I have created this website in order to provide a clearer understanding of who I am and how I will fit into your organization.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What has been your most satisfying job experience?
Several come to mind...In Columbus, Ohio, the mayor and his team were so impressed with the traffic control system we installed for their city that they offered to make all traffic lights green along our path to the airport - a "green carpet" instead of the proverbial red one.
Another satisfying moment occurred during payroll processing at the Census Bureau. An employee had not been paid for several weeks due to a mysterious glitch. She was desperate for funds to pay for an operation her daughter needed. It was most satisfying to detect and resolve the problem shortly after being called in to investigate.
In general, I find it most satisfying to use my technical skills to make life easier for folks.
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2. What has been the toughest job you've had?
Without a doubt, my toughest role was as Project Manager of E911 (Emergency Response) software. After a tragic incident resulted in the death of a child, I assumed responsibility from the previous Project Manager. Subsequent investigation found a clerk had typed in a wrong address, causing rescue vehicles to arrive too late to the scene of a fire. I managed to regain credibility and the trust of our clients through hard work and unshakable integrity.
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3. Tell of other times when your integrity was tested.
During a requirements gathering session, I discovered that our client had no practical way to test major software modifications being discussed. I alerted the client with the classic law, "If it can't be tested, it's already done" and suggested the modifications be shelved until a proper test plan and environment were possible. The client took my advice, and, as a result, my company lost a contract. Later in the year, the same client came back to us with more lucrative requests.
When working with Computran Corporation, a client requested our top-of-the-line multi-million dollar system. It soon became obvious they needed far less than they believed. With the consent of my company, I explained this to the chief engineer. He said that the city coffers were overflowing and planners had decided this was a good investment.
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4. What types of things have you taught Project Managers?
Using various means such as formal classes, informal lunch sessions, and a newsletter, I focused on:
For example, if a 4-stage project has a 90% probability of success for all 4 stages, most would report a 90% probability for the entire project. Actually it is more like 66%.
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Copyright ©, 2006, Julius Korngold. All rights reserved.