FORMATIVE ACTIVITY 23: Multitasking

Read the case study below and answer the questions that follow	US242914 SO3 AC4 [Total: 28]
The problems of multitasking A department found itself way behind schedule and over budget on an important strategic programme made up of several projects. Both the budgets and schedule baselines had begun slipping almost from the beginning and as the projects progressed the lags became severe enough to call in a project consultant. After investigating the departments project management practices, it was determined that there were serious shortcomings in the project managers abilities to accurately forecast resource requirements per project. Too many of the project team members were currently working on two or more projects simultaneously a clear example of multitasking. Unfortunately, the programme leaders developed their ambitious schedules without reflecting on the availability of resources to support each project's milestones. With their excessive functional and team responsibilities neither project managers nor team members were willing to take ownership of their work on the programme. People were juggling assignments, and everyone was getting further and further behind across all the projects in the programme. Project issues would come up and there would be no one there to handle them. The issues were left unattended (and unrecorded) and eventually grew into bigger problems. The schedules continued to lag, and employee morale began to bottom out. Following their recognition of the problem, the first step by the consultant was to get the project managers to renegotiate the work assignments with the project teams. First, the core team was freed from other responsibilities so they could devote their full time to the programme. Then, other support members of the project were designated specific work packages, and these were negotiated alongside their functional departmental tasks. The result, coupled with other suggested monitoring and control mechanisms, was to finally match up the project schedules, activity duration estimates with a realistic understanding of resource needs and availability. In short, the programme was put back on track because it was resource levelled. (Adapted from Pinto, 2007:405)
How does multitasking confuse the resource availability of project team members in the case study? And, in projects of which you have been a part? In the final paragraph of the case study a solution was provided. Given what you have learned what additional solutions can you offer? (Tip: refer to resource levelling). (5)
In the current world of work, it is impossible to eliminate multitasking for the average employee. Do you agree with this statement? Why, or why not? (5)
In your own words, explain the following concepts and how they applied to projects at our organisation Resource constraints Scope creep Resource loading Resource levelling Opportunities for change Consequences of change (18)