NW ROUNDTABLE MEETING MINUTES FROM December 8, 2006

Facilitator – Greg Sievers
Attendees – 18 


Topics requested

Managing High Volumes of Information on your PC
Avoiding or Eliminating Last Minute Changes
Agile Development
Career change from Construction to IT

Managing High Volumes of Information on your PC

* Using the analogy of “Weakest Buffalo” – kill off the weakest (eliminate the unimportant)

* Organize information by date
* Have folders and obsolete folders;  put under same sub folder name but have two versions
* Outlook has some management features for email
* Define names with meaningful topics
* Search files by key words – put key words in your documents in white text
* Use the file properties for key words and descriptions to be able to search on them and find the latest version
* Delete previous strings of emails and keep the last on the thread
* Use search filters
* Don’t open email if you do not know the sender (home email)
* Use only one hour in the AM and one hour in the PM
* How to organize shared folders/projects
	o Standardize subject line with how do I want you to respond
o FYI or Action required
       o Use document management for “Key” documents
* Treat your PC like the web and use search like a search engine
* How people like to organize their info.  
* Organizing takes time and does not feel productive
* Plan ahead – use a document plan
* Need to be informed on how to do an advanced search
* Auto file as much as you can
* Email etiquette would be a good future topic.

Avoiding or Eliminating Last Minute Changes

* Values change at a certain level but not at the lower levels
* Scope management plan and change plan.  Deal with it or get out.
* Need to internal charge and manage the internal budget
* Sometimes there are no choices
* Management support the change management process and let you push back
* Push back appropriately and escalate above the manager
* Could look bad at the next review cycle
* Stake holders come out of the woodwork and were not identified in the beginning
* Stake holder management is a must
* Problem – cannot identify prime customer
* Managing your manager
* Education – articles to the managers and network with the customers
* Ask the boss’ peers how they handle a situation .
* Build a community of support
* List options but build up the option you like the best and let the boss decide
* Identify and educate what the realities are
* Bring manager to the team meetings that way the manager will not be shielded from the impact
* Bring options to the group and discuss
* Project sponsor does not really understand what that means
* Long term build a better community of support 
* Keep your integrity and make sure you make the person look good
* Put decision that was made in a meeting notice and send to all


POSSIBLE TOPICS FOR NEXT MEETING:

Agile Development
Career change from Construction to IT
Agile vs Fast Tracking Defined
Panel discussions on hot topics
Office politics