Parkinson's Law: achieving more in less time - Revision history

Gian Marco: /* Final reflections */

2021-03-22T14:37:22Z

Final reflections

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:37, 22 March 2021
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	As far as Parkinson's Law impact can be reduced to its minimum, there is no chance of totally eliminating it from working routine. Since it describes an intrinsic trait of human psychology, contrasting techniques might not be completely effective. Then project managers should necessarily consider a longer activity duration than the expected, better still if keeping employees in the dark about that.		As far as Parkinson's Law impact can be reduced to its minimum, there is no chance of totally eliminating it from working routine. Since it describes an intrinsic trait of human psychology, contrasting techniques might not be completely effective. Then project managers should necessarily consider a longer activity duration than the expected, better still if keeping employees in the dark about that.

	Nevertheless, as industrial automation is growing fast, Parkinson's Law will affect projects to an ever less extent since more and more activities are going to be automated. In the near future, project managers concern might be therefore limited to sectors not mainly characterised by automation and fields where it is still slowly spreading.		Nevertheless, as industrial automation is growing fast, Parkinson's Law will affect projects to an ever less extent since more and more activities are going to be automated. In the near future, project managers' concern might be therefore limited to sectors not mainly characterised by automation and fields where it is still slowly spreading.

	== Annotated bibliography ==		== Annotated bibliography ==

Gian Marco at 21:32, 28 February 2021

2021-02-28T21:32:43Z

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	Similar conducts take place among members of a team that is working on a project. According to ''PMI’s 2017 Pulse of the Profession Global Project Management survey'', innacurate task time estimate was the primary reason for 26% of project failures; further, team member procrastination accounts for 11%<ref>PMI's Pulse of the Profession 2017, 9th Global Project Management Survey. url: https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/thought-leadership/pulse/pulse-of-the-profession-2017.pdf?sc_lang_temp=en</ref>. Preventing inefficient conducts is thus fundamental for the project success.		Similar conducts take place among members of a team that is working on a project. According to ''PMI’s 2017 Pulse of the Profession Global Project Management survey'', innacurate task time estimate was the primary reason for 26% of project failures; further, team member procrastination accounts for 11%<ref>PMI's Pulse of the Profession 2017, 9th Global Project Management Survey. url: https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/thought-leadership/pulse/pulse-of-the-profession-2017.pdf?sc_lang_temp=en</ref>. Preventing inefficient conducts is thus fundamental for the project success.

	The main step of scheduling process to handle is “Estimate Activity Durations”. This is basically the process of estimating the amount of time and resources required by each activity to be concluded; as the others, it needs to receive information as input, which are used by tools and techniques in order to provide the desired estimate as outcome <ref>Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). (pp. 173, 230). Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpGPMBKP02/guide-project-management/guide-project-management</ref>. Activity duration and allocated resources mutually determine each other and the scarcer eventually influences the others. From one perspective, few available resources imply a long completion time and on the other hand, completing an activity in a short time demands many high quality resources. Project managers usually focus on the resources-side, since factors involved are easier to manage.		The main step of scheduling process to handle is “Estimate Activity Durations”. This is basically the process of estimating the amount of time and resources required by each activity to be concluded; as the others, it needs to receive information as input, which are used by tools and techniques in order to provide the desired estimate as outcome <ref name="Standard">Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). (pp. 173, 230). Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpGPMBKP02/guide-project-management/guide-project-management</ref>. Activity duration and allocated resources mutually determine each other and the scarcer eventually influences the others. From one perspective, few available resources imply a long completion time and on the other hand, completing an activity in a short time demands many high quality resources. Project managers usually focus on the resources-side, since factors involved are easier to manage.

