Project management course 01

This is the first article I’ve attempted so please bear with me.

01. Introduction and contents
02. The bridge game
03. Project life cycle
04. Project start-up
05. Initiation process
06. The project team
07. Planning process
- work breakdown structure
- work packages
08. Risk management
09. Estimating
10. Scheduling
11. Execution
- project control
- change procedures
12. Closure
- reporting

To give you a little background, without giving too much away, there was about seven of us in the group; I think only one of us was a project manager, the others all had varying positions within teams from the same company. Most of us had never met each other before.

I explained to the teacher, as soon as I arrived, that I believed I had been put in the wrong course by accident. The reply given was pretty much what I was expecting, and as the course had already been paid for, nothing was going to change. Basically the course should be relevant to everyone.

My aim is to add an extra part of the course each week, and the link will be added to the contents list above. So bookmarking this page would be a good idea.

Premium packaging for toothpaste and related

We had to buy some toothpaste the other day; or should I say that I had to buy some. I have to admit that it’s been a while since I’ve had to trawl down this aisle to find a minty tooth soap.
It seems that even toothpaste is being given a more premium look; a wider and squatter tube in a matt feel box with oodles of bling. I was rather tempted to buy.
“All that glitters… must be bought.”

Phone_25May080001

At the same time I took a look for a new toothbrush… I wish I hadn’t. Where do you start? and then where do you stop? Like this toothbrush; a disposable vibrating one. Do I need this? and how much more is an electric one?
I did like the blister pack though, a simple vibrating effect around the bristles that definitely communicates what is inside.

Phone_25May080000

I like it. And, no, I did not buy it.

My new sunglasses

We wandered into a glasses shop today and ended up buying a pair of Oakley/ Ducatti sunglasses. Okay so it is getting a little hotter but I don’t normally do this type of thing. There’s a word for this… impulse I think.

But lets look at what happened at the point of purchase.

1. We saw a wall full of glasses in the window, and then noticed some brands around them. After placing ourselves within certain brands, (we both had different segments, obviously), and admiring the models, my eyes wandered inside to see that there was more to look at inside.

2. After selecting a certain style that seemed to suit me the assistant found other options for me to try (brand was not considered here – it was only “did it fit ME”).

3. It was obvious that one particular set was my favourite; the assisant saw this too and removed the price tag so I could try it on again (it also meant the price no longer came into the equation).

4. We got down to a choice between Ray-ban or Oakley. It did seem to be a choice based on brand as the word Oakley seemed to swing it for my wife (come on who really makes the decisions here?)

5. Sold – one pair of Oakley sunglasses.

6. Here comes the interesting part. The marketing material that came with the sunglasses included a nice box with a picture of a Ducatti bike, a mini poster showing Ducatti “stuff” and a nice Oakley info sheet that went into detail of why I now have the best sunglasses I’ll ever need.

I’ll try to post some pictures later. I’m off to do some serious sunglass wearing.

Over-packaging example

Another example of over packaging this time by Cadburys.
We took this from the shop with the idea that there would be far too much chocolate here for the three of us to get through on the bus trip

Cadbury Assortment pack

Low and behold. What is this!
Cadbury Assortment pack inside

It appears we have been somewhat shortchanged on the chocolate front.

Come on people, when are you going to learn that we don’t need this. What is with the inner plastic tray just to hold the small plastic bag of chocs from banging about inside the massive cardboard exterior.