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5. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
Project Management: A Managerial Approach, Eighth Edition
Page 1 of 23
Chapter Overview
Overview – This chapter introduces the process of project planning, which involves
identifying the specific goals of the project and breaking them down into achievable
tasks. The concepts of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Linear Responsibility
Chart (LRC) are also introduced.
1) Initial Project Coordination and the Project Charter – The project launch meeting is
an excellent way to begin the planning process. At this meeting the team is gathered
for the first time to allow them to develop a general idea about the requirements of the
project. The intent is not to present fully developed plans and schedules but rather to
present the project in general, so that the team members can develop detailed plans
and schedules for themselves and present them at subsequent meetings. After the
planning process is complete it is useful to have a postplanning review chaired by an
experienced project manager not involved with this project previously.
a). Outside Clients – When the project involves an outside client, the planning
process must include the complete definition of the deliverables that will be
provided. This can be accomplished efficiently by involving the design and
marketing teams early in the planning process. The intent is to prevent later
surprises. E.g: The previously ignored manufacturing group announces that they
can’t build the design that has taken 10 months so far to be developed.
b). Project Charter Elements – Project plans and their development vary from
organization to organization, but they should all have the following elements:
i) Purpose – A short summary of objectives and project scope.
ii) Objectives – A more detailed statement of the general goals of the project.
This statement should include profit and competitive aims from the Business
Case as well as technical goals based on the Statement of Work (SOW).
iii) Overview – A description of both the managerial and the technical approaches
to the work.
iv) Schedules – This section outlines the various schedules and lists all milestone
events and/or phase-gates.
v) Resources – This element contains the budgets by task as well as the cost
control and monitoring plans.
vi) Personnel – This element contains a time phased plan for the people (or at
least the skills) required for the project.
vii)Risk Management Plans – This covers potential problems as well as potential
lucky breaks that could affect the project.
viii) Evaluation Methods – This section describes the methods used to monitor,
evaluate, and collect the history of the project.
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c). Project Planning in Action – Plans can be constructed by listing the sequence of
activities necessary to complete the project. The nine segments of the project are:
i) Concept evaluation
ii) Requirements identification
iii) Design
iv) Implementation
v) Test
vi) Integration
vii)Validation
viii) Customer test and evaluation
ix) Operations and maintenance
2) Starting the Project Plan
a) The WBS – The work breakdown structure (WBS) is a tool used to capture the
decomposition of activities and the assignment of personnel. The WBS is not one
thing. It can take a wide variety of forms that, in turn, serve a wide variety of
purposes. The text suggests the following steps for WBS development:
i) Break the tasks down into sufficient detail so that they can be individually
planned, budgeted, scheduled, monitored, and controlled. The tasks at the
bottom of the structure are typically called work packages.
ii) Identify the relevant supporting information needed for each work package
and the people who will work them.
iii) The work packages must be reviewed with the people involved to ensure their
accuracy and adequacy in describing the tasks to be accomplished.
iv) The WBS can be used to capture the direct costs estimated or budgeted for
each task.
v) The summary of the schedule information associated with each work package
can be summarized into a project master schedule.
Both the planned schedule and budget for each work package can be used as the
baseline to measure performance as the project is executed.
3) Human Resources: The RACI Matrix and Agile Projects
Identifying and securing the right employees for project work is one of the most
important PM tasks. One way to identify the HR needs is to create an Organizational
Breakdown Structure (OBS). It shows the organizational units that are responsible for
the various work elements of the project. By creating RACI matrixes and utilizing
agile project methods, better management of human resources can be attained.
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a) The Responsibility (RACI) Matrix – An approach to identify the human resources
needed for the project is to use the RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consult, Inform)
matrix. The matrix shows critical interfaces between units that may require special
managerial coordination. With it, the PM can keep track of who must approve what,
who must be notified, and other such relationships. The RACI matrix displays the
WBS items in the left-most column of a table. The individuals, groups, or units
involved in the project are displayed in the top row. The project manager then uses
the matrix to identify who is Responsible, who is Accountable, who should be
Consulted, and who should be Informed.
b) Agile Project Planning and Management – Traditional methods are insufficient, if
an organization finds it difficult to define the project adequately in the shortest
possible time. In situations like these agile project management (APM) may be
effective. APM requires close and continual contact between the project team and the
clients. Project requirements are a result of client/developer interaction, and the
requirements change as the interaction leads to a better understanding on both sides of
the project requirements, priorities, and limitations.
4) Interface Coordination Through Integration Management – Interface coordination is
the task of coordinating work across multiple groups. Multidisciplinary teams (MTs)
are often used to facilitate the coordination of technical issues. Techniques are
available to assist this process by mapping the interdependencies between team
members.
a) Managing Projects by Phases and Phase-Gates – One way to facilitate
interdisciplinary cooperation is to break the project into phases and require the team
to have specific deliverables at each phase. Then an oversight process can evaluate
the deliverables and decide whether the project is ready to pass onto the next phase.
This technique is applied in addition to the normal cost and schedule control
techniques associated with projects.
5) Project Risk Management – This is the PMBOK knowledge area number 8. It defines
risk management as the systematic process for identifying, analyzing, and responding
to project risk. Seven processes exist:
a). Risk Management Planning
b). Risk Identification
c). Qualitative Risk Analysis
d). Quantitative Risk Analysis
i) Failure Mode and Effect Analysis
ii) Decision Tree Analysis
iii) Monte Carlo Simulation
iv) Dealing with Project Disasters
e). Risk Response Planning
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f). Risk Monitoring and Control
g). The Risk Management Register
Teaching Tips
Like many subjects in project management, this topic will benefit from a good example.
One way to provide it is to do an in-class planning exercise. To prepare this exercise the
instructor needs to select a project. Everyone in the class should be familiar with this
project. If a specialized technical topic is chosen (e.g. refueling a nuclear power plant),
then all the class members may not be able to fully participate due to their lack of
knowledge in the subject. I have had success with picking smaller, more accessible topics
that are familiar to a wide range of students. Specifically, I have used “Planning a
company picnic” for the exercise. While it may not sound very interesting on the surface,
the picnic has some surprising complications that the students will discover during the
planning process.
To begin the exercise the instructor give the class some background information about
their pretend company and a very brief description of the project. The description is
deliberately brief to simulate the typically meager direction that management supplies in
these circumstances. The students work in pairs to brainstorm the outline of the project
plan trying to answer key questions like:
What is the purpose of the project?
Who are its customers?
What constraints are imposed by the company?
The process of answering these questions forces students to ask a lot of questions which
the instructor, as the “sponsor” should answer. This gives the instructor a lot of
opportunities to emphasize the idea that the early project formation process is one
dominated by questions intended to reveal the sponsor’s and customer’s true
requirements.
As the authors of the text correctly point out, there are many formats available for project
plan deliverables. If the instructor does not have a preferred format to use for this
exercise, Martin and Tate describe a method, one that I have found useful, called the
Project Management Memory Jogger™. This tiny book can be an excellent supplement
to the text by presenting a number of specific formats for planning deliverables.
Material Review Questions
Question 1:
APM is distinguished by close and continuing contact between clients (users) and staff
working on the project, and an iterative and adaptive planning process. This approach is
best suited for situations in which the scope of the project cannot be sufficiently
determined in advance. The scope is progressively determined as the project progresses.
Question 2:
Refer to Section 6.1 in the text. The eight key elements of any project charter are:
9. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
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1) Purpose: The purpose contains a brief summary of the project’s scope and its
objectives.
