Middle Term Update

6 weeks down and 6 weeks to go!  The time has gone fast.  I have enjoyed reading my classmates comments and their work experience that they bring to the table.


Given your knowledge/skills/experience/confidence at the start of these courses, what have you learned so far?

The class has reinforced the need for risk management in projects.  It has reminded me that it is in each phase of each project - big or small.  I have found it interesting to read about risk approaches from classmates - especially military risk approaches.  The case study was interesting to work through as it really drove home how important risk management is.  
Looking at the course objectives, which ones do you feel you have achieved and which ones still look difficult or completely unfamiliar to you?

I am comfortable with objective 1 - Evaluate the risk identification process as it relates to the project management process groups and knowledge areas.

I am comfortable with object 2 (Evaluate the project manager's role in managing project risk) but I look forward to broadening this knowledge during the course.  

In my day to day life, objective 4 (Demonstrate how to prioritize risks according to their impact and significance on the overall project) is easy for me.  But, I think that learning more from an academic standpoint will be beneficial.
  
I will be looking forward to learning more about objective 3 (Compare various tools and techniques to identify and assess the impact of identified), 5 (Evaluate quality improvement methodologies for the purpose of mitigating or eliminating project risks) and 6 (Create comprehensive project risk and quality management reports).

How has the information you learned so far changed the way you approach projects or think about projects in your everyday life?

The class information has helped raise an awareness in my day to day work.  It has made me more conscious of decisions and risks.  For example, I had been made aware of some work that was going to be shoved into a release quickly and it scared me.  I was quick to speak up that it was definitely high risk and give the reasons why.


Are there any topics that have been discussed that still seem unclear? What are your thoughts as you get ready to start the second half of the course?

Because of my career, the materials reinforce or add to my knowledge arsenal.  I am not unclear on anything.  However, I am struggling with the grading and meeting expectations on writing assignments. For example, on our first assignment, we were analyzing a journal article and points were deducted because I only had one source.  But, I thought the purpose was to analyze that particular article and never even thought to add an additional source.  My go forward approach will need to be more analytical and thorough because I cannot afford to lose so many points each week.