Darren manages creative projects. He receives a project request with a due date of 20 business days from today. He expects his team will need 5 business days to complete the project well. The table shows unavailable days during the project period. What should Darren do first? Meet with his supervisor to request staff overtime hours Accept the project request and plan work assignments Tell the requester the proposed timeline won’t work and ask for a later due date Sam is an IT manager. A new process requires staff to log off their computers at the end of their shift so software can update. Some staff are turning the computers off instead, leaving several computers without critical updates. As a result, Sam has to deal with help requests that take him away from other duties. What should Sam do? Select all that apply. Send out an email every evening reminding staff to log out but not turn off their computers Let team supervisors know which team members aren’t following the process Stay after his shift to make sure all the computers are on Ask team supervisors to enlilire each team member understands the importance of the new process Tell the staff who aren’t following the process that they’ll be written up
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Darren’s Scenario:
Correct Action: Tell the requester the proposed timeline won’t work and ask for a later due date
Explanation:
Darren has received a project request with a due date of 20 business days, but he anticipates that his team will require only 5 business days to complete the project. However, the unavailability of some days during the project period (as shown in the table) might reduce the actual time available for work. Before proceeding, Darren should assess if the available work time matches the timeline for completion. If there are enough conflicting days during the project period, the 20-business-day timeline may not be achievable. It is important for Darren to communicate this issue with the requester and discuss a possible extension. Proactive communication can help manage expectations and ensure the project is not rushed or delayed due to a lack of clarity.
Requesting overtime or accepting the project without addressing this issue could lead to overburdening the team or delivering subpar work. It’s better to get confirmation on the timeline adjustments before committing to the project.
Sam’s Scenario:
Correct Actions:
- Send out an email every evening reminding staff to log out but not turn off their computers
- Let team supervisors know which team members aren’t following the process
- Ask team supervisors to ensure each team member understands the importance of the new process
Explanation:
The issue in Sam’s case involves staff turning off computers rather than logging them out, which results in critical updates not being installed. This creates more work for Sam as he handles help requests. To address the problem effectively:
- Send out an email reminder: Sam should remind staff every evening to log out their computers instead of turning them off. A regular reminder can reinforce the correct behavior and minimize mistakes.
- Let team supervisors know: It’s crucial that Sam communicates to team supervisors which individuals are not following the process. Supervisors can then address the behavior with their team members and ensure compliance.
- Ensure understanding: By working with team supervisors to ensure that everyone understands the importance of the process, Sam can prevent future mistakes. Staff may not realize the impact of their actions, so explaining the importance can motivate them to follow the correct procedure.
While staying after hours to check every computer is a good idea, it may not be a sustainable solution. It would be more efficient in the long term to focus on ensuring that staff follow the process during their shifts. Writing up employees who aren’t following the process could be too harsh at first, especially if they aren’t fully aware of the implications. Therefore, Sam should aim to educate staff and promote compliance with clear communication and regular reminders.