2) Objectives: The objectives should reflect how the project would satisfy
requirements in the dimensions of performance, time, cost, and customer
satisfaction. Objectives should also be set with respect to business impact and
future growth potential.
3) Overview: This section will describe the managerial and technical approaches
used to complete the project.
4) Schedules: The master schedule will be derived from the individual schedules for
resources. Milestones will be used to indicate significant events in the project’s
lifecycle.
5) Resources: The project’s budget will document both capital expenses and
operating expenses by task. The procedures for cost monitoring and control will
also be described.
6) Personnel: This section covers the types and quantities of human resources
needed to complete the project. It should document unique requirements related to
issues such as security clearances, skill sets, EOE, and local content issues related
to hiring and ownership practices.
7) Risk Management Plans: This section describes how uncertainty will be managed
in the project. Its intent is to identify opportunities and threats. Contingency plans
are developed to respond to important risk events should they arise during the
project’s lifecycle
8) Evaluation Methods: This section describes the monitoring and control
procedures used to run the project and to assess its success.
Question 3:
Refer to Sections 6.3 and 6.2 in the text. The general steps for managing each work
package in a specific project are:
1) Decompose the work packages into the smallest work elements necessary to plan,
budget, schedule, and control the work. When sequencing project activities,
logical relationships and direct costs are often driven by the activities inside the
work package.
2) Create a work statement that includes inputs, specification references, contractual
stipulations, and expected performance results. It may prove useful to construct
the Linear Responsibility Chart (LRC) to document which resource is responsible
for each activity in the work package.
3) List contact information for vendors and subcontractors.
4) For work that is new, difficult, or important, establish detailed end-item
specifications.
5) Establish cost centers to assign budget responsibilities and to track performance
against plans. Assign the appropriate types and quantities of resources to each
work center.
6) Establish the activity durations and logical relationships. Develop a preliminary
project schedule.
7) Review the WBS, activity lists, budget, and schedules with the resources that will
perform the work.
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Question 4:
The “even planning process” is a hierarchical approach to decompose deliverables during
the processes of scope definition and activity definition. (See PMBOK® Guide Third
Edition sections 5.3 and 6.1.). The goal is that each level of the hierarchy has elements at
about the same level of detail. One purpose is to prevent overplanning the familiar, while
under planning the unfamiliar parts of the project.
Question 5:
The RACI matrix shows the tasks to be performed, the groups doing the work, and who
should be responsible, accountable, informed, and consulted. With the RACI matrix the
PM can keep up with who must approve what, who must be notified, and other such
relationships.
Question 6:
Refer to Section 6.1 in the text. The project’s launch meeting should accomplish the
following goals:
1) The technical scope for the project is established.
2) Participants accept responsibility for specific areas of performance.
3) Tentative, high-level schedules, and budgets are established.
4) A risk management group is created for the project.
Question 7:
Refer to Section 6.1 in the project. Involving functional areas in proposal development
may help an organization to avoid promising deliverables and/or performance that cannot
be delivered to the customer. This involvement is important in winning support for the
project from the people who are likely to loan the resources. In many cases, those
resources would like to provide input about what will be done, how it will be done, how
it will be priced, and when it will be accomplished.
Question 8:
Refer to Section 6.4 in the text. To design and use the WBS, the basic steps are:
1) Decompose the action plan in sufficient detail so that each activity can be
individually planned, budgeted, scheduled, monitored, and controlled.
2) For each WBS work package, create a LRC.
3) Review the work packages with the responsible resources prior to aggregating the
activities for the project.
4) Convert the WBS into a Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) that includes budget
data for direct costs, indirect costs, contingency reserves, and profit.
5) Create the master schedule.
6) Capture actual costs and schedule performance and track against the baselines for
budget and schedule.
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Question 9:
Refer to Section 6.5 in the text. Interface management seeks to facilitate the process of
coordinating dynamic relationships between the various elements to assist the project in
meeting objectives for performance, time, and cost.
Question 10:
Refer to the Introduction in the text. The Project Plan is the complete set of documents
and data used to describe the project objectives, method, schedule and budget. The
Project Charter is the subset of the overall plan that concentrates on the schedule and
required resources. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the subset of the plan that
displays a decomposition of the work to be executed by the project.
Question 11:
Milestones are natural sub-project ending points where payments may occur, evaluations
may be made, or progress may be reassessed. Phase-gates are preplanned points during
the project where progress is assessed and the project cannot resume until re-
authorization has been approved.
Question 12:
A risk matrix is constructed by placing the impact of threats on one axis and the
probability of those threats occurring on the other axis (see Figure 6-12). Threats in the
upper-right quadrant are more “critical” than those in the other quadrants.
Question 13:
A decision tree is useful to a project manager when sequential events happen over time.
In these cases, the PM can look at the probabilities that a certain sequence of events will
occur and their potential impact on the project.
Question 14:
FMEA tables can be more valuable than a risk matrix because they consider the inability
to detect the risk in addition to the probability and impact. Because of this they provide
more value.
Question 15:
The cause-effect diagram should be broken down into as many subfactors as possible.
With more subfactors, a better understanding of the factors that affect a particular threat
or opportunity can be achieved.
Question 16:
The risk responses for threats (avoid, transfer, mitigate, and accept) are generally
designed to minimize or eliminate the risk from the threats. Risk responses for
opportunities (exploit, share, enhance, and accept) are generally designed to maximize
the opportunity if it occurs.
12. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
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Class Discussion Questions
Question 17:
The amount of planning should be proportionate to the degree of newness, importance,
and difficulty associated with realizing the required solution for an unique need.E.g:
Constructing a standard 1,800 square-foot residential home should require less planning
than that required to build the same house from scratch in less than four hours. (The San
Diego Builders Association did this feat as a promotional project. The four-hour
execution of the project required almost nine months to plan.) Instead of using
percentages, the basic concept is that plans should be as brief and simple provided that
they adequately direct the team to what needs to be done each day to support the project.
Question 18:
In the military, there is a saying that, “No plan survives its first encounter with the
enemy.” Therefore, even the best of plans should be adjusted to the reality of the project
as it unfolds. This juggling of activities and resources across groups is a real-time activity
that is usually done without a lot of detailed information or analysis. The coordination is
made more difficult by the inevitable problems in communication that occur in even the
best-run projects.
Question 19:
The areas of risk need to be relevant to the project. Unfortunately, we can think of many
things that are “risky” in our lives, but they aren’t necessarily relevant to a particular
project. The PMBOK®
Guide Third Edition describes typical categories to consider risk
in as:
• Technical
• External
• Organizational
• Project Management
Question 20:
The WBS is probably one of the most useful project planning tools. It identifies the work
required to provide the project’s deliverables. It provides a framework for identifying
direct costs and resource requirements. Rolling up individual budgets through the
structure of the WBS can capture the total budget. The project schedule can be displayed
as a Gantt chart where each line is mapped directly to the WBS. Actual data can be
captured in project management software using the WBS table to enter actual cost and
schedule performance data.
Question 21:
Subdividing activities for a WBS involves a layer by layer breakdown of activities. PMs
should first divide the project into the main-level set of activities and then break each of
those levels down even further. This should continue until each activity is broken down
into its smallest activity. It is important to get as much input as possible from
stakeholders because getting the WBS built as well as possible can result in significant
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dividends as the project progresses due to numerous other deliverables that evolve from
it.
