“We need a system.”
Nov|20|2008
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard those words I’d, well, I wouldn’t be writing this blog. I’d be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro or sipping green tea in Tokyo.
When is a project management system truly needed? Simply put, when you don’t know what’s going on in your agency. Whether you’re a creative team of three or 15, if you can’t immediately tell where every job stands, you need a system.
Are your projects deadline-based (and every job is “on fire”) or budget-based? If deadline-based, you need a system.
Is information entered in a single place or shared across multiple desks, e-mail accounts, Post-it notes, and megaphones? If the latter, you need a system.
Are your Clients frustrated because no one seems to know when (and where) the job will deliver? You REALLY need a system.
Do you know exactly how long it took to write the copy or does “a couple hours” sound fair? If guesstimating, you need a system.
If you were to get hit by a bus tomorrow, would anyone else know the critical business data that’s stored in your head? You need a system.
My point is this… in order to more efficiently (and profitably) run your agency, you need some form of project management system; ideally, one that’s web-accessible.
Or, you could just invest in fire extinguishers, earplugs, flowers, a crystal ball, and a crossing guard.
You CAN take it with you.
Nov|12|2008
The system I use each day to document my customers’ questions, record my time, submit project-related expenses, and get a quick feel for what’s moving through the IT Department, is CurrentTrack®. It’s an entirely web-based project management system — or, if you’re a fan of acronyms, SaaS — that enables me to work from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection.
Ok, enough shameless promotion.
I love the fact that CurrentTrack is “web-enabled.” On Monday, I found myself at home with an under-the-weather three-year-old. In between dispensing meds and fetching his favorite Webkinz, I was able to access my Task List, support customers around the globe (literally) and record each time increment along the way.
Regardless of which project management system you use, its being web-accessible will play an integral role in keeping up with the fast pace of business during the remainder of 2008, into 2009 (and beyond).
No one WANTS to work when outside the office with a sick child, an ailing parent or anything else life may throw their way. The reality of the situation is that we sometimes HAVE to. Why not make the information necessary to do your job more easily accessible?
“To bill or not to bill? That is the question.”
Nov|7|2008
The primary goal of the Traffic Department is to increase agency efficiency. Its Manager must effectively monitor jobs, improve communication and ensure workflow consistency.
As Sandra Claudio, former Traffic Manager at Adler Boschetto Peebles & Partners and contributor to “Careers in Advertising” by Eva Lederman summarizes, “Our job is to make sure that everyone else does their job, whether we have to plead, prod, coddle, or cajole them.”
Can a dollar value be tied to these (and other) traffic functions?
Over the past several years, I’ve heard arguments both for and against billing a Traffic Manager’s time.
For obvious reasons, not every task you accomplish can be recorded (and billed) –- two minutes opening a job, ten minutes proofreading, four minutes running between departments. You’d go insane capturing the increments and the Client would have a heart attack upon seeing the bill. You have to use your best judgment.
When I was a Traffic Manager, I opened a catchall job on the first day of each month (e.g. “November In-House Charges”). Over the course of that month, I recorded time against a non-billable Work Code (e.g. TM (Traffic Management) @ $0/hr.).
On any given day, I might have five hours of TM, along with an hour of PROOF (Proofreading @ $50/hr.), against Job Number 00-ABC123, and two hours of ADMIN @ $75/hr. (e.g. an administrative function like on-line research), against Job Number 11-DEF456. Time spent working against actual jobs was always recorded and, if possible, billed to the Client. Time spent “trafficking” was simply considered agency overhead.
Another benefit of recording my time was that management could view a report at year’s end, for example, and determine whether a second Traffic Manager was needed; a lot of proofreading hours might indicate a full-time reader was needed; and so on.
Regardless of whether the cost of traffic is passed along to the Client, you should certainly record your time throughout the day. Think of it as “justifying your existence” (as though you even need to!).
“Baby, it’s cold outside.”
Oct|29|2008
My office is about 12 degrees “warm” this afternoon. The sun is shining outside the window, but don’t be fooled. The winds are chilly. I believe winter has arrived; fall skipped (again).
While sitting here, nose and fingertips slightly numb, it occurred to me…
“Your work environment is as key to your productivity as a good night’s sleep.”
For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard, “Make sure you get a good night’s sleep so you can make it through the day tomorrow!”
What if I’m well rested, at 7 a.m., but completely put off by my surroundings once I’m in the office? Your home-away-from-home has to be inviting, relaxing and, dare I say, fun.
Here are a few of my favorite things…
My diplomas. They remind me of why I worked so hard at Murray State University; to get here.
My plants. When the stress is overpowering, they reassure me that life goes on.
My wooden sushi set. Who doesn’t need Velcro-fastened California rolls and ama ebi?
My family photos. Pictures of my husband and sons remind me that I work to live. I don’t live to work.
My thank you notes. Received from co-workers (and their children), these little notes remind me that random acts of kindness are important.
My 3-year-old son’s cloud mobile. It may just be paper, strings and a wire hanger, but it reminds me that there’s a higher power at work in my life.
My candy jar. It’s always nice when people wander in to say, “hello” (and swipe M&Ms).
What do you like about your office?
Traffic rules to live by
Oct|28|2008
1. Know your “power.” As Traffic Manager, you have the power to move deadlines. If you know there’s padding in a job’s timeline, move the deadline and let everyone involved know you did so.
2. Find Tasks that can be completed simultaneously. Don’t get caught in a linear rut. The more Tasks executed simultaneously, the shorter the job’s lifecycle.
3. Find out what employees need. It’s your job to ensure employees have the information they need to complete Tasks, not to simply hold them accountable when they aren’t finished on time.
4. Understand employees don’t “want” to miss deadlines. No one wakes up and thinks, “I’m going to miss three deadlines today and feel good about it.” Missed deadlines happen for a reason. It’s your job to ensure they don’t.
5. Be proactive, not reactive. When you become reactive to missed deadlines, rather than proactive in avoiding them, you become part of the problem… not the solution. Plot the workflow course.
6. Don’t play “gotcha.” It makes employees feel bad and, ultimately, can lead to decreased productivity. You’ll get a lot more done by being a partner, and sharing responsibility, than you will by being a hall monitor.
7. Let employees know you see them as people, not machines. Happy employees are productive. Establish connections with employees rather than constantly asking if they’ve gotten their work done.