| Good
"guest" articles on the theory or practice of project management welcomed.
See Issacon #1453 for web-author guidelines. Copyright
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The copyrights of each of the articles in this section belong
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Guest Articles
- Aspiring
to Leadership by Guest Contributors
- Thinking of becoming a project manager, or even updating your present knowledge? Read this Guest paper to get essential advice on honing your persona, advice that is not usually covered in standard project management courses.
11/18
- Humanizing Work Through
Projects by Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez
- Antonio
theorizes that whereas Work has always been considered
an essential means of providing for food, clothes, and shelter, in the future
the universal method of working and organizing work will be the project.
10/18
- Project Manager as the
CEO of the New Project Driven Economy and How that Relates to the Modern PMO
by Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez
- Antonio
postulates that: "The New World Reality Requires a New Organizational Model,
Starting with the CEO". 04/18
- An
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and How it Relates to Project Planning
by Dr. Dan Patterson
- Dan describes
how Artificial Intelligence can strengthen project management by contributing
to more effective project planning and control. 04/18
- The
Only Project Management Resolutions Worth Taking This New Year by David Miller
- David
takes a look at New Year Resolutions, specifically related to Project Management
and tells us why some are hard to keep, what resolutions are worth taking, and
how to keep them (Well, at least until the next New Year. Ed.) 03/18
- PMI's Models of Project Management
Knowledge Part 2 — Fixing Problems with Life Cycles, Process Groups
and Knowledge Areas by Crispin (Kik) Piney
- In
Part 1 of this paper, Kik described some of the
serious shortcomings of the PMBOK® Guide now in its 6th Edn. In this
Part 2, Kik explains what they are, why that
is important and what he thinks should be done about them. 03/18
- PMI's
Models of Project Management Knowledge Part 1 — Life Cycles, Process
Groups and Knowledge Areas by Crispin (Kik) Piney
- Kik,
as he is known to his friends, has spent years thinking about how the PMI PMBOK
Guide is laid out, and how it is unnecessarily confusing where Life Spans, Process
Groups and Knowledge Areas are concerned. Where and how it could be improved will
follow in Part 2. 02/18
- Project
Business Management: The Forgotten Knowledge Area by Oliver F. Lehmann
- Oliver
draws a careful distinction between performing projects internal to the performing
organization, i.e. Project Business Management, and Managing Customer Projects.
While the former is taught and discussed in the context of project management
as espoused by the PMBOK, this is not the same as Managing Customer Projects.
In the former, the benfits are in the future, whereas in the latter, the benefit
lifespan is simultaneous with the project execution as conceived in the original
PMBOK. 11/17
- The Essentials
of Business Etiquette by Sharon Schweitzer
- Sharon
provides valuable insights into behaviors that will enable you to get along with
your management superiors as well as convey leadership to your colleagues at both
business and casual functions. 08/17
- Sound
Sleep - An Essential Habit for PMs by Sarah Jones
- Project
management, because of its nature, is necessarily stressful. To cope with the
challenges of a project you also need to manage your stress level. Getting good
sleep is the foundation for success - Sarah explains how. 07/17
- Project
Failure - My Leading Indicators by Craig Imlach
- In
this paper, Craig presents his nine markers for predicting and identifying project
failure in large projects. 04/17
- Epilogue
to: When It Is Not Project Management
Max's Questions and Mark Seely's Response
- In October 2016, Mark Seely sent me a draft of his book WIN-PM for
my interest. It certainly did, so we entered into a discussion. The outcome is
reproduced here because it sheds light on Marks' thinking, and certainly raises
important questions about the broader implications of project management. 06/17
- When It Is Not Project Management —
Part 6
by Mark Seely - This
concludes Mark's epic voyage through the anatomy of project management in its
broadest sense. Following on with Appendix B, Mark describes a performance dashboard
that renders critical information for the project's authorities. However, this
will vary according to Level. Mark provides examples for each of his five Levels.
Appendix C looks at the Human Affinity for appropriate response in each of five
levels of Learning/Experience. In Appendix D Mark steps aside to examine the proper
relationship between Sponsor and Contractor at each of the five levels of contractual
relationships. 06/17
- When
It Is Not Project Management — Part 5
by Mark Seely - In
this Part 5, Mark will start by clarifying each
of the five project management levels discussed previously and recommends best
practices for deployment of each. He concludes his chapters with a set of ten
"DBM Commandments" for your guidance. In Appendix A he confronts complexity
and points to simplifying options. 05/17
- When
It Is Not Project Management — Part 4
by Mark Seely - Mark
follows up with details of Levels 3, 4 and 5. Note that levels 4 and 5 include
"Governance", which is a relatively new area for discussion. Chapter
5 also includes a couple of examples of management misalignment, one from Canada
and the other from the US. 04/17
- When
It Is Not Project Management — Part 3
by Mark Seely - This
month, Mark digs into the details of Levels 1 and 2 of the project management
organizational ladder, namely Process Management
and (single) Project Management. He then pauses
to discuss a variety aspects of the project management environment, an activity
that he calls Sociolytic Mindscaping. 03/17
- When It Is Not Project Management —
Part 2
by Mark Seely - To
dig into the issues, Mark decides to "undo" project management before
re-assembling. To do so, Mark looks at a variety of spectacular projects from
a variety of major stereotypical industries and uses the Dynamic
Baseline Model (DBM) to determine their complexity level and associated performance
expectation. He then arrives at a series of degrees by which he moves up the project
management organizational ladder. 02/17
- When
It Is Not Project Management — Part 1
by Mark Seely - The
title may be misleading, but this series of articles is about decision making,
the very foundation of successful project management. Decisions are made on the
basis of an analysis of the situation. As projects become larger and more complex
so do the analyses - often involving different sources and, unfortunately, with
different points of view, i.e. biases. Now we need to analyse the range of available
analyses from an unbiased perspective, especially if the original biases are political.