Question 22:
Usually, the plan frames the project in a manner that helps the team prepare for the
challenges that lay ahead. It is not so important that the team create the perfect project
plan. However, it is important that the plan raises the level of understanding about what
must be done to achieve a successful implementation that solves real needs. The plan
should also provide a reference point that the team can use to make course adjustments as
work progresses. Ultimately the plan must provide sufficient guidance so that every
member of the team knows what they should be doing each day to contribute to the
success of the project.
Something to think about: Have you ever taken a vacation without first deciding on a
destination?
Question 23:
Refer to Section 6.1 in the text.
Pros: Involving functional areas in proposal development may help an organization to
avoid promising deliverables and/or performance that cannot be delivered to the
customer. This involvement is important in winning support for the project from the
people who are likely to loan the resources. In many cases, those resources would like to
provide input about what will be done, how it will be done, how it will be priced, and
when it will be accomplished.
Cons: It is conceivable that some otherwise qualified managers and technical specialists
will not possess strong relationship management skills and/or a willingness to participate
in interdisciplinary approaches to solving problems. Such people could sabotage
negotiations in subtle ways by objecting to parameters or by using blocking techniques
that create fear, uncertainty or doubt about a project’s success. It is also difficult to
identify credibly the proper economic trade-off between early involvement and delayed
participation of functional specialists.
Question 24:
In general, this would be an unethical thing to do. The PM should demonstrate a little
more maturity by confronting the problem head-on rather than trying to cover it up with
tricks. An important consideration is Fred’s contribution to the project. If he is notified
because, in spite of his difficult attitude, he has something to contribute, then the PM is
not only unethical, he is stupid to bypass him. If he is difficult and does not add value (a
dynamite combination!), then the PM should bypass him and have the courage to look
Fred in the eye and tell him why he was ignored for that particular task. A manager,
whom I respect, once told me when I was faced with a difficult team member, “You have
got to talk to him. Maybe nobody ever told him that he was a jerk.”
Question 25:
The simplest way to plan for an unknown risk is to add a buffer. This can be both for the
schedule and the budget. This buffer should be visible to all concerned; not hidden as
padding in individual activities. Eli Goldratt recommends establishing a project time
buffer that is adjusted as the project unfolds (this is discussed at length in Chapter 9). The
14. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
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team knows that the buffer has gotten smaller if they are running behind, and larger if
they are ahead. Similarly it is a common practice on large defense projects to establish a
“Management Reserve.” This is a portion of the total project budget that is deliberately
held in reserve against unknown scope variation. Another technique is the designation of
selected experts to handle the problems as they arise. This can be coupled with a well-
defined escalation process, in which the designated people at appropriate levels in the
organization are notified based on the nature and severity of the problem.
Question 26:
Milestones and phase-gates may occur at the same time in some instances because phase-
gates can be considered milestones. In other cases they can occur at different times
because milestones can be used to see if the project is “on track” while phase-gates can
be utilized to determine if the project should continue to the next phase.
Question 27:
Agile project management was developed because of an increasing number of projects, in
which the scope of the project was not sufficiently determined in advance and thus, the
scope is progressively determined as the project progresses. I do believe that this
approach will continue to be increasingly utilized in future projects due to the continuing
number of projects where project scope cannot be accurately determined up-front.
Question 28:
Risk matrices and FEMA tables are extremely useful in analyzing the impacts of threats.
Each one helps in identifying the threats that cause the most concern. In addition, they
can be used to analyze the portfolio of projects in relation to their risk structure.
Question 29:
Decision and probability trees are similar. If we are only interested in probabilities, we
call the tree a probability tree. But if there are some actions we are considering anywhere
along the tree—before the first probability event, say, or between events—and we want
to evaluate which action(s) would be the best, then it is called a decision tree.
Each can be used by PMs to help determine the likelihood of certain events from
occurring. The decision tree is generally more valuable because it has a broader value.
can be used to analyze the portfolio of projects in relation to their risk structure.
Question 30:
A cause-effect chart could be used for two risks concurrently. The end “problem” would
be the result of both occurring concurrently.
Question 31:
Risk responses to threats and opportunities are more important for a particular PM
depending on their level of risk tolerance. For those who are risk-averse, they might be
inclined to think the risk responses for threats are more important and vice versa for those
PMs who are risk-seeking.
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Beagle 2 Mars Probe a Planning Failure
Question 32:
The tasks and changes in the tasks facing the project team with a fast approaching launch
window were extremely difficult. The PM should have recommended cancelling the
project and substituting it with something else.
Question 33:
The recommendations are all extremely important, certainly relevant to all projects, and
makes common sense. The problem, however, was more difficult than these
commonsense recommendations imply. If an expensive rocket launch is being readied for
a particular date and the date can’t be changed, would you really want to cancel the
probe? If so, why send up an empty rocket? Something needs to be added to the
recommendations concerning a backup probe, or a de-scoped probe, in case of trouble.
Clearly there wasn’t sufficient time, so something about a long lead time might be added
when the due date cannot be delayed.
Child Support Software a Victim of Scope Creep
Question 34:
Commonly, with the design of software systems, the customer wants changes as the
software is being written, which requires extensive rework and checking for ramifications
of each change throughout the system. This takes a lot of time and extra labor.
Apparently, this happened here as the customer kept requesting scope changes which the
customer considered to be minor but the vendor considered them to be major changes.
Unfortunately, the vendor didn’t inform the customer about the difficulty of making
changes during the project, or provide a process for handling such requested changes.
Question 35:
It appears that the software has been completed but now operates slower than that was
promised, possibly due to the scope changes. The customer and vendor need to talk about
the possibility of making additional changes that would help the customer in the most
efficient way, which may include disabling some of the options and scope changes
requested previously.
Shanghai Unlucky with Passengers
Question 36:
Luck had nothing to do with it. The problem was that the train was accessible only from a
difficult location for the customers in the business center. The system that was
implemented did not meet the original need.
Question 37:
We assume that there was an external reason for getting this exceptional train operational
in a short time period and service for businesspeople was a minor consideration. It could
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be that the original cost and time estimates were significantly wrong, so they were only
able to get it as close as they did to the city center.
China is now extending the train to the downtown business center, but it will take much
longer to complete.
Risk Analysis vs. Budget/Schedule Requirements in Australia
Question 38:
Meeting schedule and budget goals are certainly important, but other metrics are
important as well when it comes to project success. Although many people do think
primarily of schedule and budget goals, scope and quality goals can be just as important.
Specific to this example, had they considered quality issues, they would have created a
better system. After learning about all nine of the project management knowledge areas
as specified by the Project Management Institute, students will learn that each one is
equally important in managing projects.
Question 39:
An appropriate risk analysis approach would have been to use a quantitative method such
as simulation. Had this been done properly, the officials would have seen what would
happen with a significant increase in traffic beyond what was projected. This could have
shown them what might happen and then forced them to develop a system to comfortably
handle the increased traffic and/or to create a higher quality system.
Using Agile to Integrate Two Gas Pipeline Systems
Question 40:
The client was not on this team because it was an internal project.
Question 41:
Aspects of agile used:
1) Frequent, stand-up meetings with subteams
2) Weekly meetings with the entire team
3) Iterative and adaptive planning throughout the project
Aspects of agile not used:
1) A test case
2) Sprints
Question 42:
Agile management is not beneficial for most standard projects because agile projects
cannot accurately predict cost and time estimates for the duration of the project. Since,
most projects request funding in advance, agile processes would not be able to provide
those estimates.
