Do you consider yourself a project artist? Typically, project managers do not think of themselves as artists. They assume that their job is to use standardized processes, methods, checklists, tools and templates akin to running the project on autopilot. They see little room for artistic expression. This is a common misconception!
Read more...

Gone are the days when the project manager’s role was only to tactically execute and deliver the project. If you are thinking that it is not your job to worry about a project’s strategic aspects, think again. More and more project managers are expected and challenged to think strategically and deliver their projects in alignment with the organizational goals.
Read more...

Do you have a project or a program? Deciding that question seems straightforward, but it is not. If you are in the process of defining what constitutes a program, you might find it a challenge to come up with clear criteria to distinguish it from a project. You’re not alone. Many organizations that implement program management policies and standards have the same problem.
Read more...

A large failed project is like a huge truck stalled on the side of the highway. Both must produce critical deliverables in a timely manner to achieve the benefits that stakeholders are expecting, but they’re slowing down traffic and causing other resource and organizational problems. Both need to be restarted and put back on track.
Read more...

In any crisis, like the global economic recession or the aftermath of a hurricane, you have to make tough decisions. What criteria do you use to decide between competing options? How do you prioritize and balance your portfolio of initiatives, programs and projects to make the best use of available and limited resources?
Read more...

After a historic presidential election in the United States, officials and citizens are focused on the transition program and the initial priorities of the new administration. In the context of a worldwide economic crisis, the pressing questions on people’s mind are: What new programs and projects will be initiated? What will be cut? How will the administration prioritize the campaign promises made to different stakeholders?
Read more...

What comes to mind when you think about the word “PMO?” If you think of more work, documentation, processes and red-tape, you are not alone. In a 2008-2009 survey by the Projectize Group LLC of 235 respondents who have project management offices in their organization, 78% perceived their PMOs as bureaucratic.
Read more...

Whether you are trying to bring up your child in a disciplined environment, or you are trying to implement the discipline of project management practices, you go through a similar struggle. To bring about the discipline, you need the rigor of standards and processes. However the rigor can turn into rigidity that restricts judgment and stifles creativity.
Read more...

You built the project management office (PMO), but they are not coming. You have worked hard and created standard methods and processes, but project managers and team members are not using them. You provided the training and support, but people are doing their own thing and not embracing project management standards.
Read more...

Do you find yourself trapped in the triple constraint? Project managers are expected to manage the triple constraint and are often compelled to live in this triangle of time, cost and scope/quality. The initial idea of the triple constraint was a framework for  project managers to evaluate and balance these competing demands. It became a way to track and monitor projects. Over time, it has also become a de facto method to define and measure project success.
Read more...

Do you use a traffic light approach to communicate project status? Do you get frustrated at times that the color does not necessarily represent the true status of your project? Do you spend a lot of time defending the color, and find that even after detailed explanation the status is misunderstood by your project stakeholders? You are not alone.
Read more...

As companies try to cut costs in these tough economic times, few business areas seem safe. Project management can be under pressure as well, as some may consider it to be unnecessary overhead and question its importance.

While your gut instinct might be to lie low, this is actually a time to be proactive and articulate why project management is indispensable, especially in today’s turbulent environment.
Read more...

Coming up with ways to measure project manager performance seems straightforward on the surface, but it is not. The question about what to measure haunts senior managers and PMOs who are serious about improving the performance of their project managers.

Traditionally, project manager measurement has mainly revolved around meeting the triple constraint metrics of time, cost and scope. Other aspects, like stakeholder satisfaction and achievement of strategic objectives, are often not directly measured or attributed to project manager’s performance.
Read more...