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Viewing Posts by Dmitri Ivanenko PMP ITIL
Avoiding Friction through Project Management
Categories:
Teams
Categories: Teams
| It can be an obstacle when project teams encounter friction among members, as it impacts their ability to work together and finish a project successfully. Often, that friction can come from a team member's experience in project management -- or lack thereof. In my opinion, a great deal of control over the project and its outcome depends on how well a project manager or team member is trained in a well-structured project management environment, whether through formal or on-the-job training. Truly understanding project management practices and how all the components of it can work and integrate together can save a lot of grief and reduce or avoid friction among the team members. It provides the tools for "winning the game." Project management provides a pathway to successfully managing a project and its components toward its completion. Any given practice of it is regularly fine-tuned and updated based on the experiences of various project managers and their teams. Equipped with that understanding, project managers must pay attention when there's friction among team members. Project managers can get team members back on track with the project management practice they use, while allowing the team members to focus on the goal: to deliver results in the area for which they are responsible. Do you think project management training can impact friction among team members? Why or why not? See more posts from Dmitri. See more about professional development. |
Project Management at Work -- And in Life
Categories:
Reflections on the PM Life
Categories: Reflections on the PM Life
| Let's face it -- although we may not see ourselves as the great organizers we'd like to be, we are often more organized in our projects in the workplace than we are at home in our own lives. Of course we're trained to do what we do at work, which isn't always the case for everyday life. We seek out specialized training for our field, and then we get to obtain certifications and credentials, continue our education and earn professional development units (PDUs) to maintain our designation. Meanwhile, there's no training for how to live an organized life. Having project management knowledge allows us to be better project managers in our lives -- not just in our workplace. Indeed, project management processes can be applied to life's personal projects and activities. When I was studying for my Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® certification, for example, I realized that my knowledge of the PMBOK® Guide applied to everything I was up to -- not just the management of projects at work. I became more organized. I worked on more projects of my own and had structure that allowed me to progress faster, and with better concrete results and more confidence. All that came from this preparation. When I obtained my CAPM®, I was convinced that every single person that worked in the office could benefit from this education and certification, including project managers, project team members or department members that don't even work on large projects. How do you apply project management principles to your life? See more on PMI certifications. See more posts from Dmitri. |
What Do You Look for in a Collaboration Tool?
Categories:
Tools
Categories: Tools
| With so many project management collaboration tools out there, what is a useful, intuitive and inexpensive tool to use? It all depends on what you look for in a tool. I look for the ability to assign tasks to team members or teams. I also like to be able to add notes and collaborate with team members through the tool, specific to the tasks they're assigned or the work they are doing. These capabilities cut through many unnecessary meetings and allow you to see real-time progress of the assigned work. I use a web-based software called IntervalsTM. I create my projects and tasks, and then add my team to the projects and assign each of them their respective tasks. While I may create an MS Project-based project plan, I would use Intervals to manage the actual tasks, time and budget. It's also a great tool for assessing how much time various tasks take and getting a more accurate measure of the time spent on the tasks. This tool has built-in timers for each task and general timers that make it easy to track your time. Timesheet management is quite easy as well. I get my team to submit the hours they spent on a regular basis. At the end of the week, they submit their timesheet, which I either approve or reject -- it all happens online. Another great feature is the executive role, which allows an executive or sponsor to see the latest progress on a project without having to be involved in any other details. The progress can be seen at any time online, by anyone provided such access. What are your favorite collaboration tools? Are there any tools you use that achieve all these abilities? The views expressed within the PMI Voices on Project Management blog are contributed from external sources and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of PMI. |
Project Managers On The Go
Categories:
Leadership
Categories: Leadership
| Project managers often travel a lot for work, but you don't have to disappear into some kind of black hole. It's a matter of claiming specific pockets of time based on what's most appropriate for that period. When flying, for example, I might book myself for two hours of focused work on project documentation, like the project plan or strategy documents. If I'm stuck waiting for a connecting flight or in my hotel room, I use that time to catch up on emails. Traveling is also a good way to network. Try to connect with people who might help you resolve project challenges or look at issues in a new way. You might even want to find out how they stay productive while on the go. As a project manager or a team member, I can still be in action and engaged in the project -- no matter where I am. Is traveling a hindrance or a non-issue for you? How do you stay productive yet balanced during your business travels? |
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? |