Scenario: The Production Department of a prominent web-based training company has consistently been behind on their production deadlines, and Production Manager Jody Crinkle has been charged with correcting the problem by turning out projects on time. The Production Department can reasonably design a web-based training module for any corporate client within a two-month timeframe. Yet on average, modules are taking two months and three weeks to reach design completion, making clients impatient and dissatisfied.
Jody's Production Department is composed of 14 members, including:4 writers2 editors4 multimedia designers2 technology designers2 project managersEach time a project scope (a document containing project requirements) is handed over to her department, Jody tasks two writers, one editor, two multimedia designers, one technology designer, and one project manager to each project.
Jody has made several key observations lately. Last Monday, as she was walking past the Production Department, Jody noticed that several of her staff, specifically the writers and multimedia designers, were surfing the web.
Jody in Hallstatt
of Slate presenting as part of the panel "He Pop/S...
, music critic for Slate, at 2007 Pop Conference, ...She passed by four different times that day, and each time she noticed employees were still web surfing. A project, due Wednesday, was already far behind schedule, and the client was becoming impatient.
Jody thought she structured her command group to be as efficient as possible, but apparently that's not the case. She had established the following roles and responsibilities among group members for any given project:ÃÂTwo writers prepare the script and storyboard for a module.
ÃÂOne editor reviews and approves script and storyboard.
ÃÂTwo multimedia designers and one technology designer work together to turn the script and storyboard into a final interactive and dynamic online module.
Throughout the process, the project manager tracks the progress of each stage of the project, yet is not responsible for setting deadlinesÃÂthe writers and designers do that. Jody thought having the team set the...