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She was at her client’s site the day before until 7:30 P. M. And has not checked her e-mail or voice mail since 3:30 P. M. The previous day. There are 7 phone messages, 16 e-mails, and 4 notes left on her desk. She spends 15 minutes reviewing her schedule and “to do” lists for the day before responding to messages that require immediate attention. Rachel spends the next 25 minutes going over project reports and preparing for the weekly status meeting. Her boss, who just arrived at the office, interrupts her. They spend 20 minutes discussing the project.
He shares a rumor that a team member is using stimulants on the job. She tells him that she has not seen any-thing suspicious but will keep an eye on the team member. The 9:00 A. M. Project status meeting starts 1 5 minutes late because of the team members have to finish a job for a client. Several people go to the cafeteria to get coffee and doughnuts while others discuss last night’s baseball game. The team members arrive, and the remaining 45 minutes of the progress review meeting surface project issues that have to be addressed and assigned for action.
After the meeting Rachel goes down the hallway to meet with Victoria, another IS project manager. They spend 30 minutes reviewing project assignments since the two of them share personnel. Victorians project is behind schedule and in need of help. They broker a deal that should get Victorians project back on track. She returns to her office and makes several phone calls and returns several e-mails before walking downstairs to visit with members of her project team. Her intent is to follow up on an issue that had surfaced in the status report meeting.
However, her impel, “Hi guys, how are things going? ‘ elicits a stream of disgruntled responses from the “troops. ” After listening patiently for over 20 minutes, she realizes that among other things several of the client’s managers are beginning to request features that were not in the original project scope statement. She tells her people that she will get on this right away. Returning to her office she tries to call her counterpart John at the client firm but is told that he is not expected back from lunch for another hour.
At this time, Eddie drops by and says, “How about lunch? Eddie works in the finance office and they spend the next half hour in the company cafeteria gossiping about internal politics. She is surprised to hear that Joana Johnson, the director of systems projects, may join another firm. Joana has always been a powerful ally. She returns to her office, answers a few more e-mails, and finally gets through to John. They spend 30 min tutees going over the problem. The conversation ends with John promising to do some investigating and to get back to her as soon as possible.
Rachel puts a “Do not disturb” sign on her door, and lies down in her office. She listens to the third and fourth movement of Ravel’s string quartet in F on headphones. Rachel then takes the elevator down to the third floor and talks to the purchasing agent assigned to her project. They spend the next 30 minutes exploring ways of getting necessary equipment to the project site earlier than planned. She finally authorizes express delivery. When she returns to her office, her calendar reminds her that she is scheduled to participate in a conference call at 2:30.
It takes 15 minutes for everyone to get online. During this time, Rachel catches up on some e-mail. The next hour is spent exchanging information about the technical requirements associated with a new version of a software package they are using on systems projects like hers. Rachel decides to stretch her legs and goes on a walk down the hallway where she engages in brief conversations with various co-workers. She goes out of her way to thank Chancre for his thoughtful analysis at the status report meeting. She returns to find taxation has left a message for her to call him back ASAP.
She contacts John, who informs her that, according to his people, her firm’s marketing rep had made certain promises about specific features her system would provide. He doesn’t know how this communication breakdown occurred, but his people are pretty upset over the situation. Rachel thanks John for the information and immediately takes the stairs to where the marketing group resides. She asks to see Mary, a senior marketing manager. She waits 10 minutes before being invited into her office. After a heated discussion, she leaves 40 minutes later with Mary agreeing to talk to her people about what was remised and what was not promised.