Personal Project Management

Project management is a business discipline focused on achieving a specific goal. Project managers are responsible for planning, identifying resources, tracking work performed, and ensuring that all components of a project stay on schedule.

Requirements
As key aspect of project planning is a determining the requirements of the customer and using those requirements to evaluate vendors or products to determine the best fit for the needs of the customer.

You can also apply the use of requirements determination and evaluation for personal decisions including trips, services, and products.

Step 1 - Write it down.
There is tremendous power in writing things down. People who write down goals are more likely to follow through with completing them. Additionally, written records permit you to track progress over time.

Step 2 - Identify 4 to 5 characteristics.
On your paper write down some characteristics that are important to you about the product or service. Examples might be cost, features, materials, ease of use, etc. A list of 4-5 requirements is usually sufficient.

Step 3 - List each option you are considering.
You will end up with a table on your paper with requirements going down the left side and options listed across the top. It may be helpful to limit what you are considering to 3 to 4 options.

Step 4 - Weight each requirement.
In advance, determine the importance of each requirement. This should be a weighting based on a total of 100%. For example, suppose you are considering the purchase of a new refrigerator. If price is the most important factor, it might be assigned a weight of 50%. The location of the freezer drawer may be important. You might assign freezer location a weighting of 30%. Cubic capacity might be the last factor with a weighting of 20%.

Step 5 - Score each requirement.
Assign a score to each requirement. Keep the range of scores small, such as 1 to 5 or 1, 3, 5. Using our refrigerator example, if Brand A is $500 and Brand B is $1,000, Brand A might receive a score of 5, while Brand B would receive a score of 1.

Step 6 - Calculate the total weighted score.
Take the requirement score for each option and multiply it by the weighting (percentage) previously determined. Total the weighted scores. The end result will hopefully be a clear winner with which option best meets your requirements.

Using the refrigerator example, Brand A seems like a better choice based on the importance of each requirement. In this example, we wanted an inexpensive unit with side freezer, but definitely not a bottom drawer. Finally, Brand A had a smaller capacity but met the price requirement.




In the next post, I will show two of my own uses of this type of evaluation.

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30 Psalms in 30 Days

Back in May, I wrote a two-part post entitled "One Book To Rule Them All" (part 1, part 2). The content focused on keeping a handwritten journal for ideas, notes, and planning.

Not too long ago I came across two different articles on individuals who wrote out all or parts of the Bible by hand.

David Kulakov, an English teacher in Moscow, Russia, was impressed to write out the entire Bible. He started in 1997. Over a period of 2.5 years David spent 800 hours writing out both the Old and New Testaments on white copy paper. When the book was complete, David had it bound as a book. The Link to David's story.

While searching for David's story, I found a blog post by Nathan Clark on the Northland Church blog. Nathan and his wife started with Genesis and wrote out several chapters. After a pause because of the life-changing birth of their child, they started again with Psalms.

When I first read the story about David Kulakov earlier this year, I decided to give handwriting of some Bible passages a try. Because I wanted to actually complete the project, I knew I needed a managable portion of the Bible. I decided to write out 30 Psalms, writing out one per day.

My first step was to identify a list of my favorite Psalms and write this list in my planner. I allocated one page per Psalm to ensure I had enough room while still being able to use my planner for other purposes. Using my planner allowed this project to remain visible on my task list. It was also convenient because I could add verses at any time.

You can view all of the images in the 30 Psalms Flickr set.

I am happy to report that I completed this project! As you can see from the infographic below, my 30 days were distributed over a period of 50 days. Being able to see my project status in real time inspired my to finished. I was consistent at first with daily journaling. The number of days between journal entries gradually expanded.

Writing out these Psalms was a great experience. I gained a new appreciation because of the extra time spent on each verse. Writing by hand is slower than reading or typing and facilitates a different level of understanding and comprehension.

I encourage you to select some passages or chapters that you find inspirational or comforting and write these out by hand. You will have a better appreciation of the Bible's writers and inspiration from this daily devotional. Let me know how your Bible project turns out!
(C) 2012 by DouglasGPratt.com

(C) 2012 by DouglasGPratt.com

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Quick Easy Charts on the Go

When you think about creating data charts, most likely you think about Microsoft Excel. Several posts ago I wrote about an alternative: Google Docs. Today's post is another free option that comes from an unlikely and unexpected source.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) houses a variety data and tools on education from across the United States. A subsite of the main webpae is NCES Kids Zone. Embedded within this site is a basic charting wizard. While you won't find the advanced editing and functionality of Excel, it is great for creating charts quickly when you might not have another option available. It works on iPad and integrates with other apps, including KeyNote and Pages.

The website is: http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx

Below is a partial screen capture that displays the user interface. The Five-tab structure is easy to navigate and provides several options to configure the colors and settings of several chart characteristics. You can output your finished chart in a choice of formats including PDF, jpg, png, and many others.

The image below is a from a "quad" chart displaying the same data four different ways. Quad charts should usually be avoided, but that is a post for another time.

I encourage you to visit NCES Kids Zone and give it a try.

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Match Colors for Powerful Impact

When working with colors online, in print, or otherwise, it is important that colors match. If colors don't match or clash, the impact of your message can be lessened.

In this video, I discuss two websites to assist you with color matching.

