Don't Just Manage the Plan, Engage Your Team Members!
As project managers, it's tempting to focus entirely on our project plan. But successful execution of your project plan is entirely dependent on your project team. And your project team is dependent on each team member! For example, if your team is all working well together except one person, who is lacking motivation and missing deadlines, than the whole team will start having trouble, and your project success may be in jeopardy.
Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:43:00 GMT A Project Manager's Guide to Systems Thinking: Part II
What's needed for complex problem-solving is a technique that looks holistically at the whole, and this is what systems thinking can help us do. If we become better at systems thinking, we'll be more successful at addressing problems and effecting changes for the long-term. In the first part of this article, we explored systems and created a casual loop diagram (CLD). In this article, we're going to look at the basic behaviours of systems. If we want to solve a problem or influence outcomes, we need to understand why the system is behaving as it is.
Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:06:00 GMT A Project Manager's Guide to Systems Thinking: Part I
What's needed for complex problem-solving is a technique that looks holistically at the whole and this is what systems thinking can help us do. If we become better at systems thinking, we'll be more successful at addressing problems and effecting changes for the long-term. In this first article, we'll cover some of the basics about systems thinking, and in the second article, we'll look at the archetypes of systems' behaviour and how we can use them for problem solving and effecting change.
Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:43:00 GMT Project Management the Agile Way
Agile project management has a lot to offer legal case management. Imagine you could continually wring out the inefficiencies in your law practice. Picture having the luxury to step back from the trees and see the forest. It may sound crazy, and, in the case of removing every single efficiency, perhaps pie in the sky. But you can get close, and it takes a lot less effort and time than you think if you embrace something we software folks call a "Sprint."
Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:35:00 GMT Helpful Suggestions For Managing Difficult Clients
Every consultant has had to deal with a difficult client. The nice thing about being a consultant - you just need to get through the project and you will be able to move on - you don't necessarily have to work with that client ever again. But really, that's not what you want, is it? Ideally you develop a strong working relationship with a client so that when another project comes up, the client thinks of you first. You become a partner with the client, not just a one-time deal.
Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:35:00 GMT Scrum vs. Waterfall Round 2: The Fight Continues
We began our "fight" by exploring two estimating techniques that are often used on both Scrum and Waterfall projects. The first was relative sizing (one kind of analogous estimating) and the second Delphi (called Planning Poker in Scrum). Scrum won both rounds (barely) because, although both techniques can be used on both types of projects, their usage in Scrum seems easier to understand, learn, and apply. I don't know about you, but when I hear the terms Analogous and Delphi I think academics and hard work. When I hear about tee-shirt sizes and planning poker, I think fun.
Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:46:00 GMT A Heavyweight Fight: Scrum vs. Waterfall
I think people like a good fight. Certainly the media seems to, as is evident in the world of politics, sports, and entertainment to name a few. In the world of business analysis the current fight seems to pit Agile methods against the Waterfall approach. For the next several blogs we'll have a Scrum vs. Waterfall match. In corner #1, representing the Agile methods, we have the Scrum framework. In corner #2, representing Waterfall, we have the "traditionalists."
Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:53:00 GMT Writing A Project Proposal
Having 100% of project proposals accepted usually means that a freelance developer has had very few clients. Low percentage rates usually mean that proposals are being sent to people who didn't ask or the proposal writer simply needs a few good "getting warmer's" in the right direction. The following tried and tested tips are to encourage the 100%ers to write more proposals and the low raters to take heart and give it another try. Let's get started...
Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:22:00 GMT Project Management as Sunscreen: How to Avoid Getting Burned
When the summer sun beats down, there's always someone in the family who reminds you to put on your sunscreen. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to easily avoid getting burned at work? There is. It's called Project Management. Grab a bottle of water and put on your baseball cap and think about Project Management as SPF 50 for business. Here's seven ways that Project Management can help you avoid getting burned at work.
Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:08:00 GMT The Black Arts Handbook, Secret #1: Numbers
There is a mystery to what distinguishes great Project Managers from the merely good. CounterSoft, has researched far and wide, risking the wrath and scorn of the Inner Circle of Project Managers to bring you secrets that are never spoken and knowledge that is not taught in any school. You already know the things that are in the Black Arts Handbook, just as you would know about gravity even if you had no word for it.
Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:23:00 GMT 5 Things Project Management is Not
"Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements." PMBOK, 4th Edition. Right. If I were reading this definition to make a decision about becoming a project manager, it would totally leave me cold. The term Project Management itself has a kind of vague, undefined shape to it that always leaves me reaching for an image when people ask me, 'What is it, exactly, that you do?'
Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:20:00 GMT Project Management Tips: Master the Restart
Many projects delayed by the sour economy will eventually bubble back to the surface. The landscape may have changed drastically since shelving the project, so a thorough reassessment of the projects parameters is in order.
Mon, 31 May 2010 16:01:00 GMT Every Beginning is Difficult
New undertakings or experiences are always challenging at first. This is no different when Schenker Singapore (Pte) Ltd, a transport and logistics company decided to embark on something new - a Lean Six Sigma programme. It might seem to be even more demanding at the outset since the number of 3rd party logistics providers rising to this challenge is limited. Best practices in this industry are not widespread and hard to come by. This is the story of what happened.
Sun, 30 May 2010 16:27:00 GMT The "V" Model as Applicable Today in IT as it Has Always Been
From its inception Information Technology (IT) has recognised the significance and importance of developing and applying a set of "standards", "methodologies", "life cycles" and "best practices" that can be leveraged by all practitioners. As the industry has evolved, the technologies have become more complex, increasingly faster, and forever changing, however, there remains a set of basic principles and concepts that are as applicable today as when IT was in its infancy.
Fri, 21 May 2010 11:20:00 GMT Change Management: The Horror of it All
The failure rate of all significant change initiatives is approximately 70%. A recent reader of an article on my website challenged me regarding the source of that often quoted statistic. Here is a brief summary of a cross section of sources that I sent her and that reveal the horror of it all.
Wed, 19 May 2010 20:22:00 GMT More 2010 Project Management Trends
2010 brings with it multiple trends for project management. It is not surprising that many of these trends will help mature the world of project management as we know it today. Just as businesses must be flexible with market conditions, project management professionals and organisations must also adapt accordingly. In talking to industry leaders in project management, several trends stand out. Economic conditions have changed. Companies are changing and project managers must understand these changes to be leaders.
Sun, 16 May 2010 11:18:00 GMT 5 Goals Every Project Manager Should Aspire to Achieve
Project Managers need to manage every aspect of the projects they oversee, from resources and suppliers to project costs and equipment. The trick to staying on top of everything is to focus on the five most important goals associated with project management. If you can meet the following five goals for each project, you will achieve project and professional success.
Wed, 12 May 2010 20:49:00 GMT The Five Stages of Team Development: A Case Study
Every team progresses through the five stages of team development; forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. An understanding of those five stages enables a manager to better understand team dynamics and assist his/her team through the five stages in order to reach a high performing team as quickly as possible.
Sun, 09 May 2010 17:04:00 GMT The Change Control Myth
You can always spot the project managers who have just received their PMP, they are eager, idealistic, and prone to proclaim at length the necessity for "Change Control" as if it were the cure for all project management evils. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that the level of training new project managers receive is increasing, and I am glad they are learning that change can derail a project; however, new PM's appear to have a naive view of how projects work in the real world, and I would like to do my part to correct that.
Thu, 06 May 2010 19:51:00 GMT Project Managers: The Enemy Within?
They huddle in a corner, hunched over the Gantt chart you just handed out, muttering darkly. Only the occasional, quick glance in your direction betrays that you are the subject of their reproach. You sigh and for a moment are tempted to bat for your corner, but in the end you realise that it's best to ignore them. A quick drink after work and they'll come round. Instead, you scan through the list of change requests, outstanding issues, bug fixes and the financial summary and prepare yourself for your next meeting. This one ought not to be so bad, the client might not like what you have to say either, but at least they don't see you as the enemy within.
Wed, 05 May 2010 20:34:00 GMT Post Project Resource Evaluation: a Forgotten Contributor to Project Success
In the course of assessing project management capabilities for clients, a practice that I've found absent across most non-projectized organisations is the evaluation of team members at the end of a project by the project's leadership. Usually, the rationale provided for this gap is that the functional managers do not consistently solicit this feedback from project managers, or when this feedback has been offered in the past, it has been ignored.
Mon, 03 May 2010 17:37:00 GMT Why is 'Reflection' so Important to Project Lessons Learned?
Those of you who have seen the movie "The Ron Clark Story" already know about the remarkable efforts of a dedicated teacher in inner city New York who developed a learning atmosphere for his elementary students, which contributed to them excelling in the classroom at the highest level in every subject. Subsequent to Ron Clark's success in the New York schools, he visited every state to talk with students, teachers and school administrators about what he had learned and how his students performed.
Mon, 03 May 2010 09:08:00 GMT Are You a Micro Project Manager?
Most project managers are well-versed at decomposition. Project managers are trained to break down complex deliverables into smaller and more manageable parts. These parts then serve as a foundation for costing, scheduling and control. As much as this reductionist approach is essential for project management, there is another side to the coin, often neglected by project managers: the systems theory viewpoint.
Sun, 02 May 2010 17:30:00 GMT Top Three Causes of Project Failure
So much of an organisation's success is tied to project success! Can you think of any significant organisation initiative or improvement that didn't tie to at least one project? I've worked with many organisations, across diverse industries and globally, and I cannot think of a single example. Therefore, what could be more important than figuring out how to ensure project success?
Sat, 01 May 2010 17:53:00 GMT Project Management Approach for Business Process Improvement
Business process improvement initiatives are frequently key projects within an organisation, regardless of the size of the organisation or, frankly, the size of the business process improvement initiative. Even if a business process improvement initiative is targeted at an individual department, the impact of the change will be organisation-wide.
Sat, 01 May 2010 09:53:00 GMT Nothing Stays the Same: Leadership Techniques to Empower People During Change Initiatives
Every organisation is affected by change, especially during times of economic volatility. However, project managers tasked with leading change initiatives are all too aware of the alarming failure rates that can occur. The critical missing piece is largely the failure to take into account how change affects an organisation's people. According to a study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, research shows that nearly 75 percent of all organisational change programmes fail because they don't create the necessary groundswell of support among employees.
Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:09:00 GMT Top 10 Project Management Trends for 2010
The key theme for 2010 is metrics, metrics and more metrics. As organisations switch their focus from surviving to demonstrating business value, metrics will play an increasingly important role in keeping management informed about project performance and its impact on the bottom line and customer service. A global panel of consultants and senior executives assembled by ESI in November identified the top 10 project management trends for 2010.
Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:35:00 GMT Establishing Project Management Best Practice: Where Do You Start?
In the last few months, in meetings with a variety of clients, I have seen an increased desire to establish best practices around project management. However, with each client "best practices around project management" seems to mean something different. What is a best practice? For some clients, discussion has focused around putting policies and procedures in place for accomplishing projects. While other clients think of best practices as a means of ensuring that everyone is using the same terminology and templates and is better trained in project management technical skills. For yet another client, it was important to "get a handle on this project management thing."
Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:50:00 GMT The Best Project Managers are Emotion-driven Leaders
Charles J. Pellerin's own personal ill-fated story, as the project director for the launch of the Hubble telescope, on his journey to the discovery of true leadership. This journey not only got him to redeem himself through an officially 'unauthorised' 60M US$ fix mission to get astronauts to repair the telescope, but also got him to better understand the root of true leadership and design a system to make it happen.
Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:08:00 GMT 10 Principles of Good Project Management
Having managed IT projects for over 10 years, I have relied on the PMBOK as a guide for many of my projects. But experience has taught me to go beyond the manual. Here are 10 principles of project management that are crucial to achieving your goals.
Sun, 11 Apr 2010 15:45:00 GMT Successful Project Management: Eight Simple Steps to Follow
A failed project can lead to loss of revenue and opportunity; failure to achieve business goals; diversion of resources from other activities; sapping of staff morale and, perhaps, even business failure. So, as projects become more complex and critical to business performance, how do you improve your chances of success? By following these eight practical steps, you can achieve great results for your project.
Sun, 11 Apr 2010 08:15:00 GMT Traditional Project Management vs Scrum: Adapting Square Pegs to Round Holes
With the Agile methodology proving to be a major force when it comes to software application development, the role of a ScrumMaster is becoming more and more valuable. Traditional project managers can succeed by adapting their way of doing things and helping the transition take place.
Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:00:00 GMT The Top 5 Wrong Reasons For Not Hiring Testers
Considering whether or not your software company should hire a dedicated team of testers? Here are the Top 5 Wrong Reasons why you shouldn't. After reading dozens of opinions on the subject, I'm still convinced that having a dedicated team of testers is well worth the investment. You can disagree with me, but if you do, make sure it's for the right reasons.
Sun, 04 Apr 2010 19:36:00 GMT Using a Time-Sequenced Network Diagram
Almost every MS Project user is familiar with the Gantt chart as a graphical view. The problem with many Gantt charts is that when printed, they are so large that trying to follow the flow of tasks through the project for tracking is almost impossible. Also, the chart gets so cluttered if you try to display more than a few characteristics about the task, such as resource name or start date, so you don't always have to use a ruler to line up with the dates at the top of the diagram to figure out what date the task is supposed to start at. I suggest project managers instead use a time-sequenced network diagram to be able to track what needs to be done each day and how those tasks affect others in the project.
Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:25:00 GMT A Simple Plan for Improved Project Results and Increased Maturity
Many of the clients we work with are a "PMO of one." Usually this person has been brought in to establish common processes and procedures around planning, managing and executing projects. Most often, there is a broad spectrum of project work being performed by varied project teams within the organisation, including a range of maturity levels spanning from no established, repeatable processes to very formalised and documented processes.
Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:30:00 GMT How Can I Have Responsibility Without Authority?
By far, the question I am most often asked during "Project Management . . . by the Numbers" has always been, "How can I get my project team to actually accomplish their tasks on time, if even at all?" After a short discussion, the question translates to, "I don't have the authority to delegate, but I am responsible for their work, both the quality and the timeliness."
Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:09:00 GMT 10 Steps to Setting SMART Objectives
Setting effective objectives to guide your team and organisation is very important for a leader to get right. Badly formulated objectives will steer an organisation in the wrong direction. I found this 10 step approach to setting SMART objectives from the National Primary and Care Trust.
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:38:00 GMT How Should the Project Manager Deal with Scope Creep?
Every project has (or should have) a set of deliverables, an assigned budget, and an expected closure time. There are agreed upon requirements and tasks to complete prior to the closure of project. These constitute the scope of the project. Any amount of variation in the scope of project can affect the schedule, budget and in turn the success of project.
Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:04:00 GMT Project Managers Need Leadership Skills
If you are a project manager you really need leadership skills! Today's project managers must have leadership skills in order to effectively perform their roles in the organisation and stand out from the crowd. Something must make you distinct from the others, especially if you are currently job searching or worried about your job security given the current economic climate.
Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:08:00 GMT Managing the Project Document
During the life cycle of a typical project, a project manager can produce up to fifty different types of documents to facilitate the planning, tracking and reporting of the project. Documents range from feasibility studies, resource plans, financial plans and project plans, to supplier contracts, post-implementation reviews, change request forms and project status reports. The fact is, the manner in which project documents are managed by project leaders can either be the driving force behind a project's success or the bottleneck that often places a project in despair resulting in its failure to meet its time line, budget and scope.
Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:57:00 GMT Seven Key Principles of Project Management
If you're looking for guidance to help you manage your project with added confidence, then this article will help you. Here I discuss seven key principles, based upon the PRINCE2 project management framework, designed to improve the likelihood of your project succeeding.
Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:03:00 GMT Meet Your New Best Friend: The Project Charter
The project charter has been around for as long as the concept of work. The Egyptians used project charters to create the Pyramids. So did the Greeks to erect the Parthenon. Even the Romans used a project charter to create the Coliseum. Little Johnny used a project charter to construct his miniature house made of Lego blocks. As different as the times and methods used to create these structures were, one common thread exists, success was based on the creation, maintenance and oversight of a project charter.
Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:09:00 GMT Common Project Management Mistakes: Badly Handled Changes
No matter how well a project is planned and how well the requirements are defined, there will always be requests to change something about the project, usually the product being delivered. There are good reasons for this; business doesn't stand still while your project is going on so we expect that ongoing business will trigger the need for changes to the system being built to support that business. These changes are mission critical to the project in many cases. If the system isn't changed to reflect business needs as they will be when the system is implemented, your project will succeed in building a system to support business as it was done 6 months ago! These changes are why project managers need a good Change Management Plan and process.
Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:07:00 GMT Using ROI to Evaluate Project Management Training
Return on Investment (ROI) is a monetary measurement that is used to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of an investment made by an organisation. Investments take many forms, financial, human capital, equipment, and training programmes, to name just a few. This article will focus on the use of ROI and the Phillips ROI Methodology to measure the effectiveness of a project management training programme completed within XYZ Law Firm.
Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:37:00 GMT Are you a Project Management Gantt Chart Slave?
Gantt charts are a fundamental tool in a project manager's toolkit. However, an unseasoned project manager can find they take over the project and result in reduced control. How so? In this article I will look at the potential pitfalls and provide some tips and strategies for ensuring successful project management. Gantt charts are, after all, just one of many ways to present the project plan, and actual data that has been input.
Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:06:00 GMT What Makes a Successful Project Manager?
Over the past few days, I've been writing about some of the characteristics that make a great project manager. I don't think anyone disagrees that delivering projects on-time, on budget, and on spec are important. I certainly think they are. That being said, I was thumbing through some old notes last night and found these six leadership attributes. I'm not sure where I stumbled across them originally, but they are leadership skills that can take a good project manager and make them great.
Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:41:00 GMT The Hidden Costs and Dangers of the Shortcut
We live in a world where we are often pressured to take shortcuts to save time and cut costs as much as possible. However, if you're not a skilled and experienced project manager, the wrong shortcut could end up costing you a lot more. Here's an anecdote to think about.
Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:21:00 GMT Why Scheduling Mustn't be Allowed to Become an Extinct Science
After spending the past decade or more dedicated to project management, I noticed during the economic downturn last year a very surprising trend: despite the significant reduction in the number of major Capex projects being sanctioned and funded, the need for third party assistance with schedule analysis and risk assessments actually increased dramatically. After digging into this a little more deeply, I came to the following conclusion: savvy project schedulers are at risk of becoming a dying breed and as project management specialists, we need to do everything we can to reverse this trend.
Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:55:00 GMT Project Risk: Is It All Bad?
No one would disagree that managing risk within a project is not a good idea. Risk Management is an essential part of any programme or project and can vastly contribute to successful delivery. Where it can and does go wrong is when there is an over-reliance on the risk aspects of the project and they in themselves start driving the way the project moves forward. The management of risk is part and parcel of project management, but is not the be all and end all of it as it sometimes becomes in more risk averse organisational cultures.
Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:15:00 GMT Is an Agile PMO Possible?
It often seems that a lean, agile development environment will always be at odds with the structure and constraints of the PMO. However, the agile PMO can bridge the gap between PMBOK process flows and CMM best practices and help organisations to carry out projects more successfully. While it does require a bit of change management, it is not as impossible as it seems and the benefits far outweigh the effort.
Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:09:00 GMT Three Myths About Organisational Change
Our beliefs about what change is and how it works can influence our willingness to take on the challenge appropriately. Change agents who believe these three myths might find their initiatives stuck in a rut. If you feel like your change initiative is getting stuck, challenge these myths and look at change from a new perspective.
Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:47:00 GMT The Value and Costs of not Doing a Project are not Necessarily Zero
If you don't know the values and costs of not executing your projects then you're probably not maximising the value of your project portfolio and you may be working on the wrong projects. Most project portfolio managers are not including the actual values and costs of not executing a project in their project portfolio analyses. Hence, they may be dramatically over or under estimating their actual portfolio value and cost and choosing the wrong set of projects.
Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:52:00 GMT Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Project Management
Corporations are more sensitive to social issues and image than ever before. This sensitivity has given rise to CSR initiatives, but the question is: "How do I rationalise the organisation's demands for CSR with my project's objectives?" While there are no easy answers to this question, this article uses actual examples to point out what to avoid and offers tips and tricks on how to rationalise CSR and project objectives.
Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:15:00 GMT RACI Matrix
Delegation is an essential part of a project manager's role, so identifying roles and responsibilities early in a project is important. Applying the RACI model can help. As project manager it is important that you set the expectations of people involved in your project from the outset.
Sat, 09 Jan 2010 19:00:00 GMT Managing the "Meeting from Hell!"
Project Manager Sherry Martin couldn't stop thinking about her last team meeting as she walked down the hall towards her office. Slamming her office door behind her, she let out an exasperated scream and looked for something to punch! Her team was driving her absolutely crazy and she channelled Scarlett O'Hara as she proclaimed, "I will never run a meeting like that again!" Her problem in a nutshell boiled down to three really difficult personalities that continually recurred on her team. These personalities were indeed a cancer not just infecting the team and its results but also spreading throughout the group and impacting the other team members as well.
Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:24:00 GMT Defining Project Goals and Objectives
The very first step in all projects: business, home, or education, is to define goals and objectives. This step defines the projects outcome and the steps required to achieve that outcome. People, including project managers, do not spend sufficient time on this step or complete it incorrectly thereby ensuring an unsuccessful project completion.
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:18:00 GMT A Brief History of Project Management
In this brief history of project management I chart all the major developments and events in the discipline as far back as there are records. Although there has been some form of project management since early civilization, project management in the modern sense began in the 1950s. We have come a long way since then and recognition of how important the profession is has helped it develop, and will continue to push its development over the next decade.
Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:20:00 GMT Better Risk Management With PRINCE2
In my experience risk management is something that is talked about a lot but rarely done. One problem is that people don't know who should be doing what. PRINCE2 has always had a solid, but simple way of dealing with risk. With the latest version, released in June, a number of excellent ideas and concepts have been introduced. This article describes the best seven.
Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:55:00 GMT The Project Manager's Guide to Dealing With Difficult Sponsors
Part of the challenge that the project manager faces is the reality of having to serve so many different stakeholders and sometimes being pulled in very different directions. We're often taught that our "sponsor" is the person who is the champion of the effort. Indeed, they are often the one we're to seek out for support and issue resolution throughout the project. But what do you do when your sponsor is the problem?
Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:18:00 GMT Get Agile: Applying the Lessons From Software Development to Business Process Design
When 60% of all process redesign projects fail, how can you improve your odds while simultaneously accelerating results? By using "agile process design" techniques adapted from the software development industry. We need to break out of that old cycle of developing monolithic processes only to have them fail to produce the results we anticipated. In an environment where every dollar counts more than ever, we just cannot afford a 60% plus failure rate in process redesign.
Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:36:00 GMT Managing Hidden Project Costs for Better ROI
The most common argument for outsourcing is cost-savings. And in the face of a challenging economic climate, cost figures largely in the decision for outsourcing IT projects and business processes. While cost-effectiveness is a huge deciding factor for offshoring, cheaper labour and service rates should not be the only measures of possible financial success of a project. In fact, long-term benefits are extracted from the industry expertise of vendors that could make up for the investments in communication, time zone overlaps, and travel.
Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:37:00 GMT Root Cause Analysis
When mistakes are made during the course of your project, and mistakes will be made, its important not to repeat them. Before you can avoid repetition you have to determine what caused the problem in the first place and Root Cause Analysis is one of the best tools out there for getting to the root of the problem. This article provides you with some helpful tips on organising and conducting a Root Cause Analysis.
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:54:00 GMT 72 Project Management Tips
Have you ever been in the midst of a project or task and thought to yourself, "There has got to be a better way?" If so, you're not alone. Leading projects is a complicated business. The longer you're at it the more you can learn and the better you can get. Here are 72 project management tips designed to help you lead your projects with skill, authority and grace.
Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT Controlling Project Scope
Controlling the changes to a project is only half the battle in the war to deliver projects that meet the needs of the client and are on time and on budget. You need to manage and control the scope of your project. In this article, I explore some tricks of the trade that will start you off on the right path and help to keep you there. Combine these tips and tricks with a tight change management process and your project will deliver what the client needs.
Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:20:00 GMT The Most Common Sourcing RFP Mistakes
An outsourcing Request for Proposal (RFP) is different than the normal RFPs for goods and services that get produced by procurement departments on a daily basis. The outsourcing provider's proposed solution and project plan will be based on this RFP. A poorly developed RFP that does not fully understand the intricacies of the current process, the costs and the future vision that the company management wants to achieve with outsourcing leads to poorly developed provider solutions. This in turn leads to scope and cost creep, and a potentially unsustainable outsourcing relationship between the company and the provider.
Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:30:00 GMT IT Methodology: A Long and Winding Road
The ancient Greeks first coined the term "methodos" - its definition meaning "path." They applied this term in various contexts, as a noun "a path that could be followed to reach a destination" and a verb "the journey to be taken along a path." Though several millennia have passed since the ancient Greeks first used the term, it is still applicable in today's world of Information Technology (IT) - its called "IT Methodology."
Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:11:00 GMT How to be Ready for the Recovery
CNN recently published an article about the aftermath of the recession, claiming that the economy is "finally back in gear." What does this mean for businesses like yours? Projects that were sidelined for the past year or two could come off the bench, and there might be more money to go around. Great news, right? It depends on how ready you are to make the most of this new opportunity. Are you confident that you will be able to put the right people on these projects and make the right decisions about how to spend this money?
Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:44:00 GMT Planning More Effective Milestones in Web Design Projects
Most successful web design projects are organised into a system of milestones with each one representing a critical piece of the project. Milestones are simple in concept, but they can be tricky to nail down. For example, how specific should we get with the milestones? If we get too specific, we risk breaking the project down into a chaotic mess of little chunks. However, if we aren't specific enough, the deliverables become unknown and nothing gets done.
Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:30:00 GMT Change Management: 3 Key Reasons for the Catastrophic 70% Failure Rate
Failure reasons in change management are many and varied. But one thing is painfully clear. Any organisational initiative that creates change, or has a significant change element to it, has a 70% chance of not achieving what was originally envisaged. There are 3 main reasons for this catastrophic failure rate.
Sun, 06 Dec 2009 11:55:00 GMT The Project Liberation Checklist: Finishing Unfinished Projects
We all have one hiding over there in the groan zone. It's the unfinished project that lives in a strange sort of limbo. As Nassim Nicholas Taleb reminds us in The Black Swan, the longer a project goes unfinished, there is an exponential increase in the time to finish the project. Sound familiar?
Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:15:00 GMT Project Management Maturity Model
The very concept of a maturity model remains invisible in many companies. So nothing changes until things go wrong and pain is felt and someone at director level is facing an exposure as a result of a significant project failure. So the simple rationale for having and using a project management maturity model is quite simply that projects fail.
Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:15:00 GMT Project Scope is King
In PMI's (Project Management Institute's) Project Management Body of Knowledge or PMBOK, which is the bible of project management, there are 9 knowledge areas discussed; Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communications, Risk and Procurement. Anyone who has studied for their PMP certification knows these well, ad nauseum even, and knows that the PMBOK discusses these with equal weight. Indeed, PMI loves all of her knowledge area "children" equally, but out in the real world there is one that I believe deserves your extra undivided attention and that is scope.
Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:25:00 GMT Identifying Performance Issues With Your Project Team
The phrase "project manager" is a bit of a misnomer; while project managers do manage projects, they deliver them by managing a project team that does the work of the project. How successful they are at managing that team will go a long way to determining the success or failure of the project. Perhaps the most difficult (and certainly the most unpleasant) aspect of managing the high performance team is dealing with issues of poor performance.
Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:01:00 GMT How to create a BOSCARD
When looking to gain support and approval for your next project, it might be worth thinking BOSCARD. The BOSCARD is a strategic planning tool used to provide the terms-of-reference for new projects. It is thought to have originated with consulting company Cap Gemini in the 1980's.
Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:58:00 GMT Stake Your Project Claim
After recent conversations with a friend about waffling company policies on projects, my head was whirling. I wondered how you manage a project without the stakeholders' approval or buy-in. In my friend's company, the sales representatives sometimes create quotes based in large part on what the customers want, and not always on what their products can do. The next step in the process is a layer of approval from several colleagues, and in many cases, the sales representative in question has to go back to the customer and renegotiate. You can imagine how the customer feels.
Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:45:00 GMT Are Your Project Managers Working too Hard to be Successful?
'Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something.' - Robert Heinlein (1907 - 1988). The latest Standish Group report shows more projects failing and fewer successful projects. So what is going wrong out there? Why are your projects being challenged in this way? Are your project managers perhaps working too hard to be successful for you?
Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT Great Sponsor + Great PM = Great Success: Ten Truths of an Effective Sponsor/PM Partnership
The sponsor/PM partnership is the most important relationship determinant of a project's success potential. Both the sponsor and the PM need to be acutely aware of the relationship and recognise the necessity of working together to better secure a successful outcome and provide value back to the organisation.
Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:59:00 GMT Why is People Capability Maturity Model Necessary?
The Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute developed the People Capability Maturity Model (P-CMM) to help businesses manage knowledge workers across global borders, as well as between greying and millennial generations. Similar to CMMI, P-CMM has five maturity levels, but the model is focused on the need to improve the capabilities of a workforce as a differentiating factor from the competition.
Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:36:00 GMT Controlling Change Requests
Project Managers can accept the fact that all projects need to change in some way during their life cycle, but sometimes changes can get out of hand and end up derailing the project! In this article we provide you with tips on controlling the requested changes so that you can prevent them from taking up excessive time and still implement the ones that add value to the project.
Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:11:00 GMT Has Your Project Team Considered all the Key Dimensions of the Problem?
Many readers have mentioned to me that they feel that a lot of the projects they sponsor (even the successful ones) are often on "automatic pilot." This typically happens once the project teams feel that they understand the problem and have decided on what they believe to be the most appropriate direction for solving the key issues facing the project.
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:37:00 GMT 3 Key Components of an Effective Business Case Study
The primary purpose of a case study is to tell a success story, which explains its appeal as a marketing tool. The persuasiveness of a business case study depends on its credibility. This article suggests three components that help strengthen the marketing impact of a B2B case study.
Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:46:00 GMT Writing the Project Statement of Work
The Statement of Work, or SOW, is the bible for the work the project must produce. The SOW is a key governance tool whether it is being used to direct work for a vendor or contractor, or used to direct the work internally, the SOW must contain a description of all the work that is expected, so how do you go about writing one for your project?
Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:28:00 GMT The Project Scorecard
Want to have your communications to your project sponsor and project stakeholders read every time out? Try using the "scorecard" approach. This article gives you pointers and advice on putting together a scorecard for your project that will be an attention grabber.
Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:08:00 GMT Using Change Management and Change Control Within a Project
Setting up a systematic and common approach to change is vital, and this article outlines the approach and steps needed for change management and hence ultimate project success. The approach taken is central to the PRINCE2 Methodology and includes a general summary drawn from PRINCE2 and several project management bodies of knowledge.
Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:28:00 GMT Sponsoring a Project
There is a lot of information and advice available in print form and on the Internet about project management, but relatively little about project sponsorship. Project sponsorship requires more than simply signing the cheques and taking delivery of the successful project. You need to give your project managers the tools they require to succeed and use your influence to remove the obstacles they face. This article explores some of the do's and dont's of successful sponsorship.
Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:49:00 GMT Sucessful Software Development: It's Not Rocket Science
Sometimes I wonder after years of software development whether things have really changed that much. Sure, technology has moved on at pace, but has our approach to running software development projects. Users remain baffled by techno speak, developers prefer to invent rather than reuse and know what is best for you before you tell them what you want, while projects frequently miss deadlines and exceed budgets.
Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:32:00 GMT There's a Reason IT PMOs Fail
Only a third of IT PMOs will ever work, and the rest of 'em won't. For the mathematically challenged, such as myself, that means that two-thirds of all the IT project management offices (or programme management offices, or whatever you want to call them) will fail. Nothing scientific in these numbers, mind you, and I didn't do an extensive survey, this is just what I've seen myself, and you're going to have to take it (or not) on faith.
Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:30:00 GMT Building a Business Case as the Foundation for Project Success
When projects fail to deliver results, ensuing conversations can often become accusatory. The division manager says, "Even with all the resources and money put into this new product, the quarterly numbers show that it's another loss. Plus, one of our competitors brought out an equivalent product before we were ready to launch ours."
Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:30:00 GMT Avoiding the Accidental Project Sponsor
Here's the hard truth of it: many of the people sponsoring our projects are unqualified to do so, some aren't experienced enough to be effective sponsors, and even if they are, most haven't been taught how to be an effective sponsor, and what being an effective sponsor means. At their best, many sponsors can be well meaning, but also be less than helpful. At their worst, they can be downright dangerous to you and your project. So how does this happen? It happens because we have a bad habit of encouraging the accidental sponsor.
Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:27:00 GMT The Real Costs of Failed Projects
Ever since the CHAOS report of 1994, we have been hearing increasingly more alarming stories of failed projects and their costs to the world economy. Take, for example, the KPMG study published in the UK in 2002 and based on a survey of 134 public companies. According to the report, 56 per cent of them had had to write off at least one IT project in the previous year, at an average cost of US$12.5M, while the highest loss was placed at US$210 million.
Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:26:00 GMT Project Ranking: The Heart of Project Portfolio Management
Project ranking is at the heart of project portfolio management (PPM). A good project portfolio ranking system should not only make the job much easier and faster, but also yield a superior result over doing it manually or with simple spreadsheets.
Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:31:00 GMT Taming MS Project
Have you ever felt like you were working for MS Project instead of the other way around? MS Project can become a huge overhead, even for seasoned project managers. This article contains some tips and tricks that will help you tame the tool.
Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:45:00 GMT 21 Ways to Excel at Project Management
The popular project management ebook updated and available as a website. Written in a question and answer style it contains 21 pieces of valuable advice for making your projects a complete success.
Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:20:00 GMT Agile Project Management: AFP
Businesses all over continue to struggle implementing the PMBOK or PRINCE2 as a whole or parts of them claiming that they are too complex, too involved and take from the time it takes to produce the project deliverables. Adaptive Project Framework (APF) comes to the rescue by adapting to the ever changing business environments.
Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:56:00 GMT Five Really Useful Tools For Project Management in Social Care
There are a wide range of well established planning tools which can be used to aid the project management process, and provide the means to monitor and review project plans over time. Here I outline five of the most useful planning tools for projects in health and social care.
Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:35:00 GMT How Does Your Quality Management Assessment Method Stack Up?
Not all testing methodologies are created equal. On one hand for instance, there are informal assessment methods that serve as practice sessions in preparation for applying for compliance certificates. Then, there are formal testing methods that must meet the rigorous requirements that are set by the industry standard Testing Maturity Model Integration (TMMi) for two reasons, to earn a merit of approval and to be proven effective through the TMMi certification. Moreover, to help quality management professionals, assessors, and IT services buyers, TMMi gives specific assessment requirements called TMMi Assessment Method Application Requirements (TAMAR).
Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:47:00 GMT What Mismanaging Small Projects Will Cost You
Okay, so maybe you have the large projects nailed in Microsoft Project, but what about the smaller ones that, in reality, make up the bulk of your portfolio? Are you just "winging" those, using status emails and Excel spreadsheets to manage them? If so, you could be making a great mistake. Small projects, while often overlooked, are still crucial to a company's success. Since they might not involve large sums of money, many companies do not worry as much about them, but all of these small projects can add up to some major costs if managed improperly.
Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:04:00 GMT How to Deal with the People Factor of Change Management
A 2008 survey by McKinsey of 3,199 executives around the world found that only one in three organisational transformation or change projects succeeded. This situation occurred mainly due to the people factor that is involved in any type of any quest for change, and the irrational side of human behaviour, according to Carolyn Aiken and Scott Keller, authors of the paper "The Irrational Side of Transformation" (McKinsey Quarterly, 2009). When changes such as new technologies, new processes, new groups (e.g., consultants) are introduced to the work environment, workers have counterintuitive ways of interpreting these changes and may act differently than expected.
Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:02:00 GMT Critical Chain Project Management Reduces Project Lead Time
In spite of the fact that project task durations are often conservatively estimated to begin with, the presence of certain behaviours can cause them to increase. Critical Chain Project Management and project scheduling eliminates these behaviours and reduces project lead times. Four behaviours make project durations longer than necessary.
Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:19:00 GMT The Seven Essentials of Highly Successful Project Initiations
Seasoned project managers know that successful projects most often start with successful beginnings. In fact, before actual project implementation, the mix of the project, people, tools, and approaches could either spell success... or disaster. Thus, it is important to set and manage the expectations of all project stakeholders because how they will perform their roles and responsibilities, or achieve desired outcomes and other motivational factors depend on what they know about the venture.
Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:26:00 GMT Putting People Management Back into Project Management
No one will ever be able to convince me that the most challenging component of Project Management is the science behind it. The way in which we need to pull people together to be a high performance team over a relatively short period of time is the most challenging part of project management.
Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:56:00 GMT Smart Goals Aren't Good Enough
When a tool is inspired by a clever acronym, you've got to wonder how robust it actually is. SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Sounds great, but that's actually not enough. Is it a good goal, or a 'should' goal?
Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:05:00 GMT Project Sponsorship: Get the Sponsor You Deserve
The Oxford dictionary defines a sponsor simply as someone who "makes himself or herself responsible for another." In a project sense this means taking on responsibility for the success of a project in an organisation. It means commitment to project outcomes and to the people involved in delivering these outcomes. But a project doesn't just work because you have a good project plan. It requires organisational commitment through the provision of adequate resources and executives to smooth the way when things get difficult.
Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:11:00 GMT Ten Predictions for Project Management Trends in 2009
2008 was an eventful, prosperous year for the project management practice, project management service and solution providers. The stage has been set for some very exciting changes in the project management world. I discuss ten potential project management trends that may be more prominent in 2009, into 2010 and beyond.
Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:12:00 GMT The Point and Pitfalls in Portfolio Management
Corporate budgeting is an obscure process. Usually it involves padding budgets to accommodate for across-the-board cuts, and committees of corporate officers finalising figures for projects executed far below them. Unhappily, the team making funding choices tends to lack the information needed to accurately analyse what they are actually financing. The team must answer questions that directly affect corporate strategy. Which projects are critical to corporate goals? Which provide the best "bang for the buck?" How should the projects be prioritised to maximise utilisation of resources? What is the risk of each project and how should it be handled?
Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:03:00 GMT Green Projects
More and more emphasis is being placed on projects that help our environment, or are at least compatible with the environment. These projects are commonly referred to as "green" projects. Whether "greening" is an adjunct to the project, or a project objective more and more projects are initiated that can be called "green." Green projects place new demands on the project manager. This article describes one such project and some of these new demands.
Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:32:00 GMT Top 5 Ways to Incorporate CMMI with Agile Methods
There is a common misconception that CMMI and Agile are polar opposites. One relies on institutionalisation and documentation of processes and methodologies, while the other emphasises interaction among workers and "working software over comprehensive documentation" (Agile Manifesto). Process documentation and institutionalisation is the lifeblood of CMMI, and it is often used in critical software development life cycles. On the other hand, the Agile approach is called into action when a project features incremental changes, particularly those that have not been included in initial requirement documents.
Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:25:00 GMT 7 Things You Need to Know About Development Project Estimations
Whether you are a project manager planning for a smooth implementation of a plan or a project sponsor on whose decisions a project depends, you cannot escape from the fact that project estimation is essential to its success. In the first place, there are three basic requirements that a project must satisfy: schedule, budget, and quality. The need to work within these essential project boundaries poses a huge challenge to everyone in the central management team.
Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:06:00 GMT The Principles of Risk Management
Every project manager and business leader needs to be aware of the practices and principles of effective risk management. Understanding how to identify and treat risks to an organisation, a programme or a project can save unnecessary difficulties later on, and will prepare managers and team members for any unavoidable incidences or issues.
Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:36:00 GMT Turn Your Customer's Needs into Successful IT Projects
Every IT project is driven by a business requirement. For an IT project manager, the hard part is translating that business requirement into an end product that fully meets that business need. It's easy for a project manager to sit in a meeting and listen to what the clients say they need their new system to achieve. But what happens when what the client asks for and what you think they mean are two different things? When your solution misses the mark, you're the one your client will blame, leaving you wide open to a lawsuit.
Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:30:00 GMT Five Steps to a Winning Business Case
Making a successful business case for your new project is the winning way to ensure a good beginning for your team. As a project manager, how often have you been asked to "work the numbers" and provide a basis for a compelling project? Often, if you are a project manager with responsibility to help your sponsor and your company make decisions about which projects are the right ones to do. The PMBOK provides the body of knowledge for "doing it the right way." In this article, you will learn about the five steps of a methodology that you can take away and use everyday for identifying, selecting, and justifying a new project or a significant change in scope to an ongoing project.
Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:22:00 GMT The Curious Case of the CHAOS Report 2009
The Standish Group collects information on project failures in the IT industry and environments with the objective of making the industry more successful and to show ways to improve its success rates and increase the value of the IT investments. The latest results have been compiled into the CHAOS Report 2009 published by the organisation in April.
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:35:00 GMT The Top 6 Things to Consider When Choosing a PPM Solution
According to a recent article in a leading technology magazine, the demand for project and portfolio management (PPM) solutions is rising in response to the weakened economy. Many businesses are choosing to implement PPM solutions in order to "identify which IT projects are mission critical and to help them execute those projects as efficiently as possible." These customers have also found that PPM solutions offered as software-as-a-service (SaaS) are both more affordable and easier to deploy than traditional ones.
Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:53:00 GMT Being a Project Sponsor Means Championing a Cause
When talking about the positions on a project team, the ones that come to mind first are project leader, project manager and team members. Time is spent designing the project, selecting the right team members, establishing the critical path leading to end goals and establishing a reporting and measurement system. Unfortunately, what many firms discover is that the project still seems to get off course even with all the elements so carefully aligned.
Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:20:00 GMT How to Apply PRINCE2: Engaging Senior Management in Your Projects
Having trouble getting upper level decisions made on your project? Feeling that senior management are not bought in to the project's vision. Are senior executives simply not willing to get involved when you need them? Research shows that a lack of engagement with senior stakeholders is one of the main reasons for project failure. So how do you solve this?
Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:08:00 GMT Project Failures From the Top Down: Can Marchionne Save Chrysler
On the surface the merger between Fiat and Chrysler is very promising, but a bit of history on Chrysler and Marchionne's management style suggests that the sustainability of the merger might be in trouble. Will Chrysler be revived? Can they initiate the kind projects that will return it profitability, or is Chrysler headed for a fatal crash?
Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:35:00 GMT Managing Large Projects with Ease: 9 Pressure Reducers That Work!
Managing large software projects can be quite difficult under the best of circumstances. Unfortunately, individuals with limited or no experience often rely on survival tips from more experienced co-workers and other individuals in-the-know. To help you, I compiled nine helpful tips that will undoubtedly improve your software project management experiences. The tips themselves originate from Washington DC-based Robert E. Bone, an expert who has an impressive twenty-eight years of IT consulting experience that spans analysis, applications development, requirements gathering, production support, project management and systems administration. He highly recommends keeping these suggestions in mind during your next software management project.
Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:25:00 GMT Does a Project Charter or Project Initiation Document Lead to a More Manageable Project Delivery?
Initiating a project usually involves writing one of two documents; a Project Charter or a Project Initiation Document (PID). Now a great many things happen during initiation. High level scope is determined, deliverables set and budgets estimated. If these aren't investigated and documented effectively it can adversely impact the entire successful delivery. But which document is better for ensuring this?
Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:54:00 GMT Recipe for Great Virtual Teamwork: The Right Communications Tools at the Right Time
You've just finished the project kick-off meeting with your new virtual team. Everyone seems clear about roles, responsibilities, deliverables and deadlines. So far, so good. But, as you think about the magnitude and velocity of the work that lies ahead, you realise how critical a well-orchestrated team communications plan will be to getting the work done. This article offers some simple guidelines to keep in mind as you assemble a communications plan to make it easy for virtual team members to communicate and collaborate wherever they are, whenever they need to.
Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:42:00 GMT How Agile Offshore Practices Can Avoid the "Real" Costs of Offshore Outsourcing
CIO.com recently published an article outlining the "real" costs of offshore outsourcing. It has compelling arguments why offshoring drives down strategic value in the long-run. They touched upon five major risks for offshore outsourcing. In this article you will learn practical tips on using agile methodologies and open offshore models to mitigate major offshore outsourcing risks.
Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:52:00 GMT Rolling Wave Planning
It is not often possible to foresee the future activities in a project with consistent detail over the entire period of the project. Therefore, planning is often done in "waves" or stages, with the activities in the near term planned in detail and the activities in the longer distance of time left for future detail planning. There may in fact be several planning waves, particularly if the precise approach or resource requirement is dependent or conditioned on the near-term activities. Such a planning approach is commonly called rolling wave planning.
Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:52:00 GMT Project Planning in a Nutshell
Improvement happens one project at a time. But often projects fail because they are poorly planned, or even completely unplanned. This article provides an overview of why it is important to prepare a project plan. It also shows what elements a good project plan will include.
Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:50:00 GMT Project Management Kick Off Meetings: What is the Point?
I was asked during a meeting with a client what is the point of a project kick off meeting? Apparently, the sponsor (who I was meeting with) was being pressurised by a project manager to hold such a workshop. I suggested that the project manager should be congratulated for the suggestion. I explained that the workshop could be two people meeting for 30 minutes to the whole team going away for the week. I went on to suggest that they were essential for the modern day project where speed seems to be of the essence.
Fri, 29 May 2009 20:22:00 GMT Predicting the ROI of Change
Process Simulation Modeling (PSIM) can provide real business value to organisations that are trying to change processes. When companies use the appropriate software simulation, designed for their industry to evaluate process performance, these organisations can improve their operations and achieve higher levels of process maturity with the integration of CMMI. However, regardless of what changes a company is considering, there are always costs and risks involved with any type of change.
Wed, 27 May 2009 19:44:00 GMT An Effective Design Walkthrough: A Step Towards Delivering the Best Design
Design walkthroughs, if done effectively, are one of the most powerful quality tools that designers can leverage to detect defects early and take steps towards continuous improvement. But what is an effective design walkthrough? Here are some guidelines and best practices for planning, conducting, and participating in an effective design walkthrough.
Wed, 20 May 2009 20:44:00 GMT Applying Earned Value Management to Software Intensive Programmes
Many information technology projects have been declared too costly, too late and often don't work right. Applying appropriate technical and management techniques can significantly improve the current situation. The principal causes of growth on these large-scale programmes can be traced to several causes related to overzealous advocacy, immature technology, lack of corporate technology roadmaps, requirements instability, ineffective acquisition strategy, unrealistic programme baselines, inadequate systems engineering, and work-force issues. This article provides a brief summary of four processes to resolve these issues.
Sun, 17 May 2009 13:46:00 GMT PRINCE2 2009: What's Changed?
PRINCE2, the UK's most widely used project management framework is being refreshed. The name remains the same, i.e. it will not be called PRINCE3, but there will be some fundamental enhancements. The refresh is being led by the UK's Office of Government Commerce (OGC) and also involves OGC's two main partners for its Best Practice portfolio: TSO, the official publisher, and the APM Group, the official accrediting organisation.
Fri, 15 May 2009 16:50:00 GMT Improving Project Success Rates with Better Leadership
Factual and anecdotal evidence confirms that IT investments are inherently risky. On average, about 70% of all IT related projects fail to meet their on-time, on-budget objectives or to produce the expected business results. In one KPMG survey, 67% of the companies who participated said that their programme/project management function was in need of improvement. Why? A number of leading factors for project failure were suggested by the survey, including the "usual suspects": unreasonable project timelines, poorly defined requirements, poor scope management, and unclear project objectives. Granted, all of these factors can play a role in project success. But are they the cause or project failure, or just a symptom of some larger issue?
Mon, 04 May 2009 12:25:00 GMT Estimating: Part 3
In this last article of the series, I'll cover a potpourri of other estimating topics including the key outcome of estimating, converting effort estimates into budgets, dealing with poorly defined work, and what to do when management thinks it should cost less or take less time.
Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:08:00 GMT Estimating: Part 2
This is the second of three articles on estimating. It may seem obvious, but the first requirement for developing an estimate is to know what you are estimating. For now, let's assume that you have been asked to estimate how much effort (how much of your time) is likely to be required to paint your bedroom. Although this is a fairly small activity, it is still one with a significant amount of uncertainty.
Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:30:00 GMT Effort Estimating: A Primer
Estimating is a forbidding topic for some. I've even heard intelligent, experienced project managers assert that it is "impossible" to estimate the work on their project. I think that these people just don't understand estimating. I think that these people may be confusing estimating (making informed assessments of uncertain events) with extra sensory perception (making exact predictions of uncertain events). Or in some cases, they may be trying to prepare budgets or prices in the absence of estimates.
Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:39:00 GMT Undertaking a Successful Project Audit
A project audit provides an opportunity to uncover issues, concerns and challenges encountered during the project lifecycle. Conducted midway through the project, an audit affords the project manager, project sponsor and project team an interim view of what has gone well, as well as what needs to be improved to successfully complete the project. If done at the close of a project, the audit can be used to develop success criteria for future projects by providing a forensic review. This review identifies which elements of the project were successfully managed and which ones presented challenges. As a result, the review will help the organisation identify what it needs to do to avoid repeating the same mistakes on future projects.
Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:42:00 GMT Stakeholder Commitment: Why Is It Important?
If that carrot-at-the-end-of-the-stick tactic seems useless to get commitment from your stakeholders, try these how-to's shared by experts. Commitment is important in any relationship. It is the value that galvanises diverse entities so that all can work together unilaterally and seamlessly. Without it, there is no bond and no common purpose. Romantic, family or even business-wise, commitment is the force that drives the relationship forward, toward a mutually desirable goal that usually points to growth and/or profitability.
Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:53:00 GMT Four Keys To Successful Project Management
One question I get asked a lot is, "what does it take to be a successful project manager?" It's as if there's a secret recipe for being successful in the field of project management. Some would argue that nothing but experience counts; others favour formal training and certifications. Perhaps the best answer is to have a balance of both real-world experience and training.
Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:53:00 GMT Effective Project Management: Five Laws that Determine Success
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. So said Albert Einstein. Yet every year countless projects hit trouble for the same reasons, again and again. Why? Because the fundamental principles that determine project success are not being respected. These principles can be distilled into five laws, realities that always hold true irrespective of the nature or complexity of project.
Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:25:00 GMT How to Sell Function, Feature and Benefit to Stakeholders
Top executives and stakeholders are often "sold" certain projects from within the organisation. This normally happens, where a sales team first handles a project and then later assigns it to a project manager who "inherits" it. The concept here is that the selling to the stakeholders actually continues once the project manager takes over. Because of this reality, the project manager must to some extent use sales skills and continue to build (and even sometimes repair!) the relationships with the stakeholders.
Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:43:00 GMT Are You Using Your Resources Ideally?
Everyone talks about the economic crisis as though it will pass if we take the proper financial medicine. But that is a naive assumption. The crisis has introduced a new world order that will persist for many years to come. To develop and create growth, the wisest thing we can do is to utilise the resources we already have. It will take courage and real commitment, and the right tools.
Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:21:00 GMT Building a Project Management Office
In today's complex business environment new projects are constantly being developed as organisations seek new ways to reduce costs, improve processes, increase productivity, and build their bottom line. Managing these diverse projects along with their people, resources, technology, and communication is a difficult endeavour for which the risk of failure is often far too high. An effective solution, created to establish a more centralised management structure for large groups of projects, is the Project Management Office (PMO).
Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:26:00 GMT Creative Problem Solving Leads to Organisational Innovation
The words "creative problem solving" have almost become more like buzzwords tossed around the workplace and never really landing anywhere. Everyone knows intuitively that creative problem solving can work, and it's the "thing to do" in a participatory organisation, but exactly what does it mean and what benefits can be obtained?
Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:03:00 GMT A Practical Approach to Project Management
What is practical project management? It means keeping project management simple and not getting bogged down in large unwieldy processes. It doesn't mean cutting corners. Good project management practice is still important, it's just about keeping it lean and mean. This with getting the basics right will help you deliver a successful project.
Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:31:00 GMT The Three P's of Project Management
Project managers are people managers. Many of us have heard this over the years, but is that it? Are we nothing more than people managers? I will agree that we are responsible for managing people and that this is a portion of the PM (Project Manager) role. I ask that we take a moment to look at a couple of facts. Many PM's get certification from the PMI (Project Management Institute) which is ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) recognised certification. Additionally, one could also receive a Masters Degree in Project Management. With that in mind, are PM's really nothing more than people managers? Is there really a perception that PM's do nothing more than manage people? Is people management the most important function of a PM?
Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:41:00 GMT Picking a Project Management Methodology
A short study from Vertabase on choosing between an agile or waterfall approach for their latest software development project. We were having an internal meeting to pick a project management methodology for a web project we are working on for a new client. As developers of commercial software, our instinct was to lean towards an agile based approach.
Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:49:00 GMT What Is the Mission of Your Project?
Software projects are like a military operation. As a commander (manager) you have to take care of the movements of your troops, or else your soldiers will be crawling all over the place. That's the whole point of giving a software project a goal: you give self organisation a proper direction, without getting on your knees and building all the roads yourself.
Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:43:00 GMT Your Project Does Have A Goal
Projects don't (or at the very least, really shouldn't) start because there are some developers sitting around twiddling their thumbs, time on their hands, nothing to do. No, a project starts because some conscious agency, a creator, decrees that there is a problem to be solved, an aim to be met, a goal to be achieved.
Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:56:00 GMT Your Software Project Has No Goal
Human beings, organisations and software projects share one important thing: they have no intrinsic goals. The goal of something that emerges from interacting parts is not determined by the goals of those parts. However, extrinsic goals are an entirely different matter. Have you ever thought about your goal as an individual human being? Is it your goal to find happiness? Is it your goal to be rich and famous? Is it your goal to build the world's biggest collection of harmonicas? My goal is to rule the world. What's yours?
Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:05:00 GMT The ABC's of Project Management for Project Managers
This article covers 7 ABC's of Project Management. Derived from the competencies of project managers, this article reviews areas that make project managers successful in their vocation. As a contributor and reviewer of the PMBOK Guide Fourth Edition, Bill Thom feels that it is our responsibility as Project Managers to learn and share with each other in a manner that will assist in project success.
Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:19:00 GMT Metrics that Matter in Agile Projects
Agile methods need only the most important metrics: the ones that tell the whole story about the project. Metrics measure the health of a project and are by far the most objective ways by which a project manager enables all project sponsors and delivery teams to see where resources are needed or spent, or which areas of a project need more focus. So how do Agile teams determine the most important metrics?
Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:45:00 GMT The New Face of Strategic Planning: Bridging it with Project Management is the Key to Success
With the current economy in crisis, businesses are scrambling to stay afloat. Many are abandoning their strategic, long term objectives for quick fixes and short-sighted survival tactics. Some of today's most popular business books from The Tipping Point to Freakonomics feature companies that have stumbled upon greatness without an ounce of strategic planning involved. And with the rapid evolution of real-time media, virtual offices and globalisation, companies seemingly have to change their game plans on a daily basis to keep up.
Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:48:00 GMT How to Avoid Being Seen as 'Project Management Overhead'
We are currently facing a challenging economic climate which is forcing many companies to cut costs in order to survive. There are different ways of doing this, and unfortunately, a popular one is slashing employees, projects and even entire departments. Consequently, almost everyone in the business world is now looking for a way to justify their work to upper management and other stakeholders in order to be spared.
Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:13:00 GMT Communication is Key: Getting Everyone in the Loop
Are you finding that the communication among your staff, across different departments, and with your vendors is often inefficient and even quite redundant? How many times have you answered the same question either by e-mail or with a phone call? Do you find that inaccurate information is being passed on to customers because sales or services people are referring to outdated e-mails or an implementation schedule that has changed? Does each one of your teams have its own file system and database and use many interfaces to organise its information?
Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:48:00 GMT Do You Know Where Your Project Is?
Projects are ultimately about making an organisation stronger and better, and that means it's important to make sure you're choosing the right projects, allocating the right resources, tracking progress along the way, and taking an unflinching look at actual results. Only then will you know the answer to that all-important question: Has the project delivered on its ROI promise?
Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:41:00 GMT Tips For Avoiding Project Failure
Studies have shown that many IT projects are considered to be failures. The Standish Group has reported high failure rates for years and recently a study by KPMG found that about half of the respondents reported at least one failed project in the past year. Why do projects fail? The reasons are too numerous and varied to identify; however, I'll discuss some common failure points.
Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:18:00 GMT 6 Success Factors for Managing Project Quality
Commentators have differing views on what constitutes a quality project. The generally agreed parameters are that it delivers the desired outcomes on time and within budget. Through our long experience, the Transformed team has identified 6 key factors that improve project quality.
Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:50:00 GMT A Corporate Project Selection Process
In my last article I mentioned that there are project management solutions to alleviate some of the pains that corporations can endure during a time of financial concerns. Strong project management leadership should be involved in the project selection process. In this article, I will review business drivers and project assessments that may be considered in project selection. While the project selection process is viable and repeatable, it requires support from the top down in order to be successful.
Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:43:00 GMT Agile Through the Waterfall
Many organisations have adopted Agile practices into their development methodologies and they have proved to be successful for the organisation as a whole. There also are many organisations that have pockets of people who wish to be Agile, but can't get traction within to make it a widely accepted practice throughout the enterprise. I recently had an opportunity to participate in an Open Space session where we explored how organisations that are mainly guided by Waterfall methodologies, unwittingly also employed Agile practices.
Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:45:00 GMT The Corporate Advantages of a Project Management Process
A Project Management (PM) process is a process that wraps sound and repeatable structure around a series of events that lead to a projects completion or implementation. In most cases, you will see a structured diagram that lists the project management process groups used to manage a project. I have been fortunate to study and review many PM processes over the years from the Department of Defence to State and Local government processes. In addition, I have studied and reviewed PM processes in business enterprises, banking, health care and nuclear power. What I want to present, is the concept of the Project Management Process and why is it beneficial to have one in place in your organisation.
Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:59:00 GMT The "Real" Project Plan
"I need a project plan by tomorrow morning." As project managers, that's what we hear. But we know that what the boss usually means is that s/he wants a project schedule. There is a problem though, how can you come up with a schedule without having the "real" project plan first?
Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:42:00 GMT What is User Requirements Capture?
User Requirements Capture is a research exercise that is undertaken early in a project lifecycle to establish and qualify the scope of the project. The aim of the research is to understand the product from a user's perspective, and to establish users' common needs and expectations. The user requirements capture is useful for projects that have a lack of focus or to validate the existing project scope. The research provides an independent user perspective when a project has been created purely to fulfil a business need. The requirements capture findings are then used to balance the business goals with the user needs to ensure the project is a success.
Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:49:00 GMT Key Steps to Implement a Project Management Office
Launching a Project Management Office (PMO) is just like any other organisational change project and should be approached as such using the key steps outlined in this article. According to Gartner (2008), investments in a PMO as a work management discipline can provide common planning and reporting processes and bring structure and support to evaluating, justifying, defining, planning, tracking and executing projects. It also encourages the resolution of conflicts caused by limited resources and other constraints.
Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:40:00 GMT Building Relationships in Project Management
Building relationships is just as important within the project team as it is outside. Good relationships can be the difference between outstanding success and dismal failure because it's all about getting people to like and trust you so that they will deliver what you need them to deliver at the right time in the right way. We have talked previously about managing stakeholders, finding out about and managing their needs and expectations, however this is much easier if you have developed good relationships with stakeholders in the first place.
Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:30:00 GMT Project Management in these Economic Times
We're living in some of the worst economic times in 60-70 years. Businesses are closing. Analysts are estimating a possible 20% vacancy rate for businesses across the country by the end of 2009. Here in Las Vegas the once flourishing hotel and casino industry is seeing bankruptcy filings and halted construction projects throughout the valley. So what does this all mean for Project Managers? Customers sometimes think of Project Managers as the 'extra' expense on an IT project. If you are a Project Manager, then you know that's ridiculous.
Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:23:00 GMT Frequently Asked Questions on Lean Six Sigma
Despite Lean Six Sigma being around for over twenty years now, it is remarkable that a significant number of companies and individuals still don't really know what it is. Oh, they've heard of it, and may even have been involved in it, but when it comes to defining it or reaping the huge benefits it can offer, then far too many are still in the dark. A few of the frequently asked questions from students and companies regarding Lean Six Sigma and how to use it are answered here.
Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:00:00 GMT CMMI and Agile: Opposites Attract
The myths surrounding the compatibility of CMMI and Agile have recently been debunked by SEI. Learn how these seemingly opposing strategies can be paired to foster dramatic improvements in business performance! Despite the perception that CMMI best practices and Agile development methods are at odds with each other, new research suggests just the opposite train of thought. In fact, CMMI and Agile champions can benefit from using both methods within organisations, with the potential to dramatically improve business performance.
Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:05:00 GMT Tips for Turning Lessons Learned into Best Practices
By incrementally capturing 20-20 hindsight (lessons learned) and turning that hindsight into 20-20 foresight (best practices), you will achieve far greater long-term success than if you simply ignore or forget what occurred once a project ends. This approach can greatly reduce the negative effects of attrition on a company's intellectual assets when people leave because they quit, retire, are laid off, or were temporary workers to begin with.
Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:12:00 GMT 5 Reasons to Kill IT Projects
A survey of IT experts revealed 43 percent of their organisations had recently killed an IT project. The study, conducted by ISACA, an independent IT governance group, highlighted the top 5 reasons these organisations named for terminating projects prior to completion.
Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:26:00 GMT Project Plans: 10 Essential Elements
A project plan is more than just a Gantt chart, but do you know what you must have in your plan? This article takes you through the 10 essential elements your project plan has to have to help you achieve project management success.
Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:50:00 GMT The Needle in the Haystack: Tips for Choosing the Right Project Management Tool
With a myriad of options to choose from, it's no wonder choosing a project management tool has become such a daunting task. Learn how to find the right solution for your business here! As you well know, there are a myriad of software products on the market today. The applications, themselves, range from freeware to multi-faceted programs with service contracts that can cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. Further, the software is made by familiar name brands, such as Microsoft Project to software that is created by more obscure startup companies.
Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:41:00 GMT The Successful Project Management Office
The varieties of Project Management Office (PMO) models seem nearly endless. I've joined companies that already had them, helped organise one for a company I was already at, and consulted with smaller organisations who were just trying to get their PM processes off the ground. I believe there is no guarantee for success with any model. It's how the organisation values the PMO and the role of the PM, in general, and how the supporting organisations interact with the PM that plays a significant role in the PMO organisation's success.
Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:40:00 GMT PMBOK Guide: Fourth Edition Changes - Chapter by Chapter
In my last article I provided an overview of the changes in the PMBOK® Guide: Fourth Edition. In this article I want to write about some of the specific changes in the chapters. As mentioned in the previous article, our architect designed chapters 1 and 2 to align with The Standard for Programme Management: Second Edition and The Standard for Portfolio Management: Second Edition. Therefore much of the structure of the first two chapters has changed.
Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:23:00 GMT PMBOK Guide: Fourth Edition Changes - An Overview
A lot of people are wondering what is going to change with the PMBOK® Guide: Fourth Edition. There is not that much that will change with regards to the content. There are a few additions and deletions to processes, but mostly of the work was done in making the standard internally consistent. We wanted the chapters to feel more cohesive as if one person wrote the standard instead of a group of people.
Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:29:00 GMT The Ideal Project Manager Specification
Successful project management is a combination of approximately 20% hard skills and 80% soft skills. The hard skills relate to the actual processes, procedures, tools and techniques comprising planning, organising, monitoring and controlling, while the soft skills relate to the project managers attitudes and behaviours. In addition, I believe that a truly excellent project manager must become a master of paradox. This article provides a specification of the hard and soft skill along with a listing of the attitudes and behaviours required of a great project manager.
Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:48:00 GMT The Seven Deadly Myths of Earned Value Methods in Project Management
After decades of using and teaching Earned Value Management techniques, we have seen a lot of misinformation about Earned Value, and the advent of the Internet has only made the problem worse. The fact is, the Earned Value Management techniques laid out almost 40 years ago continues to be one of the best ways to manage almost any project, and should be a key part of any Project Manager's toolkit. With that in mind, we set out to "bust" seven of the most common myths about Earned Value Management.
Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:51:00 GMT Avoiding Project Management Pitfalls
Even strong, organised and experienced planners have found themselves managing a project that ends up in chaos, and results in missed deadlines and budget overruns. This article includes common pitfalls project managers experience and tips to make a project more successful.
Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:11:00 GMT Project Status Reports Everyone Can Understand
Letting people know how a project is coming along is obviously a key responsibility of any project manager. With so many methodologies to choose from these days, it becomes hard to determine which key pieces of information will be useful to those involved in the project. These methodologies often come with a tangled mass of cryptic terminology, often only recognisable to practitioners of the system, e.g. burn down chart, sprint backlog, concession, story points, etc.
Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:33:00 GMT The Importance of Communication in Project Management
"Since I didn't hear otherwise, I ASSUMED all was going well." The Importance of Communication in Project Management. Second on Rick Klemm's list of things most commonly overheard on a failing software project, this remark is characteristic of Project Managers who are not in frequent and efficient communication with their staff.
Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:04:00 GMT Building the High-Performance Global Workforce
Companies that can work cheaper, faster, and better are well-positioned to develop and market products and services that give higher value to their customers. But how do project managers and business leaders effectively manage geographically dispersed workforces? The need to drive down project implementation and deployment costs and establish a global presence is among the reasons behind offshore outsourcing. In a keynote at this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, William J. Amelio, CEO of Lenovo, described well the strategy that enterprises must adopt to remain competitive.
Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:11:00 GMT What Agile Methods Mean to Your Process, People and Products
Studies show that most successful projects were those that followed agile principles, proving that model-driven methods are not always the best when it came to managing changes, fast-paced project implementation, or even meeting market demands. The concept of agile development is not new. However, many technologists still stick to the age-old notion that software development can be easily designed and the outputs predicted without giving much thought to the more dynamic factors of projects, such as communication lines, people, and change.
Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:14:00 GMT Project Managers: The Value of Understanding Technology
Many project managers are extremely successful in their role by simply managing a project plan and checking off tasks as they become "100% complete." They're able to manage teams, create budgets, assess risk, pretty much perform all of the basic and yet complex project manager duties. And more importantly, they're able to do these things without having to dig too deep into the technical details. They can lean on the technical lead to solve all of the technical issues.
Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:03:00 GMT Break Your PMP Studies Into Small Pieces
Taking the PMP examination is one of the biggest steps you'll take in your career as a Project Manager and one of the most daunting. There seems to be an endless parade of information to stuff into your brain but don't be discouraged! By careful planning and structure, you can pass the exam with a minimum of stress and absorb more of the information you need to be a success in your chosen career.
Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:36:10 GMT 5 Ways to Finesse Budget Discussions for New Client Projects
Do you have difficulty engaging in budget discussions for new projects, particularly during initial client meetings when it can be tempting to make promises that will be challenging to carry out? If so, you're not alone! This article explores five ways to help you gracefully avoid backing yourself into a corner.
Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:37:00 GMT Ten Tips for Running Successful Projects
Why do so many projects fail? Researchers regularly conduct studies to find out the leading causes of project failure. Some of the studies are in the public domain. You can look up studies by such groups as Gartner, Carnegie Mellon University and the Project Management Institute. The studies reveal a recurring theme.
Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:21:00 GMT Balancing Project Management Process With Project Delivery
Can you be a lazy and successful project manager? Ok, so I have been reviewing corporate and government processes for managing projects this week, and the first thing that came to my mind is "OH my! There is no way I could get all these steps, documents, gates, checkpoints, etc. accomplished and still manage the project!" In some cases you would need a bevy of administrators just to make sure all the project management stuff got done!
Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:28:00 GMT How to Do RACI Charting and Analysis: A Practical Guide
A RACI chart is a matrix of all the activities or decision making authorities undertaken in an organisation set against all the people or roles. At each intersection of activity and role it is possible to assign somebody responsible, accountable, consulted or informed for that activity or decision. This guide sets down in a clear way the benefits of the approach and takes the reader through the steps needed to create and then analyse a RACI Chart.
Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:54:00 GMT Managers, Programmers, and Designers
Depending on the structure of your organisation, the project manager is most likely the person who interacts with the broadest range of stakeholders. Sure the managing director will intermingle with project managers, business development, maybe even the client at early stages. But a project manager will interact with all these people and more; most notably, technical staff such as programmers and graphic designers. And let's not forget the client; a project manager will probably spend the largest amount of time with them compared to anyone else.
Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:30:00 GMT 10 Steps to Finding a Project Manager
Project managers, when you hire well, can become your most favourite person on the planet. Hiring a good project manager means you can sit back and relax knowing that the project tasks are being taken care of in a professional, productive, and profitable manner. It frees up your time, reduces or even eliminates stress, and increases your bottom line. However a bad hire can affect profits, increase stress which can kick your blood pressure up to dangerous levels and waste a tremendous amount of time and money. Here's how to hire a qualified project manager.
Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:41:00 GMT Make or Break: Why Accurate Cost Estimation Is Key
The accuracy of your cost estimation process can make or break project success. Learn the strategies that will help you gain control of this key area and ensure future project profitability! One of the greatest challenges for a project leader is to successfully deliver on all aspects of a project both according to the client's specifications and within the allotted budget.
Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:30:00 GMT The Top 7 Reasons Why Goals Are Not Achieved
It's that time of year again when we reflect on what we had hoped to accomplish in the past year and what we plan to accomplish in the next. Most times we look back and realise that we didn't quite measure up to our hopes and dreams. As a business advisor and executive coach I have found that people tend to make the same mistakes when setting goals for both their business and personal lives.
Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:58:00 GMT Top Tips for Project Implementation
"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." This quote from Henry Ford was used by a proud dad at a recent wedding I attended. It was a well chosen piece of advice, but as the managing director of a business solutions provider the quote hit a familiar note with me because it sums up exactly what we have been telling our clients during the implementation process.
Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:57:00 GMT Project Portfolio Management: Managing the Project Pipeline
For most service departments the demand for new projects will occasionally outweigh the department's capacity to do them. Whether it's due to financial constraints or skills being completely exhausted elsewhere, sometimes you just have to say "no." Saying "no" is easy, it's deciding who to say "no" to. Projects that bring the highest return on investment from the scarce resources available must be pushed forwards. Projects that drain resources and eat up the budget must be discarded, or at the very least, put on hold. So how do you decide which projects stay and which ones go?
Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:43:00 GMT Considerations Before Soliciting Input for Your Content Management Project
When you manage a new project to streamline an organisation's website or to develop a new website, you must gather input from many people inside the organisation. In "Content Management Bible," Bob Boiko has authored a section on the requirements process. His process concerns finding out what site users expect from the site improvement or the new website you will develop.
Sat, 06 Dec 2008 11:23:00 GMT Discovering Future Performers in Your Team
Browse up on your organisation's competency requirements and set more informed business directions concerning your people. Management needs a checkpoint to determine if performance meets organisational requirements, given the knowledge and skills set of the employees. This is the birth of competency analysis.
Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:35:00 GMT So You Want to Be a Project Manager - Part 2: Getting the Skills You Need
In my last article we learned the 6 key skills required to be a successful project manager, and why those are more important than qualifications. In this article, I look at how you can acquire, learn or improve these skills, in order to become a more successful project manager.
Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:52:00 GMT So You Want to Be a Project Manager
You've worked on a project, and you think you'd like to have a try out at doing the project management role. It doesn't look too hard, or maybe it just looks exciting. So what does it take to become a project manager? What skills do you need?
Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:52:00 GMT A Tale of Two Projects
A business tale of what it takes to turn around troubled projects. The year is 2005 and times are good. The business environment is vibrant and the economy is strong. Large businesses are committing large amounts of capital and resources to implement new strategies, establish new capabilities, and open new markets. It was no different at PintCo, where Jack works as a Director of Customer Relationship Management.
Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:53:00 GMT How Gantt Charts Can Help Avoid Disaster
A short case study about the importance of using appropriate tools, such as Gantt charts, when managing time sensitive projects. Having run 15 months late on completion of a construction project, a building company incurred extensive penalty charges, which eventually led to its closure. Not having any project Gantt charts indirectly led to the company's failure.
Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:38:00 GMT Writing an Unbeatable Business Case
A project brief describes what needs to be done. The project plan explains how you are going to do it. The business case gives the reasons why. In PRINCE2 terminology, the business case is the "driver" of the project. Senior management review the business case before authorising the initiation, and at each subsequent stage of the project. The business case is used as a yardstick to measure project progress. Before allowing any change to the project plan, the executive must consider the impact that this change will have on the business case.
Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:22:00 GMT Which Life Cycle Is Best for Your Project?
When choosing a development life cycle, don't just trust your feelings. Decide based on factors that really matter. Which life cycle will work best for your project? This is an important strategic question because making the wrong choice could lead to disastrous results of catastrophic proportions. Think about delayed deliveries, unhappy clients, project overruns, and cancelled projects.
Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:21:00 GMT Project Communications: How to Keep Your Team Engaged and Informed
Good communication is vital to the success of your project. This article explores the methods used by successful project managers to tailor their communications to suit their audiences. It offers advice and tips on how to implement the best practices taught by the PMBOK and many PMP Exam Preparation courses.
Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:23:00 GMT Build Versus Buy: Making the Right Decision
Many project teams have faced the time when they need to make a major decision. Should one try to custom build a solution or buy an off-the-shelf product and customise it? These solutions can run the gamut of being a full enterprise class package that does nearly everything but feed the dog to small programs or libraries that do something very specialised such as drawing graphs or providing encryption functions. Frequently, a wrong decision can result in cost overruns, project delays, or a solution that does not fit business needs very well.
Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:33:00 GMT Motivating Your Outsourced Offshore Team
The success of a business relationship between a company and an outsource vendor depends on how well the delivery team implements projects on-time and on-budget. But while these three items present only the quantitative facet of this relationship, the dedication and professionalism of the outsource team sometimes tell a different story. How do you sustain the interest of your new outsource team? Here are ways to keep the team passionate about providing you with top-quality service.
Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:10:00 GMT Factors that Influence Project Management in Package Implementation Projects and Bespoke Projects
Business requirements are solved either by building a new system or by buying a readily available product or by a combination of both. The 'Build vs Buy' decision is made by the stakeholders after weighing various parameters. A 'Build' decision results in tailor made projects (also known as bespoke projects or custom development projects) whereas a 'Buy' decision results in product or package implementation projects. The technical, functional and managerial challenges vary between these two categories and therefore the practices during project execution vary as well.
Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:43:00 GMT How Pie Charts, Mr. Spock and the Big Picture Can Optimise Your Projects
Some days IT executives earn their salaries and then some: multiple deadlines for simultaneous projects, staff with different skills, competing schedules and priorities, and multiple unforeseen variables. What's the best way to allocate resources across projects? How can you ensure you stay on budget and meet established deadlines? Read up on the latest tools designed to make your job easier!
Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:49:00 GMT Making a Project Plan to Pass the PMP Exam
Passing the PMP exam is challenging, but hundreds of thousands of people have already done it! What is the secret? One of the keys is to put into practice the discipline, practices, tools, and frameworks that are the subject of the exam. This is accomplished by making a plan based upon the many structures, terms and concepts that are part of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). These are the things that experienced project managers will learn that takes them beyond their project management experience base. This article discusses some keys for building an effective project plan to pass the PMP exam.
Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:15:00 GMT The Beginning of the End: Defining Project Closure
How do you know when your part of the development race is over? Learn how to establish a clear finish line for your project. When undertaking a software development project, an effectively designed closure plan serves as an outline of required tasks that must be carried out appropriately in order to result in successful project delivery, and adequate preparation is one significant element when it comes to ensuring a smooth transition to implementation. The closure plan must be considered at the outset of the project, as the client outlines their specific software requirements.
Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:24:00 GMT The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Dialogue
Stephen Covey's seven habits of highly effective people have become classic pieces of leadership and management wisdom. The habits are applicable to having successful conflict conversations, both at home and at work. Here's how to use them next time you find yourself in a tense situation or conflict.
Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:04:00 GMT Effective Project Communications
As a Project Manager, communication will occur in many forms, with many individuals, including project stakeholders, your internal team, management within your organisation, vendors, and more. Communication may happen verbally or through e-mail, as well as through charters and project plans, addendums and status reports. These long lists are a small indication of the significance of communication to a Project Manager.
Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:53:00 GMT Exploiting Feedback to Improve Bottom-Line Performance
While feedback is vital to the growth and sustained success of any business, regardless of industry, employees or customer base, it may often be met with some level of resistance or uncertainty. For some, feedback seems to equate to, and therefore is received or delivered as, (negative) criticism, when in reality, this belief or response is unwarranted.
Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:06:00 GMT Use Your Whole Brain: Leveraging Right-Brained Thinking in a Left-Brained World
For organisations, flexing the right side of the brain can dramatically improve decision making, team building and innovation, and ultimately drive greater organisational performance. In fact, whole brain thinking is a secret weapon that successful organisations are using to evolve their business to the next level, and stay ahead of the competition. When you combine left-brained data-driven decision making skills with non-linear right-brained thinking, the result is greater insight and more well-rounded experience that will ultimately help you arrive at better solutions to complex problems.
Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:03:00 GMT SMART Goals Reduce Ambiguity and Increase Commitment
Ambiguity is a fact of life in all organisations. In many cases it can be an advantage. But in most cases, the clearer the requirements, the better. Use SMART goals, keep them simple, and watch people respond with a high level of commitment to the enterprise. They can be, as in this case, the difference between success and failure.
Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:03:00 GMT Project Management of a Global Team
The world is getting smaller. Well, it isn't physically getting smaller but that is one way of saying that global communications have become so fast paced that the world is really one community in a lot of ways. With the advent of the Internet, email, instant messaging and VOIP, it is entirely possible to have your project team members around the globe.
Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:03:00 GMT Is Software Development Risk Costing You Money?
Poor software project management often means missed deadlines, cost overruns or even outright failure of the project. How can your company avoid this industry-wide problem? In our brief you'll learn best practices for successfully completing software projects.
Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:03:00 GMT Useful Techniques to Fine-Tune Your Project Schedule
One of the most common problems that project managers weep about is "unrealistic timelines," a common consequence of clients having set their expectations too high even before the project starts. Ironically, there are occurrences in the duration of a project when a staff is sitting idly, waiting for a colleague to finish so he can start his own task. In this situation, does the project manager shout foul and blame other people? Chances are, as a project manager, he needs to give the project schedule a second look.
Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:49:00 GMT Project Management Training for the PMP: Satisfying the 35 Hours Requirement
Project Managers who aspire to take the PMP exam need to have 35 hours of documented training in the area of project management. However, there is some level of misunderstanding around just how they can achieve this. Many believe they must take specialised and expensive courses, and some are not aware that some of the training and education they already have may qualify. Others think they need to acquire a single 35 hour certificate. Here is a survey of the ways PMP aspirants can satisfy that requirement.
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:49:00 GMT Execute...Or Be Executed: Avoiding the Project Management Guillotine
Any project manager who has been around the block a few times has experienced a visit to the project management guillotine. Perhaps it was with a sponsor, management, or a customer. The project either had a massive schedule slip, cost overrun, or scope slash (or sometimes all three - now that's a party!) and the project manager was first in line at the guillotine. Some of my most uncomfortable situations in my 20+ years as a professional have involved me getting my head handed to me on a silver platter because I bungled a project.
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:10:00 GMT PMP and ITIL: Framework Methodologies with Valuable Synergy
For a long time, IT professionals were apt to believe that ITIL and project management certification (PMP) were conflicting frameworks, and you were either certified in one or the other, but rarely both. The ITIL framework and project management framework both serve different purposes to be sure, but when combined within an organisation, they ultimately create great synergy. The ITIL framework, a lifecycle that addresses the way an IT organisation operates, is first and foremost business driven and answers the question "Are we doing the right things?" The project management framework addresses the implementation of projects throughout the organisation, requiring that companies ask "Are we doing things the right way?"
Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:52:00 GMT CMMI: Does Your Supplier Make the Grade?
Outsourcing work to offshore organisations has become the latest arsenal in software development over the last seven to eight years. The strongest drivers to outsourcing focus on driving down costs, increasing productivity, reducing time to market, and providing a flexible resource pool. If you're looking for a sure-fire way to find a highly-qualified outsourcing partner, learn how CMMI ratings can help you pinpoint the best candidate for the job.
Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:42:00 GMT Ranking Risks: Rare to Certain, Negligible to Catastrophic
Risk is a concept that denotes a potential negative impact to an asset or some characteristic of value that may arise from some present process or future event. In everyday usage, risk is often used synonymously with the probability of a known loss. Risk is measured in terms of impact and likelihood. Since risk is directly correlated to loss, it is important to be able to assess risks in one's business and to address them. Needless to say, inattention to risks can definitely affect a company's bottom line.
Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:52:00 GMT 3 Main Benefits of Project Baselining
When you have finished planning your project, and you have all the scheduled dates, hours, and costs (and charges if applicable) agreed, why is it a good idea to store those values? We explore the reasons.
Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:32:00 GMT Get in the Driver's Seat with Microsoft Project
Since its beginning in 1990, Microsoft Project represents a common and powerful project scheduling tool to control project schedules and finances, eliminating surprise when it's too late to make changes to the process. This ultimately results in better corporate profitability and competitiveness. This proactive planning tool works like project management around the triple constraint of scope, time, and resources adding value to software development companies and their clients by enhancing customer satisfaction, using resources effectively, and providing a competitive advantage.
Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:34:00 GMT The Phased Approach to Project Management Implementation
If you are thinking about using a project management consulting company to assist your organisation with implementing a Project Management Office (PMO), there are a couple of important factors that you should consider when choosing the right firm.
Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:12:00 GMT 12 Competencies: Which Ones Should Your People Have?
The concept of competency as a factor in recruitment, selection, hiring and employee performance evaluation has become very popular not only among HR practitioners but to the management echelons as well. Yet, in the more than three decades since it became a buzzword, still many are really unfamiliar with the details of the concept. More so with its appropriate application and utility.
Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:16:00 GMT Gantt Charts, PERT Charts: What Use Are They?
Gantt charts and PERT charts are useful tools for visualising and communicating information about projects, but they have a number of limitations. In addition, the ease with which they can be created using software applications makes them open to misuse and misinterpretation.
Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:15:00 GMT The Seven Deadly Sins of Leadership
Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed, Sloth. You either recognise these as the seven deadly sins or as themes for prime-time television. Nonetheless, you were probably taught as a child that these are bad and you shouldn't do them. For purposes of this article, do as you were taught and think bad when you commit these similar sins in the workplace.
Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:45:00 GMT 10 Rules of Highly Successful Project Management
A successful project manager is one who can envision the entire project from start to finish, and have the prowess to realise this vision. To keep pace with business and IT, project managers need to make their management practices more flexible.
Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:48:00 GMT Dealing with "Scope Creep" in Software Development Projects
Scope creep is a significant risk in software development projects. We discuss why this is so, and how to avoid or at least mitigate the risk. New software is usually developed as a result of a customer identifying a need. The next step is to specify how the software will meet that need; specifically, what functionality will be developed.
Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:50:00 GMT Is Offshore Outsourcing Working for You?
The advent of the Internet and the continuous innovations made in information and communication technology has brought about the steady rise of a recently established business practice, offshore business development. Is your company looking or already into outsourcing? Here are five indicators that your company is on its way to outsourcing success.
Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:32:00 GMT 9 Steps to a Hassle Free and Effective Software Development Project
Has your company developed entirely new software or added to software already in use throughout the organisation and found the process cumbersome, frustrating, and sometimes not living up to expectations or meeting organisational goals? If so, the solution to a smooth and effective development programme may be as easy as staffing a well-qualified project manager and adopting a proven development process.
Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:16:00 GMT How Fit is Your Programme?
Across the UK at the moment there will be hundreds of programmes being run, but how well are they being run and how does the sponsor know that his/her programme is in a healthy shape? There are a number of ways to find out, most of them costing money from consultants. Most programmes are complex and are being run using a methodology that fits one of three descriptions.
Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:53:00 GMT Strategies for Managing Change: The Project Manager
The title of project manager (PM) is used to mean different things in different companies. Fortunately there is a standards body called the Project Management Institute which provides excellent guidance around the role and function of a project manager. Some will disagree, but I don't care if your project manager is PMI certified or not. You need to care about having a project manager with the skill to carry out the role as the Institute defines it. It's your change management strategy, and it's your reputation on the line.
Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:54:00 GMT 10 Golden Rules of Project Risk Management
The benefits of risk management in projects are huge. You can gain a lot of money if you deal with uncertain project events in a proactive manner. The result will be that you minimise the impact of project threats and seize the opportunities that occur. This allows you to deliver your project on time, on budget and with the quality results your project sponsor demands. Also your team members will be much happier if they do not enter a "fire fighting" mode needed to repair the failures that could have been prevented.
Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:48:00 GMT Distinguishing Portfolio Management, Programme Management and Project Management
There is often a misunderstanding, and hence a mixed and overlapping use of terms, when it comes to programme management. Sometimes a programme is called a project. Sometimes a project is called a programme. In addition, sometimes project portfolio and programme are mistakenly used interchangeably. This article is intended to clarify the main differences and to distinguish the unique aspects of project portfolios, programmes, and projects.
Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:58:00 GMT In Defence of the Project Management "Perfect World"
One of the most common challenge questions I get when teaching PMP Exam Preparation courses is "Why doesn't PMI make the test more real-world? Why do they insist on testing for a world that no-one really lives in?" Over the years, my response to that question has evolved, but the more the question comes along, the more I realise we don't insist on the perfect world often enough.
Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:33:00 GMT Leadership for Programme and Project Managers
Effective management is not just about being able to apply budgetary constraints or running projects to time. In fact, 70% of businesses fail to achieve their desired goals and the causes for failure are usually lack of strong leadership, lack of team skills, and lack of stakeholder engagement. These more subtle skills can have a huge effect on successful outcomes.
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:49:00 GMT Reduce Project Risk in the Requirements Process
Gathering and managing requirements are important challenges in project management. Projects succeed or fail due to poor requirements at any time throughout the project lifecycle. The continuously evolving baseline of requirements needs to be managed effectively. The project manager needs to assess and understand the uniqueness of the requirements gathering process for his/her individual project.
