Management overhead and process

To the busy techs on the forum, how much of your time is spent in meetings with managers of all description including project managers, and how much of your time is also spent on process i.e change control, paperwork, formfilling, internal online systems and reporting.

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Comments

bertieb

Varies, but I'd say about 20% meetings and conference calls, and 30% following internal process/change control documents/customer reports etc right up to filling in timesheets. A scary amount when I've got designs/tests/implementations/real work

for new and existing customers coming out of my ears but then again, I admit that I do need to be involved in technical meetings and documentation is a critical part of my role.

The 'pointless' meetings used to be more, it even seemed we needed to have 'pre-meeting' meetings or I'd get invited to everything by PM's just 'incase I was needed' but fortunately I was in a position to nip those in the bud. I never accept a meeting request unless I have an agenda up-front (and then only if it's relevant).

Good thread, I'm interested in everyone elses responses. Maybe the start of a revolution?

sambuca69

I spend about 50% to 60% of my day in pointless meetings.

We have pre-meetings, then the "real" meeting, and then the follow-up meeting, which is followed up with the follow-up to the last follow-up meeting. This spans over a few days, so I get different phases on each day. Fun stuff /yawn.

blargoe

I am actually in the middle of a detailed time study for myself. I'm probably running about 35-40% overhead counting "working meetings" related to project work.

undomiel

I'll be one of the few and say that there aren't enough meetings at my place of employment. It could sorely use some change control but I don't forsee it happening anytime in the near future. I spend probably 15-20% of my time filling out paperwork and 5% or less in meetings. Those are usually sales oriented meetings too. Rest of the time is generally spent putting out fires. Then if I have some free time I can actually focus on project work.

Turgon

Who are the worst?

Platform Management
Programme Management
Change Management
Project Management
Delivery Management
Quality Management
Security Management
Operations Management
Service Management

Turgon

bertieb wrote: »

Varies, but I'd say about 20% meetings and conference calls, and 30% following internal process/change control documents/customer reports etc right up to filling in timesheets. A scary amount when I've got designs/tests/implementations/real work for new and existing customers coming out of my ears but then again, I admit that I do need to be involved in technical meetings and documentation is a critical part of my role.

The 'pointless' meetings used to be more, it even seemed we needed to have 'pre-meeting' meetings or I'd get invited to everything by PM's just 'incase I was needed' but fortunately I was in a position to nip those in the bud. I never accept a meeting request unless I have an agenda up-front (and then only if it's relevant).

Good thread, I'm interested in everyone elses responses. Maybe the start of a revolution?

Thats why you work unsocial hours doing real work evenings and weekends. Management are not around then

bertieb

Turgon wrote: »

Who are the worst?

Platform Management
Programme Management
Change Management
Project Management
Delivery Management
Quality Management
Security Management
Operations Management
Service Management

For me, Delivery Management. But I guess thats because I work for a SP and have many customers, so I spend a lot of time with Delivery Managers blah blah blah.