An Acquisition Failure Questions Recommended Practice
Question 43:
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Long project durations in all industries lead to conflicts and project problems. A good
example is the Denver Airport Baggage Handling System. This project was so big and
poorly managed that it took a significant amount of additional time and money to
complete the project. In general, larger projects take much more planning and
coordination efforts while also increasing the likelihood of project management related
concerns.
Question 44:
One of the main problems was that a decision wasn’t made early enough in the project
regarding what to do. Had they determined that, all systems would have been merged into
one of the existing company’s systems and they would have had a better chance of
success. Too much time was spent analyzing the problem without ever getting to the
design phase.
Question 45:
The BMP solution worked because it eliminated the analysis phase of the decision-
making and forced the teams into the development phase. A compromised system might
have been possible, but the risk of continuing with the same problems they encountered
after the initial merger could have occurred too.
Ignoring Risk Contrasted with Recognizing Risk in Two Industries
Question 46:
The reasons why BP took such a relaxed attitude toward the Gulf well compared to
NASA is really a mystery. BP really should have been just as serious, perhaps even more,
since the environmental damage caused by the leak was so extensive. In addition, it could
have easily been prevented this with better planning.
Question 47:
I don’t think the oil industry has funded significant research in this area because they
believe the odds that it wouldn’t happen. Since, the R&D investment would be so
significant for something that was just a possibility (not a certainty), then it must have
been worth the risk.
Question 48:
Again, there really isn’t a good reason why BP didn’t do this right either. With proper
planning, a contingency plan could have been in place already that indicated what to do
and what to say if something like this happened. Hopefully, all companies in the oil
industry learned from this and will be more prepared next time.
Question 49:
NASA’s approach to risk analysis is thorough as it should be. One component on the
space shuttle that goes bad can cause an entire launch to be aborted or can cause the
shuttle to explode, as we have seen. Thus, their approach is thorough and would include
minimum techniques such as decision tree analysis and expert judgment. FMEA is a good
example of what an organization can do to understand the risk levels associated with a
project.
18. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
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Facebook Risks Interruption to Move a Terabyte
Question 50:
Although students may be able to make good arguments both ways, I would consider the
completion of the first hardware phase a phase-gate review because if building the
hardware took too long and/or was too costly, it may be necessary to stop the project
before going any further. In addition, they could determine that it just isn’t technically
feasible to progress any further.
Question 51:
The risk responses Facebook used are as follows:
1) Avoidance: With regards to avoiding the problems associated with loading the
data onto the equipment before the move
2) Mitigation: Selecting the option to transfer the data via a network as opposed to
loading it on the equipment before the move
3) Acceptance: A certain amount of risk was assumed even before transferring the
data across the larger network
4) Exploit: The move itself to the larger faster network
5) Enhance: The move itself to the larger faster network
Question 52:
Facebook could have also considered other approaches to handle the risks such as using
all of the seven subprocesses related to risk. These include:
1) Risk management planning
2) Risk identification
3) Qualitative risk analysis
4) Quantitative risk analysis
5) Risk response planning
6) Risk monitoring and control
7) Creating a risk management register
Trying to Install a Wind Farm in the Middle of the North Sea
Question 53:
The difficulties and risks in this case study were much less significant than with the
NASA example. Although both cases highlighted major risks, they were different in each
case. In this example (Wind Farms), many of the risks involved having everything ready
before being shipped to location. In addition, if there were any problems, they had to
come up with a solution as soon as possible and they did this by involving multi-
disciplinary teams.
Question 54:
It was imperative to have the correct competencies and dependabilities on the teams.
Without these two criteria solving problems would have been much more painful and
finding solutions would have been much more difficult.
19. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
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Page 15 of 23
Question 55:
Students’ answers are expected to vary considerably based upon their background and the
choice of the WBS method.
20. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
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Problems
Problem 1:
Problem
1:Problem
1:Probability
7
6
Threat 2
5
Threat 1
4
Threat 4
3
Threat 3
2
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Impact
Legend:
Critical
Monitor
Ignore
Threat 1: The threat of costs being excessive could occur. Actually, the probability is
somewhat high. This can be transferred to an outsourcing provider to help reduce this
threat.
Threat 2: The likelihood of the users resisting changes could cause major problems. This
is somewhat likely to happen, but can be avoided if they are given an alternative and
consulted in advance.
Threat 3: The project may run longer than expected. This isn’t highly likely, but this can
be transferred by outsourcing the project.
Threat 4: The changes may reduce the quality of care in the hospital. The probability is
satisfactory because the improvements brought about by the new system may not be
significant. If the quality decreases, the impact could be fairly significant, thus the
hospital may need to mitigate this threat by including more users in the planning.
21. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
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Page 17 of 23
Problem 2:
Threat Severity Likelihood Inability
to detect
RPN
#1 3 5 4 60
#2 5 6 1 30
#3 4 3 3 36
#4 7 4 6 168
The main thing that changes when using this approach is that threat #2 drops significantly
from “critical” to possibly “ignore.” This is mostly due to the lack of inability to detect.
Threat #2 is somewhat severe and the likelihood is great, but since the threat is relatively
easy to detect, it can be mitigated early and possibly even removed. Thus, this is a much
more realistic evaluation of the threats than just creating a risk matrix.
Problem 3:
22. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
Project Management: A Managerial Approach, Eighth Edition
Page 18 of 23
Problem 4:
Based on the analysis, the manufacturer should approve the purchase of the high-quality,
special equipment for $10,000. As a result, significant savings should occur.
Problem 5:
a1, a3 decision = (0.7 $3,000) + (0.3 $2,000) – $500 = $2,200
a1, a4 decision = (0.7 $1,000) + (0.3 $2,000) – $500 = $800
a2, a5 decision = (0.4 $2,150) + (0.6 $3,000) – $1,000= $1,660
a2, a6 decision = (0.4 $2,150) + (0.6 $4,000) – $1,000= $2,260
Based on this analysis, the best option is a2, a6.
23. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
Project Management: A Managerial Approach, Eighth Edition
Page 19 of 23
Problem 6:
P
r
o
b
a
b
i
l
i
t
y
5
4
3
3
1
2
2
1
1 2 3 4 5
Impact
Legend:
Critical
Monitor
Ignore
Opportunity 1:
You could “accept” this risk and enjoy the benefits derived from it. To increase the
potential for more impact, you could enhance the risk by providing more training.
Opportunity 2:
You could “accept” this risk and enjoy the benefits derived from it. To increase the
potential for more impact, you could further exploit the database.
Opportunity 3:
You could “accept” this risk and enjoy the benefits derived from it. To increase the
potential for more impact, you could share the data by increasing sales.
24. Chapter 6 - Instructor’s Resource Guide to
Project Management: A Managerial Approach, Eighth Edition
Page 20 of 23
Incidents for Discussion
Ringold’s Pool and Patio Supply
This is a good opportunity to engage the class in a discussion of the importance of
involving the team in developing plans and schedules. One way to do this is to engage the
class in collectively creating the upper level or two of a WBS for the project. Chances are
they will come up with several items that Junior missed in his, demonstrating the danger
of working alone.
John Sr. is asking a reasonable question, but his son is giving him a defective answer.
