# data[].attributes.headline
Reflection on Project Planning Resources 

# data[].attributes.subject
Reflection on Project Planning Resources 

# data[].attributes.body
How could you use the three project planning resources to support your project's impact?

Of the three resources, Project Charter, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) , and One-Page Project Plan, I find that the first, the Project Charter, is sufficient for the project type and plan for Promise Academy. The charter is sufficient, in my opinion, because the deliverable is well defined, although somewhat complex to assemble. Having said that, I will add quite a bit more detail to the Charter so that it includes some of the text/plan that would go into the other two documents. To accomplish this, I will use the WBS and the One-Page Project Plan as resources and references for the details in the Project Charter.

Another reason I wish to limit my planning to the single document is that I have been having difficulties meeting with the project sponsor and main subject matter expert, so I wish to ensure he is not overwhelmed with my own planning documents, and have him focus all his energy on the charter.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.body
Minor revisions after review with Supervisor.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
My Project Charter for OUSD Summer Learning 2021_v2

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Project Charter - Gates Foundation - Matthew Milner v2

# data[].attributes.body
The project charter - This resource will be valuable for describing the project itself. I can see the background to understand how I have arrived at a particular project and what is the intent for it in Chicago Public Schools. This is tied to me identifying the goals of the Resource Hub, which will be crucial for me to properly plan the ways I can modify their current systems.  It will also include an identification of all relevant stakeholders related to the Office of Teaching and Learning, and a calendar that can summarize the biggest steps of the summer project.

The work breakdown structure – I am already used to putting all my tasks into a calendar to have them all ordered according to different due dates. However, this practice is mostly done on a weekly basis. A WBS would allow me to do a similar plan but for all the tasks that need to be completed to finish the project.

One-Page Project Plan – My supervisor and I have agreed to do at least a weekly check-in to report back on my progress with the project for the Resource Hub. This type of resource would be a useful way to summarize all the steps that have been completed, any roadblocks, and any additional steps that are still pending.

# data[].attributes.body
Successful

1.- There was a clear deliverable for the project from the start.

2.- The project added value to the organization´s operation and the team knew how the final deliverable would be used.

3.- There was a strict timeline for the project, which forced everyone involved in the project to organize ourselves and maximize our resources.

Unsuccessful

1.- Communication about what was expected from the project was faulty at the beginning. This caused a waste of efforts by doing tasks that were not required.

2.- The evaluation of the project was subjective.

3.- Nothing would really change from the project. The impact of the project was never clear to those who participated in it.

# data[].attributes.body
Project plan in progress - will review with supervisor this week! Current progress attached.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Julia's Project Charter_LeMoyne Owen College

# data[].attributes.headline
Reflections on Project Planning for Impact

# data[].attributes.subject
Reflections on Project Planning for Impact

# data[].attributes.body
How could you use the three project planning resources to support your project's impact?

I will use the Project Charter, Work Breakdown Structure, and 1-page project summary to keep my supervisor informed even as I'm working virtually across a long distance. The charter will help us align at the beginning and explain my role to key stakeholders. The WBS will help me break the project into manageable "chunks" and keep things in realistic scope. Finally, the project plan will be shared with my supervisor every Monday morning to inform him of my progress and set my intentions for the week.

# data[].attributes.body
Successful
1. Clear vision and benchmarks for success
2. Defined stakeholder roles
3. Tracked budget
--> Fulfilling

Unsuccessful
1. Unclear requirements
2. Unknown resources
3. Over budget
--> Exhausting

# data[].attributes.body
Defining Project Characteristics:
SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS:
1) Clear plan of action that included short-term goals and a clear mapping of inputs and outputs through backward planning.
2) Thorough engagement and participation from stakeholders involved in the project and a clear understanding of the goal/purpose across groups.
3) Results of the intervention, actions implemented as a part of the project were documented that effectively communicated the progress.

Unsuccessful Projects:

1) No specified timeline created for short-term goals.
2) Expectations and deliverables not communicated clearly to the different groups involved in the implementation of the project
3) Erratic behavior of stakeholders and administration not accounted for.

# data[].attributes.body
(Attached - Truman)

# data[].attributes.body
The Project Charter, Work Breakdown Structure, and Project Plan provide a structured method towards managing a project. These resources will help a leader understand and articulate impact early on so that it's built into the structured plan.
(Truman)

# data[].attributes.body
Successful:
1. Aligned Team
2. Detailed Plan
3. Open Communication

Unsuccessful:
1. Poor leadership
2. No strategic plan
3. Minimal teamwork
(Truman)

# data[].attributes.body
Having done a fair amount of project management work, the resources provided here remind me the importance of keeping track of your work. It gives me great insight on how to plan out my summer project and make sure that my accomplishments are aligned with the objectives set aside by my placement organization. Sometimes without clear goals and objectives, it can be hard to keep a focus on what the “point” of the works is, and at the same time without a more detailed breakdown of the actual tasks and those deadlines, I can sometimes fall into the habit of not following through. Being clear on the 1. goals/objectives, 2. specific tasks to get done, 3. Schedule or timeline can really help to complete the project.

