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, 09 May 2012 19:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/img/logo.gif http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/articles.html There's been nothing pretty about the economic recession. The business landscape has changed, established companies have disappeared and industries everywhere have been operating in safety mode, trying to avoid risks that would leave them vulnerable. Once known as retail giants, Blockbuster and Borders proved that you have to constantly innovate and be at the forefront of market trends to survive. Miscellaneous Wed, 09 May 2012 19:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/taking-advantage-of-the-economic-recovery-with-project-management.html In the midst of recession support departments are one of the first casualties of the CFO's cost rationalisation drive. During this mayhem, PMOs struggle to evade the cost cutting knife and are forced to cut back resources and scale down services. The purpose of this article is to outline how PMOs can be successfully transformed into profit centres during hard economic times. Project Management Office Mon, 07 May 2012 14:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/pmos-makeover-from-a-cost-centre-to-a-profit-centre.html The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical decomposition of the project objectives into deliverable-oriented tasks that are executed by the project team to accomplish the overall project goals. The WBS forms the backbone of all the project planning activities. The WBS divides the scope of the project work into smaller, manageable work packages for maintaining better control of the project activities. As you move from the higher levels of the WBS to the lower levels, the definition of the project works gets more detailed with the upper levels representing the major phases of the project. It is imperative to remember that the WBS represents 100% of all the work defined in the project scope. Anything that is not included in the WBS is considered out of scope for the project. Work Breakdown Structure Sun, 06 May 2012 17:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/creating-a-work-breakdown-structure-with-microsoft-project.html As any seasoned project manager knows, projects can be technical and challenging and even the most organised of project managers will run into some problems along the way. Adding to the complexity of project demands is the fact that many organisations are facing increasingly difficult market or trading conditions, so now more than ever the requirement for planning and control around management of projects is critical. A re-occurring theme that project managers face is the management of their projects' performance and any project's performance can be diminished due to cost overruns and time delays. Earned Value Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:37:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/using-earned-value-management-as-a-early-warning-sign-in-project-management.html The Work Breakdown Structure is an essential tool to set the project scope. It forms the agreement between you and your client on what is included and what is not included in your end deliverable. However, to be effective, it must be simple and, more importantly, must not be confused with the project schedule that serves a different purpose in your project management plan. Work Breakdown Structure Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:36:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/work-breakdown-structure-made-easy.html Quick, tell me about your employees: What are they doing? How long do they spend doing it? What should their top priorities be? Now tell me about your projects: Are they on time? Within budget? How many projects were profitable this year, last year, over the last five years? Perhaps you think these questions are unreasonable and maybe they are. But we live in an unreasonable world where every advantage should be realised. Because the truth is, while you may not be able to answer these questions easily, a large majority of your competitors can. Guess who holds the cards when it comes to executing complex, buzz-worthy projects? Team Building Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:07:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/crash-course-five-ways-to-optimise-your-projects-and-resources-asap.html In the IT Support domain, Helpdesks frequently have to make preparations to provide support for a new tool, application, technology or product that is being rolled out to their end-users. Although these types of projects are typically small and non-complex, all Helpdesk projects require proper planning and need to follow a project framework, in order to maintain customer satisfaction and to ensure that any changes in the supported environment do not negatively impact on the service that the Helpdesk is providing. After all, one of the key aims of a Helpdesk in its day to day operations has to be ensuring customer satisfaction by consistently providing the service that is expected. This can be at risk when support for a new technology, tool, application or product is introduced and the customer becomes unhappy with the service. Project Planning Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:28:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/planning-projects-in-the-it-helpdesk-environment.html Companies spend a lot of time and effort establishing PMOs and devising project methodologies that enable them to deliver their strategic initiatives. Often, such initiatives span the length and breadth of the organisation, are complex in nature and are extremely cross-functional in their implementation. It is common for such projects to run across three domains namely: Commercial, Technology and Support. This poses a great challenge for executives in appointing the right type of project manager to take the helm of responsibility and delivery. This naturally leads to a typical discussion about how such projects should be organised. Project Management Office Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:00:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/e2e-project-managers-are-the-key-to-ensuring-the-delivery-of-strategic-projects.html Most project managers would kill for extra resources. Many projects start with an optimistic budget and little or no contingency, so when the plan starts to flounder (as they frequently do) a bit more time, a few more people and some more money would always be welcome. But would these extra resources really save a project that was doomed from the start, or that was being run inefficiently without the proper structure and controls? Best Practice Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:27:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-throwing-resources-at-a-project-wont-save-it.html It is common for the term 'micromanagement' to be associated with managers aggressively intervening to conduct actions on behalf of their subordinates. The subordinates notice a loss of control and autonomy over their ability to execute actions. The experience can be debilitating for many and some may even feel demoralised, vulnerable and bullied. However, there is another dimension to micromanagement, which is rarely discussed or acknowledged. Miscellaneous Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/is-your-project-manager-colonising-your-mind.html The language found in any literature dealing with risk management can bewilder anyone not familiar with the jargon. Acronyms that mean different things to different groups, terms that have one definition in the dictionary and another in the risk management glossary are some of the sources of confusion. This article attempts to help de-mystify risk management for the project managers. Risk Management Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:46:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-word-on-risk.html Having worked in the (Middle East-North Africa) MENA region for a number of years, it is quite disheartening to encounter PMOs that suffer from acute identity crisis and are locked in endless battles with other departments to prove their worth. What is interesting to discover however, is the usual culprit behind PMO failures, the lack of executive support, is not the primary cause. Project Management Office Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:45:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/management-consultants-and-pmo-failures.html Kimberly Wiefling's story of her journey from "too tried to care" to a better balance in life by adopting five common sense practices that have helped her regain her perspective, reduce stress, and optimise the results she gets from time invested in her work. Make some changes for the better before you're carried out on a stretcher! Case Studies Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:18:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/too-tired-to-care-regain-your-perspective-with-5-proven-practices.html One of the many skills required of a project manager is the ability to ask searching questions and persevere until a clear answer is obtained. Many of the pitfalls in projects could be avoided if questions were articulated fully and if the answers were given clearly and in detail. Role of the Project Manager Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:00:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/20-questions-all-project-managers-should-ask.html A project manager's prime task is managing a project to success. The products of the project need to be picked up by the line organisation, and if this involves change in the organisation or ways of working, the changes must be made to 'stick'. By ensuring that the responsibilities for project management and business change are well assigned in a project there is an increased chance of success. Case Studies Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:39:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/who-is-the-project-manager.html With cost and efficiency dominating the corporate agenda in today's constrained operating environment, the ability to compare and contrast planned versus actual time and costs provides professional services firms with greater visibility and tighter control of performance in billable markets where time is money. Best Practice Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:27:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-accurate-is-your-actual-vs-planned-time-and-costs.html Made any New Year's resolutions yet? You might be considering career goals such as finding a new or better job, getting a promotion or making your job more enjoyable. It's common knowledge that most people don't keep New Year's resolutions. Less than half will have successfully maintained their goals after six months, according to research by psychology professor John C. Norcross of the University of Scranton. But consider this: The research found resolvers are 10 times more successful in achieving their goals than those who don't make resolutions. SMART Goals Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/resolve-to-make-smart-career-goals.html All projects are carried out under constraints - traditionally cost, time and scope. These three important factors, commonly called the triple constraint, are often represented as a triangle. More recently the triangle has given way to a project management diamond, with cost, time, scope and quality the four vertices with customer expectations as a central theme. Role of the Project Manager Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/understanding-the-project-management-triple-constraint.html There are many factors that contribute to the final outcome of a project, whether it is large or small, simple or complex. But just a few of these factors will determine the ultimate success of your project. These factors can be broadly broken down into 5 areas; strategic planning, developing the product, marketing, support and people. Best Practice Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:40:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/5-key-components-of-a-project-you-need-to-get-right.html With the New Year barely two weeks away, I thought it would be a good-time to look at the top 5 items project managers should have on their wish-list for 2012. Miscellaneous Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:40:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-project-managers-new-year-wish-list.html At crucial moments, well-timed executive decisions to steer projects and programmes are often in short supply. Subsequently, issues are left unresolved, key milestones are missed and the overall project delivery is delayed. Whilst it may appear that executive indecision is the main culprit behind the delay, it's not the primary cause. The root cause lies in how executive leadership is exercised in project steering committees. Best Practice Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:17:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/executive-initiatives-require-a-project-president.html We've all been there. We've all exhaled loudly when finished - the proverbial 'monkey' is off your back! Maybe you have even given a silent 'high-five' as the project has finally gone live when it looked like you were going to miss the deadline? But have these reactions only manifest because you have managed to snatch project victory from the jaws of defeat? Would your behaviour be the same if the project was run smoothly? I doubt it. Best Practice Sun, 11 Dec 2011 16:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-tips-for-effective-project-management.html More and more organisations are adopting agile delivery methodologies in answer to demands from customers to deliver change faster and at a lower cost. However, there is much scepticism within the agile community as to whether organisations are achieving the benefits they desire. Mark Flynn of Baringa Partners argues that to achieve agile success, organisations first need to understand the core objectives of being 'agile', and then establish whether it's the right approach for them. Agile Project Management Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/agile-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly.html The Project Management Office (PMO) is an office with the capacity to institute a wide variety of positive changes within a company. Indeed, many organisations understand the co-dependence between the executive and PMO, and act to establish PMOs for just this reason. Unfortunately, it is often one of the most incorrectly managed and underutilised portions of an organisation. Findings presented at the 2010 Gartner ITxpo indicate that nearly half of all PMOs result in failure. The question, then, is why do such a drastic number of businesses feel that their PMOs do not deliver value? Project Management Office Sat, 19 Nov 2011 13:36:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/key-performance-indicators-for-the-pmo-metrics-for-success.html "It takes two to tango." This idiomatic expression, which originated in a 1952 song by Pearl Bailey and was later popularised in 1982 when President Ronald Reagan quipped about Russian-American relations, is an accurate description of the relationship between a project management office (PMO) and an executive. At the end of the day, success for either of them is dependent on the other. Executives depend on the work accomplished by project management offices for their own success, just as project management offices depend on executives for their success. Project Management Office Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:33:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/tangoing-your-way-through-the-executive-pmo-relationship.html The Irish novelist Colm Tóibín wrote that 'the future is a foreign country: they do things differently there' (2010: 84). Development interventions are that foreign country. Ramalingam et al. (2008), describe development plans, strategies and goal setting as 'attempts to picture how things work in that country and provide an illusion of control'. The reality, however, is that development is not a straight input-output-outcome-impact motorway, but a road with curves and crossings in a changing landscape. Lifecycle & Methodology Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:04:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-rapid-outcome-mapping-approach-and-project-management-for-policy-change.html Marvey Mills' practical lessons and easily repeatable techniques on how to use Microsoft Project to achieve what is needed as a project manager, whilst avoiding the pitfalls and elephant traps that the application sets for the unwary user. The guide starts with what to do as soon as you have created a new project and ends with tracking progress against that plan. Microsoft Project Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:26:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/practical-project-management-and-tracking-using-microsoft-project.html Every year there is a mad scramble by most companies to secure budgets internally for projects they intend to do for the following financial year. Typically, companies are flooded with requests from various departments to deliver capabilities and benefits through a variety of projects and programmes. However, companies are acutely aware that there has to be a balance between the long wish list of things to do, and the organisation's actual ability to deliver them. Usually this leads to a onerous quest to estimate the number of projects and programmes that can be delivered in a single year. In the absence of a workable corporate planning process (one that provides a prioritisation framework to validate whether the right projects should be done or not) this becomes a daunting exercise for executives and their senior management teams. The purpose of this article is outline a number of techniques which on their own or collectively can assist companies to overcome this dilemma. Project Portfolio Management Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:55:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-determine-the-number-of-projects-to-deliver-in-a-given-year.html IT-led business change programmes and projects continue to fail, yet many of the common pitfalls could easily be avoided by undertaking a 'health check' regularly and acting early on the intelligence it provides. Peter Osborne, managing director at Loc Consulting examines the early warning signs a health check can reveal and how organisations should respond to the identified issues to achieve a successful outcome. Best