The targets of this über-discipline are obviously large infrastructure projects
funded by governments. 01/17
- The
Strategic Management of Projects
Part 2 - The Project
Delivery Capability by Patrick Weaver
- The Project Delivery Framework discussed in Part 1, set
the stage for an effective corporate Project Delivery Capability (PDC) in this
Part 2. An effective strategic capability for competently managing an organization'sprojects
and programs is critical for the creation and preservation of stakeholder value.
Here, Patrick describes the five-level PDC maturity model for enabling how. 07/16
- The Strategic Management
of Projects
Part 1 - The Project Delivery Framework
by Patrick Weaver - In order to
discuss an effective corporate Project Delivery Capability, Patrick first introduces
a relevant taxonomy suitable for a meaningful discussion. Since Governance is
the ultimate responsibility of the organization's Board, this will enable a top
management discussion covering corporate governance, through strategy and program
management, to project governance. 06/16
- Acquiring,
Developing, and Retaining Project Talent
How the Right Talent
Improves Project and Business Success:
Part 2 - Talent Development
by Stacy Goff - In this Part 2 of
his paper, Stacy describes how the role of training enables individuals to climb
the stairway from data to wisdom and the gaps to be bridged along the way in talent
development towards business benefit. Then it is a matter of retaining the talent
once developed! 06/16
- Acquiring,
Developing, and Retaining Project Talent
How the Right Talent
Improves Project and Business Success:
Part 1 - Talent Then and Now
by Stacy Goff - According to Stacy,
talent is the right combination of innate abilities, plus the knowledge, skills,
attitudes, experience and competence needed to deliver performance. Talent is
essential in two project dimensions: Talent to create the product and talent to
manage the work involved. 05/16
- Project
Management Methodologies Explained by Patrick Hankinson
- Patrick
draws a clear distinction between the project life span and the methodology best
suited to creating the product. He then discusses various methodology options
available for IT and related type projects. 02/16
- Bayesian
Project Management by Joe Marasco
- Your
project is under way and heading for its first milestone, or perhaps that first
milestone has just been completed. Now, what are your chances of completing the
whole project on time? Joe has an answer for estimating that also — based
on Bayesian theory. 12/15
- Predicting
Project Outcomes by Joe Marasco
- What
are the chances of your project being successful? Well, it depends. Joe has a
nomogram for you to solve this complex problem. You may be surprised by what this
chart can tell you about your project, but you need to read the whole paper. 10/15
- Answergraph™ for People, Time
and Money by Joe Marasco
- You're
tasked to shorten the project schedule. Cutting scope and quality are not options,
and your team is already working maximum overtime, but you could add more people.
So realistically, how many — given reallocation of work and rampup time?
Joe's Answergraph™ enables calculation. 9/15
- Planning
for Business Transformation by Leopoldo Innecco
- Transforming
a business is a major challenge. The PICARO lifecycle, consisting of 6 major phases,
was created to combine project management, change management and business transformation
processes into a single framework. 3/15
- Business
Process Types 1, 2 & 3 by Angelo Baratta
- Do
you have a Business Process 3.0 challenge? Angelo traces the evolution of management
through the ages and discovers that what we face now can be much more complex.
2/15
- Project Governance & Control:
The Building of the Crystal Palace by Pat Weaver
(Case Study)
- Pat loves to study historical projects. This case
study provides a wonderful opportunity to see the governance structure and imagine
you are the project manager developing the project plan. 1/15
- Lessons
in Learning - Part 4 of 4: Observations on the Case Study
The
Story Behind the IT Sector's Chronic Training Gap by Robert Goatham - Based
on the case study in Part 3, in this final Part 4 Robert discusses what we can
learn given the right circumstances. In particular, he comments on the merits
of role models, leadership, coaching, and the need for mentors. 12/14
- Lessons
in Learning - Part 3 of 4: A Case Study in Advanced Learning
The
Story Behind the IT Sector's Chronic Training Gap by Robert Goatham - Is
it possible to train people to use the higher order thinking skills described
in Part 2? In this Part 3, Robert provides a case study in advanced learning describing
what it is, why it is necessary, and the reasons why strong resistence is often
encountered. 11/14
- Lessons
in Learning - Part 2 of 4: Developing Thinking Skills
The
Story Behind the IT Sector's Chronic Training Gap by Robert Goatham - In
Part 2, Robert explains why working on projects is "different", the
higher-order thinking skills required, and the impact on corporate training required
if the rate of project failure is to be reduced – especially in the IT sector.
10/14
- Lessons in Learning -
Part 1 of 4: Learning Explained
The Story Behind the IT Sector's
Chronic Training Gap by Robert Goatham - In
this Part 1, Robert introduces his experiences of IT project failures and the
need, not just for training, but for the development of the advanced skills required
for managing complex projects. He goes on to define "expertise", stages
of learning, and the "training gap". 09/14
- Projects
Early and Under Budget: The 777-300ER Airframe Design by Skip Reedy
(Case Studies)
- Skip provides an example of how successful critical
chain project management can be on a $500 million project, completing 26% earlier
than planned and an estimated 10% under budget. 07/14
- NO
Such Thing As an "IT" Project by Bill Monroe
- Bill
challenges the IT community to think about the relationship between the IT department
and the business itself as to where IT-type projects really fit, and hence who
is responsible for their success. 06/14
- Why
a Small Business Might Be the Perfect Retirement Gig and 10 Rules for Starting
Your Own by Sean C. Castrina
- Ever
think of "going out on your own", but maybe apprehensive? Project managers
are particularly vulnerable. Or why end at 65? Sean provides valuable advice.