Even though Junior’s WBS looks very precise, it would be dangerous to base any
decision on it. Since, it has not been validated by anyone who has actual experience in
installing pools, there is no way of knowing if the estimates are reasonable, or even if it
has accounted for all the work. Junior has made no effort to evaluate the requirements of
the job. For example, he doesn’t list in his WBS anything related to permitting, electrical
or plumbing. In addition to these concerns, John Sr. must consider several business issues
including whether his company has the staff, skills, and equipment to take on this new
area. He needs to consider whether this expansion matches his long-term goals for the
business.
Stacee Laboratories
With adult professional students, this incident can lead to a lively discussion of the
involvement of other areas in a highly technical project. There will no doubt be many
opinions both pro and con on the involvement of areas, like marketing in a project that is
primarily a technical one. The students will probably have stories that will illustrate that,
in the long run, the involvement of other areas will make a project team stronger.
Ms. Tasha is only partially right. She is mixing together two different issues in her
recommendations. One way to understand the issues involved would be to map the
interfaces that would exist in this new environment. I suspect that mapping would show
that her concerns about the involvement of the toxicity and efficacy group are well taken.
They need to participate in the project from early on to understand the nature of the drug
being developed and to also allow them to pre-plan their part of the project. Advice from
this group could be valuable in reducing the number of dead ends that the research group
pursues. On the other hand, it could be a mistake to involve the marketing department
early on in each project. While they could get a head start on analyzing potential markets,
there is nothing to market until the end, and they cannot contribute to the identification of
new drugs. Ms. Tasha has missed an opportunity, however, to recommend a better
portfolio management process. Big Pharma does this quite well, as they have far more
leads for new drugs than the resources to pursue them. In a portfolio management
process, marketing’s involvement would be essential as they contribute to the decision of
what areas to pursue new drugs in. Once the project has been launched, however, they
should limit their involvement till the end.
Scope creep is probably more of a danger, if the researchers are working by themselves
and others just participate. A good way to help prevent it is to insure that there is an
adequate definition of the requirements at the beginning, and strong project planning and
control during the process. Students will typically object to this notion because their
29. The Project Gutenberg eBook of Convenient
Houses, With Fifty Plans for the Housekeeper
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Title: Convenient Houses, With Fifty Plans for the Housekeeper
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31. The Project Gutenberg eBook, Convenient Houses, by Louis Henry
Gibson
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32. CONVENIENT HOUSES
WITH
Fifty Plans for the Housekeeper
ARCHITECT AND HOUSEWIFE—A JOURNEY THROUGH
THE HOUSE—FIFTY CONVENIENT HOUSE PLANS—
PRACTICAL HOUSE BUILDING FOR THE OWNER—
BUSINESS POINTS IN BUILDING—HOW TO PAY FOR A
HOME
BY
LOUIS H. GIBSON
ARCHITECT
NEW YORK:
THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CO.
Copyright, 1889,
By Louis H. Gibson.
33. C. J. PETERS & SON,
Typographers and Electrotypers,
145 High Street, Boston.
34. PREFACE.
When the reader is familiar with the writer’s general purposes, it is
easier to understand the details of his work. This book is intended to
deal with houses in a housekeeping spirit. In doing this, the architect
has in mind convenience, stability, and that ideal of housekeepers,
beauty of surroundings.
In carrying out this idea, the relation of architecture to good and
economical housekeeping is first considered. Following this division
is “A Journey through the House.” It begins at the porch, moves
through the different rooms, and stops to consider the various
details. This brings about not only a consideration of the general
arrangement of a house, but such details as kitchens and pantries,
plumbing, laundry, and heating.
These first two sections of the book—“The Architect and the
Housewife,” and “A Journey through the House”—are, in a measure,
educational. After this, and in keeping with the general principles
that have been set forth, plans of fifty convenient houses are
illustrated and described. For the most part, they are houses that
have been built.
The next section is devoted to practical house-building. It is
constructed by taking a complete specification for everything which
may concern a dwelling-house, and ridding it, as far as possible, of
all technicalities; thus putting in form all practical house-building
questions for the benefit of the owner.
Following this is the consideration of business points in building,
which sets forth methods of letting contracts with the view of
securing the best results without waste of money.
The closing section is devoted to the getting of a home,—how to
arrange the monthly-payment schemes, building-association plans,
35. and other methods for getting a house on easy instalments.
LOUIS H. GIBSON, Architect.
Indianapolis, Ind., September, 1889.
36. CONTENTS.
THE ARCHITECT AND THE HOUSEWIFE.
CHAPTER I.
The Housekeeper and the Architect.—Floor-plans as related to Good
Housekeeping.—Labor-saving Devices.—Economy and Good
Construction.—Compact Houses not necessarily crowded.—Wood-
work that is readily cleaned
11-15
CHAPTER II.
Housekeeping Operations.—The Work of the Housekeeper.—The
Average Housework of a Week.—The Architect’s Lesson therefrom
16-20
CHAPTER III.
Modern Conveniences.—A Little History.—Plans that make Extra
Work.—Modern Conveniences enumerated
21-25
CHAPTER IV.
Modern Architects and the Housekeeper.—Misplaced Houses.—Old
Colonial Poverty in Modern Colonial Houses.—Affectation in
Design.—Natural Development of American Architecture.—American
Architecture and American Homes
26-28
A JOURNEY THROUGH THE HOUSE.
CHAPTER V.
37. Journey through the House.—Porch.—Vestibule.—Hall.—Long Halls
and Square Halls.—The Hall that is a Room.—Reception-hall.—
Parlor.—Sitting-room.—Dining-room
31-38
CHAPTER VI.
Kitchens.—The Kitchen a Workshop.—Work to be done in a Kitchen.
—A Plan.—Fittings.—Dish-washing Conveniences.—Sink and Tables.
—China-closet.—Pantry.—Combination Pantry.—Pantry Fittings.—
Work in a Pantry.—A Dough-board.—Flour-bin.—Pantry Stores.—
Cupboard.—Refrigerator Arrangements.—Pantry Utensils.—A Dry-
box.—Soap-box.—Ventilation of Kitchen.—General Principles of
Kitchen Planning
39-50
CHAPTER VII.
Cellar.—Fuel Departments.—Furnace Conveniences.—Coal-bins.—
Cement Floors.—Light in the Cellar.—A Cellar-closet.—Outside
Cellar-door
51-53
CHAPTER VIII.
A Low-cost Laundry.—Blue Monday.—Basement Laundry.—Low-cost
Conveniences.—Inexpensive Laundry Fittings.—Hot and Cold Water
Arrangements.—A Labor-saving Laundry.—A Place to do Fruit-
canning
54-58
CHAPTER IX.
The Second Floor.—Stairways.—The Combination Stairway.—Ideal
Number of Bedrooms.—Large Closets and Plenty of Them.—A Linen
Closet.—Placing of Gas-fixtures.—Servant’s Room.—Bath-room.—
An Attic.—Attic Closets.—Attic Rooms
59-63
38. CHAPTER X.
Plumbing.—Is Plumbing entirely Safe?—Completeness in Plumbing
Apparatus.—Labor-saving Plumbing Apparatus.—Sewer Connections.
—Soil Pipe.—A Trap.—Accidents to Traps.—Frequent use of
Plumbing Apparatus Desirable for Safety.—Water-closets.—
Simplicity in Plumbing.—Drain Connections.—To keep Plumbing
Apparatus from Freezing.—Cistern Water Supply.—Grease Sink.—
Flushing of Drain.—Bath-tub
64-74
CHAPTER XI.