Practice Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:10:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/giving-projects-a-clean-bill-of-health.html The face of product and portfolio management has changed enormously over the last 25 years and the tools that are now available enable product managers to work more quickly and efficiently than ever before. Speaking at the recent Pipeline 2011, the online product development conference, Louise Allen and Carrie Nauyalis of Planview discussed what they see as the latest five 'game changers' in product management and why each one is critical in bringing a project or product to market. Project Portfolio Management Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:40:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/trends-in-product-and--portfolio-management-the-latest-five-game-changers.html Do you have someone at work who consistently triggers you? Doesn't listen? Takes credit for work you've done? Wastes your time with trivial issues? Acts like a know-it-all? Can only talk about himself? Constantly criticizes? Our core emotional need is to feel valued and valuable. When we don't, it's deeply unsettling, a challenge to our sense of equilibrium, security, and well-being. At the most primal level, it can feel like a threat to our very survival. Miscellaneous Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:37:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-secret-to-dealing-with-difficult-people.html Change control is an important part of the project management process. With the pace of change today, it is almost certain that projects will face the demand for change during their life. While change may help ensure projects are aligned with business needs, it important that each change is carefully considered and approved. Change Management Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-is-change-control.html Changes requested once a project is underway are an inevitable part of any project. They can either be the result of external changes in the business or they can be internal changes requested because the original aims of the project were not clearly defined or understood. Change requests resulting from external factors are usually beyond the control of a project manager and there is usually little choice but to deal with them. Change Management Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:51:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/controlling-change-requests-in-projects.html Successful hiring is one of the key factors to operational success for large and small businesses alike. Executives should approach the hiring process as a means to both improve their existing workforce and to secure a candidate who will add long-term value to the organisation. If approached merely as a step toward replacing a lost asset, the hiring process will squander considerable resources and forfeit significant opportunity value from a potential personnel improvement. The mission is obvious, yet, according to business owners, finding the right employees can be an elusive aspiration in a drawn-out process. Team Building Sun, 02 Oct 2011 15:21:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/hiring-for-a-competitive-advantage.html When a wedding invitation comes in the mail, my gut instinct is to leave it in the mailbox and have the mailman take it away to someone else who might actually want to attend. This is my thought for about two seconds, before logic sets in and I realise that wedding guests are not so replaceable, that I must reply to this RSVP either way, and that I better have a pretty good reason if I plan to reply with "not attending." Miscellaneous Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:39:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/planning-for-the-big-day.html Susanne Madsen's own story of her journey from stressed and overworked project manager, to discovery of smarter working practices and a more fulfilling working life. "When you realise that you have the power to change your beliefs and remove a limiting factor that has been constraining you, you have an 'aha!' moment. You feel relieved and empowered." Case Studies Sat, 10 Sep 2011 14:24:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/my-story-working-smarter-not-harder.html Plenty of information is available about the best ways for a project manager to manage risk within a complex project. Much is written about how to communicate risks to stakeholders and how to mitigate and avoid risks. But what are the best ways of identifying those risks in the first place? Risk Management Sat, 10 Sep 2011 10:59:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-risks-and-how-to-identify-them.html Everything learned from previous projects, whether they were successes or failures can teach a project manager important lessons. And individual project managers usually do learn from their own previous experiences, but are these "lessons learned" shared with others within the project team or within the same organisation? If they are shared, do other project managers apply the lessons to their own projects? Lessons Learned Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:31:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-lessons-learned-can-improve-project-processes.html A serious condition is spreading like fireweed across corporate America. The symptoms include glazed-over eyes, droopy shoulders, cramped hands, aversion to natural lighting and a permanent butt print in your office chair. This condition is called Corporate Zombie Syndrome. It can strike when one spends far more time looking at a computer than not, or hasn't talked to a real coworker, except through WebEx meetings, in months. But don't worry, there is a simple cure that can alleviate these symptoms and get you out of your Corporate Zombie state. That cure is to Get Out There! Miscellaneous Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:20:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/get-out-there.html The potential benefits of a project management office (PMO) are numerous and well-documented. However, many of the benefits never materialise. Take a look at PMOs over the years and you will see that many have restructured, dissolved, or constantly had to justify their existence during both economic downturns as well as high-growth periods. This is evidence enough that PMOs are not yielding demonstrable positive financial results. This churn often causes years of frustration for both the PMOs and the projects and departments they serve. Changing the way in which the PMO is chartered, works, and is perceived within an organisation can ensure that it offers plentiful advantages for the entire organisation. Project Management Office Sat, 20 Aug 2011 11:13:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/unlocking-pmo-profitability.html The miners who paid attention to warning signs were able to get out of the mine before it was too late. In project management, missing deadlines or exceeding budgets is evidence that a project is probably in trouble. Here are four warning signs. Rescue & Recovery Sun, 14 Aug 2011 14:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/four-early-warning-signs-of-a-project-in-trouble.html It takes more than ingredients to create a meal, and it takes more than resources to manage a project. You need to have standards (cooking temperature), documentation (recipes), guidance (cooking shows), economies of repetition (making meals every day), and metrics (your taste testers). Your kitchen is the Project Management Office (PMO) of your meals, ensuring that ingredients are put together in a way that consistently and efficiently produces edible (if not delicious) results. Project Management Office Sat, 06 Aug 2011 09:22:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/cheetah-your-pmo.html What usually makes someone a "good" project manager is their experience, the fact that they have made mistakes and learnt from them in a real project environment and that they have achieved success in a real project environment. Experience on a range of projects and, most particularly, on complex projects can never be underestimated. But neither can the right sort of academic qualifications and relevant training. A project manager with the right credentials, such as one with a PMP Certification, is not necessarily better at leading and directing projects, but the qualification itself is an indication of how serious that person is to be recognised as a professional. That in itself is an indication of drive and determination to succeed which are qualities that are far more likely to contribute to a successful project as well as to a successful career. Training Wed, 03 Aug 2011 19:10:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/is-project-management-certification-worth-it.html The mnemonic READY is useful when creating a project proposal. It provides a useful memory aid to help ensure your proposal is relevant, engaging, authoritative, directional and yield optimised. This article describes how to write a compelling and well thought out proposal that will be hard to ignore. Project Documentation Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:33:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/is-your-project-proposal-ready.html A project that is out of control, either in respect of the budget or the schedule, will not get back on track without some serious effort and commitment on the part of the individuals involved in the project and the organisation carrying out the project. Fortunately there are three simple ways to help the project manager regain control over a project and rescue it from failure. Rescue & Recovery Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-regain-control-of-your-project.html Very few project plans are simple and straightforward because there are often so many contributing factors to take into account. What exactly are all the tasks that will be required and how long will each task take? Are there dependencies between tasks? Some tasks or activities may require specialist skills or training and sub-contractors may need to be hired for certain aspects of the project. The initial brief may not be very detailed or, even if the requirements are fully documented, problems or omissions may still be revealed at the planning stage. There may also be an unrealistic fixed deadline to contend with. Project Planning Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-planning-essentials.html SWOT is an acronym of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats and as these titles suggest it is not purely a method used for controlling areas of planning and risk, but it is also used to highlight areas of the project that could be maximised to the benefit of the whole project or individual areas where some competitive advantage may be gained. It is used to evaluate particular activities of the project in order to optimise their potential as well as to evaluate risks in order to determine the most appropriate way of mitigating those risks. Miscellaneous Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/swot-analysis-in-project-management.html Over the years, various management gurus have come up with pearls of wisdom in the form of quotations. These represent the compressed wisdom of countless years experience that when given some thought, have a lot to teach us. Here are 10 such quotations that when heeded help to make us better project managers. Miscellaneous Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/10-quotes-that-make-you-a-better-project-manager.html The surgeon could learn a few things from project managers about how to create a sound work management (surgery management) methodology. Project managers could also learn from this study. "We caught basic mistakes and some of the stupid stuff," Gawande reports. "We also found that good teamwork required certain things that we missed very frequently." Case Studies Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:13:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-a-heart-surgeon-could-learn-from-a-project-manager.html Why are certain stories so riveting, while others are just so-so? In your profession as a Project Manager, make sure that you are using good story techniques to advance in your occupation by showing others your story, not just telling. The act of showing, rather than telling, is very powerful. Become a captivating author of your career by following these essential tips. Role of the Project Manager Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:54:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/dont-just-tell-them-show-them.html Many complex, long-term projects fail to live up to their promises and produce disappointing outcomes on completion. Some of these are well-known for exceeding their budgets or deadlines or both. Take London's 2012 Olympics Project whose budget of over £9bn is triple the original estimate and whose contingency fund of nearly £3bn was almost entirely earmarked for certain tasks by as early as the first quarter of 2010, over 2 years before the deadline. Miscellaneous Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:17:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/15-causes-of-project-failure.html It's a major concern that some people believe there is a perfect time management software out there that will fix all their scheduling woes. This challenge can't be surmounted with technology alone, there are aspects of habit at play here, not to mention the inherently unpredictable nature of software development. Scheduling Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/time-management-in-a-multi-project-environment.html Project CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) estimating is a difficult exercise for non-standard projects, because of the variety of situations and the number of external factors that can influence project success. For that reason cost overruns and project delays are a concern in many industries, including Energy and Utilities, Transportation and IT. Cost Management Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:29:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-capex-accurate-estimates.html Have you ever heard of time boxing? Time Boxing is setting aside a fixed time period to work on a particular task or group of tasks. Basically, instead of working on a task until it's done, you commit to work on it for a specific amount of time. Miscellaneous Tue, 31 May 2011 19:44:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/time-boxing-strategies-to-help-you-get-things-done-in-your-project.html Projects don't just happen they need planning. Involve the whole project team in developing the plan, not just the project manager. This ensures team members experience is considered and each person is fully committed to, and has ownership of the plan. Work Breakdown Structure Mon, 30 May 2011 20:06:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/planning-a-project-using-a-work-breakdown-structure-and-logic-network.html A project manager is the person who has the overall responsibility for the successful planning and execution of a project. He or she must have a combination of skills including an ability to ask penetrating questions, detect unstated assumptions and resolve conflicts, as well as more general management skills. Role of the Project Manager Mon, 30 May 2011 10:13:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-role-of-the-project-manager.html I think I can. First, let me give you the context of the company in which this particular Project Management Office was operating. It was a mid-sized software development company that was broken down into four separate channels of business. All projects were run through the PMO. Resources from each department reported to the Functional Managers directly and the PMO worked closely with the Functional Managers. Project Management Office Sat, 28 May 2011 18:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/can-you-describe-the-perfect-pmo-meeting.html Successful delegation is crucial to successful project management. Many people involved as leaders in project management are, however, afraid of delegation. They fear that if they delegate, the work won't be done properly. Deadlines won't be met. They cannot trust collaboration and teamwork to others; they have to do most things themselves and directly oversee the rest. This article lays out the nine most important keys to ensuring a successful project by delegating responsibility among the project team. Role of the Project Manager Thu, 26 May 2011 18:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/nine-keys-to-successful-delegation-in-project-management.html Sometimes you have to be completely silent in order to hear it. Turn off the news reporting the disaster of the moment, quiet your mind from the everyday worries and problems, tune out the negative comments of coworkers and friends, and just...listen. Do you hear the soft knocking? Open up, opportunity has something to show you. Miscellaneous Fri, 20 May 2011 11:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/can-you-hear-the-knock-of-opportunity.html For project managers, the support of their team is critical for completing projects successfully. Yet, a team's respect cannot simply be assigned like a task. Acquiring and executing project authority with the support of a full project team demands careful and skilled execution. Team Building Sat, 07 May 2011 09:01:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/authority-earned-not-given.html The mnemonics SMART and SMARTER are useful when setting project goals and objectives. They provide a way of ensuring everyone understands them, they are trackable, relevant, there are enough resources to achieve them and a firm deadline is set. Try these seven steps to help you set SMARTER goals for your projects. SMART Goals Wed, 04 May 2011 19:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/setting-smarter-goals-in-7-easy-steps.html We understand the value of being onsite with a client for projects that may be in trouble. While effective, this introduces an interesting dynamic as it relates to working with the Client's Project Manager. It can be likened to playing a chess game where you have to think many moves ahead in order to make it to the end of the game. Rescue & Recovery Sun, 24 Apr 2011 13:24:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/have-you-ever-played-chess-with-your-clients-project-manager.html How many times do we come out of a meeting, whether one to one or in a group, and have confidence that we have accurately received the message that the sender was trying to convey or, from the senders point of view, that the recipients have taken away the intended message? What are the factors that create this disparity between what the sender of the