
# Time Management Matrix Quadrants
**Q4: Waste (Low Importance, Low Urgency) = ELIMINATE IT**
These tasks contribute little to no value and have little to no urgency associated with them. In short, they do not matter and they are not time sensitive.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
This category generally includes the time-wasting activities described earlier.
* Overabundance of coworker chit-chat
* Overabundance of web browsing
* Multitasking
* Frequent interruptions
* Ineffective use of downtime
63
# Describe:
THE PAIRED COMPARISON MATRIX
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
The Paired Comparison Matrix helps determine priority level of all the tasks within an attention-worthy quadrant, Q1(High Importance, High Urgency) or Q2 (High Importance, Low Urgency).
64
# True or False
Meetings and events are not projects.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
False
| They are both projects
65
# Define
Event
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
an occurrence, happening, or activity wherein something notable takes place and/or people gather.
66
Events involve greater numbers of people and are viewed as “special” in nature, some examples are:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* customer appreciation event
* annual employee BBQ
* conference
* gala
67
# Define
Meeting
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
an event for a **specific** reason
68
Meetings involve a smaller number of people and are viewed as “operational” in nature, some examples are:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* to discuss issues
* establish plans
* make decisions
69
# True or False
Events are often larger in scale; so, as a project, they tend to require more resources, planning, and time.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
70
# True or False
Meetings are often smaller in scale; so, as a project, they tend to require fewer resources, as well as less planning and time.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
71
# Describe
Robert's Rules of Order
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Originally a guidebook for conducting formal meetings and making decisions as a group but through the decades has been established as *a standard for orderly discussion and decision making based on the will of the majority*.
72
Common rules of *Robert's Rules of Order*
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Point of Privilege
* Point of Information
* Orders of the day (agenda)
* Point of Order
* Main Motion
* Divide the Question
* Amend
* Withdraw/Modify Motion
* Commit/Refer/Recommit2Committee
* Extend Debate
* Limit Debate
* Postpone
* Object to Consideration
* Lay on the table
* Take from the table
* Reconsider
* Postpone Indefinately
* Suspend the Rules
73
# The following describes what?
a written record of the various elements of a meeting, including topics discussed and decisions made.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Meeting minutes
74
The following best practices will ensure you capture the most valuable information when taking minutes.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* the truly important information, not all the unimportant details
* include the date and time of the meeting, the leaders’ names, and the names of all participants
* make bullet point lists, note the name of the speaker, and summarize
* never include emotions or personal perceptions
* note the accurate order of discussion, even if it doesn't match the agenda
* utilize some form of abbreviated writing when manually taking notes during meetings—even if it is just personal to you
* process notes and create formal, finalized meeting minutes as soon as possible
75
Elements of travel planning
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
1. Create a List of Each Traveler’s Preferences
2. Create a Template for Travel Information
3. Create a Comprehensive Itinerary
4. Other Considerations such as weather, cultural norms, emergency contact information etc...
76
# Define
The Inbox
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* a temporary holding place
* where unprocessed messages—and ONLY unprocessed messages—should live.
77
# Define
The Archives
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A subfolder which serves to organize messages you want to access later on. These have already been processed.
78
# Define
The Pending & Reply Folders
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
A pending folder houses emails on which you are waiting for a response from someone else.
The reply folder is for emails that you have read and that require a response from you, but to which you have not yet responded. This may be because you need to do some research on the topic at hand, or you need to put some thought into the message. These items do require action,
79
# True or False
A message in your inbox has only 5 possible processing options...
1. Delete it
2. Delegate it
3. Do it
4. Delay it
5. Archive it
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
80
Follow these principles for processing your inbox
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* The inbox is sacred space, where messages should only remain on a temporary basis.
* Every message in the inbox requires a decision. Make it immediately upon reading.
* Once a decision is made, the message should be moved out of the inbox.
* Messages should continue to be managed from their respective folders.
81
Best practices for managing email for others
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Create an agreed-upon system
1. your level of involvement
2. outline rules
3. how will you communicate (use flags, categories, folders, etc.)
82
Tools and features to make email management more efficient
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Flag for follow-up
* Color categories
* Rules
* Quick steps
83
Managing the physical space in which you work impacts the following
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Ability to manage time and other resources
* Ability to focus
* Stress levels
* Overall productivity and performance
* Self-image
* Reputation
* Personal and professional opportunities
84
A messy workspace, creates a variety of unspoken (perhaps even unconscious) negative assumptions about you, such as...
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* lack of maturity
* unhygenic
* no discipline
* no drive
* incompetent
* no work ethic
* low intelligence
85
Three reasons that physical space becomes disorganized:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
1. you have too much stuff
2. the things you do have, do not have a place where they belong
3. you do not put things back where they belong
86
Solutions for these concerns:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
1. declutter
2. pick a place for everything
3. put things back
87
# True or False
The average U.S. office worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper per year
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
True
88
The following strategies will help you create and maintain a powerful paper filing system.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Evaluate your current system
* Find logical groups
* Keep related items together
* Consider location
* Adhere to document retention policies
89
# The following tips are effective for what office procedure...
1. Remove junk
2. Don't overstuff
3. Create a system within the file folder
4. Color code labels for fast retrieval
5. Distribute rules for 'your' system
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
Efficient filing
90
The following statements are signs that your electronic filing system is in disarray:
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
* Your computer desktop has dozens of icons on it.
* You have an overwhelming number of folders and files.
* You have a lot of unnecessary junk.
* You have a lot of files that are generically labeled.
* You use the search feature to find things—and it is not always helpful.
* You have multiple places where any item could be.
* You have single items that are saved in multiple different places.
* It takes a long time to figure out where to save things.
* It takes a long time to find things.
* You frequently lose files and never recover them.
91
An effective virtual filing system consists of three components.
## Footnote
MOD2: Task & Project Management
1. Logical hierarchial structure
**For example:** Banking 🡪 Checking Account 🡪 Bank Statements 🡪 2023 🡪 January
2. Consistent naming convention
**For example:** Client Last Name_Month_Document-Number_Version-Number
3. Regular and Frequent Clean Up Routines -
should be completed on a quarterly or monthly basis
