Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
Zooming In On Project Tasks
Categories:
Scheduling
Categories: Scheduling
| A project that's broken down into milestones and tasks doesn't seem that difficult -- in fact, it seems more manageable to execute. But the tasks can be numerous, and they all compete for your time -- something there is almost never enough of. I use a technique where I take one task and separate it from any others that should be worked on that day. The task comes from the project plan and my calendar, so I've already assigned a duration and specific date and time to work on it. To actually execute the specific task, I separate it in my mind from anything else I need to do and focus on it completely. In other words, I zoom in. If disruptions are present, try focusing on your task with these tips: 1. Clear your mind of everything except what you're working on. 2. Establish what your optimal environment is. Are you most productive when it's quiet? When there are people around? At your desk? 3. Visualize the end result or completion of the task. 4. Convert or break down the task into actionable items that you or someone else on the team can handle. Converting written tasks into actionable items pushes those items to completion much faster. 5. Identify people who can help you get the task done or resources you need to get it done. 6. Jump straight into the task until completion. What tactics do you use to "zoom in" on your tasks? |
Prioritizing Agile Project Requirements
Categories:
Agile
Categories: Agile
| In Agile project management, we must prioritize a requirements list for release planning, iteration planning and the insertion of new requirements. But there are several techniques to do this. One of the most popular methods of prioritizing Agile project requirements is the "MoSCoW" approach. This stands for 'Must, Should, Could, Won't.' The only problem with this method is that everything is usually a must -- which doesn't allow proper Agile release planning because the requirements aren't necessarily put in order of priority. Another method is the Kano model, developed by Professor Noriaki Kano, which strives to fulfill requirements and please customers. This model features four components: • Must haves are elements the product cannot ship without. • Dissatisfiers are things the product must NOT include. • Satisfiers include requirements where the more you have the better the product is perceived. Like a marketing checklist, each feature adds incremental value. • Delighters take the product beyond simply meeting the requirements to boosting customer satisfaction and recommendation. Several prioritization models put together a table weighted by two variables: features and customers. Each feature is weighted by its value to each customer. The sum of the weights multiplied by the scores makes it possible to see which features are most useful overall across the set of demanding customers. No matter which technique is used, your list of project requirements must be sorted from most to least valuable. What techniques do you use to prioritize requirements? |
Project Planning for The Great Unknown
| My project team and I had embarked on a massive renovation to our company's main movie theater. It was one of the largest projects we'd done to date. And it was one of those "your job is on the line if something goes wrong" type of projects. Such a big project brings some very big potential risks. My project delivery team and I made a list of possible risks plus a list of planned responses. Should one of the risks actually manifest, we knew exactly what to do. As you may have guessed by now, this huge project that couldn't go wrong went very, very wrong. Our team realized one thing while planning: We know that we don't know. Irritating as that phrase is, it may keep you from ruining what would be an otherwise successful project. We knew that even our collective genius may not be enough to avoid disaster. But rather than spend the time creating mitigation plans for unpredictable risks, we created a mitigation plan for the actual risk of not knowing what could happen. The plan included an eight-step process tailored to how the project team operates and how we run our projects. This gave us a standard procedure to follow if trouble arose. And when it did, we used that mitigation plan. There was no need to worry. Everything was under control, even for a risk we hadn't specifically planned for. Because of this project, my team and I still always assume an "unplanned for" risk is on the horizon. We always give our due diligence to risk management and create responses for risks we can specifically identify. But then we review our eight-step plan to ensure we're all prepared for the unknown. Do you have a risk-management response-mitigation plan in place for risks you know you don't know? |
Project Off Track? Regroup, Reengage, Reset
| Elements of the project are falling apart, whether with the team, with the supplier or in your project management domain. Now is the time to regroup, reengage and reset everyone back in the direction of the project goal -- before it's too late. To regroup, conduct a structured session with the core project team to capture the status of everyone's tasks. The regroup can be in the form of a meeting, brainstorming session or workshop. This way, no one on the team is invalidated for elements that went wrong, and you can show your appreciation for everyone's input. Allow for a discussion of their concerns. To reengage, work with the team to align with the original goal, requirements and project deliverables. Then, reset the expectations of each team member, as well as your responsibilities as the project manager. Finally, implement any changes required for the successful delivery of the project. Separate failure to perform from a lack of teamwork within the group. This action allows you to focus on how to achieve the expected results of the project, with buy-in from the entire team. What do you when your projects are off track? |
The Project Management Stakeholder Web
Categories:
Stakeholder Management
Categories: Stakeholder Management
| Web 2.0 is changing the way stakeholders interact and work together within the project team and in the wider community around the project and the organization. Social networking, instant messaging and collaboration tools are overwhelming traditional organization charts, hierarchies and management structures. Here are a few examples of how things might change: Building and maintaining relationships will change. People add their uniquely human value in non-routine processes and creativity and organizations will increasingly use automation or "self-service" systems for the majority of routine activities. There will need to be a balance between pure efficiency (which is often appreciated) and developing meaningful relationships with stakeholders through human interaction. Weak links and extended networks let people pick up information from people who know the people they know. Project managers will need to learn to navigate their personal, professional and social networks to exploit these strong and weak links for the benefit of their project. Work swarming is characterized by a flurry of collective activity by anyone available and able to add value. Using weak links, swarms form quickly, attack a problem or opportunity, and then dissipate. The phenomenon is powerful but not controllable in any traditional sense. Informal groups outside the direct control of the organization often use social media to impact the success or failure of a project. Smart project managers will learn how to live in a social environment they can only partially influence. Virtual environments will become the workplace. People will interact with each other and the virtual environment to reshape the world they're looking at through simulation and experimentation. The challenge facing organizations and project managers is adapting to this environment to obtain the potential benefits for the project, the team and the organization. They must simultaneously maintain appropriate levels of governance and remain focused on the project objectives. Individuals will also need support to manage the complexity created by overlapping demands. Forcing individuals to operate in an over-stimulated state will be detrimental to the person and their performance on the project team. How is Web 2.0 affecting your stakeholder management? |