The websites are:

• Kuler.Adobe.com
• ColorSchemeDesigner.com

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One Race All Runners

Imagine that you could take every medalist who ever participated in the Olympic Men's 100M and compare their performance.

In honor of the 2012 Olympics, I am sharing this post from the New York Times website. This is a great example of high quality charts presenting information clearly.

Once Race, Every Medalist Ever

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Mind Mapping on iPad

Summer is over and school is beginning (for my daughter) next week.  Many students in my local community started school earlier this week.  After taking taking a break myself for the summer, I am again hopeful that I will have a new post weekly.

To assist me in planning blog posts, I created a mind map.  A mind map is a visual diagramming technique.  Also known as spider diagrams, mind maps typically center around a single key word, with topics extending out from that word.  Subtopics are created from each topic.  The term "mind map" was coined by Tony Buzan in the 1970s, and his company provides training and software for mind mapping.

ADVANTAGES
Mind maps are useful because information can be captured in a non-linear fashion.  In traditional outlining, topics and subtopics are listed down the page.  Inserting an additional topic in the center of the outline requires reformatting or rewriting.  However with mind maps, it is easy to draw in a new area of information.

Because mind maps typically consist of words connected by lines, they are inherently visual.  In addition to the text and line structure, photos and drawings may also be included.  Subtopics in different topic areas can be connected with dotted or different colored lines.  All of these elements combine to make mind maps highly visual.

Mind maps can be drawn quickly by hand, or with a little of practice, electronically.  Several computer-based software packages exist for mind mapping.  The ones featured in this post are for the iPad.  These work on the iPhone as well, but the screen is rather small to be functional.

USES
The mind mapping process lends itself well to brainstorming.  As you identify topics, you can draw them onto the mind map.  Even while adding topics, you can add subtopics.  The non-linear structure means that you can start with one topic but quickly move to another topic as ideas come to you.

Mind mapping is effective as tool for individuals and groups.  Groups like the mind map format because multiple ideas can be added simultaneously.  You could also identify topics and divide into smaller groups to expand each topic.

Because of the visual nature of mind maps, it is a convenient way to memorize information.  For me, I find that when I mind map information, it is easier to recall.

iPAD APPS
I currently have four mind map applications installed on my iPad.  Each has advantages and a range of features. Depending on the look I want to achieve will determine which app I might use.  For example, MindHD lists subtopics in neat blocks, while iMindmapHD looks more artistic and organic.  The mind map for this blog post is replicated using these different apps.  At the time of this writing there are 72 mind map-related apps in the search results for iPad.

• iMindmapHD from ThinkBuzan is free to download.  The full version is subscription-based with a monthly fee of $2.99 or annual fee of $20.99.  
• SimpleMind+ from xpt Software & Consulting is free to download.  The free version is limited.  The full version can be unlocked for $4.99.
• MindHD from AllTing Soft is $.99.  
• iThoughtsHD from CMS is available for $9.99. 

RESOURCES
Two excellent websites to explore mind maps are:

• http://mindmapblog.com/
• http://www.mindmapinspiration.com/

Amazon.com features a variety of books on all aspects of mind mapping.  One that I reference frequently is Mapping Inner Space by Nancy Margulies.

Questions On Motivation

Not too long ago I visited South Korea with my wife and daughter. I stayed three weeks and they stayed five. When I finally arrived at home after several hours of flying (11 from Seoul to San Francisco + 10 hours of layover + 8 from San Francisco to Nashville via Detroit), I was exhausted. Because of the 14-hour time difference I slept all day and was up all night, wide awake!

There is not much on TV during the overnight hours except for infomercials. Luckily, my local PBS was having a fundraiser, and that is when public television stations seem to air premium content.

DR. WAYNE DYER
One of the shows I watched featured author and speaker Wayne Dyer. Over the course of two hours he inspired the audience to make changes in their thinking. What really intrigued me, however, was a story he told about visiting Europe.

Dr. Dyer related that he had visited several places in Europe where miracles had occured, as verified by the Catholic Church. When visiting these places, Dr. Dyer gave talks, and said that he was so moved from being in these "special places" that he delivered inspirational words to others he didn't even know were inside his mind!

FRIENDS vs NO FRIENDS
As I was watching the show, I began to think about motivation and reflected on recent experiences with my daughter. If we go for a walk in a park, and Erika is with her friends, she is able to run ahead and expend energy all day long. If we go for a walk and her friends are not present, she acts like she is walking towards her doom and each step is a painful task. I've told her, "the difference between these situations is in your mind."

LANDS OF THE BIBLE
I know several people who have visited the Holy Land areas around Jerusalem in order to walk where Jesus walked and visit the historical landmarks from Biblical times. Many of these people return with a renewed commitment to deeper spiritual study. However, if you are a Christian, as I am, you believe that Jesus is in heaven, NOT living in Israel! So, why is there a need to visit Bethlehem or Jerusalem to have a stronger spiritual connection?

QUESTIONS
I have been thinking about motivation and inspiration. I jotted down a few questions that I hope will guide me as I begin to explore how to be motivated or inspired to accomplish what you desire without having to visit places of inspiration.

1. Why do we need to visit special places to be motivated or inspired?
2. Why do athletes or teams need a coach to motivate them?
3. How can you motivate yourself to accomplish whatever you want?

Have you visited a special place, and did you come away motivated or inspired? If so, please tell me about it. What motivates or inspires you? Let me know.