“Sticky” Management

I recently talked about my crew of friends who are helping me build my layout.

If you’ll recall, I also mentioned having a task list so that when attendees arrive they can pick what they want to work on. But I thought it would be cumbersome to actually have a list that people had to check, so I went with something else.

Instead, I post sticky notes around the room with the tasks on them. These are the recently released 3M Extreme PostIt Notes. I find these work better than the “regular” ones since the adhesive is stronger and will continue to stick even when “contaminated” with sawdust or other debris that they can pick up as they get moved around the workspace.

Note that there is no significance to color beyond Where the hell did I put those pads? Oh! There’s one! I suppose I could categorize tasks by color. Like yellow for track, orange for modeling/scenery, green for wiring. (Representing puke, symbolizing my feelings on wiring.) But I haven’t and probably won’t unless someone requests it. I’m not sure there’s enough of a payoff. Or enough colors.

Anyway, when people arrive for a work session, they can take stock of the available sticky notes and choose what they want to work on. It’s actually rare that I get to do much work myself, since I’m operating more as a project manager. I spend a lot of time answering questions, giving guidance, providing requested feedback on work being done, and delivering needed tools and materials.

For the record, I have to get better at the last bit. That is, making sure people have what they need ahead of time. I usually have what they need once they ask, but being that prepared can be difficult since I have no idea what people will choose to work on.

When people have completed a task, they remove the sticky from its location and tack it to the wall.

I realize that some of the instructions on the notes in the photo won’t make any sense to the uninitiated. (“New A bottom to edge,” for instance.) But trust me it makes sense when people are here. I think.

This system is working well so far, even if it is a little draining sometimes. I’m often amazed at how tired I am at the end of a session, even if I haven’t done much beyond the management tasks I mentioned earlier. But I suspect it would be worse without a system like this.

I cannot take credit for this idea. I stole it from Stephen Priest, editor of Railroad Model Craftsman. He had given a presentation at a “Spring TRAINing” event sponsored by the HUB division of the NMRA last year, and this was but one of a bunch of great ideas I took away from his session. I regret that I wasn’t able to make the National Convention to see his layout in person.

And to thank him.

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