Lessons in Project Management

Jeff Mochal is director of�communication�and external relations at�ConAgra Foods, based in Naperville, Illinois. He has been working in the public relations and communications industry for 15 years and has extensive expertise in media relations, crisis communication, issues management, reputation management and corporate branding. Jeff is married with two children, and is pursuing his master's in business administration�from the University of Notre Dame.

Background: The TenStep Project Management Process.- The Year Begins—on a Slippery Note.- Jerry Doesn’t Realize He Is Managing a Project.- Ashley and the Disappearing Sponsor.- Mike’s Client Has Status Report Envy.- Lindsay Finds Activities Are Always 90 Percent Complete.- Susan’s Small Enhancement Has Grown into a Project.- Jerry Starts to See the Light.- Poor Reyna—Trapped in Workplan Minutia.- Jerry Learns Firsthand the Need to Manage Documents.- Danielle Takes Scope Definition to Heart.- Patrick Discovers the Three “Best Friends” of Project Managers.- Jerry’s Project Takes a Turn for the Worse—Maybe.- Time for Tom to Take Some of His Own Medicine.- Miles Learns an Important Lesson—for the Second Time!.- There’s a Problem, but No One Tells Mike.- Ashley Is About to Gain an Hour a Week.- Jade Resolves a Vendor Problem (Again and Again).- Bailey Has Questions, but She Is Not Sure What They Are.- The Project Nobody Wants.- Jade Discovers a “Baby” Risk on Her Project.- Jerry Has a Small Problem (Unfortunately in Front of the CIO).- I’m Eating a Burrito, Jeff’s Eating His Contingency.- Communication Is King on Reyna’s Project.- Ron, the New Guy, Learns About Project Management Scalability.- Brian Can’t Plan First, but He Still Needs to Plan.- Ashley Finds Not All Critical Path Activities Are “Critical”.- Jerry Is Told to “Sharpen His Pencil” to Reduce an Estimate.- Jean Needs to Add a Personal Touch.- Erika’s Quality Plan Needs More Quality.- Sean Is Losing the Deadline Battle—a Little at a Time.- Jerry Jumps into the Workplan Too Quickly.- Danielle Is Sensing Risky Business.- Mike Receives a Change Request He Needs to “Scope” Out.- Chucky May Be Crazy About Collecting Metrics.- Alex Has 200 Projects to Estimate!.- SeanMakes a Guess and I Make a Prediction.- Lindsay Wishes for a Problem-Solving Magic Wand.- Terri and Sarah Propose Half-Measures.- John Is the “Risk Eliminator,” but Does He Need to Be?.- Nikki and Her Client Have Mismatched Expectations.- Alex’s Project Is in Good Shape—Maybe.- Sean “Errors” by Not Managing Quality Early.- Danielle Has Satisfied All Her Clients—Except One.- Lindsay Has a Halloween Fright—Her Project Is Behind Schedule.- Marty Has a Work Breakdown.- Rick Thinks Our Status Reports Taste Like Stale Fish.- It’s Magic! Lauren Sees an Assumption Turn into an Issue.- Sally May Be Squandering Her Good Fortune.- Marc Finds the Work Slipping When Everyone Is Responsible.- Lauren Needs to Complete a Never-Ending Project.- Heather Finds Her Facts Don’t Win Any Points.- Year-End Recap.