Heat and Ventilation.—Common Heating Arrangements.—Present
Methods generally Unsatisfactory.—Ideal Conditions.—Proper
Amount of Moisture rarely attained.—A Furnace defined.—Methods
of Reaching Best Results.—Supply of Proper Amount of Moisture.—
Removal of Foul Air.—Supplying Fresh Air with Proper Moisture
from Stoves.—Steam and Hot-water Heating.—Direct and Indirect
Radiation.—Low-cost Heating Apparatus
75-82
CHAPTER XII.
Heating Devices as we find them.—Furnace Estimates.—Combination
Hot Air and Hot Water.—Dish-warming Arrangements.—How to get
a Good Heating Apparatus
83-85
CHAPTER XIII.
The House and its Beauty.—Artistic Surroundings.—Beauty more a
Matter of Intelligence than Money.—Vestibule Decorations.—Beauty
in the Reception-hall.—Mantels and Grates.—Fret-work and
Portières.—Spindle Work.—Simple Forms of Good Decoration.—
Wood-carving.—Door and Window Casings.—A Conservatory.—
Stained Glass.—A Cabinet on the Mantel.—Tinted Plastering.—
Frescoing.—Safety in the Selection of Colors.—An Attractive
Sitting-room.—The Parlor.—A Reception-room.—Parlor History.—
The Ideal Parlor.—The Library.—A Place of Quiet and Rest.—
Library Furnishings.—The Dining-room.—Social Relations of the
39. Dining-room.—Dining-room Decorations.—Conservatory and Dining-
room.—A Wood Ceiling.—Beauty in Bedrooms.—Quiet
and Light
86-100
CHAPTER XIV.
External and Internal Design.—An Old Topic before the People.—
The Architectural Student’s Dream.—A Beautiful Home the
Housekeeper’s Ambition.—It costs no more to have a House Beautiful
than Ugly.—Architectural Education.—Charles Eastlake’s Book.—
Vulgar Architectural Revivals.—The Growth of the Artistic Idea.—
Beauty a Matter of Refinement
101-105
PLANS OF FIFTY CONVENIENT HOUSES.
CHAPTER XV.
Evolution of a House-plan.—Respectable Dimensions for a Moderate
Price.—Six Plans.—Costs from $1,500 to $2,600
109-117
CHAPTER XVI.
A Small Pocket-book and a Large Idea.—Ambition, Dollars, and a
Good House.—The Growth of the Housekeeper’s Ideas.—Points
about the House.—$2,900
118-125
CHAPTER XVII.
“We know what we want.”—A Convenient Plan.—Meeting the Wants
of People who build
126-130
CHAPTER XVIII.
Two Good Rooms in Front.—The Combination Pantry.—Too much
Cellar a Burden.—$2,500
40. 131-134
CHAPTER XIX.
Sitting-room and Parlor in Front.—A Connecting Vestibule.—A
Central Combination Stairway.—Good Rooms in the Attic
135-138
CHAPTER XX.
A Compact Plan.—An Isolated Reception-room.—Combination
Stairway.—Description of the Floor-plan.—Cellar Arrangement.—
Dining-room and Conservatory.—Another Plan
139-144
CHAPTER XXI.
What can be done for $1,600?—The Closet in the Hall.—A Small,
Convenient Kitchen.—Closets in the Bedrooms
145-151
CHAPTER XXII.
Outgrowths of One Idea.—Everything counts as a Room.—One
Chimney.—Conveniences of a Condensed House.—Cost from $1,600
to $2,800
152-156
CHAPTER XXIII.
One-story Plans.—Description of Floor-plans.—Bath-room next to
Kitchen Flue.—Kitchen, Porch, and Pantry.—The Exterior.—
Enlargements on this Plan.—Other One-story Houses
157-163
CHAPTER XXIV.
Side-hall Plans.—Plans with Bedroom on First Floor
164-170
41. CHAPTER XXV.
Miscellaneous Collection.—Short Descriptions of Eleven House-
plans.—Varying Costs.—Square Plans.—One-chimney Plans.—Rear
and Side Hall
171-181
CHAPTER XXVI.
Eight Plans.—Each suited to Family Requirements.—Double Houses.
—An Elaborate Floor-plan.—A Shingle House.—A Brick House
182-193
PRACTICAL HOUSE-BUILDING.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Practical Points.—Water.—Location of House on Lot.—Draining
the Cellar.—Mason Work.—Foundations.—Walks.—Piers.—Flues.—
Cisterns.—Damp Course
197-200
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Brick Foundations.—Laying Brick.—Colored Mortars.—Colored
Bricks.—Brick Veneering.—Hot-air Flues.—Details of Brick
Construction.—Chimneys and Flues.—Hollow Walls.—Cellar.—Ash-
pits.—Grates
201-206
CHAPTER XXIX.
Stone Masonry.—Cut Stone.—Terra Cotta.—Privy Vaults.—
Cisterns.—Filters for Cisterns.—Brick Pavements.—Cement
Pavements
207-212
CHAPTER XXX.
42. Carpenter-work.—Framing.—Size of Timbers.—Height of Stories.—
Joist.—Stud Walls.—Outside Sheathing.—Building-paper.—Roofs.—
Outside Finish.—Outside Shingle Walls.—Outside Casings.—
Windows with Box Frames.—Hinged or Pivoted Windows.—Outside
Shutters.—Porches.—Lattice Porches
213-221
CHAPTER XXXI.
Inside Wood-work.—Floors.—Soft and Hard Wood Floors.—
Tabulated Statement of Inside Finish.—Different Kinds of Wood.—
Doors and Frames.—Fly Screens.—Inside Casings.—Wainscoting.—
Inside Shutters.—Wood-work for Plumbing.—Kitchen Sink and
Fittings.—Kitchen Tables.—Cellar-sink Fittings.—Wood-work for
Bath-tub.—Water-closets.—Wash-stands.—Tank.—Picture
Moulding.—Closet Fittings.—Broom-Rack.—Cedar-closet.—Dry-
box.—Clock Shelf.—China-room Fittings.—Pantry Fittings.—
Stairways
222-235
CHAPTER XXXII.
Plastering.—Gray Finish.—White Hard Finish.—Back Plastering.—
Gas-piping.—Tin Work.—Gutters.—Valleys.—Down Spouts.—
Galvanized Iron-work.—Hot-air Pipes.—Thimbles.—Painting.—
Staining.—Oil Finishing.—Interior Staining.—Floor Finish.—
Glazing.—Plate-glass.—Bevelled Glass.—Cathedral Glass.—
Hardware
236-246
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Practical Plumbing.—Wood-work for Plumber.—Excavating for
Plumber.—Water Distribution.—Outside Fixtures.—Hydrants.—
Street-washers.—Soft-water Supply.—Hot-Water Supply.—Soil
Pipe.—Inside Fixtures.—Kitchen Sink.—Cellar Sink
247-254
CHAPTER XXXIV.
43. Plumbing Work continued.—Bath-tubs.—Bath-sprinklers.—Foot-
tubs.—Safes.—Water-closets.—Wash-stands.—Laundry Fittings.—
Set Tubs.—Outside Drains.—Grease Sinks.—Nickel Fittings
255-263
CHAPTER XXXV.
Cost of a House.—Schedules of Costs.—What goes into a House.—
Schedule “B.”—Cost Details
264-269
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Varying Building Values.—Cost of Appurtenances.—Prices of Labor
and Material on which Estimates are based.
