Case:

CASE STUDY 12.1 The Problems of Multitasking An eastern U.S. financial services company found itself eventually grew to become big problems. The schedule way behind schedule and over budget on an important continued to lag, and employee morale began to bot- strategic program. Both the budget and schedule base- tom out. lines had begun slipping almost from the beginning, and Following their recognition of the problem, the as the project progressed, the lags became severe enough first step made by the consultants was to get top man- to require the company to call in expert help in the form agement to renegotiate the work assignments with the of a project management consulting firm. After investi- project team. First, the core team members were freed gating the organization's operations, the consulting firm from other responsibilities so they could devote their determined that the primary source of problems both full-time attention to the program. Then, other support with this project in particular and the company's proj- members of the project were released from multitasking ect management practices in general was a serious fail- duties and assigned to the project on a full-time or near ure to accurately forecast resource requirements. In the full-time basis as well. The result, coupled with other words of one of the consultants, "Not enough full-time suggested changes by the consultants, was to finally [human] resources had been dedicated to the program." match up the project's schedule and activity duration The biggest problem was the fact that too many of estimates with a realistic understanding of resource the project team members were working on two or more needs and availability. In short, the program was put projects simultaneously-a clear example of multitask- back on track because it was finally resource-leveled, ing. Unfortunately, the program's leaders developed particularly through creating full-time work assign- their ambitious schedule without reflecting on the avail- ments for the project team that accurately reflected the ability of resources to support the project milestones. need to link resource management with scheduling.12 With their excessive outside responsibilities, no one was willing to take direct ownership of their work on the Questions program, people were juggling assignments, and every- 1. How does multitasking confuse the resource avail- one was getting farther behind in all the work. Again, in ability of project team personnel? the words of the consultant, "Project issues would come 2. "In modern organizations, it is impossible to elimi- up and there would be nobody there to handle them [ in nate multitasking for the average employee." Do a timely fashion]." Those little issues, left unattended, you agree or disagree with this statement? Why