message is relaying against what is delivered to the receiver and why can the message received be different from one person to the next? Communications Management Sat, 23 Apr 2011 10:02:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-arc-of-distortion.html Are you proactive or reactive in your work and personal life? Think about your career. Do you jump on tasks as they pop up, putting out fires as you go? Now consider your weekend. Do you wait until plans come to you, or do you make plans to ensure that you are having the kind of free time that you want with family and friends? Miscellaneous Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:09:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/de-stress-for-success.html Many project managers put together some form of implementation or cutover plan yet fail to carry out the necessary rigorous analysis to determine whether they should proceed. This article focuses on this analysis, what is termed the 'go-live decision'. Best Practice Sat, 09 Apr 2011 11:57:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-project-go-no-go-checklist.html As an "accidental" project manager, I used to think the challenges I faced and the mistakes I made were the result of my background (or lack of same). I have come to the conclusion that regardless of your level of project management training, there are some pretty common mistakes made by a lot of project managers. It doesn't really matter whether you espouse Waterfall or Agile, if you make these mistakes, your project will likely fail. IT Project Management Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:50:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/six-common-mistakes-that-plague-it-projects.html A project plan provides a roadmap for detailing how your project will reach its desired goals. It should be written in the project planning phase, once the project has been initiated and received preliminary approval and funding to be scoped out further. It normally follows the business case, and should primarily focus on how the project will proceed rather than why. Project Planning Sun, 03 Apr 2011 17:26:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-project-plan-how-to-write-a-successful-project-plan.html Whenever I speak with someone about project management and social media I tend to get one of two reactions. They either see the value right away or they don't get it at all-dismissing the socialisation of project management out of hand. Most of the angst about using social networking within the project management process comes from a lack of understanding. Miscellaneous Sat, 02 Apr 2011 18:19:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/dont-be-an-anti-social-project-manager.html We know the expression "Don't Kill the Messenger" indicates that the person delivering the bad news is not the same person responsible for causing the bad news. In our day-to-day activity as Project Managers we find that the recipient of bad news (managers, project stakeholders, and customers) sometime forgets this and react inappropriately. Role of the Project Manager Sat, 02 Apr 2011 17:18:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-do-you-deliver-bad-news-about-your-project.html I work with many companies aiming to become customer-centric organisations. These efforts are never easy, and they always require a multi-year journey. In order for an organisation to sustain a change agenda over that span of time, the senior management team needs to actively lead the effort. What does that mean for those leaders? Change Management Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:47:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/three-characteristics-of-transformational-leaders.html When teams come together, conflict is almost inevitable. Not all conflict is unhealthy though. Conflict has the potential of bringing out the best from individuals and teams and building rapport when it is directed towards the goal at hand. Only when it starts damaging the team spirit and jeopardising the common goals that it becomes a cause for concern. Therefore conflict needs to be properly identified, analysed and managed. Team Building Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:48:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/managing-team-conflict.html Imagine you are sitting in your car, wondering, what shall I do for dinner? Shall I pick up Chinese food to go? Meet my friend Sally for dinner, or go home and cook dinner myself while watching American Idol? All of a sudden you are sitting there, frozen in time, unable to make a decision about what to do for dinner. And this is one of the easier choices in life. Don't be upset. Indecision can happen to anyone, and often occurs when you least expect it. Role of the Project Manager Wed, 16 Mar 2011 19:59:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/when-in-doubt-leave-it-out.html It's seemingly impossible to avoid multitasking in today's busy world. The constant bombardment of emails, phone calls, and appointments quickly begin to pile up, so to combat this we attempt to juggle more activities at once. I instinctively answer the phone as I'm driving home from work or respond to an urgent email while I'm reading a report, but are these the best solutions to my problems? Miscellaneous Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:48:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/multitaskings-assault-on-productivity.html As world market conditions continue to evolve, so too have the pressures and expectations being placed on organisations. In many cases, the difference between red and black ink can often be attributed to the operational effectiveness derived from the "IT Efficiencies" of the organisation. Since information technology became a part of the business mainstream, business stakeholders, IT practitioners and academia have debated the various and most effective organisational "IT Efficiency" solutions. Though opinions have differed, most concur that an "IT Methodology" is one of cornerstones any organisation can leverage to increase its operational performance. Lifecycle & Methodology Sat, 05 Mar 2011 17:51:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/boost-your-bottom-line-with-scalable-it-methodologies.html Albert Einstein has been widely quoted as saying "There are two things that are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the universe." Like most people, I usually write this off as an amusing, sarcastic quip he made on a bad day. I mean, it can't possibly be taken literally, right? Then I wander across a news item or business situation that make me wonder if maybe he was on to something. In spite of common sense, again and again I encounter companies repeating tragically avoidable mistakes, hamstringing themselves with the same ludicrous errors their competitors (fortunately) are also making. IT Project Management Sat, 26 Feb 2011 16:57:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/avoiding-stone-age-practices-in-the-age-of-the-internet.html Times are tough! Money is tight, people are being laid off and we're deep into an economic recession. In times like these, customers focus on value propositions. "Let's suck it and see," is not a phrase you hear a lot in a recession. Customers look at the value proposition of projects and ask, "How does the spend on this project benefit us?" Projects with the best value proposition will win. So how can you emphasise the value proposition of your project. Here are a few pointers... Best Practice Sun, 20 Feb 2011 16:12:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-project-value-proposition-how-good-is-yours.html The SMART acronym is a great tool for making sure our goals and instructions are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timed. It helps us clarify what we want to accomplish and set deadlines to make sure it produces the results we want in the timeframe we need. Here are six steps that will help you formulate your goals in the most effective way possible. SMART Goals Mon, 14 Feb 2011 20:55:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/stepping-up-smart-goals.html We all want to deliver successful projects. That's why we became project managers, after all. But sometimes the right thing to do is to stop a project. When is this the right choice? Here are 5 reasons for terminating projects prior to completion. Best Practice Sun, 13 Feb 2011 15:23:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/5-reasons-to-kill-a-project.html Bring the idea of Valentines Day to project management. Use February 14th as your reminder to sit down, take a look at the project you are currently working on, and find out if your project still deserves your passion or if it is a poisonous labour of love that needs to be "dumped." Too often, Project Managers invest so much time, effort, and capital into a project that they can't recognise when the project has turned bad, thinking that the only option is to see the project through. Best Practice Sat, 12 Feb 2011 18:21:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/your-project-passion-or-poison.html The precessional effect says the actions you take will affect other people. Common sense says the more people you impact, the more likely it is that your actions will affect people who have some power and influence over your actions. These people could be useful supporters of your projects - alternatively they may block your projects. We call people who are impacted by our projects and business activities, stakeholders. Stakeholder Management Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:32:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-secrets-to-getting-stakeholders-on-your-side.html There are no longer many physical obstacles to performing global projects. Instantaneous global collaboration, inexpensive resource transportation, and near-global access to knowledge have expanded organisations' horizons and consumer markets. At the same time, however, these now-hurdled obstacles present new challenges to the global project manager: though distance is now surmountable, what happens when project team members speak different languages, for example? We may have instantaneous communication, but this doesn't necessarily translate into instant comprehension. Outsourcing Sat, 29 Jan 2011 11:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/managing-projects-on-a-global-scale.html The Health Check is a reflective learning exercise, a snapshot of the status of a project or programme in order to identify what is going well and what areas need improvement. Project managers, sponsors and the project team are often so involved in the day-to-day activities that they can fail to recognise the true status of a project. Best Practice Thu, 27 Jan 2011 21:15:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-are-project-health-checks.html My fascination with the technology industry stretches back to the early '80s, and since that time I've seen countless IT tools come and go with little fanfare. Those that have managed to persevere and actually withstand the test of time, though they may not be glamorous, have proven vital to business operations and I cannot imagine life at this point without them. These tools often keep a business running smoothly, providing efficiency, security, and convenience to their users. The following list is comprised of my top three tools which have been with me for years and I expect to have with me for some time to come. IT Project Management Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:17:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/my-top-three-invaluable-it-tools.html When dealing with IT projects, using specialised project management techniques will be very beneficial to your ongoing progress leading to a much higher success rate in the long run. Planning and carrying out IT projects can be tricky for a variety of reasons, making the ability to complete them successfully a very valuable asset to any employer. IT Project Management Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:52:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-and-its-impact-on-it-project-success.html Patrick Bird outlines how you can make a good first impression in meetings with prospective clients. Communicating effectively and making a message memorable can be a challenge, especially in face-to-face situations. Whether it's with a client or prospect, the pressure of delivering information in the right tone and style requires careful planning. Miscellaneous Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:15:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/making-that-first-impression-the-right-impression.html As Project Management continues to grow around the world and become increasingly commoditised, more specialisation will be necessary in order to secure the best opportunities. One of these areas of specialisation that will have increased demand in the future, I believe, is risk management. World-class competition, lower costs and increased demands for scarce resources are pushing companies to operate in that frontier - the fine line between chaos and efficient use of tools, people and materials. The future operating style of in demand Project Managers will fall somewhere between a conservative money manager and a poker player. Best Practice Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:29:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/cutting-edge-project-management-what-game-theory-and-poker-can-teach-us.html Building sustainable and flexible working relationships to create an effective working environment starts with the project team, but does not end there. They will also need to be built with others such as the sponsor, steering group, suppliers and of course internal colleagues. A project manager will need to influence a variety of people, sometimes without the necessary authority, to obtain information, input and commitment from them. Team Building Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:24:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/building-sustainable-relationships-in-project-teams.html As Project Managers we often find ourselves needing to handle difficult conversations in order to make progress on a project. These meetings will happen with direct reports on a project team, but also with other stakeholders who we have no direct authority over, but are critical to the project success. How often do we plan effectively for any of these meetings, not just data and information, but around how we are going to handle the meeting and the people attending it? Team Building Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:23:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/handling-difficult-conversations.html Success and achieving goals are two topics that have universal appeal. You would think that something that commands the interest of so many people would be understood and used by nearly everyone. However, what I have discovered is that most people make the same mistakes again and again. They never reach their desired outcome. Here are 7 more of the common mistakes that most people make in their quest for improvement and achievement. SMART Goals Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:48:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/7-more-reasons-goals-are-not-achieved.html Project integration management is all about getting the right resources co-ordinated in an effective and efficient manner. To do this, you must be able to understand and manage the people, resources and technology you use to carry out the project plans. To help you better co-ordinate and manage the various elements of the project, I suggest four keys to integration management. Best Practice Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/four-keys-to-project-integration-management.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 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 11:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-top-7-reasons-why-goals-are-not-achieved.html Software development projects are usually approached using one of two methods, Waterfall or Agile. Both have pros and cons and each have their exponents who espouse the value of their chosen approach. In this article, I look at both methods and try to understand which is best and under what circumstances answering the question, "How should I approach my software development project?" Agile Project Management Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:32:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/waterfall-v-agile-how-should-i-approach-my-software-development-project.html We are almost there...the close of another year. There are two ways to end the year. One way is to write off the rest of December because the year is just about shot and then just start fresh in January. Another way is to focus on what is most important for you to accomplish in December, so you hit January already in stride. The project manager in me opts for the second way. I like to wrap the year up with a bow and end it on a high note. So, let us look at five ways you can make the most of the last two weeks of December. Miscellaneous Thu, 16 Dec 2010 19:58:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/make-it-a-strong-finish.html Writing a business case is a crucial component in the business process. It is important that it has substance and clarity. Failure to present a strong case could sound the death knell for your project. This article covers the important components in a business case, from overview to presentation. Business Case Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:59:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-meat-of-a-business-case.html Change is a challenging prospect, especially when it is geared towards improving business operations. There is a lot at stake and project proponents need to secure the buy-in of stakeholders to make an effective business change. However stakeholders won't just roll over and say "OK." They want everything in black and white. The first document they want to see before they buy-in, is the business case. Business Case Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:53:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-preparing-a-business-case.html In today's flexible business environment, it's the norm for project managers to work away from the office and travel on business for extended periods. But tracking and running a project remotely is about more than just a laptop and a decent Internet connection. Jamie Stewart, UK managing director, Exact, takes a look at how small to medium-sized businesses are capitalising on advanced business software solutions to help them deliver projects on time, on budget and on the