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6 CHAPTER ONE
APPOINTING PMS
A PM must be well matched to a project. Don’t overlook the fact that you might not be
the right choice to be the PM! Some engineer make good PMs; others don’t. The skill
sets required for the two disciplines are much different.

KEEP THE PROJECT STABLE
Here are a few rules to observe:

Don’t change the tasks. Keep the specification (hereafter referred to as spec) sta-
ble after the project starts. The PM should give all parties the chance to change
the spec up to the point when it is reviewed and development begins. If the spec
must change, rewrite the project plan to accommodate the changes. Changing the
spec is the second fastest way to scuttle a project’s schedule and budget.
Don’t mess with the resources. Yes, this is the fastest way to scuttle a project’s
schedule and budget. Do not shift out resources once they have been allocated to
a project. Don’t borrow people, don’t borrow equipment, and don’t borrow space.

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

When things are going well, about a third of all projects will still run into schedule or
budget problems. Often, these projects can be identified early and corrective action can
be taken. What can be done?

Schedule a project review.
Ask the PM for changes in the project plan, the project resources, and the project
task as necessary.
Change the PM. This is often a drastic solution, but it should not be avoided. Nor
should the loss of a project be considered a significant black mark. Many new
opportunities will arise for a PM to prove his or her mettle.
Add more management. Sometimes a PM needs sub-PMs. This is often useful in
large projects and can even be set up before the project starts.

The User’s Manual for PMs

A checklist is provided at the end of this section that can serve as your guide through-
out your robot project. The following paragraphs explain this checklist.