Well, this isn’t so much about JPCT but since you’ve touched on something I am very experienced with…off the top of my head and...
...in defense of volunteers…
Regarding volunteers: I’ve spent a great deal of time as a volunteer and I’ve managed volunteers in a broad range of aspects for years. Not only volunteers, but also limited time contract workers who have a great deal in common with volunteers: they are either only required for a short period of time and/or they are only required for a limited scope of an existing project. They both, however, require the same technique of management.
Project Management: The Director
Volunteers and contract workers need specific and achievable short-term goals to feel like they are contributing to the project in a worthwhile manner. Specific and achievable goals not only allow the project manager to easily keep track of a participant’s progress, they offer the worker a scale to measure their own progress and worth to the project. If any employee feels his work is either worthwhile or appreciated, he’ll work with enthusiasm.
Specific and achievable goals also make the project manager work a little harder but hey, that’s what the job is. A project manager is the “Director”, he needs to keep in mind the “vision” the ultimate goal/reality that is being created and communicate that clearly to participants.
Without specific and achievable goals they tend to give up and go work for a discount store or do database programming. (eep)
AcidBurnz welcome
And to AcidBurnz, welcome to the community. JPCT is remarkable in it's scope and application ability.