# data[].attributes.body
Successful:
1. Well-planned
2. Clear objectives
3. Involved key stakeholders
Unsuccessful:
1. Disorganized
2. Roles/leads not clearly defined
3. Lack of communication

# data[].attributes.headline
Successful project: 1. Clear, realistic goals that align with stakeholders. 2. Autonomy to pursue with creativity and self-ownership. 3. Collaborative and effective communications throughout the project. Unsuccessful: 1. Lack of timeline, structure, clear goals. 2. Lack of purpose and meaning, "doing the bare minimum" 3. Lack of communication and collaboration.

# data[].attributes.subject
Successful project: 1. Clear, realistic goals that align with stakeholders. 2. Autonomy to pursue with creativity and self-ownership. 3. Collaborative and effective communications throughout the project. Unsuccessful: 1. Lack of timeline, structure, clear goals. 2. Lack of purpose and meaning, "doing the bare minimum" 3. Lack of communication and collaboration.

# data[].attributes.body
Successful
1. Carefully planned
2. Collaborative
3. Realistic

Unsuccessful
1. Overambitious
2. Unclear vision
3. Lack of communication

-Bell W

# data[].attributes.body
Successful:
1. Clarity around what the project is trying to accomplish
2. Clarity around who should be involved in the project and what my role is vs others'
3. Appropriate level of support and freedom/autonomy over the project
Unsuccessful:
1. Lack of or ineffective communication among some or all stakeholders involved in the project
2. Unclear roles/responsibilities for all stakeholders involved in the project
3. Lack of flexibility in terms of adapting the plan throughout different portions of the project

# data[].attributes.body
1. Enough time given to scoping to allow critical questions to be asked about goals, process, and possible impediments
2. Clear definition of what was NOT in scope
3. Clarity of roles: who was leading, making decisions, advising, executing

Unsuccessful Project:
1. Roles were initially discussed, but not revisited
2. Lack of accountability amongst team members led to lack of trust and disgruntled side conversations
3. Approach to project was not methodical - problem was not discussed in enough depth before beginning to brainstorm solution

# data[].attributes.headline
How could you use the three project planning resources to support your project's impact?

# data[].attributes.subject
How could you use the three project planning resources to support your project's impact?

# data[].attributes.body
These resources are extremely useful as they provide me with  a starting point to plan my summer project. Since we're in such a time constraint environment (I'm sure 10 weeks will fly by!) being able to leverage these resources, as opposed to creating my own, will allow me to hit the ground running earlier than I expected. Moreover, it'll allow me to focus on the content of the plan, as opposed to how to present it to my team, which means I'll get to spend more of my limited time working on what matters.

# data[].attributes.body
Successful:
1. Meaningful and vulnerable teaming process; team members knew each other's work styles, values, beliefs, etc.
2. Clearly articulated outline for big picture goals and steps along the way, such as deliverables, deadlines, and regular progress monitoring.
3. Norms established around clear, open, honest, kind communication (from Crucial Conversations).

Less Successful:
1. Big picture goals unclear.
2. Limited accountability for work flow goals not being met.
3. Lack of trust and limited communication.

-- from Prachi Naik

# data[].attributes.body
Successful:
Mission-aligned
Adequate resources allocated
Collaborative
Unsuccessful:
Tangential to mission
Not prioritized
Alienated partners

# data[].attributes.body
Successful:
1. Meaningful and vulnerable teaming process; team members knew each other's work styles, values, beliefs, etc.
2. Clearly articulated outline for big picture goals and steps along the way, such as deliverables, deadlines, and regular progress monitoring.
3. Norms established around clear, open, honest, kind communication (from Crucial Conversations).

Less Successful:
1. Big picture goals unclear.
2. Limited accountability for work flow goals not being met.
3. Lack of trust and limited communication.

-- from Prachi Naik

# data[].attributes.body
In my past work, we relied heavily on "campaign plans," which seem fairly similar to the project charters. One component that seems more straightforward in this template is the layout of the phases. I think this will be especially helpful for me as I work on my projects at Bronx Arts. Thinking through what I need to accomplish to move on to the next step will help me streamline my process and better communicate my needs and ideas to my supervisor.

I also have a tendency to focus on big picture tasks and then struggle to communicate the purpose/idea/plan to my team. These documents force me to think through the details and a timeline in a way that will not just be beneficial for me, but also be helpful in communicating my work to others.