05/14
- Know Your People: Thoughts
Related to MBTI by Constantine Kortesis
- Should
smart project managers take into considerations Myers-Briggs (Personality) Type
Indicators when managing large and diverse teams? 04/14
- The
Hidden Cost of Poor Project Management by Francis Hooke
- Francis
illustrates certain hidden, or typically unaccounted-for costs of project management
and their implications – including those that are social, emotional and
human. 04/14
- 200-year-old Hwaseong
Fortress Demonstrates Project Management - Part 2 by Young Min Park
(Case Study)
- Young Min Park delves more deeply into the
records of this 200-year old project and compares his findings with today's project
management practices. This Part 2 concludes with a set of questions designed to
stimulate discussion on what can we learn and project for the future. 03/14
- 200-year-old Hwaseong Fortress Demonstrates
Project Management - Part 1 by Young Min Park
(Case Study)
- Young Min Park has been written up this paper
as a major case study of interest to project management students and instructors.
Part 1 describes this beautiful Hwaseong fortress that is now a tourist attraction.
Two hundred years ago it was built as a king's fortification and administration
center. Part 2 will dive into the project
records of the day to discover how this project was managed. 02/14
- Transformation
Requires Overcoming the Enemies of Learning by Chris Majer
- Changing
how people work is often a major obstacle to the successful completion of a transformative
project. But knowledge and learning are critical to adopting new processes and
practices. Chris describes a few of the more important obstacles and how to deal
with them. 02/14
- The Case
for Public-Private Partnerships by Charles Lammam
and Hugh MacIntyre
- Charles and Hugh point to the Skagit
River Bridge collapse on I-5 in Washington State to remind us of the importance
of maintaining existing infrastructure and explain the superiority of investing
in new projects using the P3 approach. 01/14
- Win
That Contract: The 23 Biggest Mistakes That Bidders Make - Part 3
by David Harrison
- David's final
list of eleven items you probably should not do covers Strategies and Tactics;
Evidence; Content Presentation; and Post-tender Interviews. 12/13
- Win
That Contract: The 23 Biggest Mistakes That Bidders Make - Part 2
by David Harrison
- Here is David's
second group of seven things you probably should not do, in the areas of Pre-Qualification
Questionnaires, Relationships and Processes. 11/13
- Win
That Contract: The 23 Biggest Mistakes That Bidders Make - Part 1
by David Harrison
- Are you involved
in procurement of goods and services under contract for your project, whether
as a buyer or seller? If so, David offers very good advice in the form of things
you probably should not do. 10/13
- Enterprise
Project Governance (EPG)
How to Manage Projects Successfully
Across the Organization
by Paul C.
Dinsmore & Luiz Rocha - The authors explain what EPG is,
how it has evolved out of project management, how it can enhance organizational
performance, and hence why it should be of interest to executive management. 09/13
- PMBOK® Guide Fifth Edition
- Unraveling Project Reserves
Part 2 - A Recommended
Solution by Roger L. Parish - Roger
recommends solutions to the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition issues he identified in
Part 1 of his paper. 08/13
- PMBOK®
Guide Fifth Edition - Unraveling Project Reserves
Part 1
- Changes that Improve But Challenges Remain by Roger L. Parish - An
update of his March 2010 paper, Roger examines PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition in a
similar manner and found it better but not perfect. 07/13
- Meddling
Stakeholders – The Titanic Project
by Mark Kozak-Holland
(Case Study) - The building of the British passenger liner Titanic
was an enormous project in its day. The loss of the ship on 15 April 1912 after
colliding with an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean on her maiden voyage was
a terrible disaster. To what extent was the loss due to stakeholder meddling?
Mark Kozak-Holland offers his views. 06/13
- Toward
a Competency Model for Program Managers - Part 2 by Ginger Levin
and J. LeRoy Ward
- In this Part 2, Ginger and LeRoy
provide content for their proposed six Program Management Performance
Competencies and eight Program Management Personal Competencies.
The authors believe they have identified the units of competence required of program
managers in most programs most of the time. 05/13
- Toward
a Competency Model for Program Managers - Part 1 by Ginger Levin
and J. LeRoy Ward
- Ginger and LeRoy explain the need
for competent program managers and in this Part 1 describe their research in the
development of their proposed model and what the model looks like. 04/13
- The Real Role of Project Portfolio
Management by Andy Jordan
- Andy
Jordan suggests that project portfolio management is not about delivering projects,
it's about a true strategic function required to achieve an organization's intended
destination. Andy explains why. 03/13
- The
New American Dream
Why Unleashing Your Inner Entrepreneur
is the Only Way Out of This Mess by Gregory Downing - Can't
pay the bills? Can't find a job? Perhaps the system is broken and what we have
been taught is no longer valid. Gregory suggests the answer is a whole new way
of thinking and offers 15 simple laws for becoming a successful entrepreneur.
02/13
- A New PM System in a
Major Capital Programmes Directorate: Case Study by Arnab Banerjee
- London
Underground has a vision of being a World Class Tube carrying four million passengers
a day in a World Class City. This paper describes the methodology adopted for
a new project management system where delivery is critical. 01/13
- Critical
Chain Project Management by Skip Reedy
- Ever
wondered what Theory of Constraints is really all about? Skip Reedy explains in
very simple and obvious term its application as the underlying basis for Critical
Chain Project Management (scheduling). 12/12
- Redefining
Project Management by Mounir Ajam
- Mounir
suggests that some of the common project management terms used in the practice
of project management are not well defined resulting in damage to the practice
of PM. Find out what and why. 11/12
- Visions
of the Future by Norman KK Ng
- Want
an insight into the future, 125 years from now? Or maybe just 50 years from now?
The follow Norman's "visions" and look for his underlying messages.
