The Daily PM Blog
How to Define Your Project
January 14, 2013
No, MVP is not some weird planning technique. Nor is it Minimum Viable Product, at least, not in this context. It is another TLA (Three Letter Acronym) – don’t you just love them? There is a lot of jargon in project management and MVP is the newest term to learn. It stands for Motivation, Vision, Project Objectives, and you shouldn’t start a project without it.
MVP is one way to make sure that your project starts off with the best possible chance of success. Having some clarity about the motivation, vision and the project objectives means that you know why you are working on a project, w...
6 Tips to Start your New Project
January 11, 2013
Starting a new project is an exciting time. You get to work on something new, perhaps with new people. It’s one of my favorite things about being a project manager – the opportunity to move on to different teams and different initiatives means you really do get to know about all kinds of areas of a business.
However, the start of a new project is also the time where you need to set the tone of the project and ensure that everyone is aligned to their new objectives. It’s your opportunity to begin things in a good way and make a professional start to a project. Here are 6 tips to consider ...
4 Alternatives to Gantt Charts
January 10, 2013
Gantt charts are ubiquitous with project management. Gantt charts are made up of horizontal bars that visually represent the duration of tasks. They are a good tool to show the bigger picture on a project and they work well for people who like things displayed graphically.
The downside is that when you add on those little diamonds for milestones and the lines showing the dependencies back and forward between tasks, a Gantt chart can get messy to look at. By the time you have added the names of resources, dotted lines to indicate lag times and a host of other squiggly symbols, you end up with s...
6 Ways to Augment Program Management Software with Feet on the Ground
January 9, 2013
Program management software is great. It allows you to roll up your portfolio of projects into one central location and categorize them by type, such as organization, customer, etc. Scorecards can be used to determine how well projects are performing in each portfolio, and then that information can be used by executives to prioritize and/or cut projects.
The challenge with program management software, however, is that it doesn’t run on auto-pilot. It’s not something that you can set up and forget. It requires diligence by the program and project managers to update with information that ens...
Managing Small vs Large Projects
January 8, 2013
Watch this short project management video to learn about managing small vs large projects.
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The Project Management Application of Trust
January 7, 2013
“I tell you things I don’t tell anyone else, and I’m not even sure why,” said the QA Director.
“I hear that a lot,” said the Project Manager. “I appreciate your confidence.”
Has this happened to you? Do people come to you and say what’s on their mind? Do they let you know the real issues they are facing without trying to cover it with a lot of smoke? If so, take it as a compliment. It’s a rare and great position to be in to elicit this kind of respect, credibility, and confidence. This enviable position can be summed up in one word…trust.
Why Trust is Vital in Project M...
The Agile with Scrum Sprint Planning Process
January 4, 2013
Two-part epoxy is a pretty neat invention. Epoxy is a co-polymer formed when two chemicals come together. They are known by different names, but one chemical is a resin or compound, and the other is known as a hardener or activator. Each chemical is pretty lifeless by itself, but the second they come together they form a useful adhesive.
The protective epoxy encasing is used in many consumer applications, the marine industry, and even aerospace. The point to remember is that nothing will happen until these two chemicals are removed from their separate vials and combined. That’s when the newl...
Writing the Project Management Status Report for Management
January 3, 2013
Have you ever visited a foreign country without knowing how to speak the language, or been in the company of someone who didn’t speak yours? A funny thing happens; when someone isn’t fluent, they slow their speech and talk LOUDER, as if others near them have a hearing problem. It’s not that the other person can’t hear; it’s that they don’t understand.
You can yell at the top of your lungs and the person still won’t comprehend your words. If you want someone to understand you better, learn their language. You don’t have to study for years; rather, learn the most common phrases...
Project Portfolio Management and Benefit Realization
January 2, 2013
You are currently cruising at 35,000 feet, enroute to your client’s office across the country. You look out the window at the patchwork of colors and patterns below and are able to discern if you are over forests, deserts, water, or mountains…but that’s about it. You’re too far away from the details to identify anything in greater detail. It’s a beautiful sight to behold.
As you approach your destination, your flight begins to descend. Gradually, the patchwork of different colors sharpens into distinct patterns. Squares and rectangles of earth begin to take shape. Some are dirt brown...
Top Portfolio Management Tips
January 1, 2013
Watch to learn our experts top portfolio management tips.
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