Everyone has their shit to deal with

[rosa_heartlily]

Really quite worried about one of my colleagues. But their need to get out for a walk and a chat provided a positive distraction for another colleague who has shit going on... so, ill winds and silver linings, I suppose.

EPC tried taking the other PMs through the work we've done so far on Power Apps/Project. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to start the story in the middle, then use words like 'obviously' and 'we wanted', without bringing people on the journey. So, there was push-back from one of the other PMs who really gets rubbed the wrong way by EPC's style. Oh, personality clashes, what wonders you are! Second PM thought EPC had got fixated on the tool rather than the problem we want to solve - which is understanding resource clashes. However, the best way to understand the resource clashes is to put all the data into the tool! But that particular insight didn't spring to mind at the right moment. Hindsight is also a wonderful thing :D

Anyway, the tool is whizzy and it does provide a solution to a number of issues. It's much easier to update than the current version of Project, so that's a plus for the PMs. We can also build a report for the PMs to use for their fortnightly updates that draws most of its info from the tool, so all they need to provide is some narrative - which also reduces their workload. (Note to self - make sure we give PMs the FINAL version...). And we can also build a report for me to use for the portfolio dashboard that goes on the website. It can also handle project requests, so will replace the current MSForm - though I'm not sure about how people will access it. And it can replace my current SharePoint list that is my 'Bible' for projects. On top of which, we can see where the resources are being squeezed.

Of course, the tool is only as good as the data that goes into it, so it will require REGULAR updates from the PMs. Which may be a challenge... But that's my job! AND we also need to agree the process and the new gates, which is the other thing the PMs are really keen on. Again, EPC's approach suggested cart before horse, which really isn't the case, but the PMs need to feel they've been included, just like any other stakeholders. Considering we're all in the business of change management, you'd think none of us knew anything about it *facepalm*

But it does feel like we've made more progress in a week than I've made in years. Partly that's the energy of EPC. Partly it's the placement student in the Power BI team who needs some 'real' work to do. And partly it's that Microsoft's toolset is all coming together. Timing is everything.

In IFR, I retrieved Daedalus' treasure with help from Phosphor <3 Popped back to the Hall of the Gods for a chat, then headed off to Zeus' mountain. Where I'm a bit stuck. There are cold spots that sap my stamina. Aphrodite said something about her fires warming me up but I've only found one cold spot that had any braziers to light. The others are just cold. I'll have another go tomorrow. Sometimes the answer is right there... I'm also not averse to watching a LP for the ending and just moving on :D

Tooth had a couple of grumbly moments today, but mostly it's been OK. So I'm thankful for that!

Comments

[lassarina]

It always baffles me that there is an entire industry devoted to change management and how to do it, and then I see things like "start in the middle and shove down people's throats without doing the whole journey" and I realize why we have such an industry. (I considered getting certified for change management and then I realized it would involve entirely too much talking to other humans, so fuck that.)