10/12
- Ten of the Toughest
Conversations You'll Ever Have
From Confrontation to Calm:
How to Ask Your Way Through Them by Andrew Sobel - Andrew
identifies ten tough situations in which the best response is to counter with
the right questions designed to diffuse the situation. Particularly useful in
dealing with project stakeholders. 09/12
- Should
Project Managers be Professionally Licensed or Chartered? by Gareth Byatt, Gary Hamilton
and Jeff Hodgkinson
- Our authors put forward a number of
considerations on this issue of professional licensing of project managers. How
would it work? How would it compare with other professions? What would be the
benefits and risks? 08/12
- Achieving
Consistent High-Level Business Results Part 2: Structuring a Sustainable
Project Business Management Office by Dennis L. Bolles
- In
this Part 2, Dennis covers the detailed workings of a PMBO through Standardization,
Capability, Execution and establishing PBM Maturity. 07/12
- Achieving
Consistent High-Level Business Results Part 1: Creating a Sustainable
Project Business Management Office by Dennis L. Bolles
- Senior
management needs a structure for documenting and reviewing strategic planning
and tactical information for creating an effective strategic business plan. Dennis
recommends creating a PBMO for competitive advantage. 06/12
- Building
Better Quality Estimates by Kim Tremblay
- Want
to get into the group of PMs that heave learned the hard way? Check out these
seven common estimating mistakes and how to avoid them. 05/12
- CIOs:
Take Heed of Project Portfolio Management in 2012! by Alex Adamopoulos
- PPM
is a business life cycle process, not a project management process. As such, Alex
describes three challenges for management, five reasons why PPM will matter in
2012 and offers five tips for surmounting the hurdles. 04/12
- Leadership
Principles for Project Success by Thomas Juli
- "Success"
(in a project) is an enigmatic word. Thomas provides his view and, based on his
experience, offers five simple yet powerful leadership principles that, if applied
systematically, can help pave the way to project success. 03/12
- Hessel
Friedlander interviews SAP Project Manager Zvika Bash Insights
into Managing Software Project Teams by Hessel Friedlander
- Zvika
is an Applications Manager at a large, multinational IT organization. He specializes
in SAP Enterprise Resource Planning implementation projects. Zvika sheds light
on his career, and his tips on managing software teams. 02/12
- Cut
the Noise and Cut to the Chase! Seven Tips for Streamlining Communication
in Your Project Organization by Michael Feuer
- See
your project as a business? Then run it like a business! Information overload,
some of it next to useless? Then consider using these seven strategies. 01/12
- Agile Project Management: Answers to
Questions on the Basics by Peter McBride
- Peter
offers advice on Roles and Responsibilities and a comparison between Conventional
and Agile approached to project management. He also discusses the issue of Quality
(equals "good enough") and the tactical importance of "Timeboxing". 12/11
- Time's Up! What Do You Really Want?
by John Baker
- John claims that
he has worked with hundreds of project management professionals, most quite talented
but some completely incompetent. So we asked him to explain how his three key
rules for communication could help, especially in eliciting requirements to ensure
a successful project. 11/11
- Pearls
of Project Wisdom by Michael Cavanagh
- In
preparing for his latest book, Michael interviewed a number of experienced project
leaders and gathered some valuable observations on project management, process
and delivery, well worthy of careful consideration. 08/11
- Seven
Good Reasons for Rapid Growth of Project Management in IT by David L. Pells
- expresses
amazement at the growth of IT projects, massive investments, and PMI membership.
All these are encouraging signs for the future - including project portfolio management
and complex project management. 12/10
- Leadership
in the Context of Today's Product Life Cycle by Greg Strid
- Greg
discusses the proposition that "Leadership, management and team building, while
all closely allied, are sufficiently different in the project environment that
they require special study". 11/10
- Project
Portfolio Management Part 2: PPM Explained by Jamal Moustafaev
- Jamal
explains the three key criteria for projects in a portfolio, why each project
should have a business case stage as well as a charter and the need for portfolio
managers distinct from project managers. 10/10
- Project
Portfolio Management Part 1: PPM Illustrated by Jamal Moustafaev
- Do
you know why your organization needs project portfolio management? Jamal cites
examples of why you do. 09/10
- Do
You Know Where Your IT Projects Are? by Yogi Schulz
- Yogi
describes 12 signs of impending IT project doom visible months before catastrophe
strikes and suggests corrective actions to re-establish project success. 08/10
- Project Management Credentials
Compared - A Preliminary Analysis: Part 2 by Paul D. Giammalvo
- In
this Part 2, Paul presents his analysis, ranks 29 project management qualifications
from around the world, comments on the limitations of his model and makes recommendations
for further work. 07/10
- Project
Management Credentials Compared - A Preliminary Analysis: Part 1 by Paul
D. Giammalvo
- Have you ever wondered how the various project
management credentials available in the market stack up one to another? Paul presents
his preliminary analysis. 06/10
- Project
Manager's Promises and Work Performance Assessment by Steve Jenkin
- Steve's
thoughts on a project manager's promises "To make it happen" and the consequent
"Professional's Performance Paradox". 05/10
- Westland's
Great Advice Collection: Four Short Guides by Jason Westland
- Jason
provides you with four short guides to Project Manager Goals; Step-by-Step Project
Management; Creating a Communications Plan; and Writing Great Project Documents.
04/10
- PMBOK® Guide
Fourth Edition - Unraveling Project Reserves by Roger L. Parish
- Ever
felt that you needed an explanation of project cost management, specifically how
to deal with contingencies and reserves? Read Roger's explanations and recommendations
for good practice. 03/10
- How
to Gain Value from a Project Management Model: Case Study by Eva Riis
and Pernille Eskerod
- Use of PM models create value, but
what are the necessary preconditions to sustain value? Eva and Pernille explore
this question in depth. 02/10
- Behavioral
Profiles of Successful Project Managers - A Pilot Research Study by Paul D. Giammalvo,
Ph.D. and John Suermondt
- Are you really a "natural" project
manager? Are your behavioral attributes aligned to project success? Paul discusses
this fascinating topic as an outcome of his in-depth research. 01/10
- Managing
Construction Projects: Best Practices in Good Times and Bad - Part 2 Revay and Associates Limited
- Further
to Part 1, this Part 2 looks at pricing, scheduling, and performance issues among
others. 01/10
- Managing
Construction Projects: Best Practices in Good Times and Bad - Part 1 Revay and Associates Limited
- Experienced
Revay authors provide valuable advice on dealing with some of today's key issues
in managing construction projects in the current economic climate. 12/09
- Managing Canada's Underground Infrastructure:
A Paradigm Shift Needed by Bruce Hollands
- Projects
galore! Bruce draws attention to the looming need for water and wastewater infrastructure
replacement and upgrading across Canada. 12/09
- Is
Project Management a Profession? If Not, What Is It? by Paul D. Giammalvo,
Ph.D.
