李燕云/译

是的,这是真的!你可以在你家乡的YMCA组织那里体验一次项目管理的过程.这应该是一次轻松的体验,因为你只需要提出申请,做一个志愿者,指导一帮小孩子.

我的儿子四岁,好动,精力充沛.我们夫妻俩决定送他去参加一个四到六岁小孩子的篮球比赛.报名那天,比赛组织者(项目发起人)告诉我,他们需要个篮球教练(项目申请).我从没有做过正式的教练,但在我的职业生涯中,有好多次曾经扮演过类似的角色.我相信这应该不难,于是接受了邀请.(项目经理指派).

一起接受邀请的,还有其他十个孩子的家长.我们在那里听取组织者介绍情况.他说今年是他们第一次组织这个活动,没有什么经验.他还从来没有组织过这样的小baby球队,也没有一个成型的推进计划,更不确定我们什么时候可以开始训练.我回到家,将一些需要回答的问题制作成一张表格.在过后的几天里,我找到组织者(小型JAD会议),向他请教表格中列出的问题,他能够回答一些,但也有些他不能够回答.(后来我收集到一些新的信息,细化了我的工作内容,并将那些不确定的问题放到日志里去).

周末我收到了我的队员名单(项目成员分派).尽管还有一些不确定的问题,我还是决定召集所有的家长们碰个头,将我收集到的信息告诉他们,并一起解决其他问题(JAD会议).但在这之前,我还需要将一些信息文件化.首先我制作了队员列表,里面包括有队员姓名,家长姓名,以及联系电话(联系人名单).我还完成了一个初步的训练计划(项目计划).开会那天,除一个家长外,其他孩子的家长都到会了(一次典型的项目首次会议).我们一起研究了相关议程,定下了正式的训练日期,安排了谁将负责采购零食.另外,我们还幸运地拿到了正式的比赛计划.

有一项议程是找一天大家来个合影照,我们想选定某个星期天.但这同好几个家长的日程有冲突.于是我说我将另外选一个日期.回到电脑桌前,我将这个问题加入到日志里,重新录入我们商讨后的训练计划,还为那个没有参加会议的家长制作了会议记录.

我觉得我们已经有了一个不错的计划.我们开始了我们的训练.第一次到YMCA参加这样的活动,让我有些兴奋.我用计划好的检验方式(另外的议程)来对这些孩子做测试, 跑动,传球,运球,投篮.我用一个表格去记录他们的成绩.其间,我高兴地地记录着他们的成绩,称赞着他们的表现.那一天我们大家都很开心.我将这第一次的训练记录带回家输入电脑,用它给每一个小队员打分,以代表他们的技术水平(这个表格同我们的供应商记分卡类似).

要想在第一次比赛前的短短的一两周时间内,教会这群四到六岁孩子基本的篮球技术,不是件轻松的事.我的目标是将这些孩子平分成两支实力相当的四人队伍(正式比赛是四人对四人),在训练中让他们来一场混战.我知道带两支四人的球队比带一支八人的球队要容易一些.(记分卡可以很方便地帮助我分配这两支队伍)

我们第二次走进YMCA的训练场时,柜台后面的工作人员给了我们一个限制条件.他说从下次开始我们最迟必须在下午五点钟前到达训练场.我知道这是个不合适的要求.因为我们当中很多孩子的家长工作的原因他们不可能在五点半之前到来.但YMCA不肯作出通融.我只好将情况简单地同家长们谈了谈,说如果我们不能找到一个新的训练场地,我们将不可能继续我们的训练.我明白大家都是在一条船上,我们必须共同面对.结束这次防守训练后,我回到家开始想办法解决这个大问题.

即使这已经成为一个正式的项目,我和我们这个团队在进行风险评估时并没有意识到这个潜在的问题.现在问题已经很严重了,我们需要一个应急方案来解决这个问题.我们必须尽快找到一个替代的训练场地.但这又涉及到一个新的问题,预算问题.要知道我们的孩子只有四到六岁,他们没有人可以将篮球投到正常的篮筐高度.YMCA有这样特制的7.5英尺高的篮球架.但其他地方不大可能有.我们该怎么办?

