Scope Creep

 

 I was working on an IMI on digital literacy and it was to have 3 learning object history of the internet, breakdown of a URL, and level of the internet. This was supposed to be just an introduction into what the Army calls Publicly available information.  It was to be followed by other IMIs that would go more in depth with internet searches and internet threats and how to disguise your IP Address.  So, I write my scripts and sent it to the SME (who is also my boss) he come back with edits and adds more content adding in things like echo chambering, digital footprint, introducing digital treating and digital counter measures. I ask for a meeting to discuss the changes and was politely told that it was clear in the email what needed to be changed. So, I made the changes in when on to the storyboarding process. So, once I had the IMI storyboarded, I sent the story bord out for review to my team and again it came back from the SME with more content added this time it was add these 5 videos from YouTube. I Wrote back an email stating that we couldn’t add videos from YouTube due to copywrite issues and it would put out the impression that the US army was endorsing those channels. I was told again the email was clear and to just add a disclaimer that the views in the videos were not supported by the Army. (But were in Army Training) with this I referred it to my contractor project manager and was told well he’s the government do what he says so I did. So, I complete the IMI I turn out the Alpha product for testing and you guessed it more content added at this point in testing to should just be glitching and bugs being found maybe a miss spelled word not adding content. So this time because the previous times I had pushed back and had no help I just added the content. This IMI that was supposed to take 3 months start to finish ended up taking 7 months start to finish with multiple revision and edits art needing to be redone.

To help with this particular type of scope creep I would have the SME also the director of the section because nobody wanted to tell him no. I brought this up multiple time that if it was any other SME that as a team would have shut it down. But from my first line supervisor to my PM I kept getting he’s the boss just does what he says. If the Boss has to bee the SME that have to be open to the idea that their idea isnt always going to be the right one and they have to set their pride aside.

Estimating Costs and Allocating Resources

 

First website https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/cost-estimation-for-projects

This website is useful because it does go into detail on several techniques that can be used for cost estimation a technique. As well as some other sites that you can use to help with your estimations.

 

Second website https://www.smartsheet.com/ultimate-guide-project-cost-estimating

Smartsheet was useful it is a useful software that allows you to organize a project that in turn allows to properly assess a budget for your project.

 

My biggest issues with cost estimations are the fear of overestimating and being the company the company that comes in to high and is instantly eliminated from contention. And on the flipside low balling the offer and the fear of operating in a deficit and overworking a team just to secure a job or contract. Lucking for me in the position I am in with my company I have been ask only a few times to give an estimate and it is usually on the time it will take to get something done and not the cost associated with it. And never with a whole project.