	In particular, one factor, that affects duration estimate, is ''staff motivation''. It is difficult to measure, so to control, and its perception heavily depends on skills of team manager. Furthermore there are no standard techniques to achieve high motivation, on the contrary the strategy used needs to fit with team members’ personalities. As described above, low motivation leads to less effective behaviours, lower performances and compromises duration estimate of activities. Foreseeing impacts of Parkinson’s Law helps preventing unexpected task lengths during execution stage of the process and consequential expedited costs, which are the higher the later the detection occurs <ref>https://www.slideshare.net/BhuWanKhaDKa3/09-project-cost-management</ref>.		In particular, one factor, that affects duration estimate, is ''staff motivation''<ref name="Standard"/>. It is difficult to measure, so to control, and its perception heavily depends on skills of team manager. Furthermore there are no standard techniques to achieve high motivation, on the contrary the strategy used needs to fit with team members’ personalities. As described above, low motivation leads to less effective behaviours, lower performances and compromises duration estimate of activities. Foreseeing impacts of Parkinson’s Law helps preventing unexpected task lengths during execution stage of the process and consequential expedited costs, which are the higher the later the detection occurs <ref>https://www.slideshare.net/BhuWanKhaDKa3/09-project-cost-management</ref>.

	== Counteractive strategies and project management tools ==		== Counteractive strategies and project management tools ==

Gian Marco: /* Stochastical Critical Path Model */

2021-02-28T21:31:00Z

Stochastical Critical Path Model

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	In this case <math>d</math> is due date of subtask 2 as well as activity A, <math>ET_2</math> is the perceived completion time of task 2. If the available time is larger than the remaining time for completing the activity, the worker expands work by an amount of time equals to their difference.		In this case <math>d</math> is due date of subtask 2 as well as activity A, <math>ET_2</math> is the perceived completion time of task 2. If the available time is larger than the remaining time for completing the activity, the worker expands work by an amount of time equals to their difference.

	From <math>(1)<math/> and <math>(2)<math/>, the expected completion of activity A is derived:		From <math>(1)</math> and <math>(2)</math>, the expected completion of activity A is derived:

	<math>(3) ET(d)=ET_1+ET_2+Ew(d) </math>		<math>(3) ET(d)=ET_1+ET_2+Ew(d) </math>

Gian Marco: /* Stochastical Critical Path Model */

2021-02-28T21:30:03Z

Stochastical Critical Path Model

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:30, 28 February 2021
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	In this case <math>d</math> is due date of subtask 2 as well as activity A, <math>ET_2</math> is the perceived completion time of task 2. If the available time is larger than the remaining time for completing the activity, the worker expands work by an amount of time equals to their difference.		In this case <math>d</math> is due date of subtask 2 as well as activity A, <math>ET_2</math> is the perceived completion time of task 2. If the available time is larger than the remaining time for completing the activity, the worker expands work by an amount of time equals to their difference.

	From (1) and (2), the expected completion of activity A is derived:		From <math>(1)<math/> and <math>(2)<math/>, the expected completion of activity A is derived:

	<math>(3) ET(d)=ET_1+ET_2+Ew(d) </math>		<math>(3) ET(d)=ET_1+ET_2+Ew(d) </math>

Gian Marco at 21:28, 28 February 2021

2021-02-28T21:28:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:28, 28 February 2021
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	Moreover, '''time blocking''' is a technique that consists in dividing a period of time, typically a day or a week, into time blocks assigned to specific tasks. That is useful for efficiently planning work routine, furthermore that provides employees with an overview of entire day workload. Since it is a kind of scheduling, its effectiveness relies heavily on the estimate quality of task time.		Moreover, '''time blocking''' is a technique that consists in dividing a period of time, typically a day or a week, into time blocks assigned to specific tasks. That is useful for efficiently planning work routine, furthermore that provides employees with an overview of entire day workload. Since it is a kind of scheduling, its effectiveness relies heavily on the estimate quality of task time.