270-274
BUSINESS POINTS IN BUILDING.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Low-cost Houses.—Methods of making Contracts.—Architects’
Estimates.—Building by the Day.—The Safest Plan.—Guarding
against Liens
277-287
HOW TO SECURE A HOME.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Monthly Payments.—Calculations on a Long-time Plan.—Purchase on
a Rental Basis.—How it may be worked out
291-294
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Building Associations.—Why Dividends are Large and Interest Low.
—Building Associations and Savings Banks.—Association Securities.
44. —Building-association Methods.—Different Plans.—Borrowing from
a Building Association.—A Building-association Report
295-311
CHAPTER XL.
Purchase of a Lot.—The Best the Cheapest.—A Good Lot as a Basis
of Security.—The Basis of Value is the Rental
312-316
46. CONVENIENT HOUSES.
CHAPTER I.
THE HOUSEKEEPER AND THE ARCHITECT.—FLOOR-PLANS AS RELATED TO
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING.—LABOR-SAVING DEVICES.—ECONOMY AND GOOD
CONSTRUCTION.—COMPACT HOUSES NOT NECESSARILY CROWDED.—
WOOD-WORK THAT IS READILY CLEANED.
There is a definite relation between the work of the housekeeper
and that of the architect. This is the text of this book. It is a part of
the business of the architect to do what he can to make
housekeeping easy. He can do a great deal. He should understand
the principles and practice of good housekeeping. This knowledge is
something which cannot be derived from the architectural schools or
offices; it must come from a home. The public press of the country
has had a great deal to say about the artistic qualities of domestic
architecture, a great deal to say about house decoration, and,
altogether, has furnished much valuable matter. Little, however, has
been said as to the relation of architecture to good housekeeping.
The artistic element should not be neglected. There must also be
considered the question of convenient arrangement, economy and
ease, for the housekeeper.
Washing dishes is disagreeable work, but the architect can do his
part toward making it easier. If we take a conglomerate mass of
china, knives, forks, and spoons, pots, pans, and kettles, and bring
them together on one small kitchen table, which has a dish-pan on
one end and a wooden water-bucket at the back, with a scarcity of
everything to facilitate the progress of the work, we have a condition
47. quite different from that wherein there is a roomy sink with a table
on each side of it, and plenty of hot and cold water above. An
architect may plan a kitchen so that all of these conveniences are
possible. He may plan it so they are impossible.
The floor-plan of a house has a definite relation to house keeping
requirements, which is not fully appreciated. The difference between
a good floor-plan and a poor one may make the difference of three
or four tons of coal in the heating of a house during the winter. It
may influence the keeping of a servant, the wages to be paid, or
may control the necessity for one or more than one. It makes more
difference to a man who lives in a house that costs two thousand
dollars or three thousand dollars, as to whether he burns seven or
ten tons of coal in warming it, than it does to the man who lives in a
ten-thousand-dollar or twelve-thousand-dollar house as to whether
he burns fourteen or twenty tons. The cost of fuel is of more
importance to a man of moderate means than to one of wealth.
Then in the matter of service: it is difficult to keep a good servant in
a bad kitchen, or in a badly planned house where there is a vast
amount of sweeping and other work to be done every day. Those
who plan factories and mills arrange them with reference to the
saving of labor. The idea in saving labor is to save money.
One can build a better house for a given sum of money at this time
than ever before. The real reason for this is to be found outside the
fact that material and labor are cheaper now than they have been in
the past. It is because of the thought that is put into the planning
and arranging of dwellings. It is the thought that saves the money.
It adds external and internal attractiveness, convenience, labor-
saving devices, and arrangements. Thought helps to make
housekeeping easier.
Economical housekeeping can be most readily carried on in a
compact house. To say that a house is compact does not necessarily
imply that it is crowded, or that any of the conditions of comfort are
neglected. If we avoid waste space, such as is frequently assigned to
48. large halls and passages, we merely take away something that is not
needed.
It frequently happens that a man and his wife go through life with
the hope of building a better house "some day." They are
economical; they live carefully; they live in a small house; they are
crowded. At last, by dint of hard work and careful management,
enough money is accumulated to build the new home. This is the
great event which has been thought about for so many years.
The idea in building this house is invariably to get something as
different from the old house as possible. It was square; the new
building must be irregular. It had no front hall; the new house must
have a large one. There were no grates in any of the rooms; in the
new house there must be one in each. In the old building the rooms
were very small; in the new house they must be very large. There
was no porch before; now there must be one running across the
front and along one side of the house. Altogether, the idea of the old
house and that of the new are in direct opposition to each other. In
one instance they were crowded; in the other they have plenty of
room. There can be no doubt about the abundance of room.
The building is finished; they move into it. Almost the first person to
leave it is the servant whom they had in the old house. She sees the
amount of work which she will have to do. It was easy enough to
sweep the old house, with its small, compact plan. Housekeeping
was relatively a small matter; but with the habits of economy, which
rendered the new home possible, they will not employ additional
help. The work which is left over by the servant falls to the mistress.
Strange as it may appear under such circumstances, it takes the
mistress a long time to find the cause of the trouble. It is the house.
It was planned with an entire disregard for the work which was to be
done. It had not been thought of. The idea was merely to get
something which was different from the disagreeable features of the
old home. They thought that everything would be easier and
pleasanter and more agreeable in every way. The only trouble with
the old home was that they were too much crowded. In the new
49. they are not, but have an impossible amount of work to do every
day. The difference between what they wish to do and what is done,
is represented by fretfulness in addition to the natural weariness at
the end of the day.
What has this to do with architecture and economical house-
building? Simply this. The house which is economically planned is
economical as to money, carpets, sweeping, and strength. The
architect may do a great deal for housekeepers by keeping this
thought in mind.
To recur to the idea of economical house-building in a direct sense, it
may be borne in mind that economy and good construction go hand
in hand; that none of the conditions of permanency are sacrificed for
the sake of cheapness. Of two houses which cost the same, one may
be far more convenient and roomy by an avoidance of waste space
and unnecessary material. Evidently one flue-stack will cost less than
four. Therefore, if a house can be constructed which has only one
flue-stack, it will cost less than one which has four; but the demands
of the housekeeper, and those who live in the house, are that the
one stack afford the conveniences of four. People do not like
compromises in house-building, especially when they are building a
home. The compromises come easier when one is planning property
for rental. Evidently a house in which one-fifth of the floor space is
given up to halls is more expensive than one which contains a
smaller proportion of such space. According as one is able to
diminish the amount of passage room, and yet meet all of the
conditions of good and economical house-keeping, he can reduce
the cost of the house as to its building, its furnishing, and the
amount of labor required in caring for it. Thus economy in
construction, and convenience and ease in general housekeeping
movements, go hand in hand. Parallel illustrations might be carried
forward, so as to include each detail of the house.
The architect may do a great deal for the housekeeper by making his
mouldings and interior wood-work so that they will not catch dust,
and can be readily cleaned. Some of our friends, who have studied
50. the artistic qualities of house-building to the exclusion of all other
considerations, will say that a regard for housekeeping requirements,
in the matter of interior decorations and construction, is placing too
great a limit upon their work. They will say that beauty and general
artistic qualities are not always consonant with the means which will
make easy housekeeping,—that they are limited by such
considerations. This need not be so; it is simply a question of
ingenuity and thoughtfulness. One may be careless of utility, and
make very beautiful things. Another may be thoughtful and careful
as to housekeeping requirements, and design something quite as
beautiful and attractive as the former.
In the above statements will be found the guiding principles which
affect all of the work of this book.
CHAPTER II.