这个问题困扰了我好几天,其他孩子的家长也没有什么好办法.可一个优秀的项目经理应该在组织中具备有影响力.尽管我不是某个组织中的一员,但我是我们社区的一员.我认识消防队的队长,他应该可以帮助我.找到他向他说明了我们的困难后,他表态同意移走两辆消防车好腾出房间供我们训练.哈哈,现在想一想,有几个队伍能在明亮鲜红的消防车旁进行篮球训练?我告诉家长们我们又有地方可以训练了.

现在只剩下篮球架的问题了.这完全是一项夜间工作.我到仓库里找到一副旧的球架,取下篮筐和篮板,还有一个4X4的合页及其它可供安装的小装置.用它们制成了一个简便的高度正好的篮球架. 还差一个,我用上了我家那个五加仑油桶上的适合幼儿用的篮球架.将它调整到合适的高度.大功便告成!

第三次训练的时候,我到达得早一些,安装球架,用胶带标出边界线.当孩子们到来时,都很惊讶于他们竟然有如此酷的训练场地.我将他们分成两组,分配好各自的角色(责任矩阵).然后,蓝队对白队,我们再一次进行了攻防演练.孩子们不仅学习了篮球技巧,而且人人都玩得很开心.我的第二个目标达到了.

合影照的事很容易就解决了.我联系到摄像师,在这次训练结束后,我们一起乘车到他那里,摆pose来了个集体照.

剩下的赛季,我们没有碰上什么麻烦事.聚到一起,然后训练.在最后,我们完成了十场比赛.感谢上帝,他们并没有记录下比赛的比分.可这一段经历,可真是一段快乐的时光,孩子们开心,大人们开心.而且,我们还从中学到了一些东西.

在最后一场比赛后,我们举行了一个pizza party(项目结束会议). 会上,我们为孩子们每人准备了一份小小的纪念品,以表彰他们的参与.孩子们欢腾了(奖励与承认).同样地,我也得到了承认,被邀请明年再一次担任教练!

也许这种说法并不错:不论你以前的工作领域是什么,项目经理们都可以到其他领域一展身手.呵呵,留意了,NBA,我来了.

原文：

　　　　　　　　Free PM Training at the Y

written by: Richard Weller, MBA, PMP

Yes, it?s true!! You can get free Project Management experience from your local YMCA. All you have to do is volunteer to be a Coach for a team of Tiny Tykes.

My son is four and full of energy, so my wife and I elected to enroll him in the 4 to 6 year old basketball program. On the day of enrollment, the director (Sponsor) stated that he needed coaches (project requested). I have never been an official coach, but many times in my management career I have referred to myself as a coach. I thought surely this can?t be that tough, so I signed up (Project Manager assigned).

There were ten other fathers standing there in the middle of the gym floor as the director explained that this was the first year for the program and he had very little information for us. He did not have the teams assigned yet, the schedule of games had not been established, and he was even uncertain of when we could hold practices. I went home and developed a list of questions that I needed answered. I called the director the following day (mini JAD session). He was able to answer many of my questions, but there were still some that were outstanding. (I used the new information to enhance my Scope Statement, and the outstanding questions were moved to an Issue Log).

By the end of the week I received the list of players that were on my team (Team Members assigned). I determined that even though there were some outstanding issues, I should pull all the parents together to give them the information that I did have, and work to fill in the rest (JAD Session). But before I could do that, what I needed to do was document some of this information. First I created a list of the players? names, the parents? names, and their phone numbers (Contact List). I also created an agenda along with a proposed timeline (project schedule). All parents showed up for the initial meeting except for one (typical of any other project I have ever managed!). We worked through the agenda and established official practice days, assigned who would was responsible for snacks, and luckily were finally given the official game schedule.