	Setting '''hard deadlines''' leads to higher level of performance and, of course, saving time <ref> Genaro J. Gutierrez, Panagiotis Kouvelis, (1991) Parkinson's Law and Its Implications for Project Management. Management Science 37(8):990-1001.</ref>. As described in many studies this strategy does not affect the quality of work, except for drastic application of this concept. However, assiduous supervision is required to avoid growth of employee turnover <ref> Damodaram Kamma, Geetha G., Padma Neela J., (2013) Countering Parkinson's Law for Improving Productivity </ref>.		Setting '''hard deadlines''' leads to higher level of performance and, of course, saving time <ref name="Experiment"> Genaro J. Gutierrez, Panagiotis Kouvelis, (1991) Parkinson's Law and Its Implications for Project Management. Management Science 37(8):990-1001.</ref>. As described in many studies this strategy does not affect the quality of work, except for drastic application of this concept. However, assiduous supervision is required to avoid growth of employee turnover <ref> Damodaram Kamma, Geetha G., Padma Neela J., (2013) Countering Parkinson's Law for Improving Productivity </ref>.

	Adopting a different perspective from time management, '''reward systems''' could be also used to stimulate employees to finish tasks before or within deadlines. Human beings are reward oriented creatures and bounties for every completed activity or subtask helps them to stay focused.		Adopting a different perspective from time management, '''reward systems''' could be also used to stimulate employees to finish tasks before or within deadlines. Human beings are reward oriented creatures and bounties for every completed activity or subtask helps them to stay focused.
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	=== Stochastical Critical Path Model ===		=== Stochastical Critical Path Model ===
	The first method proposed by Gutierrez and Kouvelis (1991) can be described as a “Stochastic Critical Path Model”; CPM or PERT are the most known critical path models concerning project management <ref~~> Genaro J. Gutierrez, Panagiotis Kouvelis, (1991) Parkinson's Law and Its Implications for Project Management. Management Science 37(8):990-1001.<~~/~~ref~~>. The former operates with deterministic activity completion times and identifies a “critical path”, that is a sequence of activities which delays the project due date if only one of them is late. CPM draws the attention on this sequence of activities, which require much effort and many resources to ensure project on-time delivery<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_path_method</ref>. While PERT basically works in the same way, yet defining three different time lengths: ''pessimistic'', ''optimistic'' and ''most likely'' time. Based on those, this model calculates mean and standard deviation of each activity duration, finally expressing activity times as stochastic variables normally distributed<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Program_evaluation_and_review_technique</ref>.		The first method proposed by Gutierrez and Kouvelis (1991) can be described as a “Stochastic Critical Path Model”; CPM or PERT are the most known critical path models concerning project management <ref name="Experiment"/>. The former operates with deterministic activity completion times and identifies a “critical path”, that is a sequence of activities which delays the project due date if only one of them is late. CPM draws the attention on this sequence of activities, which require much effort and many resources to ensure project on-time delivery<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_path_method</ref>. While PERT basically works in the same way, yet defining three different time lengths: ''pessimistic'', ''optimistic'' and ''most likely'' time. Based on those, this model calculates mean and standard deviation of each activity duration, finally expressing activity times as stochastic variables normally distributed<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Program_evaluation_and_review_technique</ref>.

	However, both ignore worker behavioural issues and fail to model their implications on activity durations. The proposed method extends PERT model embedding a different time calculation in its probabilistic approach, according to Parkinson’s Law definition. Firstly, it considers activity completion times as a function of the allocated time <math>d</math>, further introduces “work expansion” term <math>w</math> in the calculation, a new factor representing leisure time or unnecessary time expansion. As well as completion time, work expansion is a function of the allocated time and is always higher than zero. To provide a simple formulation example of this method, it is considered an activity A that can be divided into two subtasks 1 and 2 which respectively require time T1 and T2 to be completed. Then the completion time of A, taking into account allocated time and work expansion term, is:		However, both ignore worker behavioural issues and fail to model their implications on activity durations. The proposed method extends PERT model embedding a different time calculation in its probabilistic approach, according to Parkinson’s Law definition. Firstly, it considers activity completion times as a function of the allocated time <math>d</math>, further introduces “work expansion” term <math>w</math> in the calculation, a new factor representing leisure time or unnecessary time expansion. As well as completion time, work expansion is a function of the allocated time and is always higher than zero. To provide a simple formulation example of this method, it is considered an activity A that can be divided into two subtasks 1 and 2 which respectively require time T1 and T2 to be completed. Then the completion time of A, taking into account allocated time and work expansion term, is:

Gian Marco at 21:24, 28 February 2021

2021-02-28T21:24:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:24, 28 February 2021
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	== Psychological boundary to productivity ==		== Psychological boundary to productivity ==
	Parkinson’s Law consists in the adage that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. In 1955, Cyril Northcote Parkinson articulated the saying with the aim of satirically highlighting the inefficiency of public administration and civil service bureaucracy in the United Kingdom. He noticed that despite a decrease of fleet size by two thirds and of personnel by a third, during that period the number of bureaucrats rose by almost 6% a year <ref>https://knappily.com/ethics/parkinsons-law-518</ref>. In his book “Parkinson Law: The Pursuit of Progress” he also stated a correlation between the size of bodies and their efficiency, providing with evident proofs of institutions, in the English history, which lost power as they grew <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law</ref>. [[File:Wiki article.png\|1000px\|thumb\|right\|Relation between effort made and time allocated to activity, due to Parkinson's Law (own figure)]]		Parkinson’s Law consists in the adage that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. In 1955, Cyril Northcote Parkinson articulated the saying with the aim of satirically highlighting the inefficiency of public administration and civil service bureaucracy in the United Kingdom. He noticed that despite a decrease of fleet size by two thirds and of personnel by a third, during that period the number of bureaucrats rose by almost 6% a year <ref name="Background">https://knappily.com/ethics/parkinsons-law-518</ref>. In his book “Parkinson Law: The Pursuit of Progress” he also stated a correlation between the size of bodies and their efficiency, providing with evident proofs of institutions, in the English history, which lost power as they grew <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law</ref>. [[File:Wiki article.png\|1000px\|thumb\|right\|Relation between effort made and time allocated to activity, due to Parkinson's Law (own figure)]]

	The resonance of the law comes from its universal application. As well as in bureaucracy, it finds applications in everyday life. Its approach is purely psychological and can lead to put in action important strategies for a superior time management, increasing both efficiency and effectiveness as well as enhancing time use. This law describes a key concept which should not be ignored by any project management while managing complexity. The concept can be basically rephrased as “people tend to be less efficient in carrying out a task when the time constraint is not well perceived” and '''perceived''', instead of defined, is a key word of this statement because it means to also include in the scope all of these situations where people have too much time compared to the task perceived length, so that they feel like not having a deadline at all.		The resonance of the law comes from its universal application. As well as in bureaucracy, it finds applications in everyday life. Its approach is purely psychological and can lead to put in action important strategies for a superior time management, increasing both efficiency and effectiveness as well as enhancing time use. This law describes a key concept which should not be ignored by any project management while managing complexity. The concept can be basically rephrased as “people tend to be less efficient in carrying out a task when the time constraint is not well perceived” and '''perceived''', instead of defined, is a key word of this statement because it means to also include in the scope all of these situations where people have too much time compared to the task perceived length, so that they feel like not having a deadline at all.
Line 23:		Line 23:
	Why to have a clear deadline is that important? Because it gets you stressed. Although that does not sound like a benefit, actually it is. As stated in “The Yerkes-Dodson Law” the best performance is reached when the right level of mental arousal is experienced. A strong anxiety would impair performance as much as feeling too relaxed <ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerkes%E2%80%93Dodson_law</ref>.		Why to have a clear deadline is that important? Because it gets you stressed. Although that does not sound like a benefit, actually it is. As stated in “The Yerkes-Dodson Law” the best performance is reached when the right level of mental arousal is experienced. A strong anxiety would impair performance as much as feeling too relaxed <ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerkes%E2%80%93Dodson_law</ref>.