- Paul collects solid data to show that, in 2004 at least,
the practice of project management is not a "profession" in the classic
sense until project managers can demonstrate trust, fiduciary responsibility and
successful delivery better than 80% of the time. 11/09
- A
New Model of Project Portfolio Management by Gary J. Summers, Ph.D
- A
test model to provide feedback from your portfolio of results with a view to improving
your project portfolio selection and management. 10/09
- Nanotechnology,
Toxicology and the Consumer: Hope or Health Risk? by W. Shane Journeay, Ph.D
- Could
nanotechnology be the next "Big Thing" in new technologies? Shane describes
the possibilities and expresses his concerns over the dangers. 09/09
- Implementing
Project Management at a (Very) Functional Organization: Case Study by Jamal Moustafaev
- Jamal
presents a very real situation as a very useful case study illustrating typical
difficulties experienced by management short on project management and portfolio
management disciplines. 08/09
- The
PMBOK® Guide Fourth Edition: An Analysis - Part 2 by Muhamed Abdomerovic
- In
this Part 2, Muhamed describes his findings in detail and offers suggestions for
improvement in the next update. 07/09
- The
PMBOK® Guide Fourth Edition: An Analysis - Part 1 by Muhamed Abdomerovic
- An
in-depth study of the PMBOK® Guide Fourth Edition focusing on improvements and
deficiencies since the third edition especially in reference to its output/input
systems approach. 06/09
- The Mysterious
S-curve by David Garland
- The
S-curve is a powerful project management control tool. This paper explains what
the mysterious S-curve is, why it is an important project management tool, and
how to generate one. 05/09
- The
Story Behind the High Failure Rates in the IT Sector by Robert Goatham
- Studies
suggest that failure in IT is higher than in engineering. Given we use the same
basic PM tools, does that mean IT projects are "different"? Robert explores this
question and suggests organizations should look to developing decision-making
expertise. 04/09
- Ten Essential
Steps to Delivering Successful Programs by J. LeRoy Ward,
PMP, PgMP
- An organization's ability to execute major initiatives
successfully are ripe with business, leadership, management and technical challenges
requiring proficiency in program management. 03/09
- Project
Lessons from The Great Escape: Case Study - Part 2 by Mark Kozak-Holland
- In
this Part 2, Mark examines the Escape saga from the perspective of project risk
management. The paper concludes with five suggested team exercises. 02/09
- Project Lessons from The Great
Escape: Case Study - Part 1 by Mark Kozak-Holland
- Project
managers can learn from past projects, even though the examples cited are not
necessarily recognized as projects. The Great Escape is a gripping example. 01/09
- Requirements of the Project Management
Office Thomas B. Clark
- To support
their project managers and increase their success rate, companies create and staff
a "project management office". But what are the specific responsibilities and
requirements for such an office? 12/08
- Project
Management Career Path Greta Blash and R. Max
Wideman
- There are various levels of project managers, and various
sizes and complexities of projects. As more experience is gained on smaller less
complex projects, promotions to more senior levels become possible. 11/08
- Wellington County Recreational Complex:
Case Study Ron Leduc
- Ron's case
study, for the benefit of student's and instructors, is drawn from a controversial
economic development project. The case is, of course, entirely fictitious but
the challenges described are not uncommon. 14 study questions are included. 10/08
- Prioritization and Scheduling
Based on Value Bob McMurray and Steve Chamberlin
- Bob
and Steve emphasize that completing a project in portfolio management is not the
real challenge. Rather, it is choosing the right project in the first place. Value
should be the criterion. 10/08
- Pension
Funds and Toll Roads - A Potentially Good Fit Robert W. Poole, Jr.
- Maintenance
or replacement, upgrading and expansion of our infrastructure in North America
are long overdue if we are to meet the needs of an ever-increasing population.
But where will the money come from? Robert Poole proposes long-term toll concessions.
Read how. 09/08
- What is
a PM Methodology? A Search for Efficiency, Consistency, and Performance Stacey A. Goff
- Do
you know why you should use a consistent project management metholodoly? Stacey
gives you ten good reasons. 08/08
- Testing
Your Judgment in Making Decisions Lev Virine and
Michael Trumper
- Have you ever wondered how good you
are at making project decisions? Take this quiz and find out - then read the book!
07/08
- What is Not a Project?
A Primer for Embracing Project-Based Work Randall L. Englund
- Randy takes us back to project management basics by positing
that not much is not a project and the reasons why. He goes on to draw the analogy
in nature of growing a fruit tree. 06/08
- Portfolio
Management - Aligning Projects with Corporate Strategies and Values Don J. Wessels, PMP
- Don
discusses the real key to project selection and prioritization in project portfolio
management: by maximizing business value through a robust business case. 05/08
- DBM & Personality Types: A Supplementary
Explanation Mark Seely
-
- In
response to a visitor's question, the authors of the Dynamic
Baseline Model for Project Management answer the question: "How is the DBM
model related to personality type and project leadership?" 05/08
- Making
Every Word Count - Sage Advice for Project Managers Lindsay Camp
- Sound
lessons in communicating for project managers - and others. 04/08
- Lessons
of Boston's Big Dig Nicole Gelinas
- America's
most ambitious infrastructure project inspired engineering marvels and colossal
mismanagement. 03/08
- Good News From
Iraq Capt. Steven J. Lucks (Ret.)
