Special interview: Amir Akbari on his passion for planning

A person in business attire is seated at a table, checking a printed report with charts while working on a laptop computer.

The R3 Project is developing Thesis SM, Algonquin College’s new Student Information System. This complex task requires the coordinated effort of a large group of people, including business analysts, integration architects, training specialists, and more.

With so many roles involved, how do project members stay in sync? Enter Amir Akbari, Project Scheduler. By overseeing an extensive workback schedule with thousands of entries, Amir plays a crucial role in maximizing collaboration across the R3 Project teams.

Igor Coelho A. S. Marques recently spoke with Amir to learn more about his work. Here’s a snippet of their conversation:

Portrait of Igor S. A. Marques Igor Coelho A. S. Marques

What’s it like being the R3 Project’s scheduler?

Heashot of Amir Akbari Amir Akbari

The goal of every project is to reach the finish line and deliver a product or service. In a complex project like ours, this means breaking down our goals into small chunks so we can have a sequence of tasks that connect to each other. That’s what I do: I help track exactly what, when, and how our team is going to get to the finish line!

Portrait of Igor S. A. Marques I. Marques

Seems like a tough job to me, but you sound excited when you talk about it!

Heashot of Amir Akbari A. Akbari

Well, yes! It has to do with my personality. I believe life is a series of puzzles we have to solve. When we solve them, we learn, we grow stronger, we become more reliable. This project is no different: each task, each activity is a puzzle to be solved and an opportunity to grow. That’s why I enjoy being a scheduler.

Portrait of Igor S. A. Marques I. Marques

Love your passion! Do you have a favourite part about your job?

Heashot of Amir Akbari A. Akbari

One of the good things about being the scheduler is that I have to interact with all of the project’s teams and discuss the time and scope of their work. I need to understand what they do, and sometimes this means going deep into their area of knowledge. That’s when I can connect the dots and gain both a holistic and detailed view of the project.

 

“Each task, each activity is a puzzle to be solved and an opportunity to grow. That’s why I enjoy being a scheduler.”

 

Portrait of Igor S. A. Marques I. Marques

So, there’s an element of negotiation in your interactions with the R3 Project teams?

Heashot of Amir Akbari A. Akbari

All the time. A good and reliable schedule enables us to do a root cause analysis and solve issues before they appear. When I meet with team leads, our task is to agree on expectations so we can identify and remove blockers. For example, we may find that a team needs more resources or more time to complete a task, so doing this work ends up serving everyone in the project.

Portrait of Igor S. A. Marques I. Marques

Interesting. It’s almost like you’re a “doctor,” running diagnostics so you can find the right treatment to prevent problems.

Heashot of Amir Akbari A. Akbari

Something like that.

Portrait of Igor S. A. Marques I. Marques

Eventually, Thesis SM will go live and you’ll cross off the last item on the schedule. How does that make you feel?

Heashot of Amir Akbari A. Akbari

One thing I know will happen to me after the project is done is that I won’t be the same person I was when I came onto the R3 Project. Working here has really changed my perspective about project management.

Portrait of Igor S. A. Marques I. Marques

How so?

Heashot of Amir Akbari A. Akbari

The thing about project management is that you need to know monitoring and controlling, you need to know the field’s practices and standards, you need a business acumen and a strategic view of the project. But you also need soft skills.

In fact, somewhere in the middle of this project, I realized that soft skills, the power of empathy and the power of collaboration and teamwork are way, way, way more important than other skills.

After three years on the R3 Project, I’ve come to realize that the most important thing is solving problems and helping others. And you can’t measure this like it’s another skill—it’s about cultivating your personality and your character. It’s about becoming a better human being.

 

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