	Consequently, when no urgency of working on the task is perceived, people put in place inefficient behaviours <ref~~>https:~~/~~/knappily.com/ethics/parkinsons-law-518</ref~~>. Given the fact that they perceive having plenty of time, unimportant details gain more attention than needed, longer or more frequent breaks are taken and many other actions that make them use more time than required. Another tendency is to procrastinate, that means waiting for the last possible moment to start working, without considering unexpected events might occur however. In particular, procrastination is supported by social loafing while working in a team, members feel even less pressure since each of them is sharing responsibility of task completion with the others.		Consequently, when no urgency of working on the task is perceived, people put in place inefficient behaviours <ref name="Background"/>. Given the fact that they perceive having plenty of time, unimportant details gain more attention than needed, longer or more frequent breaks are taken and many other actions that make them use more time than required. Another tendency is to procrastinate, that means waiting for the last possible moment to start working, without considering unexpected events might occur however. In particular, procrastination is supported by social loafing while working in a team, members feel even less pressure since each of them is sharing responsibility of task completion with the others.

	=== Parkinson's Law in Project Management ===		=== Parkinson's Law in Project Management ===

Gian Marco: /* Parkinson's Law in Project Management */

2021-02-28T21:18:11Z

Parkinson's Law in Project Management

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:18, 28 February 2021
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	The main step of scheduling process to handle is “Estimate Activity Durations”. This is basically the process of estimating the amount of time and resources required by each activity to be concluded; as the others, it needs to receive information as input, which are used by tools and techniques in order to provide the desired estimate as outcome <ref>Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). (pp. 173, 230). Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpGPMBKP02/guide-project-management/guide-project-management</ref>. Activity duration and allocated resources mutually determine each other and the scarcer eventually influences the others. From one perspective, few available resources imply a long completion time and on the other hand, completing an activity in a short time demands many high quality resources. Project managers usually focus on the resources-side, since factors involved are easier to manage.		The main step of scheduling process to handle is “Estimate Activity Durations”. This is basically the process of estimating the amount of time and resources required by each activity to be concluded; as the others, it needs to receive information as input, which are used by tools and techniques in order to provide the desired estimate as outcome <ref>Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). (pp. 173, 230). Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpGPMBKP02/guide-project-management/guide-project-management</ref>. Activity duration and allocated resources mutually determine each other and the scarcer eventually influences the others. From one perspective, few available resources imply a long completion time and on the other hand, completing an activity in a short time demands many high quality resources. Project managers usually focus on the resources-side, since factors involved are easier to manage.

	In particular, one factor, that affects duration estimate, is ''staff motivation''. It is difficult to measure, so to control, and its perception heavily depends on skills of team manager. Furthermore there are no standard techniques to achieve high motivation, on the contrary the strategy used needs to fit with team members’ personalities. As described above, low motivation leads to less effective behaviours, lower performances and compromises duration estimate of activities. Foreseeing impacts of Parkinson’s Law helps preventing unexpected task lengths during execution stage of the process and consequential expedited costs, the higher the later the detection occurs <ref>https://www.slideshare.net/BhuWanKhaDKa3/09-project-cost-management</ref>.		In particular, one factor, that affects duration estimate, is ''staff motivation''. It is difficult to measure, so to control, and its perception heavily depends on skills of team manager. Furthermore there are no standard techniques to achieve high motivation, on the contrary the strategy used needs to fit with team members’ personalities. As described above, low motivation leads to less effective behaviours, lower performances and compromises duration estimate of activities. Foreseeing impacts of Parkinson’s Law helps preventing unexpected task lengths during execution stage of the process and consequential expedited costs, which are the higher the later the detection occurs <ref>https://www.slideshare.net/BhuWanKhaDKa3/09-project-cost-management</ref>.

