Collective Wisdom from the Experts 73
Every cycle should include a planning stage, an action stage, a completion
stage, and a reward stage. Before beginning on any action item, ask yourself
or your team these questions: why, when, how, what, and who? Why are we
doing this? When is this going to be complete? How are we going to do this?
What are we going to accomplish? Who on our team will be responsible for
each portion of the item? With proper communication and understanding,
the action stage can be effective and productive, contributing to the overall
success of the project.
Once a task or action item is complete, get outside feedback. If one or two
members of the team completed the work, get another team member to review
it (peer review). If the entire team completed the work, get feedback from other
stakeholders (preferably end-users). The final stage of any cycle is the reward
stage; this is important for the sustainable health of any team or individual. As
a battery must be recharged after use, the brain and body must be rewarded
through recognition or acknowledgment of work.
As a software project manager, you must guide the team through project
cycles, ensuring that every person understands the plan and gets the feedback
he or she needs. Furthermore, each individual must follow his or her own daily
cycle of planning, doing, completing, and being rewarded. The manager must
ensure that all team members get the attention, information, and time they
need to keep their productivity at its best. This way, you can ensure that your
team is functioning at its full capacity.