I really learned about communication and problem solving through this class. (specifically through the simulations). While I have dealt with similar things before, the back and forth set-up required for these simulations encouraged me to try and be more straight…   Read more»

Honestly I think, at this exact moment in my life, I am happy being a researcher/engineer. I do not have the skillset to lead others yet. I’ve only just started graduate school and I am still in the, “learning” phase…   Read more»

As someone who has really only done research in academic settings, I find this class helpful since it provides insights that I would not have been able to access from my other classes and experiences. Its unique in the fact…   Read more»

I have a huge tendency to fall into tunnel vision. I think its partially based on hyper focusing on a specific part of a project and also based on stubbornness. The issue is that it really only becomes clear that…   Read more»

It’s funny but I am very rarely motivated by competition, personally I find it stressful and somewhat demotivating. I have ADHD so motivation and executive functioning can be difficult for me. I think my main motivator is knowing that my…   Read more»

As a graduate student who oversees a small hoard of undergrads, I have a bit of experience in motivation and how motivating others can modify their work. For the purpose of this prompt, I am going to reply via my…   Read more»

My capstone project for undergrad focused on creating a continuous passive motion device (CPM) for the hand. We underestimated a lot of the completion dates for many parts of the project which resulted in a lot of scope creep for…   Read more»

Honestly, it depends on how this individual leaves the project. If the person is leaving the project abruptly then there will need to be major changes in work-flow and other individuals working on the project may be required to change…   Read more»

I think your definition of HR pretty much answers your question. HR: reduces turnover, hires well suited-individuals for the job, and improves employee engagement. A medical device is really only as good as the team that works on it. HR…   Read more»

I am currently pursuing my Masters in a lab! When I was in undergrad I did a terrible job of logging my work: I often assumed that I would remember simple details and that many of my tasks just didn’t…   Read more»

I think for the closing phase to be carried out effectively, it is essential that all parts required for the closing phase are clearly monitored and that it is ensured that they are completed correctly. The closing phase is not…   Read more»

I agree with several of the commenters above. I think communication control may be one of the most effective and necessary parts of Monitoring and Controlling. While there are many techniques and tools that can be used during this process,…   Read more»

My biggest emphasis would be on COMMUNICATION. Even with this week’s simulation, it was clear that communication can directly impact how a project plays out. Planning is one thing, executing a plan properly can only happen if all members are…   Read more»

A specific or main cause of project failure is difficult to pinpoint. While I agree that communication seems to be a major factor in the success of a project, I think that sometimes project failure can just be due to…   Read more»

When I was working on my capstone project in undergrad we made a lot of assumptions about how easy it would be to program our device. The aim of the device was to open and close a hand, and we…   Read more»

I think it depends on the project and the skill level of the group. If it is a team that is well acquainted with one another and is comfortable with the work, then the chances of delays may be reduced…   Read more»

The planning phase is probably one of the most important parts of project development. In the scenario you discussed above there seems to be a huge lapse in planning and in communication. If the schedule had been planned and then…   Read more»

The best way to overcome missing milestones is to plan in advance for potential issues and failures. The best plans always have backup plans, and in situations where a milestone is missed, it’s often essential to implement a pre-planned backup…   Read more»

Gannt charts are used for scheduling and breaking down required tasks for a project. They’re useful in estimating and planning how a project should be completed and in what order the steps required for this project should be completed.  The…   Read more»

I’ve found that I can avoid going back to the planning phase after the execution phase by planning backup plans prior to starting.  I work with tissues and cells: I can never just assume that things are going to work…   Read more»