Topic: Managing projects

Hi all. Just a quick question. Currently I have been working on quite a few projects for websites. It was like a year with nothing and then I have had about 5 or 6 things come to me. Very cool but. . .

How do you guys handle multiple projects? Do you do one project and then move on to the next or just work on each simultaniously? I am just a one man band so to speak so, how do you guys do it?

Currently I have 4 websites I am working on and am feeling a little overwhelmed at times. The real bad thing is, is that I am not charging for any of this. I am working on getting a nice little portfolio going then start to pay. Makes it easier me would think. That way I can say "You can see some of my work here ---->"

Comments. . .

Later,
C:\


~Binary is best~

I'm in a similar position. My situation is probably a bit different, however. I'm finding that managing the clients is easy compared to managing myself.

Short answer: I need some sort of structure to keep everything from swirling around and blending together in my head and bringing on that feeling of being overwhelmed. I also need some flexibility so that I can follow what feels "right" for me to work on in a given day.

Long answer: I'm very upfront with my clients explaining that my creativity and ability to work both wax and wane, but sometimes not in sych with each other. Therefore I cannot take jobs with large amounts of time-sensitive work, but ongoing maintenance usually isn't an issue. Second, I explain that existing clients come first. I'd rather turn away a new client than disappoint and anger an existing one.

I've had one potential client thank me and look elsewhere and I currently have one waiting in the queue because, "If that's how you treat existing clients, I'll wait and become one."

Like I said, easy.

Managing myself and the work, is another matter entirely. I'm ADD and a workaholic (among other things). I'm fortunate that one project is an intranet and once I'm off-site, I can't work on it. It's broad enough in scope that I don't get bored with it and I'm usually able to keep my focus on it.

The rest I try to set aside in day or half-day blocks. That helps keep me from getting bored on any given project and helps keep me from becoming obsessive about working. Helps is the key word. I blew all waking hours last weekend working on two pages of a single proposed design. I think I ate, I'm not sure. At this moment I'm putting off checking data on 74 pages of a directory. I'm bored before I start.

I guess the key for me is something to keep the pieces separate yet not so rigid I can't access them randomly. Hope this helps rather than confuses.

"the most incredible feats are often accomplished by
those who have had the most incredible challenges"

Well, when I was doing the design thing, I encountered both problems...how did I deal with it? Very simple, acutally. For the first one (CPromt) - farm out the work load, if it is too much. That means, you know someone that can help out? Then do it. Cuts down on the stress load. I did this a lot, esp. in those times when too much comes at once...

As for keeping myself under control with multiple projects...here you need to set timeframes. X number of hours on this one, y number on that one...and stick to these guidelines. That was my solution to the problem. Worked great for me. And my customers were happy. Hope that helps.