# data[].attributes.body
Successful:

1. Open communication with thought partners in the project-planning stage and frequent check-ins throughout the project on both individual/professional levels

2. Collaborative effort to outline and scope realistic, timely, and specific goals and milestones

3. High-levels of trust and independence surrounding individual responsibility; indicative of a broader commitment to the whole

Less Successful:

1. Communication was top-heavy, with self-designated “leaders” delegating tasks and disrupting traditional avenues of feedback

2. Goals outlined were not approached methodically and strategically, resulting in an abundance of overlapping efforts

3. Infrequent check-ins with fellow teammates led to ambiguous task delegation and some budding resentment amongst the group

# data[].attributes.headline
Defining Characteristics of Past Projects

# data[].attributes.subject
Defining Characteristics of Past Projects

# data[].attributes.body
More Successful - Poverty Proxy Research and Recommendations

Stakeholders: coalition of organizations, school principals and community school coordinators, board member

Goal: policy recommendations for an equitable child poverty proxy to be adopted into state-level legislation

Structure - self structured, resources provided by board member and LEE, scope of project was clear

Less Successful - Central MD Team Leader Dinner

Stakeholders: team leaders, org staff

Goal: inform and engage team leaders in the development of the 2020 legislative session strategy and show appreciation for work so far

Structure - provided by org staff, resources difficult to acquire, scope of project was not clear

# data[].attributes.body
I really appreciated the linked models. As a visual learner, seeing each of the documents filled out realistically helped me better conceptualize the detail I should be applying to projecting timelines and schedule around my own work. While my organization has given me a strong overview scoping document, I have not had a clear enough picture of what the small, cumulative tasks should look like to achieve the big picture goals. For that, I found the Work Breakdown document to be particularly salient. I love that each task was listed out in extreme granularity. This will be tremendously helpful to me in the WFH setting, since I need to have a lot of structure around my time. The combination of the Charter and the WBS will be very powerful! I have never used GANTT charts like the One Page Project Plan before-- I imagine it would be a useful tool for accountability. I am eager to adapt the one provided and give it a shot throughout this experience.

# data[].attributes.headline
How could you use the three project planning resources to support your project's impact?

# data[].attributes.subject
How could you use the three project planning resources to support your project's impact?

# data[].attributes.body
I really think the provided project planning templates are a great scoping and accountability tools. By defining the vision, objectives, stakeholders, and milestones in the “Project Charter”, everyone can easily understand and digest how the project aims to evolve and its ultimate goals. With only ten weeks to tackle our projects, it will be even more important to have a clear understanding of our project plans from the get-go.

I found the “One-Page Project Plan” in particular to be a helpful resource. A lot of the time, the progress of my projects at the Public Charter School Board lives in a variety of documents and spreadsheets; having a singular snapshot of the project’s critical goals and key objectives would be really helpful in aligning colleagues if they are called upon to support the project while it is in progress.

# data[].attributes.body
The project charter, in particular, allows me to set clear goals and understand what potential outcomes I’m looking for. In the context of my placement, this is great for helping me create an impact. At Slingshot, I am on the measurement team. We conduct and review impact assessments for partner organizations to assess their poverty-fighting impact. The charter allows me to specify this goal and scope and can help me stay focused on my goal and stakeholders when I may get sidetracked.

The work breakdown structure works well with the one-page plan. At Slingshot, we do something similar weekly. On Mondays, we discuss all of the things we need to and plan to do for the week and put it on a shared document. Daily we have check-ins to see if we need help achieving these goals. On Fridays, everyone checks back on their progress.

I like the one-page plan to show progress. For me it will be a visual reputation of my productivity, but in general, it’s a good way to stay on the chartered course. It creates timeline boundaries that at my placement aren’t typically there.

# data[].attributes.body
1. How could you use the three project planning resources to support your project's impact?

The project planning resources will help me align expectations on the project to make sure the outcome is meaningful for the organization. The work breakdown will be useful to stay on track, manage multiple projects, and organize time efficiently. My first project involves building out an organizing model for the organization’s future advocacy efforts. Going through these steps with my supervisor will ensure the end product meets the needs of the organization, allowing them to seamlessly transition from a single-issue campaign to a state-level education equity advocacy organization.