- Building
a greenfield data center is a challenge. Building it in an eastern war zone is
an even bigger challenge. 02/08
- The
Job of the Project Manager Robert Youker
- A
project manager must know his/her specific duties. Bob provides comprehensive
descriptions for on-the-job tasks, Terms of Referece and a Project Charter for
organizational relationships. 01/08
- Developing
IT Project Metrics from the Top Down Michael R. Wood
- "It'll
be done when it is done" is just not good enough. Project managers must know when.
Step up to the Metrics Challenge by following Michael's good advice. 11/07
- The Purposes and Methods of
Practical Project Categorization - Part 2 Dr. Russell Archibald
- In
this Part 2, Russ describes his project categorization in detail according to
various parameters and concludes that to be useful any categorization scheme must
be hierarchical and directly related to specific needs. 10/07
- The
Purposes and Methods of Practical Project Categorization - Part 1
Dr. Russell Archibald
- Russ recommends
a systematic approach to a project classification system, proposes a matrix, and
explains why it is needed. 09/07
- Distinguishing
PM Competence in Training and Development, Organizational Assessment and Certification
Stacy A. Goff
- Stacy shares a perspective
gained in 24 years of training, coaching, and assessing factors leading to demonstrated
project management competence. 08/07
- In
Search of Project Portfolio Management Processes Stephen Rietiker
- Stephen,
originator of The KEY-9 Landscape describes his search for tangible PPM processes,
his findings (not much), goes on to offer an alternative model, and invites readers
to review and contribute. 07/07
- The
Value of Project Management Certification Dr. Lewis Ireland
- Lew
makes his case for project management certification based on who benefits, who
provides it, and on what standard. 06/07
- Legal
Project Management - Developing and Managing the Scope of Work, Schedule, Budget
and Communications for Legal Transactions and Dispute Resolution Douglas C. Allen
- Douglas
shows how to apply project management to legal matters generally. 05/07
- Applying Project Management to
Litigation and Discovery Management Lauren A. Allen, PMP
- Lauren
applies project management to litigation specifically. 05/07
- The
Chaos Report - Reality Challenged Jim Highsmith
- Jim
challenges the wisdom of the Standish Group's often quoted Chaos reports about
software project failures. 04/07
- PRINCE2,
2005 Edition: Author Colin Bentley's Observations on Our Book Review (Part 2)
Colin Bentley
- Colin continues his counter
arguments with our original Book Review text. 03/07
- PRINCE2,
2005 Edition: Author Colin Bentley's Observations on Our Book Review (Part 1)
Colin Bentley
- Colin takes issue with
some of our observations on the PRINCE2 (2005) standard project management method.
02/07
- Must Project Managers
be Subject Matter Experts? Hessel Friedlander
- Hessel
provides his view on this intriguing and controversial question, backed by his
research. 01/07
- Managing Project
Scope - Part 3: Control Means Maintaining Baselines as the Scope Evolves,
Walter A. Wawruck
- Walter outlines
a framework of principles and procedures for controlling the scope of a project.
12/06
- Managing Project Scope
- Part 2: A Neglected Dimension of Effective Performance on Diverse Projects,
Walter A. Wawruck
- Walter reviews
the scope literature of the day and makes observations based on his own extensive
experience, including application and use of WBS. 11/06
- Managing
Project Scope - Part 1: A Neglected Dimension of Effective Performance on Diverse
Projects, Walter A. Wawruck
- Walter
describes the findings of his landmark research into the importance of project
scope, its meaning and how effective scope management affects time and cost. 10/06
- Learning from Japan: A Different Approach
to Project Cost Accounting, Om P. Kharbanda
- Project
cost accounting, not the same as corporate accounting, is an essential feature
of project management. Could the approach be different? Om describes what he learned
from Japan's cost management practices. 09/06
- Event
Chain Methodology in Project Management, Lev Virine
- Lev
explains how Event Chain Methodology is a practical method for modeling uncertainties
in various time-related business and technological processes. 08/06
- PMBOK®
Guide 2004 and PRINCE2™ 2005 Compared, Colin Bentley
- Colin
is Chief Examiner for UK examinations in the PRINCE2 project management methodology
of which he wrote a major part and its subsequent revisions. He presents a detailed
comparison of the UK and US documents. 07/06
- Project
Success: Looking Beyond Traditional Project Metrics, Brian K. Willard
- Project
management has traditionally measured project success by: "On Time, On Budget
and to Specifications". Brian explains the limitations of these metrics and suggests
better ones, especially for IT projects. 06/06
- Markup
and its Effect on Project Communications (Putting an Important Resource in a Historic
Light), Barry Schaeffer
- Barry explains
"markup" as it applies to modern web page coding, its evolution in the
context of communication history, and its value in today's information projects
and products. 05/06
- Filling
the Infrastructure Gap: How Public Private Partnerships Benefit Taxpayers,
Sara MacIntyre
- Money for public projects,
especially large infrastructure projects, seems to be a common refrain these days
at a time when the public seems distrustful of government spending. Sara explains
the application and benefits of P3s. 04/06
- Project
Miner: Case Study, A. Lathif Masood
- Lathif
has kindly provided an interesting and challenging case study for the benefit
of project management students and their instructors. You may need some personal
practical experience to get the most benefit. 04/06
- Holy
Grail? Holy Cow More Like - Or What Best Practice? Might Be?, Alan Harpham
- Alan
challenges Max's thoughts on the Holy Grail of Pproject Management and presents
some of his own thoughts on the issue of project management best practice. 03/06
- The Dynamic Baseline Model for Project
Management - Part III, Mark A. Seely and
Quang P. Duong
- In this final part of Mark and Quang's
informative presentation, they describe five paradoxes that emerge as you move
up the scale to Management by Values and beyond. 02/06
- The
Dynamic Baseline Model for Project Management - Part II, Mark A. Seely
and Quang P. Duong
- The DBM model sets expectations
at different levels of project complexity. This Part 2 describes the Lowest Management
Level, Expectation of Success, an extrapolation of the model, and the authors'
observations. 01/06
- The Dynamic
Baseline Model for Project Management - Part I, Mark A. Seely
and Quang P. Duong
- Mark and Quang's DBM model provides
a valuable framework for progressive levels of learning and practice based on
management by rules, by methods, by objectives and by values. Hence it sets expectations
at different levels of project complexity. 12/05
- Why
Do We Need Project Portfolio Management (PPM)?, Harvey A. Levine
- Harvey
observes that the questions CEOs want answered are: What is our optimum mix of
projects, how many support strategic objectives and what value do they bring to
shareholders?. Harvey explains how. 11/05
- Community
of Practice: Wave of the Future for Project Management?, Tony Kippenberger
- Tony
describes the concept, origins and merits of "Community of Practice",
its link to knowledge management and its three fundamental elements. 10/05
- Virtual Teams: Getting beyond
Email, Brad M. Jackson
- Brad
explains why Email and collaborative technologies have not worked effectively
for projects. He describes a Digital Group Memory (DGM) technology that meets
the needs of dispersed teams but users must adopt a new competency. 9/05
- The PMBOK® Guide Third Edition:
An Analysis, Muhamed Abdomerovic
- Muhamed
makes a powerful case for immediate amendment of the recent issue of the Project
Management Institute's Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge 3rd.