HOUSEKEEPING OPERATIONS.—THE WORK OF THE HOUSEKEEPER.—THE
AVERAGE HOUSEWORK OF A WEEK.—THE ARCHITECT’S LESSON
THEREFROM.
With the architect a house has been too often considered as
something to be looked at. No one is disposed to criticise an
architect for making houses pretty and attractive. It is true, however,
that many houses are nothing more than pretty; they are not
convenient. They are not built with a regard to the requirements of
housekeeping. A lady once said to the writer, that an architect would
never live up to his opportunities until he had associated himself
with a housekeeper, who would be strong enough, in her control
over him, to see that the housekeeping conditions and conveniences
were kept constantly in mind.
In order fully to reach the housekeeping idea, it will be convenient to
consider in detail what is meant by housekeeping. Primarily, a house
51. is a place in which to eat and sleep. The present requirements of
comfort and luxury suggest that all should not eat and sleep in the
same room. Originally this was the case. The primitive man needed
only a hut or a cave, or the protection of a rude shed. Later on, he
was satisfied with a hut with one or two rooms. If the weather was
cold, the occupants would huddle around the fire, and eat and sleep
without regard to other surroundings. A bath in cold weather was
unnecessary. During the summer this was regarded more as a
matter of recreation than of necessity. A neighboring stream served
the purpose of more modern arrangements. Housekeeping
operations under such conditions were light indeed.
There are many homes of this kind in America to-day. If we take the
case of our Indians, we find that the squaws have time for much
else than the absolute duties of camp-life and the care of children.
There is much other labor which falls to their lot, house-work being
regarded, as it is, insignificant. This is one extreme. There are
various gradations which come with the instincts of a higher
civilization. Education, and other conditions which go with it,
increase housekeeping requirements, and thus far have not
furnished to the majority compensating conditions in labor-saving
devices. At the present time, the natural and affected requirements
of housekeeping make the life of many a woman one of the
extremest drudgery and hardship. Her condition is almost that of a
slave; and this at a time when she is surrounded by many of the
elements of a higher civilization. Her children and those around her
frequently live under the shadow of her uncomfortable condition.
The Indian’s home, in the rest and peace which it affords, is often
preferable. This condition is brought about by the increasing
requirements upon the housekeeper, without the presence of other
compensating conditions.
Assuming that an architect may do something to make the care of a
house lighter, it remains to call attention to the modern requirements
of a housekeeper, with a view of simplifying her work. Let us watch
her work for a week; we will begin on Monday morning during the
month of January, and assume that there is one servant in the house
52. to help,—bearing in mind, at the same time, that it often happens
that the work which is here outlined is done by the housekeeper
herself, with possibly only the help of a wash-woman. First, the
house is to be warmed, the kitchen fire to be kindled, the living-
rooms to be swept and dusted, the washing to be started, the
children to be dressed, breakfast to be cooked and put on the table,
and, in many cases, all of this done before seven o’clock. The
serving of breakfast is no small task to the housekeeper. The coffee
is to be poured, food prepared for the children, and many other
things done which no man can specify. As soon as breakfast is over
the men are out of the house, but not usually before making more
than one demand upon the time of the housekeeper. Then the
dishes are to be washed, and the children made ready and started to
school. Next, the grocery and butcher supplies must be cared for.
Possibly they are ordered from the boy who calls at the door. In
some instances a trip for this purpose is required. Next, the dining-
room must be arranged, the dishes put in place, the chamber-work
attended to, beds made, children’s things put away, sweeping done,
slops disposed of, fires looked after. Some time or in some way the
clothes worn by the children on Sunday must be especially looked
after, stitches taken, a little darn here and there, and then put away.
During this time there may be the demands of one or more babies to
be met. In this there is no compromise.
With the completion of other work dinner time is approaching, for,
with the majority, this is a noon meal. The cooking must be done,
and yet nothing else must be allowed to lag. The children in their
confusion are home from school. Then dinner. Every one is in a hurry
to get away. The children are sure they are going to be late. There is
more work for them and the men, and then they are gone. Dinner
dishes are washed, and the laundry work continues. The afternoon is
little different from the morning; there is a little less rush and
confusion, but a continuance of regular work. Before supper the
evening supply of fuel must be provided. In the mean time the
children are home from school with their demands. Now supper
must be in mind. Where there are children in the house, this is one
53. of the most trying times of the day. They are tired, hungry, and
sleepy. Supper is over. The children go to bed at intervals during the
evening. The men have a place by the fire. The housekeeper often
feels it incumbent upon her to mend, darn, or sew, if no heavier
work presents itself.
Tuesday morning calls for a repetition of the former day’s work, with
ironing substituted for washing. There is the carrying-out of ashes
and the bringing-in of coal, and the same routine during the day. On
the part of the housekeeper regular sewing-work is taken up as
opportunity presents, and possibly calls are made or received.
Wednesday, the same. Thursday, the servant, if one is kept, is out
for the afternoon. Other regular work must progress. Compromises
are not thought of. Friday is general sweeping-day, in which
everything is thoroughly gone over. The housekeeper must find time
to go down street one or more times during the week, for the
purpose of doing necessary shopping. Saturday brings its scrubbing
and cleaning. During the week must come the window-washing,
cleaning of silver, baking, and many things besides.
Sunday is often the hardest day of all; the children require especial
care. There is church in the morning, Sunday school in the
afternoon, and, in many cases, church at night. In the mean while
the children are on hand all the time. Where is the man who will say
that his business life is as exacting or as harassing as the work
which is here outlined?
In the pages which follow it is the intention to bear the housekeeper
and her requirements in mind, and to suggest what is properly due
her in the way of labor-saving devices, with a view to facilitate the
manifold operations of housekeeping.
CHAPTER III.
54. MODERN CONVENIENCES.—A LITTLE HISTORY.—PLANS THAT MAKE EXTRA
WORK.—MODERN CONVENIENCES ENUMERATED.
Most of the conveniences of housekeeping are modern. It is only
within the past few years that the demands of the housekeeper for
helps or aids in making her work easier were thought worth
considering. Even now we occasionally meet men who think that
anything that was good enough for their mothers is good enough for
their wives. We have in mind a farmer who, during fifteen years,
purchased three large farms. He buried a wife for every farm. Their
death was the result of more than slavish work. The disposition
which leads in this direction often continues after the time when
economy does not demand close living.
The man who moves west to a new country cannot pay for many of
the modern conveniences. The demand for them is not great. Such a
man usually builds a house of two or three rooms. The family cook
and eat in the kitchen; they sit there between meals. The other
rooms are for beds. There is not a great deal of house-work to be
done in a house of this kind. The trouble comes when the pioneer
becomes wealthier, and builds a large house "in town" or on the
farm. Possibly his wife or daughters do the work as they did in the
smaller house. If not, it is done by one servant. The work in this
house is a great deal harder. There is a great deal more of it than
there was in the two or three room house, which was built during
their earlier life. In the former house, if they had coffee, it was
poured from the pot in which it was made directly into the cups
which were on the table. The meat was taken from the skillet in
which it was cooked and put into the plates of those who ate it. If
they had pancakes, the wife would sit with her back near the stove,
where she could easily reach the griddle to grease it and turn the
cakes while she was eating her meal. There was no formal dessert.
The pie was eaten from the same plates as the rest of the food.
There were no napkins; often, no tablecloth.
It did not take long to wash the dishes after a meal of this kind—
there were not many of them. In from fifteen to twenty-five minutes
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