Comments on: How To Prevent Your Project From Hemorrhaging http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/02/21/how-to-prevent-your-project-from-hemorrhaging/ Free Project Management Information, Advice, and Templates Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Derek Huether http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/02/21/how-to-prevent-your-project-from-hemorrhaging/comment-page-1/#comment-1434 Derek Huether Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:44:00 +0000 http://thecriticalpath.info/?p=2135#comment-1434 Samad, that is one the best comparisons I have heard in a very long time. Now that you mention it, customers are not unlike my 4-year-old or that mouse in the book. They will ask and ask and ask with the hopes you will give in. Don't blame them for asking. Just learn how to deliver a positive no. Samad, that is one the best comparisons I have heard in a very long time. Now that you mention it, customers are not unlike my 4-year-old or that mouse in the book. They will ask and ask and ask with the hopes you will give in. Don’t blame them for asking. Just learn how to deliver a positive no.

]]> By: Derek Huether http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/02/21/how-to-prevent-your-project-from-hemorrhaging/comment-page-1/#comment-3077 Derek Huether Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:44:00 +0000 http://thecriticalpath.info/?p=2135#comment-3077 Samad, that is one the best comparisons I have heard in a very long time. Now that you mention it, customers are not unlike my 4-year-old or that mouse in the book. They will ask and ask and ask with the hopes you will give in. Don't blame them for asking. Just learn how to deliver a positive no. Samad, that is one the best comparisons I have heard in a very long time. Now that you mention it, customers are not unlike my 4-year-old or that mouse in the book. They will ask and ask and ask with the hopes you will give in. Don’t blame them for asking. Just learn how to deliver a positive no.

]]> By: Samad Aidane http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/02/21/how-to-prevent-your-project-from-hemorrhaging/comment-page-1/#comment-1431 Samad Aidane Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:47:49 +0000 http://thecriticalpath.info/?p=2135#comment-1431 So true Derek. A PM friend of mine once gave me a children’s book to read called “If You Give a Mouse A Cookie“. you probably heard of it. It tells the story of the problem you run into if you happen to give a overly active and demanding mouse a cookie. In the story, a little boy’s one act of generosity caused him a lot of trouble. "If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him milk, he'll probably ask you for a straw. When you give him a straw, he will ask........." And it goes on and on and on until the poor kid is completely exhausted trying to fulfill the never ending requests of the demanding and pushy little mouse. This book should be a required reading for all new project managers as education about consequence of goldplating. So true Derek.

A PM friend of mine once gave me a children’s book to read called “If You Give a Mouse A Cookie“. you probably heard of it. It tells the story of the problem you run into if you happen to give a overly active and demanding mouse a cookie.

In the story, a little boy’s one act of generosity caused him a lot of trouble. “If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him milk, he’ll probably ask you for a straw. When you give him a straw, he will ask………” And it goes on and on and on until the poor kid is completely exhausted trying to fulfill the never ending requests of the demanding and pushy little mouse.

This book should be a required reading for all new project managers as education about consequence of goldplating.

]]> By: Samad Aidane http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/02/21/how-to-prevent-your-project-from-hemorrhaging/comment-page-1/#comment-3076 Samad Aidane Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:47:00 +0000 http://thecriticalpath.info/?p=2135#comment-3076 So true Derek. A PM friend of mine once gave me a children’s book to read called “If You Give a Mouse A Cookie“. you probably heard of it. It tells the story of the problem you run into if you happen to give a overly active and demanding mouse a cookie. In the story, a little boy’s one act of generosity caused him a lot of trouble. "If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him milk, he'll probably ask you for a straw. When you give him a straw, he will ask........." And it goes on and on and on until the poor kid is completely exhausted trying to fulfill the never ending requests of the demanding and pushy little mouse. This book should be a required reading for all new project managers as education about consequence of goldplating. So true Derek.

A PM friend of mine once gave me a children’s book to read called “If You Give a Mouse A Cookie“. you probably heard of it. It tells the story of the problem you run into if you happen to give a overly active and demanding mouse a cookie.

In the story, a little boy’s one act of generosity caused him a lot of trouble. “If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him milk, he’ll probably ask you for a straw. When you give him a straw, he will ask………” And it goes on and on and on until the poor kid is completely exhausted trying to fulfill the never ending requests of the demanding and pushy little mouse.

This book should be a required reading for all new project managers as education about consequence of goldplating.

]]> By: Derek Huether http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/02/21/how-to-prevent-your-project-from-hemorrhaging/comment-page-1/#comment-1419 Derek Huether Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:40:50 +0000 http://thecriticalpath.info/?p=2135#comment-1419 Sridhar, I like the idea of a goodwill log! In the past, I've had my team use a Kanban board with a triage column, so everyone could see the requested changes and who is asking for them. It was interesting, by doing so, a specific stakeholder backed off from going directly to the development team. There's always that one stakeholder who insists in bypassing the process. Everyone then pays the price. Whatever tool or process that will empower both sides to fully vet a requested change, I'm for. Sridhar, I like the idea of a goodwill log! In the past, I’ve had my team use a Kanban board with a triage column, so everyone could see the requested changes and who is asking for them. It was interesting, by doing so, a specific stakeholder backed off from going directly to the development team. There’s always that one stakeholder who insists in bypassing the process. Everyone then pays the price. Whatever tool or process that will empower both sides to fully vet a requested change, I’m for.

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