The Daily PM Blog
The Cardinal Sin of IT Project Management Workarounds
July 9, 2012
Wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony make up the traditional list of 7 'deadly', or 'cardinal' sins. This list has been used since the early days of Christianity to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen humanity’s tendency to sin.
While not nearly as profound or everlastingly impacting, there are certain scenarios within IT Project Management that you would want to stay away from as well. We collectively group these together under the banner of the Cardinal Sin of Information Technology Project Management Workarounds!
What is an IT Project Management Workaround?
Th...
Project Planning Words You Rarely Hear
July 6, 2012
Everyone is sitting around the table. You’re just about to kick-off a new project and the room is brimming with anticipation and excitement. Everyone has been waiting for this project to come in for a long time. Not only will it be a fun project to work on, but it’s also just what the company needed in order to make their numbers for the next quarter. Great news!
It’s your job as project manager to finish the project planning process. So far, all the deliverables have been identified and assigned to their logical owners. Your engineering team knows their exact responsibilities. QA is rig...
Project Management Tools to Gain Control of your Projects
July 5, 2012
WARNING! This article is right on the verge of being way too scientifically-techie. However, if you suffer with me through the first part as I lay the groundwork, you’ll see how one critical point can be established. Here’s the point…the role of a project manager changes as they mature through their career much the same way that potential energy changes into kinetic energy. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about this article…
Let’s get the Techie Part out of the Way
First, a couple of definitions to refresh your memory from High School Physics. Many different types of energy exist thr...
How to Project Plan Like There’s No Tomorrow
July 4, 2012
The evolution a new company goes through is a funny thing. A company usually starts with nothing more than a good idea and a whole lot of energy from just a few people. This 'good idea' turns into a great idea and people start buying the product or service. The next thing you know more people are added to the company, small groups with their specialties begin to emerge (such as sales, marketing, accounting, IT, etc.) and departments begin to be established.
Then something strange happens. These departments that started from the same ancestry…the small group of highly energetic people, now, o...
Idiots Guide To Project Management
July 3, 2012
Learn how to avoid spending more time, money or effort on a project than you need to with the quintessential Idiot's Guide To Project Management.
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How to Manage Tasks
July 2, 2012
A big part of being a project manager is the ability to manage tasks. These tasks come in all shapes and sizes. Many tasks and activities have your project plan as the source. These are the things that you have identified that must be complete by someone else in order for the project to be complete.
Other types of tasks are the ones that you personally need to accomplish. Some project managers keep up with these tasks by using daily To-Do lists that never seem to end. Others may scribble tasks on the whiteboard behind their desk and add them to the other two dozen items that have been on the w...
When to Run Away From Your IT Project Management Plan
June 29, 2012
Nothing strikes more fear into the hearts of experienced project managers than these four little words…IN – TE – GRA - TION. That’s right, Integration. The word “integration” will bring even experienced project managers to their knees, test the limits of everyone involved, and turn project management into an extreme, hand-to-hand combat, sport. Why is this, and is there anything that can be done to make an Integration project run smooth?
What is an Integration Project?
If you come across the word “Integration” in your IT project management plan then it basically means this…yo...
How to Make a Project Manager Portfolio
June 28, 2012
In many larger cities you will find a part of town where there are a number of art galleries. These are places where artists can display their work for all to see…and ideally purchase. When you walk into these galleries you will be greeted with a place of quiet reflection while you stroll from one painting to the next and admire the work of one or many artists.
This is an ideal location for artists to showcase their talents. I’ve seen this concept work on a “mobile level” for graphic designers in the work environment as well. The first time I met one of my favorite designers was when s...
How to Knock Your Project Management Meeting out of the Park
June 27, 2012
There’s nothing like the sound of the crack of the bat at a major league baseball game. Even though you may be sitting in the stands and hundreds of feet away from the batter, you can still hear the crisp, sharp sound as the bat makes contact with the ball. The ball then begins its ascent as the crowd gets to their feet. It’s going, going, GONE! The crowd goes wild as the ball makes it over the fence! The batter takes his obligatory trot around the bases as he high-fives his teammates as he crosses home plate.
Wouldn’t it be awesome if you were able to knock your project management meeti...
Creating A Project Document Library
June 26, 2012
Watch the video and get 5 great tips on why creating a project document library is so important for a project manager...
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