Lifecycle & Methodology

A project management methodology provides a framework through which the project manager delivers projects.

7 Properties of Highly Successful Projects from Crystal Clear

I recently awoke to the realisation that top consultants trade notes about the properties of a project rather than on the procedures followed. They inquire after the health of the project: "Is there a mission statement and a project plan? Do they deliver frequently? Are the sponsor and various expert users in close contact with the team?" Consequently, and in a departure from the way in which a methodology is usually described, I ask Crystal Clear teams to target key properties for the project. "Doing Crystal Clear" becomes achieving the properties rather than following procedures.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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!

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.

Project Management Methodology Explained

Projects are usually split into phases often along the lines of initiation, control and closure. During each phase a number of documents are produced as part of the project control process.

Get it Right From the Start: A Roadmap for Project Success

With an increasing focus on the quality of project management within both public and private sector organisations, and an increasingly experienced and qualified pool of project managers to choose from, why do a significant proportion of technology based projects continue to fail?

Introduction to Project Management

The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding of project management and to give a brief overview of the methodology that underpins most formally run projects. Many organisations do not employ full time Project Managers and it is common to pull together a project team to address a specific need. While most people are not formally skilled in project methodology, taking a role in a project team can be an excellent learning opportunity and can enhance a person's career profile.

 Project Management Process

Project Management provides an integrated framework for project organisation, planning and control which is designed to; ensure the timely and cost-effective production of all the end-products; maintain acceptable standards of quality; achieve for the enterprise the benefit for which the investment in the project has been made.

 ProjectMinds' Quick Guide To Project Management

With an emphasis on simplicity, this book provides clear, friendly step-by-step instructions to the art of project management inspired from the PMI methodology. Whether you are a senior manager or someone who has never been on a project, you will learn the tools and techniques that help you to direct a project.

Project Management: Tips For Helping You Adopt A Process

This article is not a detailed overview of a formal process. Instead it provides an overview of the most critical components common to each, as well as some tips on successfully deploying them. Although many process descriptions do an excellent job of breaking down the various components of the process they rarely cover areas like how this affects your team, how much process to use or offer practical advice on issues encountered in the real world when trying to deploy one.

It's All in the Technique

Many of the problems encountered while establishing or maturing a records management programme can be prevented by using sound project management tools and techniques. Project management provides the structure and methodology to enable successful initiation and completion of a records management initiative.

Project Methodologies: Not a Silver Bullet

Over the last few years there has been much emphasis on project management methodologies such as PRINCE2. The introduction and roll out of these structured techniques helps set expectations amongst the wider community about what the project manager will do. However, practitioners should be wary of assuming that the adoption of a particular methodology will be a miracle cure for all project woes.

Project Management Requires a Road Map

The principles of project management have been with us for a long time. There has also been a number of project management software packages introduced over the years, beginning with mainframe based commercial packages introduced back in the early 1970s. Some of it has been quite good, others are based on sheer quackery. Some people naively buy such packages in the hopes they will be some sort of panacea to cure all project woes; that projects will start to come in on time and on budget simply because a certain tool was purchased. Inevitably, they are puzzled when projects still go awry even with the latest software.