R Chart SOP Master Project Plan 1 20 2022

SOP Using the Responsibility and Decision-Making Chart for Teambuilding and timely Project execution for our AI MASTER PROJECT PLAN Have you ever had an assignment where you felt either under utilized or frustrated at the lack of timely progress made toward the goal? Do you get frustrated at the number of meetings required to move projects forward? These are common problems for teams working together on projects and the results are usually dissatisfaction/disillusionment of the team members and ultimately lower productivity or results. Over the last 30 years Academic Innovations has use the Responsibility and Decision-making charts to help move projects forward in a most efficient way. When the time is taken to develop this written, dynamic document, everyone knows how they fit into the whole projects and the path to successful completion. With a high functioning team, such as our team, this tool will help us efficiently accomplish great things for students. Our new AI Master Project Plan (MPP) is an example of a completed Responsibility and Decision- Making Chart (R&D chart). Anyone studying, this chart will quickly get a comprehensive picture of not only how a project will unfold but also the growth of the company. This is an extraordinary planning tool for any team working on plans with outlined specific tasks within a multidimensional project. It provides the structure for: ž how decisions are made within the project ž who is responsible for each task of a multi-task project ž the deadlines for accomplishing the task ž Who needs to be consulted or informed ž Who needs to give approval of the suggested process/outcome Over the last three months, we’ve been gathering data and ideas from discussions and brainstorming sessions in meetings and from capacity building sessions. Over the last two weeks, the management team, working together, have developed this R & D chart for the Master Project Plan for the next 3 and 6 months. Important to note: This process that follows for the Master Project Plan refers to projects. Team members also have the reoccurring tasks of their job that are accomplished on a daily basis and must be attended to. (noted on VO as such). Therefore some staff members have more time to work on projects than other staff members. Where to find the Master Project Plan: It is found on Academicinnovations.com/links.html You will want to visit this Master Project Plan often. It is dynamic as tasks are completed and new ones are added within a specific project. It will be updated by the Team Leader in order to keep the task and deadlines up to date. A quick review is to just follow the column down that lists your name, reviewing each task where you are an R or an R2. Also you’ll want to review each project that you are on the team, to see if there are any updates by the Team Leader. 1

Team Leaders: This year we are enhancing the R & D chart to include a TEAM LEADER for each of the Projects. The Team Leader is one of the five of the management team: Tanja, Wendy, Deb, Monica or Mindy. They are ultimately responsible for the successful execution their assigned projects and therefore are the supervisor for that project. Each week at the Tuesday management meeting, each will report out on the progress of each of their projects. As a management team they will hold each other accountable for their projects. In turn it will be their responsibility to hold each of their team members accountable for their assignments. Team Meetings The Team Leader will also call, as necessary, any team meetings. But a goal is to keep these to a minimum. The teams are made up of the Team Leader, R’s and R2’s as indicated on the R&D chart. Regular scheduled meetings for these projects ARE NOT encouraged. One of the purposes of this organization tool is to reduce the number of meetings necessary. But some meetings will be necessary to keep the project moving and not get mired in back and forth email/texting. Teams will come together on Zoom to ferret out issues so they can move forward efficiently. The calling of meetings: We have the wherewithal the call a zoom meeting on a fly. By looking at the Online Virtual Office a team leader can evaluate who is working at that time and their availability. That way a team for the project or the members responsible for a task within the project can jump on a Zoom meeting as necessary. There are different kinds of meetings. Standup Meetings: These are meetings to quickly address an issue and then move on. These should last less than 15 minutes. When should these be called? If there is more than 3 back and forth emails on a topic, it is important to stop, call a standup meeting, discuss the issue, idea, or concern, make a decision on the course of action and then keep moving forward. This can be anyone related to a task, or the whole team (those with R and R2s). Planning meetings: During the planning of a project, the time when the project is defined and operations strategized and articulated, the team leader may also want to include staff noted as C’s (consultants) so the final plans will benefit from their knowledge about the topic. But C’s generally would not be included in project team meetings. Project Meetings: Project meetings are meetings (usually planned ahead of time) that include the Team Leader, the R’s, the R2’s, plus any one of the management team who wishes to attend. Note: Mindy will be invited to all of these meetings, and may attend as she has time. 2

