Category: For the PM

Statement of work.  Project budget.  Project resource plan.  Project charter.  Project communication plan.  Project schedule.  Project test plan.  Project implementation plan.  Technical project documents like the functional design document and technical design document.  All of these are put in place just to make the project manager’s life very complicated.  That isn’t true, of course, but … Continue reading "4 Secrets to the Best Project Plan Possible"

At every organisation in the civilised world right now there is someone there trying to figure out how best to present their case to their manager on why they should be allowed to work from a home office. This scenario won't work for everyone. There are positions that just plain won't work for the remote … Continue reading "5 Compelling Arguments for Managing Projects Remotely"

Forget the usual list of project manager skills and what we're supposed to do on the projects we manage. Forget the list of items in the normal project manager job description. Let's consider what we really need to do on projects. What it takes to get to the end of the day, the end of … Continue reading "What Good Project Managers Bring to the Table"

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. I think we’ve all heard that expression, right?  And it makes sense…that first impression – especially with an all-important project customer who’s trust and confidence may be critical to the success of the project – is extremely important.  If you don’t make that good … Continue reading "4 Steps to Nailing the Project Kickoff"

Executives today look for project managers who can set up and mobilize a project quickly before it starts. In the past, it could take weeks or months to set up files, directory structures, tools and templates; meanwhile, the project begins before the tools are set up. In order to stand out against others and win … Continue reading "11 Must-Haves to Mobilize Your Projects Quickly"

Probably.  Is it a good idea?  That depends.  Project management best practices, when applied to various efforts, usually help produce positive outcomes – sometimes making drastic differences on many engagements.  But is everything a project and can everything fit the definition of being a project?  Still not sure?  When I first became a project manager, … Continue reading "Can anything be a project?"

Whether you’re preparing for your first project management interview, or you’re a seasoned project manager looking for his next gig or more senior level PM position, preparation is always a must.  The job market is not back to what it was in the 1990s yet, that’s for sure!  Analysts like to say unemployment is down … Continue reading "Preparing for the project manager interview"

Work breakdown structure – that term used to make me cringe and it still does, to some degree. It sounds too rigid for my taste…too formal…too structured…too “official”. One definition of the WBS goes as follows: “A work breakdown structure (WBS) in project management and systems engineering, is a tool used to define and group … Continue reading "Why you need a work breakdown structure (WBS)"