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:54:00 GMT Use SMART Objectives to Focus Goals, Plans and Performance
Objectives that are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Aligned, Realistic/Relevant, and Time-bound) are likely to be achieved. Learn how to develop SMART objectives with the power to focus goals, work plans, and commitment to performance targets. Because meaningful and practical measures are built in, SMART objectives also enable feedback and learning that can keep you on track to success.
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:55:00 GMT PMI's PDU Secrets
A project manager has to be many things. To name just a few, a PM has to be a great communicator, a leader, a visionary, and be able to both build and inspire the team. First and foremost, however, a project manager has to be proactive. We employ strategies to plan the future in order to proactively minimise risk on our projects so that we can deliver on time and on budget. Why then is it that when November comes around you can hear a collective groan rise from the worldwide community of PMPs as they ask, where they could quickly get 20, 30 or even 40 or more PDUs before the year is through?
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:19:00 GMT PMBOK 4: This Time It's Iterative!
The current Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide is labelled "Third Edition" and was published in 2004. Every 4 years the Project Management Institute (PMI) brings out a new version and the fourth edition has just been released to reviewers in exposure draft format. I was a contributor and reviewer for version 3 and will likely submit some feedback for version 4 too. One thing that will be of interest to agile project managers is the increased acceptance of iterative lifecycles.
Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:57:00 GMT Getting Work Done: The Human Side of Project Management
Project management is defined as the art and science of getting work done with the active co-operation of individuals and organisations who are directly or indirectly involved with the project. This includes Senior Management, Project Sponsors(s), Customers, End-users, Stakeholders, Team Members, Sub-contractors, Vendors and Consultants. Given the reality of minimal authority and total responsibility for the outcome of the project, the Project Manager's biggest challenge consists of "Getting Work Done."
Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:56:00 GMT The Problem with IT Project Management
One of the most challenging aspects of Enterprise Architecture (EA), and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) in particular, is that rather than address a discrete problem or set of problems in the enterprise, it attempts to address a range of interconnected and perplexing issues that have long troubled IT. Specifically, SOA approaches to EA address long-term issues of integration in environments of continued heterogeneity, application development in the face of continuous change, governance, management, and quality in environments of continuous complexity, increasing reuse and reducing redundancy across multiple IT initiatives, and organisational and methodology approaches that favour iteration over monolithic, waterfall-style approaches to development.
Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:44:00 GMT Understanding Change in a Quality Culture
In any improvement process, managing the influence of change and the anti-change culture that will continually try to raise its head will be one of the most ardent tasks. Learn to deal with this as effectively as you do the project management itself. There are many well-written books on the subject of change in every category of change that you could imagine.
Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:05:00 GMT The Hardest Word in the Project Management Vocabulary
For project managers "no" is often the toughest word in the English language to deploy. We often prefer the classic PM strategy of "Yes, but..." as the softer, kinder, gentler alternative. "No" sounds harsh. Uncooperative. It sounds reticent and recalcitrant. It sounds negative. And yet, for many of us, the time has come as professionals to set "yes, but..." aside and venture into the world of "no."
Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:11:00 GMT Can We Combine Agile and Waterfall Development Strategies?
While there are likely as many unique Project Management approaches as there are Project Managers, there are two well-know production cycle methodologies that have been the topic of much discussion in PM circles - agile and waterfall methodologies. As I evolve in my own area of expertise, I am constantly reinventing small aspects of what I consider best practice. Most recently, to address the incredibly complex requirements of a large client initative, I challenged myself to come up with a "super" Project Management process that would not only improve the way in which we deliver, but what we deliver at the end of the engagement. I determined there was a way to combine the best features of waterfall development disciplines with agile principles for superior results.
Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:02:00 GMT The 3 P's of PPProject Management
This is an article about Presentation, Planning and Processing; the three cornerstones of project management. Anyone who has ever tried to organise something important seems to either love it or loath it. I remember friends organising trips out for people's birthdays and just not being able to cope with having multiple people to deal with, the planning of train times or car pools and the often continual flood of questions, niggles and other bits and bobs that are important to the person, but overall not so key. Therefore I would like to break project management down into three categories and speak a little about each and what it means for our clients.
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:01:00 GMT NASA Project Management Challenge 2008
One of the first major uses of project management as we know it today was to manage the United States space programme. It started with the inauguration speech in 1961 of John F. Kennedy who said, "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth." In 1986 the Challenger space shuttle disaster focused attention on risk management, group dynamics and quality management. Today NASA continues to focus on project management best practice to deliver major aerospace projects costing many billions of dollars.
Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:19:00 GMT The PM Paradox: Why Projects Fail Despite Best Practices and Skilled PMs
I like to think of programme management as business lessons learned because it is the experiences and successful practices that help us understand how to manage effectively and efficiently. I also like to think of programme management as an open-source discipline, because we, as a community of practitioners, continue to contribute to its growth, success, relevancy, and acceptance.
Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:47:00 GMT 8 Top Places for Project Managers to Network
All professionals know it is important to network. It helps to keep up with the profession, to be aware of developments and new opportunities, and chances for career growth. It can also be very helpful to solve problems that other colleagues have already encountered. So in this era of social networking, where can the best project management networks be found?
Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:57:00 GMT Successful Projects Are Led Not Managed
More and more in today's environment Project Managers are being judged on how well they operate within, and adhere, to standard practices and disciplines. This is all very well, but let us stand back and think for a moment. If I were to challenge any one of you to think of someone you respect, who consistently delivers projects on time, who always gets called on when things get tough. I am sure that you could name that person without knowing how well they work within the practices and disciplines of your company.
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:45:00 GMT Why Businesses Should Use MSP Programme Management
MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) is a best-practice guide from the OGC (Office of Government Commerce, an independent Office of the Treasury). It has been developed using the collective expertise and practical experience of some of the leading practitioners in the field. Managing Successful Programmes is unique in its status as a flexible generic best practice framework, and although it has been founded on best practice, it is not prescriptive.
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:41:00 GMT Why Project Managers Should Coach
Coaching is a highly effective management tool and yet, I have met only a small number of project managers who adopt a coaching style when supporting their staff. The unfortunate truth is that many project managers do not understand coaching and have received little or no formal training.
Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:04:00 GMT The Blending of Traditional and Agile Project Management
Traditional project management involves very disciplined and deliberate planning and control methods. With this approach, distinct project life cycle phases are easily recognisable. Tasks are completed one after another in an orderly sequence, requiring a significant part of the project to be planned up front. For example, in a construction project, the team needs to determine requirements, design and plan for the entire building, and not just incremental components, in order to understand the full scope of the effort.
Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:54:00 GMT Top 10 Qualities of an Excellent Manager
An excellent manager taps into talents and resources in order to support and bring out the best in others. An outstanding manager evokes possibility in others.
Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:40:00 GMT Building the Project Firing Squad
Regardless of where your IT organisation has progressed in the evolution from a utility like service to a executor of business strategy, the bread and butter of most IT organisations is the successful execution of projects: non-recurring, limited duration activities designed around completing a defined task. As organisations have grown savvier about project management, successful execution is on the rise, however choosing the right projects to deliver remains a challenge for many companies.
Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:17:00 GMT How to Report Status on a Project
Your boss has asked you to take the lead on a project in your company. Maybe you are a project manager, or maybe you are not. One thing is certain. Very few people know how to report status on a project, even when they are expert project managers. The basic problem? Most people do not understand the perspective of a manager who is being pressed for information about a big project. Here are some basic rules of reporting status that you can use to further your reputation as someone who knows how to keep management and the project team informed and drive a project to success.
Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:49:00 GMT How to Deliver Project Status
Status is project management communication, and any channel of communication available to you is a possible delivery method for status. There are two basic kinds of delivery method: presentation and verbal. When you give status in presentation format, you have a reference document that you are reviewing with a group of people. When you give status verbally, you are delivering it without much preparation and without referring to a common document.
Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:43:00 GMT Why PMO's Fail?
There is a way of doing things and a way of getting things done and they're not always the same. Most organisations of size have a Project Management Office (PMO) charged with defining processes and best practices (the way of doing things). These organisations typically sell the processes to a CIO to get executive-level support and then use that support as their stick to make sure the processes are followed. These people are often referred to as the PMO Cops by project managers.
Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:52:00 GMT Why Outsourcing Fails, Even with Good Project Management
The programming press and IT journals are full of stories about the failure of software outsourcing. The statistics are sobering. Less than 50% of outsourcing meets financial objectives. The outsourcing of many business processes besides software development also has the same less-than-stellar results.
Sat, 31 May 2008 09:21:00 GMT 21 Project Management Success Tips
Managing software projects is difficult under the best circumstances. The project manager must balance competing stakeholder interests against the constraints of limited resources and time, ever-changing technologies, and unachievable demands from unreasonable people. Project management is people management, technology management, business management, risk management, and expectation management. It's a juggling act, with too many balls in the air at once.
Fri, 30 May 2008 20:18:00 GMT A Procedural Worksheet on PRINCE2 Project Management
PRINCE2, the abbreviation for Projects In Controlled Environments, is a process based method, derived from the initial PRINCE project management methodology. It is a recognised international standard, a registered trademark of OGC, deployed extensively by the UK government. PRINCE2 crucially assists with the optimal usage of resources and project risk management initiatives, thus securing for itself an eminent position in the overall relevance graph.
Wed, 21 May 2008 22:00:00 GMT Project Management Starts with a Capital "C"
Communication, Communication, Communication! In our world of project management today, it has become increasingly more important to turn our efforts toward more effective means of communication, especially since many of us are faced with more and more virtual teams operating around the globe. Start your projects on the right foot, with a "Capital C" and begin the communication process early and often!
Tue, 20 May 2008 08:50:00 GMT Keys to Rescuing Ailing Projects
When we examine what makes projects succeed or fail, we're actually looking at a variety of vital success measures that can keep our projects healthy, or offer a powerful remedy if they start to break down. As a form of prevention, using these measures from the very beginning will make our projects considerably more successful. They'll avert many potential snags stemming from mixed communication signals, ignored problems, and unrealistic expectations that can lead to project downfall.
Mon, 19 May 2008 15:41:00 GMT The Simplified Project Management Process
One of the challenges of explaining project management to people who are unfamiliar with the approach, is that descriptions are often either so high-level as to be meaningless, or so detailed that they are overwhelming. Over the years, I have come to use a model as a framework for introducing and discussing project management tools and techniques. It can be used as the basis for a five-minute explanation of what is involved in project management, but also as an outline for more detailed discussions.
Mon, 19 May 2008 10:22:00 GMT Six Time Management Tips for Project Managers
To be a successful project manager you must be able to manage your time well. The best project managers ensure they are productive for most of their time and avoid time-wasters at all costs. Here are some tips that can help you manage your time more effectively.
Sat, 10 May 2008 17:03:00 GMT Project Management Models, Certifications and the Pyramids
All projects are really about change. Let's take my favorite project of all time: the pyramids of Egypt. Imagine a sweltering desert with miles of sand, snakes, and other scenes from an Indiana Jones film. Add a few million workers, some great plans, some scary mummies, and you've got the pyramids. All right, so my history is a little skewed, but I think you see my point. First it was nothing; then, after some planning and execution, there were the pyramids. What approach to project management do you think the pharaohs used? Does it matter?
Thu, 08 May 2008 22:27:00 GMT Why and How to Add More Value to Six Sigma Project Charters
Six Sigma project charters are basically blueprints of the targeted Six Sigma quality improvement initiative. They are deemed important because it is only through them can the management hope to communicate the exact Six Sigma implementation roadmap to the implementation team.
Fri, 02 May 2008 19:30:00 GMT The Top Five Project Management Traits to Master "the How"
In project management, we tend to focus on the method. And there is no shortage of methods (Six Sigma, Scrum, Waterfall). The method is the what of project management and is often at the core of an effectively run project. But the method can only take your project so far.
Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:10:00 GMT Project Scheduling And Resource Levelling
We all know that in the real world we, as project managers, are given the finish date of the project before we even have a chance to plan for it. This is a good enough reason why we need to get better at scheduling our projects and levelling our finite resources.
Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:33:00 GMT Let's Make Those Project Meetings More Effective
I was trying to get hold of the project manager. Or rather he was trying to get hold of me. However, I had tried 3 times already so I sent him an email knowing it would sink to the bottom of the pile. I got to thinking that it wasn't just this project manager who always seemed to be in meetings. Several people I have been trying to get hold of always seem to be in back to back meetings. Project Agency has been collecting statistics for several years. Some 1,120 people have completed our questionnaire and one of the questions is quite revealing.
Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:14:00 GMT | 
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