While preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal can be a daunting task for any individual, I thought to myself, what better way to look at this most anticipated meal that comes once a year, in terms of project management! First, we’ll look at the 5 Phases of Project Turkey Management.
5 Phases of Project Turkey Management:
- Initiate: Come up with the idea of Thanksgiving Dinner plans with family and friends
- Plan: Gather recipes, make a shopping list, make a WBS, make sure you communicate plans to family/friends
- Execute: Cook the dinner
- Monitor/Control: Make sure the food is ready to enjoy by all
- Closing: Meal ends and ask your guests to provide feedback on the meal
Create a WBS for the Thanksgiving Meal:
- Outline the highest level of the courses of the meal: Appetizers, Salad, Main Course, Dessert, and Drinks
- Under each course, add the individual dishes you wish to serve
- Further sub-divide the individual dishes by adding the major & minor ingredients, which helps you to prepare the shopping list or “project bill of materials”
How can Project Management Skills help with the Thanksgiving Meal?
- Help plan your holiday dinner with all the dishes ready to serve at the desired time
- Planning ahead helps to ensure you have the sufficient time and room to bring it all together at the desired target for a large crowd.
- Help reduce the number of trips and time spent in the grocery store
- Help organize and determine which dishes you should prepare first & cook to optimize on your oven/microwave/stove time
- Increase efficiencies in the cooking process
- Reduce the number of surprises
Have you ever planned your special Thanksgiving meal using tools from your Project Management toolbox?
I am very thankful for my family, friends, and tangible things, such as a home and food, but also for my followers of my blog. I started this project management blog earlier this year and I have been absolutely blessed with the opportunity to meet so many project managers from around the world and learn from you! I hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family friends and enjoyed some yummy turkey with all of the fixing! 