move. Miscellaneous Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-on-the-move.html This article examines the multifaceted role of the Business Analyst and gives a quick depiction of the duties and skills required to embark on such a career. The various aspects of the job is discussed along with a brief template for Business Analyst to manage software development projects. The goal is to make Business Analyst and aspiring to become one to understand the complexity of the career choice. Requirements Management Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:13:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-role-of-a-business-analyst.html Introducing Agile concepts to a business environment plagued by traditional approaches (Waterfall) can be a political nightmare. It's important to show your business that you're trying to solve their problems, rather than just evangelising Agile. Here are a five short strategies to help alleviate the pain and make your migration into Agile project management as smooth as possible. Agile Project Management Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:24:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-introduce-agile-project-management-to-your-organisation.html The knowledge area of time management typically refers to the skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time when accomplishing specific tasks, projects and goals. To become an effective time manager, you should be able to clearly understand the activities of the project and have the necessary skill set to plan, schedule, and control a project timeline. Along with these skills, you must also be able to utilise time management tools to help you analyse, measure, and assess your time management techniques. Keeping all of this in mind, may I suggest four steps to help with project time management. Scheduling Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:07:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/four-steps-to-project-time-management.html Keeping a project management team running smoothly can be a challenge, especially when budgets are lean and expectations are high. Every manager needs to figure out the best way to lead and motivate, but a few baseline principles will keep you pointed down the right path. Role of the Project Manager Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:57:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/12-tips-for-being-a-good-manager.html Capturing lessons learned from projects is key for any organisation. Unfortunately, project teams are usually moved quickly from project to project and capturing lessons learned is never a priority. To ensure efficiencies over time and development of best practices, it is essential to capture lessons learned on your projects. Lessons Learned Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:13:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/capturing-those-lessons-learned.html Founded in 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI) is best-known as the publisher of, "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)." PMBOK is considered one of the most important tools in the project management profession today. The PMI offers two levels of project management certification, Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) and Project Management Professional (PMP). PMBOK & PMP Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-is-the-difference-between-the-capm-and-pmp-examinations.html Modern computer languages with their high-level constructs have come a long way since the early days of assembler programming. And with more and more people taking computer classes at school, programming skills are now more widespread than ever before, allowing even relative novices to produce professional-looking applications. But to truly join the ranks of the professional coder, several elements need to be put in place. IT Project Management Sun, 24 Oct 2010 10:46:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/five-essential-elements-for-successful-software-development.html The knowledge area of Scope Management is all about making sure that the project includes only the work required to complete the project successfully. To be effective at scope management, you must learn to control what is and what is not in the scope of the project. Included in this article are five best practices for successful scope management. Scope Management Sat, 23 Oct 2010 10:12:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/best-practices-for-scope-management.html High profile IT project failures are nothing new; in fact few projects are 100 percent successful in delivering everything the customer wants on time and within budget. So it is small wonder that businesses put loads of effort into trying to minimise the risk of their projects becoming one of these statistics. IT Project Management Sat, 23 Oct 2010 10:12:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/waterfall-software-development-the-illusion-of-risk-management.html How high is your Cost of Quality? The answer might surprise you. Yes, it includes reviews, the QA infrastructure, and preparing tests, those are your "Appraisal Costs." But how high are your "Failure Costs" the cost of defects? Your engineers spend time in diagnosis and rework, development schedules slip, support costs climb, and your company's and products' reputations sink. These Failure Costs, which are the more significant Cost of Quality, are beyond your direct control. But you can gain control over them indirectly, by investing in Appraisal Costs that minimise Failure Costs, reducing your total Cost of Quality and making it more predictable. IT Project Management Sat, 16 Oct 2010 10:54:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/reducing-your-cost-of-quality.html Scrum is one of the simplest "Agile" methodologies and is also proven to be highly effective for both software development and more general product development. Scrum is often used in financial product development. Scrum works very well in its own right and is also an excellent first step if you want to introduce Agile concepts into your organisation since it is simple and focuses on high-level project management. Agile Project Management Sun, 10 Oct 2010 14:34:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/introduction-to-scrum.html Most people hear the word "Scrum" and think of something that's stuck to the bottom of their shoe. Au contraire. Scrum is an agile software development methodology designed to foster iterative and incremental development. Scrum projects are broken down into 24 hour development cycles contained within 30 day sprints. Team members agree upon which work items for the product (the product backlog) they will tackle in the next 30 days; this becomes the sprint backlog. The goal at the end of 30 days is to have a working application with a certain number of features completed Agile Project Management Sat, 09 Oct 2010 08:42:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/three-things-that-cause-scrum-backlash-and-how-to-fix-them.html Total cost of ownership (TCO) is a financial estimate that helps consumers and enterprise managers determine direct and indirect costs of a product or system. TCO goes beyond the initial purchase price or implementation cost to consider the full cost of an asset over its useful life. A TCO analysis often shows there can be a large difference between the price of something and its long term cost. Cost Management Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:45:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/calculating-total-cost-of-ownership-when-choosing-a-solution.html Most managers of software development projects have had an encounter with a resource who is committed to their project some percentage of the time. The most common approach to splitting a resource between two tasks is to assign them 50% to both, although other percentages can occur. It's even been known to have a resource assigned to more than two tasks 50% of their time! Sharing a resource with another project or functional manager would not be a problem in a perfect world, but ours is never a perfect world and sharing a resource with another manager can present some challenges for the project manager. Here are some tips and tricks you can use to make the best of the situation. Scheduling Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:34:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-mythical-50-percent-resource.html With the rise of social media in projects and organisations, there is a renewed need for some kind of guidance. This guide should be clear, concise and free of ambiguity. It should further the interests of the project while protecting the parent company's intellectual property and corporate goals. However, social media interaction should only be limited in the areas where it is absolutely necessary, and no more than that. Miscellaneous Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:44:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-social-media-standard-for-project-management.html Risk management is the heart and soul of project management. Failing to practice it right can have fatal consequences on projects and programmes. Doing real effort in the planning stage can save the entire investment and will increase the likelihood of project success. However, planning alone is not enough if monitoring risks is not handled seriously. These are seven deadly sins of risk management and how to take preventive actions to avoid them. Risk Management Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:31:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-seven-deadly-sins-of-risk-management.html Right now Project Management Certification is all the rave, but I have been using a similar change model for quite some time with great success. It's called the Six Principles of Service Excellence, and it transitions easily to basically any type of project or initiative you are trying to effectively implement. For the Project Management aficionados and novices out there, think of it as the Six Principles of Project Management. Best Practice Sat, 25 Sep 2010 16:13:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-six-principles-of-project-management.html Resolving conflicts on project teams isn't easy; but left unchecked can affect the project's outcome and team morale. It is the project manager's responsibility to manage conflicts to keep the team moving in the right direction. The best way to manage a conflict is to ensure that the parties involved in the conflict are the ones developing the solution. You can't resolve it for them; they have to come to agreement on how to resolve the conflict themselves. Team Building Mon, 20 Sep 2010 20:18:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/resolving-project-team-conflicts.html Clichés are funny. We don't like to hear them, but we often use them in everyday conversation. Clichés are a useful way to make a point because the meaning of them is universally understood, even if not entirely true. Just because something is a cliché doesn't mean it can, or should be, ignored. Here are six clichés we can use to help us become better project managers. Miscellaneous Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/six-cliches-that-make-you-a-better-project-manager.html PRINCE2 has many excellent ideas for project management, but I think its approach to quality is at best weak and at worst entirely inappropriate. My first gripe is that PRINCE2 redefines what the word quality usually means. My dictionary defines it as a "degree or standard of excellence, especially a high standard." If I've bought myself a quality car, I've probably purchased something like a Mercedes or Rolls Royce. PRINCE2's definition is something that is "fit for purpose" of satisfying stated needs. So for example, according to PRINCE my Landrover is a quality product. It's not luxurious but, as a keen skier, I can use it to haul equipment to the Alps each year. This re-definition of the word quality often confuses people, before they even look at the detail. PRINCE2 Sun, 12 Sep 2010 16:06:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-prince2s-approach-to-quality-is-flawed.html Requirements Analysis: It all looks so simple in the beginning. But then, whether you are building a new system from scratch or buying a system and customising it to meet the specific business model of your company, you have to go through the grind of analysing the requirements. It's no mean task. The budget can run into scary numbers and that's tough enough. But the more difficult question is how you make sure the new system does what the users (and of course the customers) expect. If you are replacing an existing system, the new system should do whatever the legacy system is doing at least as effectively and efficiently, if not better. That's a huge challenge. Requirements Management Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:39:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/requirements-hurried-project-buried.html Research among project managers globally identifies top communication skills for leading teams. Leading people - the experiential side of project management - is as important as task-based skills according to project managers in Europe, the Middle East, India, America and Australasia. In recent research they said that communication is a critical skill for project success, both for keeping team members up-to-date and for winning the support of key stakeholders. But which skills make all the difference? Here are the top five respondents say have made all the difference to their careers. Communications Management Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:09:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-five-communication-skills-for-project-managers.html The software development process has undergone drastic changes over the years. Initially only requiring a developer to write the code of the software, advances in the industry have expanded development into a more complex process. Involving architects, analysts, programmers, testers and users to develop code, it is now capable of delivering more advanced results. You can avoid some of the most common problems that occur with software development by understanding the three most common reasons for project failure. IT Project Management Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:26:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/understanding-the-software-development-process.html With the increasing prevalence of virtual teams that span the globe, multicultural audiences are becoming more common. Meeting leaders must be poised to meet the unique needs of these groups. One of the key roles of any meeting facilitator is to create a safe environment where all participants feel valued and included. When the meeting includes participants representing a variety of different cultures and backgrounds, this can be somewhat challenging. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when leading a session with a multicultural audience. Outsourcing Sun, 05 Sep 2010 09:02:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/leading-meetings-with-multicultural-audiences.html Ensuring that a requirements document is accurate, complete and fully supported by key stakeholders can be critically important. Unfortunately, requirements validation sessions can be protracted and challenging. Oftentimes, the goal of the session is to gain agreement among various stakeholders on a lengthy, detailed requirements document. This can certainly be a tall order, but it can be done! Requirements Management Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:41:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/facilitating-a-requirements-validation-meeting-with-ease.html Oftentimes we're thrust into situations where we're expected to lead a meeting, and we may lack the confidence we think we should have. Maybe we're not confident because we're new to the organisation, possibly we're not as knowledgeable about the subject matter, or maybe we're not as senior as some of the attendees. There are a whole host of reasons why we may experience feelings ranging from slight intimidation to downright terror!! Don't fret, here are a few simple tips to help you when you need to lead a session with confidence! Miscellaneous Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:27:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-do-you-project-confidence-leading-meetings-when-you-are-really-not.html Do you ever feel that you're herding a group of feisty cats instead of leading a meeting because your team members simply can't agree? Well, take comfort in knowing that this common problem plagues most meeting facilitators at one point or another. Indeed, if your group is disagreeing vehemently (but respectfully), that's a sign of healthy conflict, congratulations, you're likely on your way to some great ideas and solutions! Unfortunately as meeting facilitators, we often need to guide the group towards a consensus decision and oftentimes that just doesn't seem possible. The good news is that reaching a consensus decision does not mean that a two hour session must turn into a two week session, or worse, a real knock down drag out. Let's explore a few tips you can use the next time you're faced with this situation. Team Building Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:40:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-do-you-help-the-group-reach-consensus-when-they-simply-dont-agree.html We've all attended meetings where participants were asked to read a document, do some research, or conduct some other "homework" prior to the meeting, but very few people actually did it. Obviously, the intent of assigning the pre-work is to ensure that all attendees are prepared, which should result in a quick, efficient meeting, right??? Wrong!!! Too often some attendees don't complete the assignment as requested, which drags down the entire group. Before you lead your next meeting, consider these tips about assigning pre-work. Team Building Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:40:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-do-you-get-team-members-to-come-prepared-to-the-meeting.html I recently awoke to the realisation that top consultants trade notes about the properties of a project rather than on the procedures followed. They inquire after the health of the project: "Is there a mission statement and a project plan? Do they deliver frequently? Are the sponsor and various expert users in close contact with the team?" Consequently, and in a departure from the way in which a methodology is usually described, I ask Crystal Clear teams to target key properties for the project. "Doing Crystal Clear" becomes achieving