One agenda item was the date for team photos. We had been assigned a date to have the photos taken that fell on a Sunday. This caused a schedule conflict with many parents, so I told them I would work on getting an alternate date. After I returned to my computer, I added this to the Issue Log. I also updated the Schedule with the official game dates, and then created some rough meeting minutes for the one parent that did not make it to the meeting.
I felt we had a pretty good plan created and was excited as we entered the YMCA for our first practice. I had established a series of drills (another agenda) to test each player?s skills. The kids ran, they passed, they dribbled and they shot. I had made a little form to help evaluate their skills. I feverishly documented their efforts and praised their accomplishments. We all had a blast. After the initial practice, I took the information home and plugged it into my computer. The form I was using allowed me to create one number that summed their skill level (this form was similar to the Scorecard I had used in the past to assist in determining the best vendor for a product!)

Teaching eight 4-6 year old kids the fundamentals of basketball was going to be tough in the short two week time frame before our first game. My objective was to create two evenly matched teams of four (official games would be 4 on 4), and work to the point of scrimmaging on another during practice. I also knew it would be easier to teach two teams of four, than one team of eight! (The scorecard worked beautifully for creating these two teams.)

As we entered the YMCA for our second practice, the person behind the counter informed us of a new constraint. It had been determined that after today the latest we could get on the floor to practice was 5pm. This was an unreasonable constraint. There were many of us parents that could not get to practice before 5:30 due to work. The YMCA would not budge on this constraint. I briefly met with the parents and explained that unless we found an alternate place to practice our son or myself could not participate. I knew many of the other parents were in the same boat. We completed our practice on defense and I went home to work on the major issue.

Even if this had been an official project, I don?t think myself or the team would have recognized this as a potential problem while creating a Risk Assessment, but it would have been great to have a contingency plan already in place. Instead we were now scrambling around to find an alternate place to practice. This issue also brought up budget concerns. Keep in mind the kids are 4-6 years old. None of them can get the ball up to an official rim height, so the YMCA had purchased rims that went down to 7.5 feet. How do we deal with this issue?

I struggled with this problem for a few days. None of the other parents could come up with anything either. Then it hit me. One of the characteristics of a good project manager is to be able to influence the organization. I wasn?t working within an organization, but I was within a community, and I did know the head of the local fire department. Upon explaining our situation to the Fire Chief, he had no problem moving two of the trucks outside to make room for us to practice. Now think about that! How many other teams got to practice beside bright red shiny fire trucks? I called each parent and explained that we could continue to practice.
Now all I had to do was overcome the budget constraint for rims. This was a full evening?s work. I pulled the rim and backboard off our storage building, and along with a 4x4, hinges and a little ingenuity, created a portable hoop that was just the right height. For the second backboard, I elevated a Playschool rim that we kept in the house on 5 gallon buckets, and got close to the proper height.

Just prior to the third practice, I had to arrive early to set up the rims and mark off the floor with tape so the kids would have the foul line. The kids were in awe as they arrived to find they got to practice in such a cool place. I used the list of names with position assignments (Responsibility Matrix) to break the group into two teams: blue versus white. We practiced our simple offense and again the kids not only learned, but they had a blast. My two main goals achieved.

The final issue surrounding pictures was easily resolved. I was able to get in direct contact with the photographer. Immediately following practice three, we all caravanned to his location and posed for our group photo.

The rest of the season went without issues. We met, practiced, and played out our schedule of ten games. Thank goodness the officials did not keep score during these games. Let?s just say we were having a building year. The kids had fun, the coach had fun, and I know we all learned a little!

We held a pizza party after our last game of the season (project closure meeting). During the party each child was ecstatic to receive a small trophy for their participation (reward and recognition). I, too, was rewarded with many requests to be the Coach again next year! Maybe it is true?Regardless of your area of experience, a project manager can move into other fields to manage. Look out NBA, here I come!!

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