	== Counteractive strategies and project management tools ==		== Counteractive strategies and project management tools ==

Gian Marco: /* Psychological boundary to productivity */

2021-02-28T21:16:39Z

Psychological boundary to productivity

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:16, 28 February 2021
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	== Psychological boundary to productivity ==		== Psychological boundary to productivity ==
	Parkinson’s Law consists in the adage that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. In 1955, Cyril Northcote Parkinson articulated the saying with the aim of satirically highlighting the inefficiency of public administration and civil service bureaucracy in the United Kingdom. He noticed that despite a decrease of fleet size by two thirds and of personnel by a third, during that period the number of bureaucrats rose by almost 6% a year <ref> https://knappily.com/ethics/parkinsons-law-518 </ref>. In his book “Parkinson Law: The Pursuit of Progress” he also stated a correlation between the size of bodies and their efficiency, providing with evident proofs of institutions, in the English history, which lost power as they grew <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law</ref>. [[File:Wiki article.png\|1000px\|thumb\|right\|Relation between effort made and time allocated to activity, due to Parkinson's Law (own figure)]]		Parkinson’s Law consists in the adage that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. In 1955, Cyril Northcote Parkinson articulated the saying with the aim of satirically highlighting the inefficiency of public administration and civil service bureaucracy in the United Kingdom. He noticed that despite a decrease of fleet size by two thirds and of personnel by a third, during that period the number of bureaucrats rose by almost 6% a year <ref>https://knappily.com/ethics/parkinsons-law-518</ref>. In his book “Parkinson Law: The Pursuit of Progress” he also stated a correlation between the size of bodies and their efficiency, providing with evident proofs of institutions, in the English history, which lost power as they grew <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law</ref>. [[File:Wiki article.png\|1000px\|thumb\|right\|Relation between effort made and time allocated to activity, due to Parkinson's Law (own figure)]]

	The resonance of the law comes from its universal application. As well as in bureaucracy, it finds applications in everyday life. Its approach is purely psychological and can lead to put in action important strategies for a superior time management, increasing both efficiency and effectiveness as well as enhancing time use. This law describes a key concept which should not be ignored by any project management while managing complexity. The concept can be basically rephrased as “people tend to be less efficient in carrying out a task when the time constraint is not well perceived” and '''perceived''', instead of defined, is a key word of this statement because it means to also include in the scope all of these situations where people have too much time compared to the task perceived length, so that they feel like not having a deadline at all.		The resonance of the law comes from its universal application. As well as in bureaucracy, it finds applications in everyday life. Its approach is purely psychological and can lead to put in action important strategies for a superior time management, increasing both efficiency and effectiveness as well as enhancing time use. This law describes a key concept which should not be ignored by any project management while managing complexity. The concept can be basically rephrased as “people tend to be less efficient in carrying out a task when the time constraint is not well perceived” and '''perceived''', instead of defined, is a key word of this statement because it means to also include in the scope all of these situations where people have too much time compared to the task perceived length, so that they feel like not having a deadline at all.
Line 23:		Line 23:
	Why to have a clear deadline is that important? Because it gets you stressed. Although that does not sound like a benefit, actually it is. As stated in “The Yerkes-Dodson Law” the best performance is reached when the right level of mental arousal is experienced. A strong anxiety would impair performance as much as feeling too relaxed <ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerkes%E2%80%93Dodson_law</ref>.		Why to have a clear deadline is that important? Because it gets you stressed. Although that does not sound like a benefit, actually it is. As stated in “The Yerkes-Dodson Law” the best performance is reached when the right level of mental arousal is experienced. A strong anxiety would impair performance as much as feeling too relaxed <ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerkes%E2%80%93Dodson_law</ref>.

	Consequently, when no urgency of working on the task is perceived, people put in place inefficient behaviours. Given the fact that they perceive having plenty of time, unimportant details gain more attention than needed, longer or more frequent breaks are taken and many other actions that make them use more time than required. Another tendency is to procrastinate, that means waiting for the last possible moment to start working, without considering unexpected events might occur however. In particular, procrastination is supported by social loafing while working in a team, members feel even less pressure since each of them is sharing responsibility of task completion with the others.		Consequently, when no urgency of working on the task is perceived, people put in place inefficient behaviours <ref>https://knappily.com/ethics/parkinsons-law-518</ref>. Given the fact that they perceive having plenty of time, unimportant details gain more attention than needed, longer or more frequent breaks are taken and many other actions that make them use more time than required. Another tendency is to procrastinate, that means waiting for the last possible moment to start working, without considering unexpected events might occur however. In particular, procrastination is supported by social loafing while working in a team, members feel even less pressure since each of them is sharing responsibility of task completion with the others.

