Project Journal: If You See Something That Needs Fixing, Try to Fix It

When I was an Instructional Technology Support Technician in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools one of the schools that I occasionally visited was the Phoenix Center. The Center’s purpose is to help students that need a little more assistance. It serves 120 students. And as I remember, the teachers were very very caring.

During those early days of the project where computers were being installed in the schools the Center received a few computers, but didn’t receive enough software. I believe it was on one of my first visits that I discovered that they did not have enough computers or software.

I am one that tries to solve a problem instead of blaming others for my problems. But of course you sometimes have to have others help you solve the problem. In this case, I saw that they needed the hardware and software. Thankfully someone donated computers so then we needed software. I wrote a letter to the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools to ask for assistance. The letter is below.

Results

The school received the software. I believe I remember seeing the students in the lab using the software.

Lesson Learned

I wasn’t the project manager, but as a project manager, sometimes you have to go out of your way to help and advocate for the customer or to make things right.