Welcome back!
By now, you should have analyzed existing project documentation to identify a list
of tasks related to the Sauce and Spoon tablet pilot.
In this video, I'll share a few tips for conducting online research,
which is a helpful strategy for gathering domain knowledge.
Domain knowledge refers to knowledge of a specific industry, topic, or activity.
If you're unfamiliar with a new project's domain, then analyzing supporting project
documentation will help you broaden your knowledge.
There will be times throughout your career when you'll be new to an organization or
industry.
You might be assigned to a project that's unlike anything you've ever managed
before, and that's okay.
New challenges can be a really exciting part of the job.
So how do you identify tasks and monitor progress for a project or
industry that you're not familiar with?
Another key to success when working on an unfamiliar project is knowing where to
find useful information that can help you increase your domain knowledge.
Here's an example.
Let's say you've been hired to manage projects in the private banking industry.
In order to successfully manage these projects,
you'll need a basic understanding of how private banking works.
This includes things like how clients open accounts,
back office operations, and how trade confirmations are verified.
And, in the case of Sauce and Spoon, you'll need a base level understanding of
the restaurant industry, some of which you've already come across during
this course, like knowing about guest averages and table turn times.
Again, you don't need to be an expert on your project, but
becoming more familiar with different industries and
types of projects is a valuable skill that demonstrates your versatility.
Having industry knowledge can also save you time on future projects within
that industry, since you won't have to ask as many questions or do as much research.
That said, if you're new to an industry or organization,
no one will expect you to have all the answers right away.
One way to help build up your domain knowledge when you get started with
project planning is through online research.
Online research can help increase your knowledge of industry terms, techniques,
processes, and more,
all of which can be helpful as you embark on a new project.
This allows you to read up on how other organizations have managed similar
projects.
It's also an opportunity to draw inspiration from their successes and
to learn from their mistakes.
So what should you be aiming for as you do research for a given project?
Let's go over a few tips that can help you get started.
First, try searching online for
news coverage of similar projects at other companies.
For example, you might search for news articles that focus on restaurant groups
who've added tablet ordering capabilities to their restaurant locations.
Experiment with search terms like "menu tablet news" or
"restaurant tablet news" to find relevant news articles.
As you read, take notes on interesting findings.
Did the company experience any surprising outcomes following their product's launch?
Did they come across any unanticipated roadblocks?
If so, make note of these, and decide if there are tasks that you should add to
your project in order to achieve similar results or to avoid similar roadblocks.
Identifying where similar successes or mistakes might play out in your own
project can help you uncover tasks that you may have otherwise overlooked.
It's also helpful to search online for
research on topics related to your project.
For example, you might search for
phrases like "restaurant tablet research" or "digital menu ordering."
Adding search tags like "best practices" or
"key takeaways" can help streamline your search results.
Then, you can review the relevant research for
information that might help inform your project planning.
You could also try researching similar projects in other industries.
This can be especially helpful when you're new to a project or industry.
For example, even though your project may center around tablet usage in a restaurant
setting, you can also learn about the installation process from research
on tablet usage in similar settings, like retail stores or coffee shops.
The details will be different, but
similar projects in other industries can be a helpful source of ideas.
Once you've done some initial online research, review the list of tasks that
you've identified so far and research the specifics of executing that work.
For example, maybe one of the tasks on your list is choosing the tablet
model that you'll ultimately install in the restaurants.
Are there any smaller sub-tasks your team will need to complete to decide on
a tablet model?
Searching online can help to uncover any additional tasks you'll need
to account for.
Well done!
Let's recap what we learned in this video.
Online research can help you increase your domain knowledge of industry terms,
techniques, processes, and more.
When you conduct your online research, keep the following tips in mind.
Search for news articles about similar projects in other companies.
Research similar projects in other industries. And finally,
review your list of tasks and research the specifics of executing that work.
Ready to get started?
Head over to the next activity, where you'll perform online research
to identify more tasks and milestones for the Sauce and Spoon tablet rollout.
I'll meet you in the next video.