# data[].attributes.body
Successful Project:

1. Clear scope, roles and milestones

2. Clarity around who and how certain decisions will be made

3. High trust and opened, continuous feedback

Unsuccessful Project:

1. Confusion around the project purpose and roles of stakeholders

2. No mutual accountability to hit key milestones

3. Inability to adapt changing external and internal priorities, context and roles

# data[].attributes.body
Successful Projects
1. Team buy-in: colleagues truly believed in the urgency and importance of the project. We also agreed on approach and vision.
2. Well defined: meeting notes, design/coding documentation, handoffs between teams identified, use cases, and timelines were specific
3. Open communication: colleagues were constructive and candid with feedback

Unsuccessful Projects
1. Unclear: expectations and directions were incomplete and obfuscated
2. Disjointed: timelines set by leadership were unrealistic and project was understaffed
3. Lack of leadership: superiors did not set a collaborative tone and were difficult to get feedback from

# data[].attributes.body
1. Project Charter - This is very useful to outline and maintain the scope of my summer project. I will use it to clearly list stakeholders, objectives, timelines, and steps.

2. Work Breakdown Structure - I will leverage to identify and write SMART goals.

3. One Page Project plan - I appreciate a Gantt chart and timeline so this is perfect. I am a visual learner. This artifact makes it easier to monitor and modify tasks/the plan as necessary.

Honestly, I wish I had all these tools in my last role because it would have made my job much easier. These are fantastic resources!

# data[].attributes.headline
Draft of Project Charter - Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation

# data[].attributes.subject
Draft of Project Charter - Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation

# data[].attributes.body
Defining Project Characteristics

1. Successful Example (e.g. saving a large client from cancellation by finishing the custom implementation)

1. Clear, measurable, big-picture goal

2. Cross-functional alignment across groups throughout the organization toward this common big-picture goal

3. Day-to-day approach was agile, fluid, iterative, adaptive

1. Unsuccessful Example (e.g. creation of a new department to centralize data assets across company)

1. Lack of executive sponsorship and external buy-in for the new approach

2. Lack of listening to the team members within the new department, overly focused on managing external perceptions

3. Mis-alignment of success metrics within department vs. external to department

# data[].attributes.headline
Reflections on Project Planning Resources

# data[].attributes.subject
Reflections on Project Planning Resources

# data[].attributes.body
The Project Charter is helpful for explicitly aligning expectations with the Project Sponsor, as it covers the project’s purpose, description, key goals/objectives, scope, milestones/timeline, and stakeholders. The Work Breakdown Structure and Project Plan are helpful to outline key deliverables, communicate approach and timelines, and to identify any risks that may derail the project.

# data[].attributes.body
Bell's project charter :)

# data[].attributes.body
Defining Project Characteristics

Successful Example
- Urgent organizational need
- Highly motivated, openminded, and flexible project manager
- Quick development and positive feedback fueled progress

Unsuccessful Example
- Indifferent/distracted project manager
- Validation of prototype was premature, which, in turn, distracted highly non-technical SME
- Same SME was mere weeks from retirement, causing unreasonable expecations for delivery and timing

# data[].attributes.headline
CPS Enhance Middle School Algebra Project Charter

# data[].attributes.subject
CPS Enhance Middle School Algebra Project Charter

# data[].attributes.body
Successful Projects:
- Clear articulation of responsibilities and decision-making structure
- Intentional value on communicating with stakeholders via email, flyers, and webinars
- Well-defined and well-communicated purpose, work was aligned to the purpose

Unsuccessful Projects:
- Different perspectives/philosophies
- Unresolved tensions
- Competitive, instead of collaborative framing
- Lack of structure/plan to resolve conflicts

# data[].attributes.body
Click link here to see!

# data[].attributes.body
Successful Past Projects:
1. Long timeline: Plenty of time to discuss common goals and desired outcomes and not putting unnecessary pressure on the team all at the last minute
2. Collaborative in Nature: Several thought partners to bounce ideas off of and build off of one another's strengths.
3. Clear roles and Communication: Everyone knew their role and there was constant communication between those involved.

Not Successful Projects:

1. Wrong Stakeholders in the Room: Trying to make a vision possible without the right team members involved, which created lack of power and influence to actually see the project through.
2. Lack of Scope/Focus: A general topic without any clarity on what the actual goal and outcome would eventually be.
3. Lack of Follow-Through/Commitment: People didn't buy-in to the project, set it to the side, had no motivation/capacity to continue working on it so it fizzled out.

# data[].attributes.body
Given the unique work opportunity of a permanent position starting, this project plan will outline how to advance the other start-up work that I have with Words Liive.

# data[].attributes.body
Use this space to share your responses to the reflection activity questions.
Read at least three (3) of your colleagues' submissions and add feedback, questions, or comments!

# data[].attributes.body
Successful Project Characteristics:
1. Co-produced
2. Iterative
3. Clearly defined and vision-oriented

Unsuccessful Project Characteristics:
1. Expansive foci and blurry boundaries
2. Failure to operationalize goals into target conditions/action steps
3. Restrictive vertical decision-making