Management meetings: Held by the five Team Leaders on Tuesday after Capacity Building, the chart will be reviewed and projects will be discussed and any problems addressed. Interpreting the R & D chart: Each project will have a Team Leader as noted by TL As with our other R & D Charts, the notations for each project are; In Short: R = responsible for initiation and execution of the task R2 = Assists the R with the execution of task and steps in if the R is unable to complete the task on time. C = need to be consulted/but has no veto power A = must give approval/has veto power I = needs to be informed of action because it impacts their job Organization Tips to Remember: 1. Someone doesn’t have to be on the committee to be consulted or Informed. 2. For any one task, do not have more than ONE person responsible (only one R). This task is their responsibility to initiate, plan, get approval (if necessary) execute and evaluate within deadline. So only one R per line. 3. A “C”, a person who wants or needs to be consulted before a final decision is made on a particular task. But remember a “C is only that… a consultant. Their opinion or information does not have to be accepted by the person “R” responsible. The “R” will take the information into consideration but does not have to act on it. For team member espirit de core it is important for the R to explain to the C why the R may decide not use the C’s advice. 4. It is a good idea to do one last pass through the tasks to determine “I”, the individuals who need to be informed on the particulars of a task. I’s should be memoed in writing of the task and action taken to avoid miscommunication and frustration. 5. A word of caution, do not assume everyone should get an “I” for every task. Otherwise you’ll be spending too much precious time just communicating what is happening. Periodic updates can be shared in regularly scheduled meetings, such as our Sales and our Marking meetings or in Capacity Building. 6. It will be up to the CEO in conjunction with the management team, to finalize the “A’s: the tasks that require approval of the plan for execution, before going forward or finalizing a task. 3

7. In the last column enter the name and letter designation of anyone who is not already listed on the chart but has a key role in that task. As the project progresses and the chart is complete and the tasks have been reviewed and approved by Mindy or the management team, you are ready to launch your project. Everyone knows their role, their timeline and their level of authority and responsibility for tasks, so decisions can be made quickly and task/projects can proceed efficiently without a lot of meetings. Projects deadlines. Most of these projects are a series of tasks that in many cases have to be done in a particular order. Therefore the deadline column is critical. If someone fails to complete their task on time, they can hold up the whole project. The Team Leader will submit their deadline plans to the management team who will discuss them and finalize for publication on the chart. The team leader will be responsible maintaining the deadlines and for holding the team to these important dates. The strength of this process: As a multi-talented staff, this provides for more fluid job assignments. Rather than being run as a department in a siloed way, there is more flexibility to use the talents of each staff member and take advantage of our skilled team. It also provides for growth opportunities for staff. Instead of being button holed into a narrow job description, assignments will be interdisciplinary. So if you see a task you’d like to be involved with, and you have the time, let the team leader know. Project staff will work under different supervisors (team leaders). Each team leader may have a different style and a different way of tackling projects. But with the R&D chart, tasks, timing and expectations should be clear, which should eliminate any ambiguities. Setting priorities: Because of the fact that individual staff may have two or even three different team leaders/supervisors that they are working under for projects, given time constraints there may issues when a team members has conflicting deadlines and doesn’t have the time to complete the two different tasks, under two different projects. When that happens, this process is followed; 1. The staff member emails the two team leaders explaining their issue, at the same time copying Mindy. 2. The two team leaders will attempt to come consensus on which of the tasks takes priority for Academic Innovations. 3. If they cannot, then Mindy is the final say. Online Virtual Office: Another technology tool that will take the role of communicating completion of projects and setting priorities is the Online Virtual Office. This will be consulted during management meetings and also when there is a priority conflict. 4

Therefore anyone with an R or an R2 will need to list those tasks from the MPP chart on the VO task chart. Include the deadline and mark accordingly. Be sure to indicate the project title in caps as well as the task. For instance: MAILINGS: update drip campaigns Tracking completion of the task: Be sure to move the project completion bar along as the task is being worked on. For instance if you judge that you are half done with the task, be sure to move the task bar to 50%. That way the team leader or any member of the management team can get a sense of what has been done and still needs to be done. By detailing progress on VO, when two team leaders have been alerted to a conflict of priorities (see above) and need to meet to discuss what needs to take priority, their first task (in their zoom meeting) will be to call up that staff person’s VO and review their task lists. This will make setting priorities more straight forward and efficient. The result: What once looked like an overwhelming project is now manageable because each team member has focused assignments with the path for proceeding efficiently. They can get the satisfaction of a job well done as part of the team. Adapted from a management workshop conducted by Michele Jackman, MSWMA, Organizational Development, Leadership and Project Management consultant. Former consultant to the Pentagon, where she managed teams of generals. . 5