[TowerTalk] myth about engineers?

[Roger (K8RI)]

The key is "project management" which applies even to putting up antennas.
Normally when we start we have a goal which is usually quite plan and 
needs little explanation although I'd bet most of the "old timers' on 
here have gone to help on a project where absolutely nothing was ready 
or planned out other than "I want to get the tribander up today". You 
arrive expecting to "erect the antenna or tower" only to find no tools, 
or plan. Some times you feel lucky to find all the parts and be happy 
the antenna is assembled. Gin pole? Tools?  Was some one expected to 
bring a climbing harness? (Most of us that have them usually bring our 
own anyway). Ropes? Pulleys? There's a grove of trees right were the top 
of the tower will be when laid out? They thought we could stand it on 
end and carry it over with antenna in place? I've actually been asked if 
we could do that. Well it was only a 50 footer with a tribander on top 
with a 2-meter yagi 10' above it.  Fortunately those circumstances are 
rare, but so is finding every thing laid out and ready to go.

That's not as far fetched as it sounds either. Often the "tower party" 
or "antenna party" is to do the work for some one not capable of 
participating in the actual operation other than offering moral support, 
hence the need for someone to take the lead in figuring out what needs 
to be done and how to do it.  Some forget that our main tower monkeys 
have jobs, or are getting a bit long in the tooth (IOW Me!). Although I 
may not look it, I am past 70 and have neither the energy nor stamina I 
had 20 years ago.    In our area we have quite a few new hams, but tower 
monkeys are rare, and newbies need to learn that tower climbing is not 
for every one. (I had to drive 50 miles to get a non climber "who 
thought he could do it" off a commercial tower)  some years back.  
Fortunately one of our new hams is a tower monkey, has the equipment, 
knowledge, and attitude to safely climb. He is however new to installing 
and removing large antennas and arrays, but is learning fast<:-))  
Unfortunately too many expect that he'll be available when ever they 
might need him.  I just hope he doesn't get burnt out.  Putting up 
towers and antennas for hams is not exactly a lucrative business.

In the real world with project management, we were required to write a 
"project charter" that spelled out the goals and what would indicate "we 
were done". That's not nearly a simple as it sounds when you end up with 
individuals (usually engineers) involving many departments. Each person 
in the team is assigned a part of the project with goals. After a week 
or two the team gets back together to iron out the specifics. There is 
even a chart ( called a Gant Chart) that lists when a particular part of 
the project starts and finishes. It also shows what parts, if any, need 
to be finished before that part starts.
BTW once written and signed off by all departments concerned the charter 
can not be changed without going through the entire approval sequence 
again.  This prevents the "Oh, BTW it'd be nice if you'd also add this", 
or "change this to do something else".
Certainly this would be overkill in almost any ham project as we are 
generally looking at an afternoon, or maybe week end project although 
hopefully the tower base was done several weeks prior.  My Tower Project 
( http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/tower.htm ) was a bit longer, 
but it was planned out each time I needed help.

Give an engineer free reign and you are likely to get something over 
engineered. Give him specifics and that's what you'll get. It's 
surprising how many companies pick a project manager, tell them what 
they want done and he/she picks the engineers and basically says, "have 
at it" with no such thing as a charter.

Usually the conditions attributed to engineers happen because the 
charter  is not specific enough, there isn't a charter,  or there is not 
enough communications between the manager and team (we all loved those 
meetings<:-))

73

Roger (K8RI)
>> Milt was a realist about project management.  He was very aware that
>> engineers have a tendency to try to design everything to perfection,
>> regardless of the schedule or cost.  He had a sign over his desk that
>> read, "Good enough is better than perfect."