4 ms·

I'll never forget the time shortly after switching into industry from a purely laboratory workplace, that I had my first encounter with a professional project m

I'll never forget the time shortly after switching into industry from a purely laboratory workplace, that I had my first encounter with a professional project manager. I got so pissed off that some un-introduced remote person on a conference call was try to tease out what all my "tasks" where, when they would be done and in what order (as well as when everyone else's would be done). Thus began my career-long love/hate relationship with project management (mostly hate). While I am sure that scientists and academics can do well with general-purpose time-management skills, I think that industry could perhaps have more to gain by picking up some tips from how scientists work (and ease-off on the obsession with project management).

cjf4 8y ago
Depends on the quality and style of the PM, but a good one is worth their wait in gold. By coordinating the meetings, managing the dates, and keeping everyone accountable, it takes those burdens off other team members, letting them focus on the work.
- bunderbunder 8y ago
  I hate to say it, but the litmus tests seems to be, "Do they have a PMP?" If the answer is yes, run away fast, you're in danger of being crushed under a mountain of paperwork. If the answer is no, I guess the answer isn't so clear cut, but I have definitely worked with ones who are worth more than their weight in gold.
  - asark 8y ago
    The good ones, in an organization with any sense at all, keep you from having to answer "when will it be done" and "why isn't it done yet" questions from non-team-members, which is wonderful. Those questions will come up, and if ICs are answering them to anyone outside their own team then your (the general "your") process likely sucks and is slowing everything down and making everyone miserable.
- crispyambulance 8y ago
  Yeah, I was being somewhat facetious. There certainly is a difference in the way that scientists and people in industry work. I think that folks that have crossed over from Science to industry experience a level of culture shock regarding the way work is done. They can both learn from each other, but having been in industry for a while, I feel like in too many places there's a soul crushing amount of project-management busy work. And I've heard my friends in academia complain about a lack of "project management" leading to a nightmarish amount of loose-ends and things never actually being "finished".
- kbutler 8y ago
  weight... Though maybe "wait" is appropriate for a thread on time management?
anitil 8y ago
From my interactions with lab scientists, it seems the best way to get work out of them was to provide money and coffee. They were so self-motivated you practically had to drag them out of the place

cjf4 8y ago

Depends on the quality and style of the PM, but a good one is worth their wait in gold. By coordinating the meetings, managing the dates, and keeping everyone accountable, it takes those burdens off other team members, letting them focus on the work.

bunderbunder 8y ago
I hate to say it, but the litmus tests seems to be, "Do they have a PMP?" If the answer is yes, run away fast, you're in danger of being crushed under a mountain of paperwork. If the answer is no, I guess the answer isn't so clear cut, but I have definitely worked with ones who are worth more than their weight in gold.
- asark 8y ago
  The good ones, in an organization with any sense at all, keep you from having to answer "when will it be done" and "why isn't it done yet" questions from non-team-members, which is wonderful. Those questions will come up, and if ICs are answering them to anyone outside their own team then your (the general "your") process likely sucks and is slowing everything down and making everyone miserable.
crispyambulance 8y ago
Yeah, I was being somewhat facetious. There certainly is a difference in the way that scientists and people in industry work. I think that folks that have crossed over from Science to industry experience a level of culture shock regarding the way work is done. They can both learn from each other, but having been in industry for a while, I feel like in too many places there's a soul crushing amount of project-management busy work. And I've heard my friends in academia complain about a lack of "project management" leading to a nightmarish amount of loose-ends and things never actually being "finished".
kbutler 8y ago
weight... Though maybe "wait" is appropriate for a thread on time management?

anitil 8y ago

From my interactions with lab scientists, it seems the best way to get work out of them was to provide money and coffee. They were so self-motivated you practically had to drag them out of the place