Project Management

[Seacrest]

I'm working for a guy who has diarrhea of the mouth when it comes to meetings and discussing project parameters and timelines.

In his mind, everything can be done in ten minutes, even though he spends twenty talking about one aspect of it.

I need him to be able to write this stuff down and manage it, so he can SEE 1.) the volume of work he's asking me to do, and 2.) be able to prioritize what needs to be done.

I have tried to get him to use things like ta-da lists and look for project management software (I'd prefer a human buffer between me and him, but that's not going to happen), but I haven't found anything particularly good for us to use. He's a technophobe who actually fancies himself a near-tech guru (he thinks he knows 90% of what I know, while the reality is he knows < 10%, which is a big part of my nightmare in dealing with him -- he gets in his head that something works a particular way, while they invariably will work in quite the opposite), so I need something simple that I can host on LAMP.

My next shot is a wiki, which is generally easy to edit, add to, but if anybody has a better solution I'd love to hear it.

Granted, my problems are more personal than technical, but I am hoping to find a tech solution, at least until I find gainful employment elsewhere.

TIA.

[space-time]

Seacrest wrote:
I'm working for a guy who has diarrhea of the mouth ...

OK, stop it right there. Refuse to work with these kind of people.

[Z]

Something like this - http://plannerx.appsmagnet.com/ or this http://basecamphq.com/signup

[deckeda]

Kinda sounds like you, not he, should be the project manager here. He spouts off ideas or requests and you get back to him with a yea or a nay based on his previous spout or request.

In other words, your responses wind up like this, "sure, we can do that but not if we also do x and y you already requested because they are incompatible."

If he can't keep track of what he requests, you can. If he doesn't know what he wants, this method will decide for him for better or worse.

A simple shared spreadsheet might be all you need. Although the wiki idea is good too; might be easier for you to document conversations there.

Maybe start with the ultimate goal and you -not he- work backwards and show him how you'll get there. If/when he gets down in the weeds, where he doesn't belong, you can "flatter him" by gently reminding him that he needn't bother with the minutia; that's what you're there for. Might keep him outta your hair on the tech stuff.

[ztirffritz]

http://www.dotproject.net/

[testcase]

Raise your rates astronomically. If he pays, great. If he questions it, be honest. He's probably clueless as to how much of your time he's wasting. When he has to pay dearly for you, he's more likely to straighten up. If not, at least you'll be paid well or, rid of him.

[Seacrest]

I set up the wiki, and I kind of like it.
Writing out the project in this form really lets me see how much, and exactly what needs to be done, and helps me estimate time better.

The downside is, it means I am sitting here working on that while NOT GETTING PAID.

Hard work is its own reward, I know.
TRY TELLING THAT TO MY LANDLORD WHEN THE RENT IS DUE.

oapbox: