http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/articles.html Project Smart is the project management resource that helps managers at all levels to improve their performance. We provides an important knowledge base for those involved in managing projects of all kinds. With weekly updates it keeps you in touch with the latest project management thinking. en Copyright: (c) Project Smart Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/img/logo.gif http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/articles.html 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. IT Project Management Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-curious-case-of-the-chaos-report-2009.html 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. Project Portfolio Management Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:53:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-6-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-ppm-solution.html 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. Best Practice Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:20:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/being-a-project-sponsor-means-championing-a-cause.html 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? PRINCE2 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:08:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-apply-prince2-engaging-senior-management-in-your-projects.html 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? Case Studies Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-failures-from-the-top-down-can-marchionne-save-chrysler.html 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. IT Project Management Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/managing-large-projects-with-ease-9-pressure-reducers-that-work.html 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? Project Documentation Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:54:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/does-a-project-charter-or-project-initiation-document-lead-to-a-more-manageable-project-delivery.html 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. Team Building Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:42:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/recipe-for-great-virtual-teamwork-the-right-communications-tools-at-the-right-time.html 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. Outsourcing Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:52:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-agile-offshore-practices-can-avoid-the--real-costs-of-offshore-outsourcing.html 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. Project Planning Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:52:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/rolling-wave-planning.html 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. Project Planning Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:50:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-planning-in-a-nutshell.html 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. Best Practice Fri, 29 May 2009 20:22:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-kick-off-meetings-what-is-the-point.html 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. Change Management Wed, 27 May 2009 19:44:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/predicting-the-roi-of-change.html 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. IT Project Management Wed, 20 May 2009 20:44:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/an-effective-design-walkthrough-a-step-towards-delivering-the-best-design.html 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. Earned Value Sun, 17 May 2009 13:46:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/applying-earned-value-management-to-software-intensive-programmes.html 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. PRINCE2 Fri, 15 May 2009 16:50:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/prince2-2009-what-has-changed.html 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? Role of the Project Manager Mon, 04 May 2009 12:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/improving-project-success-rates-with-better-leadership.html 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. Cost Management Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:08:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/estimating-part-3.html 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. Cost Management Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/estimating-part-2.html 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. Cost Management Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:39:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/effort-estimating-a-primer.html 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. Lessons Learned Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:42:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/undertaking-a-successful-project-audit.html 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. Stakeholder Management Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:53:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/stakeholder-commitment-why-is-it-important.html 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. Role of the Project Manager Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:53:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/four-keys-to-successful-project-management.html 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. Best Practice Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/effective-project-management-five-laws-that-determine-success.html 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. Stakeholder Management Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:43:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-sell-function-feature-and-benefit-to-stakeholders.html 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. Miscellaneous Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:21:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/are-you-using-your-resources-ideally.html 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). Project Management Office Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:26:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/building-a-project-management-office.html 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? Change Management Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/creative-problem-solving-leads-to-organisational-innovation.html 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. Best Practice Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:31:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/practical-approach-to-project-management.html 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? Best Practice Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:41:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-three-ps-of-project-management.html 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. Agile Project Management Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/picking-a-project-management-methodology.html 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. IT Project Management Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:43:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-is-the-mission-of-your-project.html 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. Miscellaneous Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:56:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/your-project-does-have-a-goal.html 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? IT Project Management Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/your-software-project-has-no-goal.html 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. Role of the Project Manager Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:19:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-abcs-of-project-management-for-project-managers.html 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? Agile Project Management Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:45:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/metrics-that-matter-in-agile-projects.html 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. Miscellaneous Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:48:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-new-face-of-strategic-planning.html 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. Project Management Office Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:13:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-avoid-being-seen-as-project-management-overhead.html 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? Case Studies Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:48:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/communication-is-key-getting-everyone-in-the-loop.html 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? Best Practice Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:41:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/do-you-know-where-your-project-is.html 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. Miscellaneous Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:18:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/tips-for-avoiding-project-failure.html 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. Miscellaneous Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:50:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/6-success-factors-for-managing-project-quality.html 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. Project Portfolio Management Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:43:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/corporate-project-selection-process.html 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. Agile Project Management Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:45:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/agile-through-the-waterfall.html 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. Lifecycle & Methodology Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:59:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-corporate-advantages-of-a-project-management-process.html "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? Project Planning Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:42:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-real-project-plan.html 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. Requirements Management Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-is-user-requirements-capture.html 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. Project Management Office Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:40:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/key-steps-to-implement-a-project-management-office.html 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. Stakeholder Management Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/building-relationships-in-project-management.html 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. Miscellaneous Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:23:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-in-these-economic-times.html 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. Six Sigma Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:00:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions-on-lean-six-sigma.html 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. Agile Project Management Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/cmmi-and-agile-opposites-attract.html 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. Lessons Learned Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:12:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/tips-for-turning-lessons-learned-into-best-practices.html 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. IT Project Management Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:26:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/5-reasons-to-kill-it-projects.html 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. Project Planning Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:50:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-plans-10-essential-elements.html 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. Miscellaneous Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:41:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/tips-for-choosing-the-right-project-management-tool.html 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. Project Management Office Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:40:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-successful-project-management-office.html 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. PMBOK & PMP Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:23:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/pmbok-guide-fourth-edition-changes-chapter-by-chapter.html 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. PMBOK & PMP Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:29:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/pmbok-guide-fourth-edition-changes-an-overview.html 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. Role of the Project Manager Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:48:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-ideal-project-manager-specification.html 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. Earned Value Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:51:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-seven-deadly-myths-of-earned-value-methods-in-project-management.html 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. Best Practice Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:11:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/avoiding-project-management-pitfalls.html 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. Best Practice Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:33:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-status-reports-everyone-can-understand.html "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. Communications Management Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:04:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-importance-of-communication-in-project-management.html 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. Team Building Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:11:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/building-the-high-performance-global-workforce.html 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. Agile Project Management Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:14:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-agile-methods-mean-to-your-process-people-and-products.html 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. IT Project Management Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-managers-the-value-of-understanding-technology.html 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. PMBOK & PMP Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:36:10 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/break-your-pmp-studies-into-small-pieces.html 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. Cost Management Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:37:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/5-ways-to-finesse-budget-discussions-for-new-client-projects.html 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. Best Practice Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:21:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/ten-tips-for-running-successful-projects.html 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! Lifecycle & Methodology Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:28:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/balancing-project-management-process-with-project-delivery.html 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. Miscellaneous Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:54:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-do-raci-charting-and-analysis.html 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. IT Project Management Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/managers-programmers-and-designers.html 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. Team Building Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:41:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/10-steps-to-finding-a-project-manager.html 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. Cost Management Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/make-or-break-why-accurate-cost-estimation-is-key.html 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. SMART Goals Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:58:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-top-7-reasons-why-goals-are-not-achieved.html "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. Best Practice Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:57:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-tips-for-project-implementation.html 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? Project Portfolio Management Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:43:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-portfolio-management-managing-the-project-pipeline.html 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. IT Project Management Sat, 06 Dec 2008 11:23:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/considerations-before-soliciting-input-for-your-content-management-project.html 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. Team Building Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/discovering-future-performers-in-your-team.html 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. Role of the Project Manager Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:52:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/so-you-want-to-be-a-project-manager-getting-the-skills-you-need.html 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? Role of the Project Manager Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:52:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/so-you-want-to-be-a-project-manager.html 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. Case Studies Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:53:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/a-tale-of-two-projects.html 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. Case Studies Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:38:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-gantt-charts-can-help-avoid-disaster.html 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. Best Practice Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:22:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/writing-an-unbeatable-business-case.html 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. Agile Project Management Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:21:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/which-life-cycle-is-best-for-your-project.html 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. Communications Management Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:23:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-communications-how-to-keep-your-team-engaged-and-informed.html 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. IT Project Management Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:33:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/build-versus-buy-making-the-right-decision.html 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. Outsourcing Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:10:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/motivating-your-outsourced-offshore-team.html 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. IT Project Management Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:43:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/factors-that-influence-project-management-in-package-implementation-projects-and-bespoke-projects.html 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! Miscellaneous Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-pie-charts-mr-spock-and-the-big-picture-can-optimise-your-projects.html 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. PMBOK & PMP Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:15:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/making-a-project-plan-to-pass-the-pmp-exam.html 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. IT Project Management Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:24:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-beginning-of-the-end-defining-project-closure.html 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. Miscellaneous Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:04:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-dialogue.html 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. Communications Management Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:53:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/effective-project-communications.html 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. Team Building Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:06:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/exploiting-feedback-to-improve-bottom-line-performance.html 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. Team Building Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/use-your-whole-brain-leveraging-right-brained-thinking-in-a-left-brained-world.html 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. SMART Goals Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart-goals-reduce-ambiguity-and-increase-commitment.html 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. Communications Management Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-of-a-global-team.html 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. Risk Management Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/is-software-development-risk-costing-you-money.html 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. Scheduling Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/useful-techniques-to-fine-tune-your-project-schedule.html 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. PMBOK & PMP Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-training-for-the-pmp-satisfying-the-35-hours-requirement.html 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. Best Practice Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:10:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/execute-or-be-executed-avoiding-the-project-management-guillotine.html 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?" IT Project Management Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:52:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/pmp-and-itil-framework-methodologies-with-valuable-synergy.html 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. Outsourcing Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:42:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/cmmi-does-your-supplier-make-the-grade.html 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. Risk Management Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:52:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/ranking-risks-rare-to-certain-negligible-to-catastrophic.html 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. Cost Management Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:32:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/3-main-benefits-of-project-baselining.html 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. Microsoft Project Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:34:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/get-in-the-drivers-seat-with-microsoft-project.html 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. Project Management Office Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:12:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-phased-approach-to-project-management-implementation.html 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. Training Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:16:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/12-competencies-which-ones-should-your-people-have.html 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. Work Breakdown Structure Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:15:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/gantt-charts-pert-charts-what-use-are-they.html 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. Role of the Project Manager Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:45:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-seven-deadly-sins-of-leadership.html 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. Role of the Project Manager Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:48:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/10-rules-of-highly-successful-project-management.html 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. Scope Management Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:50:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/dealing-with-scope-creep-in-software-development-projects.html 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. Outsourcing Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:32:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/is-offshore-outsourcing-working-for-you.html 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. IT Project Management Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:16:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/9-steps-to-a-hassle-free-and-effective-software-development-project.html 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. Programme Management Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:53:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-fit-is-your-programme.html 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. Change Management Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:54:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/strategies-for-managing-change-the-project-manager.html 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. Risk Management Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:48:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/10-golden-rules-of-project-risk-management.html 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. Project Portfolio Management Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:58:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/distinguishing-portfolio-management-programme-management-and-project-management.html 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. PMBOK & PMP Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:33:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/in-defence-of-the-project-management-perfect-world.html 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. Role of the Project Manager Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/leadership-for-programme-and-project-managers.html 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. Requirements Management Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:54:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/reduce-project-risk-in-the-requirements-process.html 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. SMART Goals Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:55:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/use-smart-objectives-to-focus-goals-plans-and-performance.html 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? PMBOK & PMP Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:19:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/pmi-pdu-secrets.html 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. PMBOK & PMP Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:57:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/pmbok-4-this-time-its-iterative.html 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." Team Building Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:56:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-human-side-of-project-management.html 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. IT Project Management Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:44:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-problem-with-it-project-management.html 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. Change Management Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/understanding-change-in-a-quality-culture.html 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." Role of the Project Manager Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:11:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-hardest-word-in-the-project-management-vocabulary.html 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. Agile Project Management Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:02:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/can-we-combine-agile-and-waterfall-development-strategies.html 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. Best Practice Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:01:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-3-ps-of-ppproject-management.html 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. Case Studies Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:19:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/nasa-project-management-challenge-2008.html 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. Project Portfolio Management Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:47:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-pm-paradox.html 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? Miscellaneous Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:57:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/8-top-places-for-project-managers-to-network.html 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. Role of the Project Manager Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:45:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/successful-projects-are-led-not-managed.html 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. Programme Management Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:41:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-businesses-should-use-msp-programme-management.html 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. Team Building Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:04:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-project-managers-should-coach.html 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. Agile Project Management Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:54:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-blending-of-traditional-and-agile-project-management.html 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. Role of the Project Manager Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:40:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-10-qualities-of-an-excellent-manager.html 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. Project Portfolio Management Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:17:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/building-the-project-firing-squad.html 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. Best Practice Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-report-status-on-a-project.html 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. Best Practice Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:43:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-deliver-project-status.html 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. Project Management Office Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:52:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-pmos-fail.html 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. Outsourcing Sat, 31 May 2008 09:21:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-outsourcing-fails-even-with-good-project-management.html 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. Best Practice Fri, 30 May 2008 20:18:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/21-project-management-success-tips.html 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. PRINCE2 Wed, 21 May 2008 22:00:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/procedural-worksheet-on-prince2-project-management.html 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! Communications Management Tue, 20 May 2008 08:50:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-starts-with-a-capital-c.html 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. Rescue & Recovery Mon, 19 May 2008 15:41:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/keys-to-rescuing-ailing-projects.html 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. Lifecycle & Methodology Mon, 19 May 2008 10:22:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/simplified-project-management-process.html 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. Miscellaneous Sat, 10 May 2008 17:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/six-time-management-tips-for-project-managers.html 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? PMBOK and PMP Thu, 08 May 2008 22:27:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-models-certifications-and-the-pyramids.html 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. Six Sigma Fri, 02 May 2008 19:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-and-how-to-add-more-value-to-six-sigma-project-charters.html 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. Role of the Project Manager Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:10:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-five-project-management-traits-to-master.html 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. Scheduling Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:33:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-scheduling-and-resource-levelling.html 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. Best Practice Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:14:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/make-those-project-meetings-more-effective.html The activity network diagram is a method of displaying the timelines of all the various sub-tasks that are involved in any project. By doing this, the total task duration and the earliest and latest start and finish times for each task are also calculated and displayed. In addition to showing which sub-tasks are critical to on-time task completion, the activity network diagram can help determine where extra effort to speed a sub-task will have the greatest payoff to overall speed. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/critical-path-mapping.html As the director of the project management discipline for a leading Interactive Agency, I interview quite a few people. A standard question I ask during a typical first interview is "What do you feel is the secret to project management, in other words, what separates good project managers from great project managers?" It is a pretty open-ended question and there is no right answer, but it is a great question to gain greater insight into the depth of the candidate. The most common answer I get is "communication, making sure everyone knows what is going on." While this is not incorrect, I think there is a much deeper and truth-seeking answer beyond this stock response. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-is-the-secret-to-project-management.html Ironically, although resourcing production team members is a significant part of a project manager's role, very little focus is placed on resourcing the project managers themselves. Because of this, I've encountered many project managers that are overwhelmed, worn out, and in many ways, ineffective. Over time, I've developed some generic strategies to help directors allocate an appropriate amount of work to project managers. In this article, I'll discuss some simple ideas to help get started. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/resourcing-project-managers.html Nowadays, the bottom-up approach to management is becoming more and more popular. More and more, organisations are abandoning the top-down management style. Among them are the New York Times, Tribune Co., Ernst & Young and many others. Even the world biggest corporations, such as Toyota and IBM, are trying to implement bottom-up management style elements in some of their departments. However, managers are still arguing over which approach is more beneficial for organisations. To understand the reason for the ongoing changes in management processes, we need to compare the two management styles. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/get-maximum-benefits-of-merging-top-down-and-bottom-up-project-management.html So, you are organised, have identified the stakeholders as well as project risks (and you are actively managing both), you have planned the project and you are all ready to deliver. But, have you developed a monitoring and control process for your project - an essential part of project management and work generally? http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/having-a-robust-governance-process.html Leaders of all industries know the importance of setting achievable and effective goals for themselves. These goals are termed SMART goals. Goals are one of the most underutilised yet important tools that businesses have. Once the main outline of your project has been set, your attention needs to be turned towards developing certain goals that can help make your project a success. The SMART goals checklist can be used to evaluate the set of goals to be used. This process can help the employees as well as the employers share a certain understanding of how the goals have been set and how they are to be achieved. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart-goals-and-business-coaching.html Is it really true that on time, on budget, and fulfilling all requirements means project success? Whose requirements are we really trying to meet anyway? And who decides if the original due date can be changed when the scope grows? In this article we'll address the people swirling around your project, stakeholders. You'll find some useful tips and other resources for optimising stakeholder involvement in your project. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-stakeholder-risk-management.html Good project management is a fundamental element of the successful implementation of any project, and the PRINCE2 project management method provides an excellent framework for delivering a project. PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is process-based, providing tailoring and scalable changes towards effective management of projects, and the project plans are focused on delivering results. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/prince2-and-the-project-management-board.html Running training events is often a dumping ground for people's frustrations. I guess we have all done it thinking this guru will help us solve all our problems. However, some of our problems are deeply ingrained and take a lot of shifting. One such problem is the role that senior managers play or should play in projects. The terminology does get in the way however, we believe that all projects need a sponsor, someone who gives executive support to the project manager and project. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/senior-managers-need-to-play-their-project-roles-more-effectively.html Commercial buyers of information technology products and services are locked into a self-defeating pattern of behaviour when it comes to negotiating contract terms and conditions with technology vendors, and it is time to move on to a better approach. Better technology vendor negotiations produce better contracts for a technology project, and better contracts produce better project outcomes. So, break the mould and move on to a better way of negotiating contract terms and conditions for your next technology project. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/technology-vendor-contracting-breaking-the-mould.html Most companies in the innovation game can proudly point to their winners, those new products/services that launched successfully and exceeded expectations for revenue/profit/market share. However, those same companies often express frustration or dissatisfaction with their overall return on innovation investment. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/successful-innovation-how-to-manage-product-misses-to-maximise-hits.html Earned Value (EV) is a management tool for tracking and communicating a project's status. Earned Value Management (EVM) will let you know the actual state of the project by comparing your current project performance against your plan. Knowing the project's performance will let you take actions needed to ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget. Like any tool, in order for EVM to be successful, it very important that it is used correctly. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-secrets-to-earned-value-management-success.html Let's assume for a moment that the great quest in The Lord of the Rings was a project. Now that's not as odd as it might sound. Just think of the criteria. They had a clear goal and purpose. They had a team of people with defined (if unspoken) roles. All of the team needed to work together to achieve the goal. There was a definite time constraint in terms of when the goal needed to be achieved. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/if-the-lord-of-the-rings-was-a-project.html There you are, project manager of a brand new project, you have done your project planning and have started implementation. Now you are thinking about what you can tell your PMI colleagues at the next chapter meeting, creating a wondrous spreadsheet to avoid project failure and revolutionise project control, and learning how to use a new whiz-bang software package you have just bought, when BAM - you are in trouble. A project wreck and you never saw it coming! http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-avoid-project-failure-through-project-planning-and-effective-project-recovery.html Project Management has developed in order to plan, co-ordinate and control the complex and diverse activities of modern industrial and commercial projects. All projects share one common characteristic - the projection of ideas and activities into new endeavours. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/purpose-of-project-management-and-setting-objectives.html As we all know, the project manager in organisations traditionally has the burden of compiling plans and information for the team's work. The information is then kept in disconnected files, no matter if it is a Microsoft Word file or a Microsoft Project file. The manager is struggling to bring the project plan to life as all the information on the project is concentrated only around a single person - himself. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/collective-intelligence-builds-new-approach-to-project-management.html A vast majority of professionals think they have a problem these days, project management. Problem is, that's not the problem. Well, it is, but not the way they usually think it is. Let me be a little more vague. I am often asked by line managers and training people if I have a good project management seminar for their people. My first response is, "What exactly do you mean by project management?" http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-project-management-problem.html The scientific tools and techniques no doubt contribute a lot towards the success of Six Sigma improvement projects, but they just cannot be taken as the sole factors responsible for Six Sigma's effectiveness because they only compliment the inherent logic underlining Six Sigma and as such are no more than a means to an end. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-is-six-sigma-so-effective.html Accurate time estimation is a skill essential for good project management. Often people underestimate the amount of time needed to implement projects. This is true particularly when the project manager is not familiar with the task to be carried out. This article covers the basics to think of when planning projects. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-time-estimates-and-planning.html Formalised project management frameworks such as those codified in PMBOK provide practitioners with a range of tools and techniques that can be applied in a variety of projects. However, such frameworks and methodologies typically do not offer advice on which tools and techniques are appropriate for particular situations or contexts. This begs the question: are project management practices generic? http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/are-project-management-practices-generic.html It's said there are no new pr