the properties rather than following procedures. Lifecycle & Methodology Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:59:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/7-properties-of-highly-successful-projects-from-crystal-clear.html Organisations today are increasingly recognising the advantages and benefits of using the agile project management approach in their projects, but are lost when it comes to using a well defined set of metrics that can be applied to these agile projects. The solution lies in examining the Agile Manifesto and building metrics based on the tenets of agile project management principles. This article talks about the comprehensive agile metrics that can be effectively used by organisations. Agile Project Management Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:55:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/agile-metrics-a-seminal-approach-for-calculating-metrics-in-agile-projects.html Among all the tools at our disposal for managing projects, checklists are perhaps the simplest and most productive means of building consistency in work practices. Checklists are useful in almost every field of human endeavour, and in particular where repeatability and systematic action drive performance. Yet they are still much underused in the planning and managing of projects. Here is a high level twelve-point checklist for use during project planning. Project Planning Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:15:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-checklists.html Congratulations! You've been assigned your first project and your boss wants to see a project schedule at next week's status meeting. Hearing of your new promotion, the PC support team has installed Microsoft Project on your desktop so you're ready to start building a project schedule! Unfortunately, your Introduction to Microsoft Project training class isn't schedule until next month and your boss is expecting a full schedule by next week. Fortunately, if you have a book on Microsoft Project and this article, you'll be able to complete your assigned task. Scheduling Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:00:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-build-a-project-schedule-in-5-easy-steps.html The success of a company depends on providing the highest level of service to its clients. Yet when times are tough, reduced budgets and smaller staffs make it harder to deliver. Outsourcing key projects can help you to provide a higher level of customer service while lowering costs at the same time. It is an important step on the road to business virtualization, which reduces IT costs, improves availability and optimises service. Outsourcing Mon, 23 Aug 2010 19:50:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/outsourcing-key-projects-bringing-companies-one-step-closer-to-business-virtualization.html As a project manager it is important to think about what future events may impact your project. These events may be positive or negative, so understanding them allows you to prepare, and put plans in place to deal with them. But how can you forecast the future with any degree of certainty? This is where the Delphi Technique can help. Methods & Tools Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/delphi-technique-a-step-by-step-guide.html There are a great number of ways to manage website projects, but regardless of your management style, there are behaviours that you should learn to avoid as much as possible. Steering clear of these pitfalls will not only allow you to get through projects on time and on budget, but will leave a very good impression on your clients, and win you more work in the future. Role of the Project Manager Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:22:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/14-ways-to-be-the-worlds-worst-web-project-manager.html Today dozens of new project managers will start their first project, a daunting prospect. Here are my tips for surviving life as a project manager. First, ensure you have a strong business case for your project, with high-level support from your sponsor. The business case is the justification for the project and should list the expected benefits. This is something everyone involved in the project can focus on, and the reason the project is taking place. Best Practice Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:07:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/10-golden-rules-for-new-project-managers.html "In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia" - Author Unknown. Get very clear about your goals. It helps you avoid the Rinse and Repeat Trap - get up in the morning, go to work, come home, eat dinner, watch TV, fall asleep in front of the TV, stumble to bed, get up the next morning, rinse and repeat. SMART Goals Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:11:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-10-steps-to-successful-goals.html Are you tired of hearing people say the only constant is change? I think we all need to keep saying it to remind ourselves we have to always be ready to keep changing. Here's the rub: how do we make change stick? How can you, as a project manager, use your skills to create business processes that have staying power? Change Management Sat, 14 Aug 2010 11:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/making-change-stick.html Savvy project managers have radar and can sense and predict events and circumstances. Their brains are gigantic magnifying glasses. They see what others don't. If you have someone like this in your organisation or on your team, it may take a bit to acknowledge their abilities and foresight. Once they have several successful, complex projects under their belt with your company, it is time to trust them to do their job. Role of the Project Manager Sun, 08 Aug 2010 08:32:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/trust-me-you-are-in-good-hands.html In order to be successful, there are some skills, knowledge and competencies that are must haves for new supervisors and managers. Successful managers are well rounded with a good sense of the business acumen and the ability to influence others rather than relying on power and authority. Here are 10 things every manager should know to be successful in their management role. Role of the Project Manager Sat, 07 Aug 2010 16:16:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/10-things-every-manager-should-know.html Every software project carries some risk, but many of these risks can be mitigated. That's true of problems related to product requirements - problems that are often cited as one of highest risks for any type of software project. Whether it is having unclear requirements, lack of customer involvement in requirements development, or defective requirements, these troubles are a major culprit in projects that go awry. Agile Project Management Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:21:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-agile-practices-reduce-requirements-risks.html Quality is misunderstood by many who think of it only as it relates to the final deliverable, but a quality product is itself achieved only through quality processes focused on efficiency, innovation, and continual improvement, and these require a quality management culture not only in our projects, but within our organisations. In chapter two of his 1986 book, Out of the Crisis, Edward Deming presented 14 principles that he believed could make industry more competitive by increasing quality. Best Practice Sun, 01 Aug 2010 16:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/demings-14-points-and-quality-project-leadership.html From R&D to Customer Service, effectively serving the Value Chain is an integral part of an organisation's success when bringing new products to market. The fact is, many organisations run their New Product Development (NPD) projects in siloed environments not taking into account all of the elements that can impact a product's success. NPD projects do not only live in the world of marketing and engineering. NPD projects in many cases need to incorporate the strategic objectives of executives, the demand of customers and the bottom line of operations and finance in order to realise their success. Project Portfolio Management Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:20:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/process-driven-ppm.html As a practitioner and supporter of Agile and Lean, I am a strong believer in doing things for a reason and only those things that add value. So when it comes to documentation, many with basic exposure to Agile may think that the methodology means that project documentation is not created. Instead, it should be more about creating meaningful plans and if that means documentation, then it should also add value and be the proper amount. I do not believe in producing documentation (unless the contract specifically requires certain documents) for the sake of documentation. While many technical individuals balk at the thought and mention of documentation, I personally see some real benefits. Project Documentation Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:23:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-benefits-of-documentation.html As project managers, it's tempting to focus entirely on our project plan. But successful execution of your project plan is entirely dependent on your project team. And your project team is dependent on each team member! For example, if your team is all working well together except one person, who is lacking motivation and missing deadlines, than the whole team will start having trouble, and your project success may be in jeopardy. Team Building Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:43:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/dont-just-manage-the-plan-engage-your-team-members.html What's needed for complex problem-solving is a technique that looks holistically at the whole, and this is what systems thinking can help us do. If we become better at systems thinking, we'll be more successful at addressing problems and effecting changes for the long-term. In the first part of this article, we explored systems and created a casual loop diagram (CLD). In this article, we're going to look at the basic behaviours of systems. If we want to solve a problem or influence outcomes, we need to understand why the system is behaving as it is. Miscellaneous Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:06:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-managers-guide-to-systems-thinking-part-2.html What's needed for complex problem-solving is a technique that looks holistically at the whole and this is what systems thinking can help us do. If we become better at systems thinking, we'll be more successful at addressing problems and effecting changes for the long-term. In this first article, we'll cover some of the basics about systems thinking, and in the second article, we'll look at the archetypes of systems' behaviour and how we can use them for problem solving and effecting change. Miscellaneous Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:43:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-managers-guide-to-systems-thinking-part-1.html Agile project management has a lot to offer legal case management. Imagine you could continually wring out the inefficiencies in your law practice. Picture having the luxury to step back from the trees and see the forest. It may sound crazy, and, in the case of removing every single efficiency, perhaps pie in the sky. But you can get close, and it takes a lot less effort and time than you think if you embrace something we software folks call a "Sprint." Agile Project Management Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-the-agile-way.html Every consultant has had to deal with a difficult client. The nice thing about being a consultant - you just need to get through the project and you will be able to move on - you don't necessarily have to work with that client ever again. But really, that's not what you want, is it? Ideally you develop a strong working relationship with a client so that when another project comes up, the client thinks of you first. You become a partner with the client, not just a one-time deal. Stakeholder Management Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/helpful-suggestions-for-managing-difficult-clients.html We began our "fight" by exploring two estimating techniques that are often used on both Scrum and Waterfall projects. The first was relative sizing (one kind of analogous estimating) and the second Delphi (called Planning Poker in Scrum). Scrum won both rounds (barely) because, although both techniques can be used on both types of projects, their usage in Scrum seems easier to understand, learn, and apply. I don't know about you, but when I hear the terms Analogous and Delphi I think academics and hard work. When I hear about tee-shirt sizes and planning poker, I think fun. Agile Project Management Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:46:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/scrum-vs-waterfall-round-2-the-fight-continues.html I think people like a good fight. Certainly the media seems to, as is evident in the world of politics, sports, and entertainment to name a few. In the world of business analysis the current fight seems to pit Agile methods against the Waterfall approach. For the next several blogs we'll have a Scrum vs. Waterfall match. In corner #1, representing the Agile methods, we have the Scrum framework. In corner #2, representing Waterfall, we have the "traditionalists." Agile Project Management Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:53:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/a-heavyweight-fight-scrum-vs-waterfall.html Having 100% of project proposals accepted usually means that a freelance developer has had very few clients. Low percentage rates usually mean that proposals are being sent to people who didn't ask or the proposal writer simply needs a few good "getting warmer's" in the right direction. The following tried and tested tips are to encourage the 100%ers to write more proposals and the low raters to take heart and give it another try. Let's get started... Project Documentation Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:22:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/writing-a-project-proposal.html When the summer sun beats down, there's always someone in the family who reminds you to put on your sunscreen. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to easily avoid getting burned at work? There is. It's called Project Management. Grab a bottle of water and put on your baseball cap and think about Project Management as SPF 50 for business. Here's seven ways that Project Management can help you avoid getting burned at work. Best Practice Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:08:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-as-sunscreen-how-to-avoid-getting-burned.html There is a mystery to what distinguishes great Project Managers from the merely good. CounterSoft, has researched far and wide, risking the wrath and scorn of the Inner Circle of Project Managers to bring you secrets that are never spoken and knowledge that is not taught in any school. You already know the things that are in the Black Arts Handbook, just as you would know about gravity even if you had no word for it. Miscellaneous Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:23:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-black-arts-handbook-secret-1-numbers.html "Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements." PMBOK, 4th Edition. Right. If I were reading this definition to make a decision about becoming a project manager, it would totally leave me cold. The term Project Management itself has a kind of vague, undefined shape to it that always leaves me reaching for an image when people ask me, 'What is it, exactly, that you do?' Role of the Project Manager Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:20:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/5-things-project-management-is-not.html Many projects delayed by the sour economy will eventually bubble back to the surface. The landscape may have changed drastically since shelving the project, so a thorough reassessment of the projects parameters is in order. Rescue & Recovery Mon, 31 May 2010 16:01:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-tips-master-the-restart.html New undertakings or experiences are always challenging at first. This is no different when Schenker Singapore (Pte) Ltd, a transport and logistics company decided to embark on something new - a Lean Six Sigma programme. It might seem to be even more demanding at the outset since the number of 3rd party logistics providers rising to this challenge is limited. Best practices in this industry are not widespread and hard to come by. This is the story of what happened. Case Studies Sun, 30 May 2010 16:27:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/every-beginning-is-difficult.html From its inception Information Technology (IT) has recognised the significance and importance of developing and applying a set of "standards", "methodologies", "life cycles" and "best practices" that can be leveraged by all practitioners. As the industry has evolved, the technologies have become more complex, increasingly faster, and forever changing, however, there remains a set of basic principles and concepts that are as applicable today as when IT was in its infancy. Lifecycle & Methodology Fri, 21 May 2010 11:20:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-v-model-as-applicable-today-in-it-as-it-has-always-been.html The failure rate of all significant change initiatives is approximately 70%. A recent reader of an article on my website challenged me regarding the source of that often quoted statistic. Here is a brief summary of a cross section of sources that I sent her and that reveal the horror of it all. Change Management Wed, 19 May 2010 20:22:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/change-management-the-horror-of-it-all.html 2010 brings with it multiple trends for project management. It is not surprising that many of these trends will help mature the world of project management as we know it today. Just as businesses must be flexible with market conditions, project management professionals and organisations must also adapt accordingly. In talking to industry leaders in project management, several trends stand out. Economic conditions have changed. Companies are changing and project managers must understand these changes to be leaders. Miscellaneous Sun, 16 May 2010 11:18:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/more-2010-project-management-trends.html Project Managers need to manage every aspect of the projects they oversee, from resources and suppliers to project costs and equipment. The trick to staying on top of everything is to focus on the five most important goals associated with project management. If you can meet the following five goals for each project, you will achieve project and professional success. Best Practice Wed, 12 May 2010 20:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/5-goals-every-project-manager-should-aspire-to-achieve.html Every team progresses through the five stages of team development; forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. An understanding of those five stages enables a manager to better understand team dynamics and assist his/her team through the five stages in order to reach a high performing team as quickly as possible. Team Building Sun, 09 May 2010 17:04:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html You can always spot the project managers who have just received their PMP, they are eager, idealistic, and prone to proclaim at length the necessity for "Change Control" as if it were the cure for all project management evils. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that the level of training new project managers receive is increasing, and I am glad they are learning that change can derail a project; however, new PM's appear to have a naive view of how projects work in the real world, and I would like to do my part to correct that. Change Management Thu, 06 May 2010 19:51:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-change-control-myth.html They huddle in a corner, hunched over the Gantt chart you just handed out, muttering darkly. Only the occasional, quick glance in your direction betrays that you are the subject of their reproach. You sigh and for a moment are tempted to bat for your corner, but in the end you realise that it's best to ignore them. A quick drink after work and they'll come round. Instead, you scan through the list of change requests, outstanding issues, bug fixes and the financial summary and prepare yourself for your next meeting. This one ought not to be so bad, the client might not like what you have to say either, but at least they don't see you as the enemy within. Role of the Project Manager Wed, 05 May 2010 20:34:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-managers-the-enemy-within.html In the course of assessing project management capabilities for clients, a practice that I've found absent across most non-projectized organisations is the evaluation of team members at the end of a project by the project's leadership. Usually, the rationale provided for this gap is that the functional managers do not consistently solicit this feedback from project managers, or when this feedback has been offered in the past, it has been ignored. Team Building Mon, 03 May 2010 17:37:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/post-project-resource-evaluation-a-forgotten-contributor-to-project-success.html Those of you who have seen the movie "The Ron Clark Story" already know about the remarkable efforts of a dedicated teacher in inner city New York who developed a learning atmosphere for his elementary students, which contributed to them excelling in the classroom at the highest level in every subject. Subsequent to Ron Clark's success in the New York schools, he visited every state to talk with students, teachers and school administrators about what he had learned and how his students performed. Lessons Learned Mon, 03 May 2010 09:08:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-is-reflection-so-important-to-project-lessons-learned.html Most project managers are well-versed at decomposition. Project managers are trained to break down complex deliverables into smaller and more manageable parts. These parts then serve as a foundation for costing, scheduling and control. As much as this reductionist approach is essential for project management, there is another side to the coin, often neglected by project managers: the systems theory viewpoint. Miscellaneous Sun, 02 May 2010 17:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/are-you-a-micro-project-manager.html So much of an organisation's success is tied to project success! Can you think of any significant organisation initiative or improvement that didn't tie to at least one project? I've worked with many organisations, across diverse industries and globally, and I cannot think of a single example. Therefore, what could be more important than figuring out how to ensure project success? Best Practice Sat, 01 May 2010 17:53:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-three-causes-of-project-failure.html Business process improvement initiatives are frequently key projects within an organisation, regardless of the size of the organisation or, frankly, the size of the business process improvement initiative. Even if a business process improvement initiative is targeted at an individual department, the impact of the change will be organisation-wide. Case Studies Sat, 01 May 2010 09:53:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-approach-for-business-process-improvement.html Every organisation is affected by change, especially during times of economic volatility. However, project managers tasked with leading change initiatives are all too aware of the alarming failure rates that can occur. The critical missing piece is largely the failure to take into account how change affects an organisation's people. According to a study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, research shows that nearly 75 percent of all organisational change programmes fail because they don't create the necessary groundswell of support among employees. Change Management Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:09:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/nothing-stays-the-same-leadership-techniques-to-empower-people-during-change-initiatives.html The key theme for 2010 is metrics, metrics and more metrics. As organisations switch their focus from surviving to demonstrating business value, metrics will play an increasingly important role in keeping management informed about project performance and its impact on the bottom line and customer service. A global panel of consultants and senior executives assembled by ESI in November identified the top 10 project management trends for 2010. Miscellaneous Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-10-project-management-trends-for-2010.html In the last few months, in meetings with a variety of clients, I have seen an increased desire to establish best practices around project management. However, with each client "best practices around project management" seems to mean something different. What is a best practice? For some clients, discussion has focused around putting policies and procedures in place for accomplishing projects. While other clients think of best practices as a means of ensuring that everyone is using the same terminology and templates and is better trained in project management technical skills. For yet another client, it was important to "get a handle on this project management thing." Case Studies Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:50:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/establishing-project-management-best-practice-where-do-you-start.html Charles J. Pellerin's own personal ill-fated story, as the project director for the launch of the Hubble telescope, on his journey to the discovery of true leadership. This journey not only got him to redeem himself through an officially 'unauthorised' 60M US$ fix mission to get astronauts to repair the telescope, but also got him to better understand the root of true leadership and design a system to make it happen. Case Studies Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:08:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-best-project-managers-are-emotion-driven-leaders.html Having managed IT projects for over 10 years, I have relied on the PMBOK as a guide for many of my projects. But experience has taught me to go beyond the manual. Here are 10 principles of project management that are crucial to achieving your goals. Best Practice Sun, 11 Apr 2010 15:45:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/10-principles-of-good-project-management.html A failed project can lead to loss of revenue and opportunity; failure to achieve business goals; diversion of resources from other activities; sapping of staff morale and, perhaps, even business failure. So, as projects become more complex and critical to business performance, how do you improve your chances of success? By following these eight practical steps, you can achieve great results for your project. Best Practice Sun, 11 Apr 2010 08:15:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/successful-project-management-eight-simple-steps-to-follow.html With the Agile methodology proving to be a major force when it comes to software application development, the role of a ScrumMaster is becoming more and more valuable. Traditional project managers can succeed by adapting their way of doing things and helping the transition take place. Agile Project Management Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:00:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/traditional-project-management-vs-scrum-adapting-square-pegs-to-round-holes.html Considering whether or not your software company should hire a dedicated team of testers? Here are the Top 5 Wrong Reasons why you shouldn't. After reading dozens of opinions on the subject, I'm still convinced that having a dedicated team of testers is well worth the investment. You can disagree with me, but if you do, make sure it's for the right reasons. IT Project Management Sun, 04 Apr 2010 19:36:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-top-5-wrong-reasons-for-not-hiring-testers.html Almost every MS Project user is familiar with the Gantt chart as a graphical view. The problem with many Gantt charts is that when printed, they are so large that trying to follow the flow of tasks through the project for tracking is almost impossible. Also, the chart gets so cluttered if you try to display more than a few characteristics about the task, such as resource name or start date, so you don't always have to use a ruler to line up with the dates at the top of the diagram to figure out what date the task is supposed to start at. I suggest project managers instead use a time-sequenced network diagram to be able to track what needs to be done each day and how those tasks affect others in the project. Microsoft Project Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/using-a-time-sequenced-network-diagram.html Many of the clients we work with are a "PMO of one." Usually this person has been brought in to establish common processes and procedures around planning, managing and executing projects. Most often, there is a broad spectrum of project work being performed by varied project teams within the organisation, including a range of maturity levels spanning from no established, repeatable processes to very formalised and documented processes. Best Practice Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/a-simple-plan-for-improved-project-results-and-increased-maturity.html By far, the question I am most often asked during "Project Management . . . by the Numbers" has always been, "How can I get my project team to actually accomplish their tasks on time, if even at all?" After a short discussion, the question translates to, "I don't have the authority to delegate, but I am responsible for their work, both the quality and the timeliness." Team Building Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:09:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-can-i-have-responsibility-without-authority.html Setting effective objectives to guide your team and organisation is very important for a leader to get right. Badly formulated objectives will steer an organisation in the wrong direction. I found this 10 step approach to setting SMART objectives from the National Primary and Care Trust. SMART Goals Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:38:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/10-steps-to-setting-smart-objectives.html Every project has (or should have) a set of deliverables, an assigned budget, and an expected closure time. There are agreed upon requirements and tasks to complete prior to the closure of project. These constitute the scope of the project. Any amount of variation in the scope of project can affect the schedule, budget and in turn the success of project. Scope Management Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:04:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-should-the-project-manager-deal-with-scope-creep.html If you are a project manager you really need leadership skills! Today's project managers must have leadership skills in order to effectively perform their roles in the organisation and stand out from the crowd. Something must make you distinct from the others, especially if you are currently job searching or worried about your job security given the current economic climate. Role of the Project Manager Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:08:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-managers-need-leadership-skills.html During the life cycle of a typical project, a project manager can produce up to fifty different types of documents to facilitate the planning, tracking and reporting of the project. Documents range from feasibility studies, resource plans, financial plans and project plans, to supplier contracts, post-implementation reviews, change request forms and project status reports. The fact is, the manner in which project documents are managed by project leaders can either be the driving force behind a project's success or the bottleneck that often places a project in despair resulting in its failure to meet its time line, budget and scope. Project Documentation Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:57:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/managing-the-project-document.html If you're looking for guidance to help you manage your project with added confidence, then this article will help you. Here I discuss seven key principles, based upon the PRINCE2 project management framework, designed to improve the likelihood of your project succeeding. Best Practice Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/seven-key-principles-of-project-management.html The project charter has been around for as long as the concept of work. The Egyptians used project charters to create the Pyramids. So did the Greeks to erect the Parthenon. Even the Romans used a project charter to create the Coliseum. Little Johnny used a project charter to construct his miniature house made of Lego blocks. As different as the times and methods used to create these structures were, one common thread exists, success was based on the creation, maintenance and oversight of a project charter. Project Documentation Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:09:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/meet-your-new-best-friend-the-project-charter.html No matter how well a project is planned and how well the requirements are defined, there will always be requests to change something about the project, usually the product being delivered. There are good reasons for this; business doesn't stand still while your project is going on so we expect that ongoing business will trigger the need for changes to the system being built to support that business. These changes are mission critical to the project in many cases. If the system isn't changed to reflect business needs as they will be when the system is implemented, your project will succeed in building a system to support business as it was done 6 months ago! These changes are why project managers need a good Change Management Plan and process. Change Management Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:07:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/common-project-management-mistakes-badly-handled-changes.html Return on Investment (ROI) is a monetary measurement that is used to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of an investment made by an organisation. Investments take many forms, financial, human capital, equipment, and training programmes, to name just a few. This article will focus on the use of ROI and the Phillips ROI Methodology to measure the effectiveness of a project management training programme completed within XYZ Law Firm. Case Studies Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:37:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/using-roi-to-evaluate-project-management-training.html Gantt charts are a fundamental tool in a project manager's toolkit. However, an unseasoned project manager can find they take over the project and result in reduced control. How so? In this article I will look at the potential pitfalls and provide some tips and strategies for ensuring successful project management. Gantt charts are, after all, just one of many ways to present the project plan, and actual data that has been input. Project Planning Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:06:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/are-you-a-project-management-gantt-chart-slave.html Over the past few days, I've been writing about some of the characteristics that make a great project manager. I don't think anyone disagrees that delivering projects on-time, on budget, and on spec are important. I certainly think they are. That being said, I was thumbing through some old notes last night and found these six leadership attributes. I'm not sure where I stumbled across them originally, but they are leadership skills that can take a good project manager and make them great. Role of the Project Manager Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:41:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-makes-a-successful-project-manager.html We live in a world where we are often pressured to take shortcuts to save time and cut costs as much as possible. However, if you're not a skilled and experienced project manager, the wrong shortcut could end up costing you a lot more. Here's an anecdote to think about. Case Studies Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:21:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-hidden-costs-and-dangers-of-the-shortcut.html After spending the past decade or more dedicated to project management, I noticed during the economic downturn last year a very surprising trend: despite the significant reduction in the number