	=== Parkinson's Law in Project Management ===		=== Parkinson's Law in Project Management ===

Gian Marco at 21:09, 28 February 2021

2021-02-28T21:09:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:09, 28 February 2021
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	== Psychological boundary to productivity ==		== Psychological boundary to productivity ==
	Parkinson’s Law consists in the adage that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. In 1955, Cyril Northcote Parkinson articulated the saying with the aim of satirically highlighting the inefficiency of public administration and civil service bureaucracy in the United Kingdom. He noticed that despite a decrease of fleet size by two thirds and of personnel by a third, during that period the number of bureaucrats rose by almost 6% a year <ref> https://knappily.com/ethics/parkinsons-law-518 </ref>. In his book “Parkinson Law: The Pursuit of Progress” he also stated a correlation between the size of bodies and their efficiency, providing with evident proofs of institutions, in the English history, which lost power as they grew <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law</ref>.		Parkinson’s Law consists in the adage that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. In 1955, Cyril Northcote Parkinson articulated the saying with the aim of satirically highlighting the inefficiency of public administration and civil service bureaucracy in the United Kingdom. He noticed that despite a decrease of fleet size by two thirds and of personnel by a third, during that period the number of bureaucrats rose by almost 6% a year <ref> https://knappily.com/ethics/parkinsons-law-518 </ref>. In his book “Parkinson Law: The Pursuit of Progress” he also stated a correlation between the size of bodies and their efficiency, providing with evident proofs of institutions, in the English history, which lost power as they grew <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law</ref>. [[File:Wiki article.png\|1000px\|thumb\|right\|Relation between effort made and time allocated to activity, due to Parkinson's Law (own figure)]]

	The resonance of the law comes from its universal application. As well as in bureaucracy, it finds applications in everyday life. Its approach is purely psychological and can lead to put in action important strategies for a superior time management, increasing both efficiency and effectiveness as well as enhancing time use. This law describes a key concept which should not be ignored by any project management while managing complexity. The concept can be basically rephrased as “people tend to be less efficient in carrying out a task when the time constraint is not well perceived” and '''perceived''', instead of defined, is a key word of this statement because it means to also include in the scope all of these situations where people have too much time compared to the task perceived length, so that they feel like not having a deadline at all.		The resonance of the law comes from its universal application. As well as in bureaucracy, it finds applications in everyday life. Its approach is purely psychological and can lead to put in action important strategies for a superior time management, increasing both efficiency and effectiveness as well as enhancing time use. This law describes a key concept which should not be ignored by any project management while managing complexity. The concept can be basically rephrased as “people tend to be less efficient in carrying out a task when the time constraint is not well perceived” and '''perceived''', instead of defined, is a key word of this statement because it means to also include in the scope all of these situations where people have too much time compared to the task perceived length, so that they feel like not having a deadline at all.

Gian Marco at 20:05, 28 February 2021

2021-02-28T20:05:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:05, 28 February 2021
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	* a basis for incentive schemes design, which can be implemented in many different organisation types thanks to its flexibility, that reward earlier and on-time task completion.		* a basis for incentive schemes design, which can be implemented in many different organisation types thanks to its flexibility, that reward earlier and on-time task completion.

	Finally, the ~~limitations~~ of the ~~above strategies are~~ described, with regard to ~~situations where they cannot be applied or it is not productive trying to minimise Parkinson’s Law implications~~.		Finally, the final section presents an analysis of the described methods limitations and a speculation about future Parkinson's Law implications in project management with regard to increasing industrial automation.

	== Psychological boundary to productivity ==		== Psychological boundary to productivity ==