Edition, and states that this should be done in two stages. His conclusions are
based on a thorough and scientific review of the document. All readers of the
document should be aware of the problem areas that he explains in detail. 7/05
- Powerful Project Management:
A Balanced Blend of Art and Science, Matt Klein
- Matt
points to the massive projects of the past and laments the high level of failure
in information technology projects of the present. He asks if that could be due
to a shortage of IT experts knowing the art of getting things done. 6/05
- On the "Cult of Design", Kate Jones
- As
an entrepreneurial designer of game puzzles, Kate expresses her views on the reaction
of customers to new products and her insights into managing her own work. 5/05
- Designing and Installing a Project
Management Information System in a Developing Country's Ministry of Education,
Bob Youker and Ronald Ng
- Bob describes
how it was possible to design and install a project management information system
using the Microsoft Office suite of software in a developing country's Ministry
of Education with limited authority and resources. 2/05
- Did
Everything Right but Got it Wrong - A Case Study, Hessel Friedlander
- When
you really try to do everything according to best practice, and have your client's
approval all along the way, it is very disappoinging to find that you have still
got it wrong. Hessel provides a real-project case study that should provide for
thoughtful discussion. 1/05
Earned
Value Technique Sparks Discussion, - Several
writers exchange thoughts on trying to make practical sense of the earned value
technique. If you want to know what all those acronyms mean, this is a good place
to start. 12/04
- Construction Claims
and Contracting Strategies, Bryan S. Shapiro
- Bryan
developed this paper for a construction industry audience. However, the problems
and risks he identifies with inappropriately formulated contracts should be of
concern to anyone involved in contracts for any kind of large project. We are
privileged to be able to pass along his professional advice on Guiding Principles
of Risk Allocation. 11/04
- Assignment
Revamp: The Challenges of a Chemical Plant Upgrade, Tim Corman
- In
the coming years we can expect to see more and more rehabilitation, renewal, renovation,
or revamp projects. These will replace existing and aging infrastructure and facilities.
These "revamp" projects, as Tim calls them, present a particular challenge because
the site is not "clean and green" to start with and existing production and services
must be maintained during the upgrade. Tim describes the case of a makeover for
a chemical process plant. 10/04
- Strategic
Design for Running Projects - Part 2, Lawrence A. Bennigson
- In this Part 2, Lawrence continues his discussion focusing
on project integration and the need for visibility, personal and professional
security, strategic trade-offs, some example success criteria and the selection
of key management positions. 09/04
- Strategic
Design for Running Projects - Part 1, Lawrence A. Bennigson
- This paper was originally presented in Innovation magazine
in 1971, but recently brought to our attention by Bob Youker, World Bank (retired.)
Even though written over three decades ago, we think that Lawrence's advice is
just as relevant today. Part 1 includes managing the project, strategic design
of a cost management system, success criteria and system evaluation. 08/04
- Project Management State of the
Art - 2004
Part 4: Project Management in the Next Five Years, Russell D. Archibald - Russ
completes his paper with his projections for project management in the next five
years, the prospects for competition and his perspective on relevance and variations
in the application of project management around the world. The paper includes
a comprehensive list of references. 10/04
- Project
Management State of the Art - 2004
Part 3: Project Management and People,
Russell D. Archibald - Russ continues
his paper with a discussion of practitioner capabilities, working in project teams
and issues surrounding project management as a discipline or a profession. 09/04
- Project Management State of the
Art - 2004
Part 2: Applications, Practices & Tools, Russell D. Archibald - This
month Russ Archibald looks at areas of project management application within industries,
different project categories and their respective project life cycles. He also
looks at the nature and current status of project management control tools. 08/04
- Project Management State of the
Art - 2004
Part 1: Project Management within Organizations, Russell D. Archibald - Long-time
project management guru, Russ Archibald, provides us with sweeping coverage of
the international project management scene. In this Part 1 he looks within organizations
at the characteristics of projects, programs, and portfolio management, as well
as organizational capabilities and maturity. 07/04
- Risk
Management for the Sigmaphobic: Managing Schedule, Cost, Technical Risk &
Contingency, Harvey A. Levine
- Harvey
has a problem with the sigma character and suggests a more pragmatic approach
to managing schedule, cost, technical risk and contingency. 06/04
- Impediments
to Defining Stakeholder Needs, Cyril Souchon
- Based
on the experience in his practice, Cyril discusses the challenges of capturing
and defining stakeholder needs and how he deals with it, especially where those
requirements are vague or even contradictory. 05/04
- Manage
Software Development Better: Implement a Weekly Build and Smoke Test, Mohan Srinivasan
- On
a major software development project, Mohan faced the typical risk of schedule
and/or effort overrun. His team recognized the need to do something radical. They
devised a "Weekly Build and Smoke Test" tool and succeeded in delivering
a productivity improvement of 50%. 04/04
- Choosing
the Wrong Portfolio of Projects: And what your organization can do about it -
Part 6, Lee Merkhofer
- In this last
part of his six-part paper, Lee presents his summary recommendations and describes
the two pitfalls that must be overcome to successfully introduce effective portfolio
management into the organization. 03/04
- Choosing
the Wrong Portfolio of Projects: And what your organization can do about it -
Part 5, Lee Merkhofer
- In this fifth
of a six-part paper, Lee discusses the fifth reason: Inability to arrive at the