of major Capex projects being sanctioned and funded, the need for third party assistance with schedule analysis and risk assessments actually increased dramatically. After digging into this a little more deeply, I came to the following conclusion: savvy project schedulers are at risk of becoming a dying breed and as project management specialists, we need to do everything we can to reverse this trend. Scheduling Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:55:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-scheduling-must-not-be-allowed-to-become-an-extinct-science.html No one would disagree that managing risk within a project is not a good idea. Risk Management is an essential part of any programme or project and can vastly contribute to successful delivery. Where it can and does go wrong is when there is an over-reliance on the risk aspects of the project and they in themselves start driving the way the project moves forward. The management of risk is part and parcel of project management, but is not the be all and end all of it as it sometimes becomes in more risk averse organisational cultures. Risk Management Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:15:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-risk-is-it-all-bad.html It often seems that a lean, agile development environment will always be at odds with the structure and constraints of the PMO. However, the agile PMO can bridge the gap between PMBOK process flows and CMM best practices and help organisations to carry out projects more successfully. While it does require a bit of change management, it is not as impossible as it seems and the benefits far outweigh the effort. Project Management Office Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:09:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/is-an-agile-pmo-possible.html Our beliefs about what change is and how it works can influence our willingness to take on the challenge appropriately. Change agents who believe these three myths might find their initiatives stuck in a rut. If you feel like your change initiative is getting stuck, challenge these myths and look at change from a new perspective. Change Management Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:47:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/three-myths-about-organisational-change.html If you don't know the values and costs of not executing your projects then you're probably not maximising the value of your project portfolio and you may be working on the wrong projects. Most project portfolio managers are not including the actual values and costs of not executing a project in their project portfolio analyses. Hence, they may be dramatically over or under estimating their actual portfolio value and cost and choosing the wrong set of projects. Project Portfolio Management Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:52:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-value-and-costs-of-not-doing-a-project-are-not-necessarily-zero.html Corporations are more sensitive to social issues and image than ever before. This sensitivity has given rise to CSR initiatives, but the question is: "How do I rationalise the organisation's demands for CSR with my project's objectives?" While there are no easy answers to this question, this article uses actual examples to point out what to avoid and offers tips and tricks on how to rationalise CSR and project objectives. Case Studies Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:15:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/corporate-social-responsibility-and-project-management.html Delegation is an essential part of a project manager's role, so identifying roles and responsibilities early in a project is important. Applying the RACI model can help. As project manager it is important that you set the expectations of people involved in your project from the outset. Methods & Tools Sat, 09 Jan 2010 19:00:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/raci-matrix.html Project Manager Sherry Martin couldn't stop thinking about her last team meeting as she walked down the hall towards her office. Slamming her office door behind her, she let out an exasperated scream and looked for something to punch! Her team was driving her absolutely crazy and she channelled Scarlett O'Hara as she proclaimed, "I will never run a meeting like that again!" Her problem in a nutshell boiled down to three really difficult personalities that continually recurred on her team. These personalities were indeed a cancer not just infecting the team and its results but also spreading throughout the group and impacting the other team members as well. Team Building Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:24:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/managing-the-meeting-from-hell.html The very first step in all projects: business, home, or education, is to define goals and objectives. This step defines the projects outcome and the steps required to achieve that outcome. People, including project managers, do not spend sufficient time on this step or complete it incorrectly thereby ensuring an unsuccessful project completion. SMART Goals Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:18:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/defining-project-goals-and-objectives.html In this brief history of project management I chart all the major developments and events in the discipline as far back as there are records. Although there has been some form of project management since early civilization, project management in the modern sense began in the 1950s. We have come a long way since then and recognition of how important the profession is has helped it develop, and will continue to push its development over the next decade. History of Project Management Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:20:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/brief-history-of-project-management.html In my experience risk management is something that is talked about a lot but rarely done. One problem is that people don't know who should be doing what. PRINCE2 has always had a solid, but simple way of dealing with risk. With the latest version, released in June, a number of excellent ideas and concepts have been introduced. This article describes the best seven. PRINCE2 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:55:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/better-risk-management-with-prince2.html Part of the challenge that the project manager faces is the reality of having to serve so many different stakeholders and sometimes being pulled in very different directions. We're often taught that our "sponsor" is the person who is the champion of the effort. Indeed, they are often the one we're to seek out for support and issue resolution throughout the project. But what do you do when your sponsor is the problem? Project Sponsorship Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:18:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-project-managers-guide-to-dealing-with-difficult-sponsors.html When 60% of all process redesign projects fail, how can you improve your odds while simultaneously accelerating results? By using "agile process design" techniques adapted from the software development industry. We need to break out of that old cycle of developing monolithic processes only to have them fail to produce the results we anticipated. In an environment where every dollar counts more than ever, we just cannot afford a 60% plus failure rate in process redesign. Agile Project Management Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:36:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/get-agile-applying-the-lessons-from-software-development-to-business-process-design.html The most common argument for outsourcing is cost-savings. And in the face of a challenging economic climate, cost figures largely in the decision for outsourcing IT projects and business processes. While cost-effectiveness is a huge deciding factor for offshoring, cheaper labour and service rates should not be the only measures of possible financial success of a project. In fact, long-term benefits are extracted from the industry expertise of vendors that could make up for the investments in communication, time zone overlaps, and travel. Outsourcing Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:37:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/managing-hidden-project-costs-for-better-roi.html When mistakes are made during the course of your project, and mistakes will be made, its important not to repeat them. Before you can avoid repetition you have to determine what caused the problem in the first place and Root Cause Analysis is one of the best tools out there for getting to the root of the problem. This article provides you with some helpful tips on organising and conducting a Root Cause Analysis. Miscellaneous Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:54:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/root-cause-analysis.html Have you ever been in the midst of a project or task and thought to yourself, "There has got to be a better way?" If so, you're not alone. Leading projects is a complicated business. The longer you're at it the more you can learn and the better you can get. Here are 72 project management tips designed to help you lead your projects with skill, authority and grace. Lifecycle & Methodology Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/72-project-management-tips.html Controlling the changes to a project is only half the battle in the war to deliver projects that meet the needs of the client and are on time and on budget. You need to manage and control the scope of your project. In this article, I explore some tricks of the trade that will start you off on the right path and help to keep you there. Combine these tips and tricks with a tight change management process and your project will deliver what the client needs. Scope Management Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:20:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/controlling-project-scope.html An outsourcing Request for Proposal (RFP) is different than the normal RFPs for goods and services that get produced by procurement departments on a daily basis. The outsourcing provider's proposed solution and project plan will be based on this RFP. A poorly developed RFP that does not fully understand the intricacies of the current process, the costs and the future vision that the company management wants to achieve with outsourcing leads to poorly developed provider solutions. This in turn leads to scope and cost creep, and a potentially unsustainable outsourcing relationship between the company and the provider. Outsourcing Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-most-common-sourcing-rfp-mistakes.html The ancient Greeks first coined the term "methodos" - its definition meaning "path." They applied this term in various contexts, as a noun "a path that could be followed to reach a destination" and a verb "the journey to be taken along a path." Though several millennia have passed since the ancient Greeks first used the term, it is still applicable in today's world of Information Technology (IT) - its called "IT Methodology." Lifecycle & Methodology Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:11:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/it-methodology-a-long-and-winding-road.html CNN recently published an article about the aftermath of the recession, claiming that the economy is "finally back in gear." What does this mean for businesses like yours? Projects that were sidelined for the past year or two could come off the bench, and there might be more money to go around. Great news, right? It depends on how ready you are to make the most of this new opportunity. Are you confident that you will be able to put the right people on these projects and make the right decisions about how to spend this money? Project Portfolio Management Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:44:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-be-ready-for-the-recovery.html Most successful web design projects are organised into a system of milestones with each one representing a critical piece of the project. Milestones are simple in concept, but they can be tricky to nail down. For example, how specific should we get with the milestones? If we get too specific, we risk breaking the project down into a chaotic mess of little chunks. However, if we aren't specific enough, the deliverables become unknown and nothing gets done. IT Project Management Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/planning-more-effective-milestones-in-web-design-projects.html Failure reasons in change management are many and varied. But one thing is painfully clear. Any organisational initiative that creates change, or has a significant change element to it, has a 70% chance of not achieving what was originally envisaged. There are 3 main reasons for this catastrophic failure rate. Change Management Sun, 06 Dec 2009 11:55:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/change-management-3-key-reasons-for-the-catastrophic-70-percent-failure-rate.html We all have one hiding over there in the groan zone. It's the unfinished project that lives in a strange sort of limbo. As Nassim Nicholas Taleb reminds us in The Black Swan, the longer a project goes unfinished, there is an exponential increase in the time to finish the project. Sound familiar? Rescue & Recovery Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:15:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/from-limbo-to-liberation.html The very concept of a maturity model remains invisible in many companies. So nothing changes until things go wrong and pain is felt and someone at director level is facing an exposure as a result of a significant project failure. So the simple rationale for having and using a project management maturity model is quite simply that projects fail. Programme Management Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:15:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-maturity-model.html In PMI's (Project Management Institute's) Project Management Body of Knowledge or PMBOK, which is the bible of project management, there are 9 knowledge areas discussed; Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communications, Risk and Procurement. Anyone who has studied for their PMP certification knows these well, ad nauseum even, and knows that the PMBOK discusses these with equal weight. Indeed, PMI loves all of her knowledge area "children" equally, but out in the real world there is one that I believe deserves your extra undivided attention and that is scope. Scope Management Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-scope-is-king.html The phrase "project manager" is a bit of a misnomer; while project managers do manage projects, they deliver them by managing a project team that does the work of the project. How successful they are at managing that team will go a long way to determining the success or failure of the project. Perhaps the most difficult (and certainly the most unpleasant) aspect of managing the high performance team is dealing with issues of poor performance. Team Building Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:01:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/identifying-performance-issues-with-your-project-team.html When looking to gain support and approval for your next project, it might be worth thinking BOSCARD. The BOSCARD is a strategic planning tool used to provide the terms-of-reference for new projects. It is thought to have originated with consulting company Cap Gemini in the 1980's. Methods & Tools Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:58:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/boscard.html After recent conversations with a friend about waffling company policies on projects, my head was whirling. I wondered how you manage a project without the stakeholders' approval or buy-in. In my friend's company, the sales representatives sometimes create quotes based in large part on what the customers want, and not always on what their products can do. The next step in the process is a layer of approval from several colleagues, and in many cases, the sales representative in question has to go back to the customer and renegotiate. You can imagine how the customer feels. Stakeholder Management Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:45:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/stake-your-project-claim.html 'Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something.' - Robert Heinlein (1907 - 1988). The latest Standish Group report shows more projects failing and fewer successful projects. So what is going wrong out there? Why are your projects being challenged in this way? Are your project managers perhaps working too hard to be successful for you? Miscellaneous Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/are-your-project-managers-working-too-hard-to-be-successful.html The sponsor/PM partnership is the most important relationship determinant of a project's success potential. Both the sponsor and the PM need to be acutely aware of the relationship and recognise the necessity of working together to better secure a successful outcome and provide value back to the organisation. Project Sponsorship Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:59:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/great-sponsor-great-pm=great-success.html The Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute developed the People Capability Maturity Model (P-CMM) to help businesses manage knowledge workers across global borders, as well as between greying and millennial generations. Similar to CMMI, P-CMM has five maturity levels, but the model is focused on the need to improve the capabilities of a workforce as a differentiating factor from the competition. Team Building Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:36:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/why-is-people-capability-maturity-model-necessary.html Project Managers can accept the fact that all projects need to change in some way during their life cycle, but sometimes changes can get out of hand and end up derailing the project! In this article we provide you with tips on controlling the requested changes so that you can prevent them from taking up excessive time and still implement the ones that add value to the project. Change Management Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:11:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/controlling-change-requests.html Many readers have mentioned to me that they feel that a lot of the projects they