Should Technology and Process Coexist?

by Andy Jordan May 6, 2013

With the ever increasing use of technology, how are processes impacted? Our writer feels that technology should be an overlay to the process work--we should start with a solid process and then look for ways that technology could make life easier in the execution of the process. But a colleague doesn't agree...

PMO-level Issue Management

by Andy Jordan April 24, 2013

Every project has an issues log. But what about the PMO? Does your PMO manage issues and maintain an issues log? Do you look for trends across the issues of different projects and take proactive steps to address them? Do you attempt to prevent issues through good communication? In this article, we look at a model for PMO-level issue management and suggest ways that it can improve the quality of projects that your PMO is responsible for.

Who's Governing Your Governance Committee?

by Andy Jordan April 22, 2013

If governance is designed to ensure that project execution occurs appropriately, then who ensures that governance occurs appropriately? To try and avoid conflict, an organization needs to ensure that governance committees operate with a series of guidelines.

Whose Fault is This, Anyway?

by Andy Jordan April 8, 2013

While “blame” is not a constructive term to use in establishing where things went wrong, every element of a project should have clearly defined owners. If it isn’t clear where that ownership lies, there's a fundamental problem in the way your project is structured. Here we look at how we can establish that ownership--and ensure that the model is applied effectively.

The Show Must Go On

by Kenneth Darter, PMP April 3, 2013

Managing issues on a project takes strategic planning and a little finesse so that issues do not turn into show stoppers. Do you have an issue management plan that can handle any problems and still keep the project on track?

Annual Planning in the PMO

by Andy Jordan March 21, 2013

The PMO must have an easy time of annual planning, right? It's a service function that provides resources based on the overall project portfolio, and the organization determines which projects to approve. Based on those decisions, the PMO knows how it needs to adjust its resource model. But life’s not quite that simple...

PMO Responsibility for Process Improvement

by Andy Jordan March 4, 2013

We all know that process improvement is important, but who should deliver it? Whoever owns a process should also be accountable for the improvement of it--and when we are talking about PM processes, that frequently means the PMO.

Five Project Management Pathologies

by Walt Washburn, PMP February 25, 2013

Since it’s the cold season, we wanted to share a list of maladies that will take your project down if you aren't paying attention or fail to keep your guard up. Each are preventable, and as the old saying goes: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Matching Scope and Benefits

by Andy Jordan February 11, 2013

You won’t get the right benefits unless you start with the right scope. As project managers are increasingly asked to become involved in the business side of project execution, many elements they previously didn't have to worry about are now becoming relevant.

Dealing with Shifting Goal Posts

by Andy Jordan February 4, 2013

Sometimes the corporate priorities change unexpectedly, and the projects that were approved at the start of the year are no longer appropriate for what the organization is trying to achieve. How can an organization cope?

Recognizing Failure

by Andy Jordan December 11, 2012

Project failure is inevitable, and failing to deal with it is inexcusable. Many projects fail to deliver against the plan that the approval of the project was based on. But few projects are ever actually cancelled--projects are delayed, costs are escalated, scope is cut…but ultimately the project is delivered, even if it bears little resemblance to what was originally approved. Stop the insanity!

Five Steps to a Better Process

by Kenneth Darter, PMP November 12, 2012

Project management involves creating, facilitating and improving processes. But no process is perfect, and improvements can always be made. These five steps will help make sure that the process is carefully evaluated and corrected.

Continuous Improvement Can Work (Honest!)

by Andy Jordan November 7, 2012

CI programs within PMOs aren’t doomed to failure from the outset; they just need to be well managed. If an organization does not improve the way that it executes projects, then it will simply repeat the same mistakes over and over. In addition, as the organization evolves, if the PMO’s processes and methodology remain unchanged, then they will become less and less effective.

The Reluctant Stakeholder

by Kenneth Darter, PMP October 23, 2012

Many different strategies exist to deal with stakeholders involved in the management and execution of a project. But one group can be particularly challenging: What can a project manager do to engage a reluctant stakeholder?

Project Glue

by Andy Jordan October 15, 2012

Integration management is the glue of your project, making sure that all of your work connects. It has two key elements--the project plan and change control. Is your glue strong enough?

Quality Analysis in Project Management

by Kenneth Darter, PMP October 10, 2012

Quality analysis and quality management can be a full-time occupation for an entire team of people on a project. Unfortunately, not all projects have the scope or resources available to hire a quality team to work on a project. This article explores some basic guidelines for using analysis to manage quality on a project.

PPM Tool Selection and Deployment

by Andy Jordan October 1, 2012

How do you decide which PPM tool is right for you, and then make it work? In this article, we identify a few of the things to consider when selecting a tool.

Business PM vs. Technology PM: The Battle Continues

by Andy Jordan September 24, 2012

It’s one of the oldest debates in project management, and now there are a whole new set of arguments. What type of project manager should an organization have?

The Big Chill

by Tom L. Barnett, PMP September 24, 2012

With the steady industry shift away from custom code applications to more commercial software packages and services, IT project management practices are necessarily changing to adapt to the new conditions. Is this a glimpse into what the future holds?

Mitigating Risk...and Stupidity

by Ty Kiisel September 10, 2012

Projects are risky business, and sometimes risk mitigation is about not being stupid. Here are a couple of suggestions that might help avoid doing something unintentionally stupid to spoil your project.

The Evolution of Annual Planning

by Andy Jordan September 10, 2012

It's inevitable--organizations will change the way that planning cycles are executed. For many organizations, this is a natural extension of the commitments that they are already making--EPMOs, strong and executive supported portfolio management, and results-focused execution. For others, this is a major shift. Here we explore some of the ways that annual planning can be improved.

Flashlight or a Flood Lamp?

by Kenneth Darter, PMP September 4, 2012

There are many different methods a project manager can use to rebaseline the project plan. Unfortunately, the one most often used is reactive instead of proactive. Approach your rebaselining event in a careful and methodical manner to make it worthwhile and benefit the project.

Project Process and Culture Goes Green

by Andy Jordan August 22, 2012

To really get environmental awareness to stick in an organization, you have to be prepared to go beyond setting an example and start to define green-aware policy and create a culture of sustainability. Here, we look at some practical, easy-to-implement ways that you can start to have a smaller environmental footprint when you execute on projects.