portfolio with the highest risk-adjusted value within the available resources,
and how to go about it. 02/04
- Choosing
the Wrong Portfolio of Projects: And what your organization can do about it -
Part 4, Lee Merkhofer
- In this fourth
of a six-part paper, Lee discusses the fourth reason: Lack of attention to risk,
and what to do about it. 01/04
- Choosing
the Wrong Portfolio of Projects: And what your organization can do about it -
Part 3, Lee Merkhofer
- In this third
of a six-part paper, Lee discusses the third reason: Lack of the right metrics,
and what to do about it. 12/03
- Choosing
the Wrong Portfolio of Projects: And what your organization can do about it -
Part 2, Lee Merkhofer
- In this second
of a six-part paper, Lee discusses the second reason: Failure to see the forest
for the trees, and what to do about it. 11/03
- Choosing
the Wrong Portfolio of Projects: And what your organization can do about it -
Part 1, Lee Merkhofer
- This is the
first of a six-part paper of considerable interest to senior executives. Lee will
describe reasons why organizations typically fail to arrive at an optimal project
portfolio. Later, he will show how to implement practical selection processes
to return maximum value as a whole. 10/03
- Change
Management and Projects, Steve Slusarenko
- Steve
discusses change management as a project in its own right and how that relates
to the successful delivery of projects. 09/03
- Quest
for the Cup - Project Management Parallels in the Hockey World, Rob Nelson
- Why
should we think of project teams as only those who manage and actually perform
the tasks that build the deliverables? 08/03
- Ready
for a Change? Select the Right Style of Leader, Jan Katz
- Turnaround
is a painful process which requires an organization willing to license the leader
to take necessary action. 07/03
- First
Principles of Project Management, Lauri Koskela and
Gregory Howell
- This thoughtful review and commentary on
Max Wideman's original First Principles
paper makes interesting reading and useful suggestions for improvement. 06/03
- A Rationale and Structure for
A Project Management Body of Knowledge - Part 3, Eric Jenett
- In
Part 3, Eric presents his proposal for a globally acceptable PMrBoK structure
07/03
- A Rationale and Structure
for A Project Management Body of Knowledge - Part 2, Eric Jenett
- In
Part 2, Eric goes on to define the job of project management, the customer for
a PMBoK, what that customer does and structural considerations for a related body
of knowledge. 06/03
- A
Rationale and Structure for A Project Management Body of Knowledge - Part 1,
Eric Jenett
- In some carefully-considered
thoughts, Eric provides a background to this topic, describes what projects are,
and are not, and discusses the project life span. 05/03
- The
Glory of Pisa - A True Parable of Project Management, Kimberly Gerson
- Max
first wrote about the Leaning Tower of Pisa
in a tongue-in-cheek Max's Musings. Now, Kimberly
Gerson has done some serious research on the "Pisa Project" and presents
it here for your enlightenment. 04/03
- Defining
the Hierarchy of Project Objectives - Linking Organizational Strategy, Programs
and Projects, Robert Youker
- Having
a clear and concise definition of project objectives early in the life cycle is
an important ingredient for success. 04/03
- Bridging
the Gap between Corporate Strategy and Project Management
Alan Harpham - This paper explores the development of program
management out of project management and defines program management as "a set
of related projects with a common strategic goal or aim". Pt1 02/03, Pt2 03/03
- Globalization of the Project
Management Profession,
David H. Curling - A
brief review, insights into professional certification processes, standards, world
wide professional organizations and thoughts on the challenge, opportunities and
impediments to a global project management profession. (Original presentation,
1998) 10/02
- Can A Project Manager
be a Servant Leader? A Reflective Critique, Barbara A. White
- Can
a project manager be submissive to those on his or her project team, and still
be a leader? The author looks at the definitions, characteristics and responsibilities
of a leader, manager, a project manager, a servant, and a servant leader and draws
some interesting conclusions. 07/02
- Expert
Project Management - An Improved Project Lifecycle Model, Edmund Fish
- The
project lifecycle is a pivotal concept in the understanding of projects, mapping
out the progress of the project from birth to death. However, there seems to be
an almost endless confusion over what the project lifecycle is. 04/02
- Expert
Project Management - The Difference between Different Types of Projects, Robert Youker
- The
dictionary defines "classification" as the systematic grouping into
categories by shared characteristics or traits. Project management needs a classification
system for different types of projects so that we may communicate effectively.
04/02
- What CEOs Must Demand To Compete
and Collaborate in 2005, Russell D. Archibald
- This
paper is intended to provide chief executive officers and other senior executives
with the understanding of what they must demand regarding project management within
their organizations, today and in coming years, to compete and collaborate effectively
within the realities of the Internet Age. 03/02
- Does
Your Company Need A CPO? A Case for the Central Project Office and a Chief Project
Officer, Harvey A. Levine
- Project
Management is one of the fastest growing, widely recognized trends of the last
decade. But it has been accompanied by increasing frustration about the way that
project management is being implemented in those organizations that have recently
come to embrace this discipline. 07/01
- Economic
Development, Social Spending and Project Management, Andre
Philip van der Merwe
- Social development in conjunction
with economic development must be balanced by education in project management.
Project management that brings people together from diverse cultures, religions,
social levels, and education levels to effectively and efficiently reach set objective.
Project management, where people are managed so that they can manage their work,
is the key to our future. 06/01
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