sponsor (even the successful ones) are often on "automatic pilot." This typically happens once the project teams feel that they understand the problem and have decided on what they believe to be the most appropriate direction for solving the key issues facing the project. Team Building Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:37:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/has-your-project-team-considered-all-the-key-dimensions-of-the-problem.html The primary purpose of a case study is to tell a success story, which explains its appeal as a marketing tool. The persuasiveness of a business case study depends on its credibility. This article suggests three components that help strengthen the marketing impact of a B2B case study. Project Documentation Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:46:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/3-key-components-of-an-effective-business-case-study.html The Statement of Work, or SOW, is the bible for the work the project must produce. The SOW is a key governance tool whether it is being used to direct work for a vendor or contractor, or used to direct the work internally, the SOW must contain a description of all the work that is expected, so how do you go about writing one for your project? Project Documentation Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:28:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/writing-the-project-statement-of-work.html Want to have your communications to your project sponsor and project stakeholders read every time out? Try using the "scorecard" approach. This article gives you pointers and advice on putting together a scorecard for your project that will be an attention grabber. Best Practice Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:08:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-project-scorecard.html Setting up a systematic and common approach to change is vital, and this article outlines the approach and steps needed for change management and hence ultimate project success. The approach taken is central to the PRINCE2 Methodology and includes a general summary drawn from PRINCE2 and several project management bodies of knowledge. Change Management Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:28:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/using-change-management-and-change-control-within-a-project.html There is a lot of information and advice available in print form and on the Internet about project management, but relatively little about project sponsorship. Project sponsorship requires more than simply signing the cheques and taking delivery of the successful project. You need to give your project managers the tools they require to succeed and use your influence to remove the obstacles they face. This article explores some of the do's and dont's of successful sponsorship. Project Sponsorship Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:49:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/sponsoring-a-project.html Sometimes I wonder after years of software development whether things have really changed that much. Sure, technology has moved on at pace, but has our approach to running software development projects. Users remain baffled by techno speak, developers prefer to invent rather than reuse and know what is best for you before you tell them what you want, while projects frequently miss deadlines and exceed budgets. IT Project Management Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:32:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/successful-sofware-development-its-not-rocket-science.html Only a third of IT PMOs will ever work, and the rest of 'em won't. For the mathematically challenged, such as myself, that means that two-thirds of all the IT project management offices (or programme management offices, or whatever you want to call them) will fail. Nothing scientific in these numbers, mind you, and I didn't do an extensive survey, this is just what I've seen myself, and you're going to have to take it (or not) on faith. Project Management Office Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/there-is-a-reason-it-pmos-fail.html When projects fail to deliver results, ensuing conversations can often become accusatory. The division manager says, "Even with all the resources and money put into this new product, the quarterly numbers show that it's another loss. Plus, one of our competitors brought out an equivalent product before we were ready to launch ours." Business Case Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/building-a-business-case-as-the-foundation-for-project-success.html Here's the hard truth of it: many of the people sponsoring our projects are unqualified to do so, some aren't experienced enough to be effective sponsors, and even if they are, most haven't been taught how to be an effective sponsor, and what being an effective sponsor means. At their best, many sponsors can be well meaning, but also be less than helpful. At their worst, they can be downright dangerous to you and your project. So how does this happen? It happens because we have a bad habit of encouraging the accidental sponsor. Project Sponsorship Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:27:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/avoiding-the-accidental-project-sponsor.html Ever since the CHAOS report of 1994, we have been hearing increasingly more alarming stories of failed projects and their costs to the world economy. Take, for example, the KPMG study published in the UK in 2002 and based on a survey of 134 public companies. According to the report, 56 per cent of them had had to write off at least one IT project in the previous year, at an average cost of US$12.5M, while the highest loss was placed at US$210 million. Miscellaneous Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:26:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-real-costs-of-failed-projects.html Project ranking is at the heart of project portfolio management (PPM). A good project portfolio ranking system should not only make the job much easier and faster, but also yield a superior result over doing it manually or with simple spreadsheets. Project Portfolio Management Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:31:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-ranking-the-heart-of-project-portfolio-management.html Have you ever felt like you were working for MS Project instead of the other way around? MS Project can become a huge overhead, even for seasoned project managers. This article contains some tips and tricks that will help you tame the tool. Microsoft Project Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:45:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/taming-ms-project.html The popular project management ebook updated and available as a website. Written in a question and answer style it contains 21 pieces of valuable advice for making your projects a complete success. Project Management Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:20:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.com/project-management/introduction.php Businesses all over continue to struggle implementing the PMBOK or PRINCE2 as a whole or parts of them claiming that they are too complex, too involved and take from the time it takes to produce the project deliverables. Adaptive Project Framework (APF) comes to the rescue by adapting to the ever changing business environments. Agile Project Management Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:56:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/agile-project-management-afp.html There are a wide range of well established planning tools which can be used to aid the project management process, and provide the means to monitor and review project plans over time. Here I outline five of the most useful planning tools for projects in health and social care. Project Planning Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:35:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/five-really-useful-tools-for-project-management-in-social-care.html Not all testing methodologies are created equal. On one hand for instance, there are informal assessment methods that serve as practice sessions in preparation for applying for compliance certificates. Then, there are formal testing methods that must meet the rigorous requirements that are set by the industry standard Testing Maturity Model Integration (TMMi) for two reasons, to earn a merit of approval and to be proven effective through the TMMi certification. Moreover, to help quality management professionals, assessors, and IT services buyers, TMMi gives specific assessment requirements called TMMi Assessment Method Application Requirements (TAMAR). Miscellaneous Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:47:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-does-your-quality-management-assessment-method-stack-up.html Okay, so maybe you have the large projects nailed in Microsoft Project, but what about the smaller ones that, in reality, make up the bulk of your portfolio? Are you just "winging" those, using status emails and Excel spreadsheets to manage them? If so, you could be making a great mistake. Small projects, while often overlooked, are still crucial to a company's success. Since they might not involve large sums of money, many companies do not worry as much about them, but all of these small projects can add up to some major costs if managed improperly. Best Practice Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:04:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-mismanaging-small-projects-will-cost-you.html A 2008 survey by McKinsey of 3,199 executives around the world found that only one in three organisational transformation or change projects succeeded. This situation occurred mainly due to the people factor that is involved in any type of any quest for change, and the irrational side of human behaviour, according to Carolyn Aiken and Scott Keller, authors of the paper "The Irrational Side of Transformation" (McKinsey Quarterly, 2009). When changes such as new technologies, new processes, new groups (e.g., consultants) are introduced to the work environment, workers have counterintuitive ways of interpreting these changes and may act differently than expected. Change Management Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:02:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/how-to-deal-with-the-people-factor-of-change-management.html In spite of the fact that project task durations are often conservatively estimated to begin with, the presence of certain behaviours can cause them to increase. Critical Chain Project Management and project scheduling eliminates these behaviours and reduces project lead times. Four behaviours make project durations longer than necessary. Scheduling Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:19:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/critical-chain-project-management-reduces-project-lead-time.html Seasoned project managers know that successful projects most often start with successful beginnings. In fact, before actual project implementation, the mix of the project, people, tools, and approaches could either spell success... or disaster. Thus, it is important to set and manage the expectations of all project stakeholders because how they will perform their roles and responsibilities, or achieve desired outcomes and other motivational factors depend on what they know about the venture. Best Practice Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:26:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-seven-essentials-of-highly-successful-project-initiations.html No one will ever be able to convince me that the most challenging component of Project Management is the science behind it. The way in which we need to pull people together to be a high performance team over a relatively short period of time is the most challenging part of project management. Team Building Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:56:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/putting-people-management-back-into-project-management.html When a tool is inspired by a clever acronym, you've got to wonder how robust it actually is. SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Sounds great, but that's actually not enough. Is it a good goal, or a 'should' goal? SMART Goals Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:05:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart-goals-arent-good-enough.html The Oxford dictionary defines a sponsor simply as someone who "makes himself or herself responsible for another." In a project sense this means taking on responsibility for the success of a project in an organisation. It means commitment to project outcomes and to the people involved in delivering these outcomes. But a project doesn't just work because you have a good project plan. It requires organisational commitment through the provision of adequate resources and executives to smooth the way when things get difficult. Project Sponsorship Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:11:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-sponsorship-get-the-sponsor-you-deserve.html 2008 was an eventful, prosperous year for the project management practice, project management service and solution providers. The stage has been set for some very exciting changes in the project management world. I discuss ten potential project management trends that may be more prominent in 2009, into 2010 and beyond. Miscellaneous Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:12:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/ten-predictions-for-project-management-trends-in-2009.html Corporate budgeting is an obscure process. Usually it involves padding budgets to accommodate for across-the-board cuts, and committees of corporate officers finalising figures for projects executed far below them. Unhappily, the team making funding choices tends to lack the information needed to accurately analyse what they are actually financing. The team must answer questions that directly affect corporate strategy. Which projects are critical to corporate goals? Which provide the best "bang for the buck?" How should the projects be prioritised to maximise utilisation of resources? What is the risk of each project and how should it be handled? Project Portfolio Management Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:03:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-point-and-pitfalls-in-portfolio-management.html More and more emphasis is being placed on projects that help our environment, or are at least compatible with the environment. These projects are commonly referred to as "green" projects. Whether "greening" is an adjunct to the project, or a project objective more and more projects are initiated that can be called "green." Green projects place new demands on the project manager. This article describes one such project and some of these new demands. Case Studies Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:32:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/green-projects.html There is a common misconception that CMMI and Agile are polar opposites. One relies on institutionalisation and documentation of processes and methodologies, while the other emphasises interaction among workers and "working software over comprehensive documentation" (Agile Manifesto). Process documentation and institutionalisation is the lifeblood of CMMI, and it is often used in critical software development life cycles. On the other hand, the Agile approach is called into action when a project features incremental changes, particularly those that have not been included in initial requirement documents. Agile Project Management Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:25:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-5-ways-to-incorporate-cmmi-with-agile-methods.html Whether you are a project manager planning for a smooth implementation of a plan or a project sponsor on whose decisions a project depends, you cannot escape from the fact that project estimation is essential to its success. In the first place, there are three basic requirements that a project must satisfy: schedule, budget, and quality. The need to work within these essential project boundaries poses a huge challenge to everyone in the central management team. Cost Management Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:06:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-development-project-estimations.html Every project manager and business leader needs to be aware of the practices and principles of effective risk management. Understanding how to identify and treat risks to an organisation, a programme or a project can save unnecessary difficulties later on, and will prepare managers and team members for any unavoidable incidences or issues. Risk Management Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:36:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-principles-of-risk-management.html Every IT project is driven by a business requirement. For an IT project manager, the hard part is translating that business requirement into an end product that fully meets that business need. It's easy for a project manager to sit in a meeting and listen to what the clients say they need their new system to achieve. But what happens when what the client asks for and what you think they mean are two different things? When your solution misses the mark, you're the one your client will blame, leaving you wide open to a lawsuit. IT Project Management Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:30:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/turn-your-customers-needs-into-successful-it-projects.html Making a successful business case for your new project is the winning way to ensure a good beginning for your team. As a project manager, how often have you been asked to "work the numbers" and provide a basis for a compelling project? Often, if you are a project manager with responsibility to help your sponsor and your company make decisions about which projects are the right ones to do. The PMBOK provides the body of knowledge for "doing it the right way." In this article, you will learn about the five steps of a methodology that you can take away and use everyday for identifying, selecting, and justifying a new project or a significant change in scope to an ongoing project. Business Case Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:22:00 GMT http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/five-steps-to-a-winning-business-case.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. Project Sponsorship 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