Darren PaladinoEngagement Director| SalesforceDenver, Co, United States
I've been implementing visual management here in a program of projects, initiatives, and activities. I am one that is always in search of best practices. What's your favorite use of "at-a-glance" visual management? Saving Changes...
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Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Darren,
I use mindmaps a lot.
Thomas Saving Changes...
Darren PaladinoEngagement Director| SalesforceDenver, Co, United States
I agree Thomas, and I frequently use my mind mapping app when brainstorming and outlining. Saving Changes...
If we are referring to visualizing the work being done by a team, then a work board is a great way of doing so. It can be as simple as a Scrum-type three column board, or as detailed as a true Kanban or Flow-based board.
Kiron Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
I prefer to look at trends rather than pure data. Best way to do that is with time graphs. Plot all data points on a time scale. Project cost tracking is a prime example - the cost gap as a number is of limited value for projection however if the gap growth is plotted over time its much easier to visualize the end point. It is also easier to see the impact of changes.
It is more imprtant to know where we are going rather than were we have been, although were we have been is key to understanding were we are going.
Also, trend plotting is easy to communicate and understand. If we have lost 4 weeks in the schedule, with trending it is relatively easy to demonstrate if we are catching up or falling further back. Saving Changes...
One of my personal favorites is called an N-squared diagram (also known as NxN, N-by-N, or N^2). This is a classic tool for managing system interfaces that I have found extremely helpful for both gathering a work statement, and affinitizing it, similar to a mind map.
The mostly unused part of this kind of diagramming is that when you put all the group names, or however you break it down on the diagonal instead of just the row and column headings. Now you can show the direction of the information exchange. Clockwise shows provider to receiver.
Why that is really handy is that you can move teams around on the diagonal and cluster the interfaces such as document hand-offs. Teams that require a lot of back-and-forth get put next to each other. Now you essentially have a heat map for where to plan your project integration activities. Clusters of interfaces show you where the tough planning happens. Color code it and you have a dashboard. Saving Changes...
In my opinion, an article, entitled "Visual project management" by Paul R. Williams, PMP, provides a valuable insight into the topic. The author gives a summary of visual project management tools, techniques, and concepts.
Roadmaps/timelines for visualizing project schedules, often focusing on deliverables, not tasks. When dealing with people who just want to know when the project will be done, it allows me to give them the big picture without them tuning out because of too much detail. We can then dig deeper, into tasks, if anyone wants detail.
I'm trying to remember the last time that somebody who wasn't a project manager wanted me to show them a gantt chart... It's been a while. I still use them as a personal tool, especially for dependencies, schedule forecasting/modeling, and critical path, but, in a sense, they've turned into background data. It's kind of like having 10 pages of important data when presenting a 1-page summary slide. YOU need the data to discuss what is on the slide; your audience only wants to see the 1-page slide. Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Considering today's electronic communication/reporting, I have to go with the dashboard. A properly designed dashboard is not only quick but allows the reader to drill into their area of interest at a time most convenient for them. The dashboard structure can provide passwork controlled access to everything. Can be used by the president, the manager, the team, the trades people, the stakeholders and even the public. Provides consistent information with limited duplication and inconsistencies. Don't forget - I said 'prperly designed'.
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1 reply by Andrew Nemier
Mar 07, 2021 3:53 AM
Andrew Nemier
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Hi Peter, can you recommend any particular Dashboards that have worked for you? I am currently looking at this myself, (while working with Excel and Mind Maps), I feel I could be doing better - or easier work.
Saving Changes...
Andrew NemierProject Manager| OFFSHORE PROJECT MANAGEMENTBoquete, Chiriqui, Panama
Feb 22, 2021 11:10 AM
Replying to Peter Rapin
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Considering today's electronic communication/reporting, I have to go with the dashboard. A properly designed dashboard is not only quick but allows the reader to drill into their area of interest at a time most convenient for them. The dashboard structure can provide passwork controlled access to everything. Can be used by the president, the manager, the team, the trades people, the stakeholders and even the public. Provides consistent information with limited duplication and inconsistencies. Don't forget - I said 'prperly designed'.
Hi Peter, can you recommend any particular Dashboards that have worked for you? I am currently looking at this myself, (while working with Excel and Mind Maps), I feel I could be doing better - or easier work.
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1 reply by Peter Rapin
Mar 07, 2021 11:36 AM
Peter Rapin
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There are a number of apps that offer dashboard building capacity and I understand it can be done in Excel. However, I am an occasional user of dashboards created by others for specific purposes. These are typically protected giving limited access.
You might be able to get more specific info by searching for "dashboard creation" in a search engine.
Ideally the first page provides very basic information, preferably using graphics, with links to specific areas - might give you a cost curve, or bar chart, executive summary of scope (picture?), purchasing status, Each of these are links to allow you to drill down in layers to ultimate details - reports, cost estimates, expenditures to date, reference documents, etc.
For personal applications I have used Excel to set up links to documents I may be using or have created to analyze a contract claim rather than searching through File Explorer each time. When submitting a report I attach the Excel link page and all relative documents to allow the reviewer to drill down if (s)he wishes to follow my reasoning, validate my calculations or check available documentation.
The dashboard is in reality a Table of Content but with an opportunity to make it appealing by fancying it up a bit with graphics.
Same concept for project dashboards just add some pizzazz through graphics.
Note; some of the mind mapping programs allow you to link nodes to other documents. Haven't really done it to any extent but you could use the mind map as a dash board.
Hope this helps a little.
Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Mar 07, 2021 3:53 AM
Replying to Andrew Nemier
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Hi Peter, can you recommend any particular Dashboards that have worked for you? I am currently looking at this myself, (while working with Excel and Mind Maps), I feel I could be doing better - or easier work.
There are a number of apps that offer dashboard building capacity and I understand it can be done in Excel. However, I am an occasional user of dashboards created by others for specific purposes. These are typically protected giving limited access.
You might be able to get more specific info by searching for "dashboard creation" in a search engine.
Ideally the first page provides very basic information, preferably using graphics, with links to specific areas - might give you a cost curve, or bar chart, executive summary of scope (picture?), purchasing status, Each of these are links to allow you to drill down in layers to ultimate details - reports, cost estimates, expenditures to date, reference documents, etc.
For personal applications I have used Excel to set up links to documents I may be using or have created to analyze a contract claim rather than searching through File Explorer each time. When submitting a report I attach the Excel link page and all relative documents to allow the reviewer to drill down if (s)he wishes to follow my reasoning, validate my calculations or check available documentation.
The dashboard is in reality a Table of Content but with an opportunity to make it appealing by fancying it up a bit with graphics.
Same concept for project dashboards just add some pizzazz through graphics.
Note; some of the mind mapping programs allow you to link nodes to other documents. Haven't really done it to any extent but you could use the mind map as a dash board.
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