I have an experience of around 3 years in content writing. Writing and reading is my passion and I like to spend my time in writing on various subjects. As per my perception, this is one of the few professions, where you get to know about so many things while you read and write. It is one profession that gives you right to express your creativity and belief through the power of words. Perhaps, I know the importance of words. Words can influence your thought process. Words can give you a reason to reckon and act. The power of words has made a revolution in past and it has the ability to do so in future.
Well, myself as Vidyut Bharti knows the power of words and it is because of this reason, I persuaded my career in writing. After working on different areas and types of writing like: web-content, sales promotional content, creative advertisements and education I have learned a lot about writing. Being a mass communication graduate, I write news and features on commission as well as other materials and have branched out in the last decade or so into blog and website creation. I have gained many useful insights into making websites and blogs that get ranked highly by the search engines so-called SEO, search engine optimization.
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Project Management Training- Step Leading To Effective And Successful Project Management
Posted By: admin on January 6, 2010 in Project Management - Comments: Comments Off
Training is always an essential part in learning and so does Project management training. Learning Project Management fundamentals is a necessary step in a project management discipline, besides other critical factors for successful project management. Project Management Training is generally referred to practical, real-world, hands-on experience for project managers in learning the principles and practices that lead to effective and successful project management. Among the many project management certifications available, PMP is the most after and well loved PM certifications. This certification from PMI, USA is of the highest order and holds high credentials too. AstroWix a registered education provider of PMI excels in providing project management training with over a decade long experience in training professionals on best practices in project management. Project management training traditionally revolves around the benefits of a set framework of principles and ‘best practices’ that are a part of effective project management. But our training approach follows a modern methodology that takes the project managers beyond the classroom environment of set guidelines and thus building an atmosphere of adaptability and the crucial habit of applying the lessons learnt. Project management excellence is the buzzword of today, with efficiency experts in fantastic demand as organizations are hiring them in an effort to enhance their productivity while at the same time lowering the costs. As the requirement for skilled and experts professionals rise the need for project management training also is on the high. Training in project management cannot be underestimated as it comes with measurable improvements to an organizations bottom line. PMP certification amongst the many other certifications is the most hard of them, requiring meticulous and thorough preparation. AstroWix training workshops on PMP not only provides with a structured course materials but also hands-on-experience on real projects. Moreover, the results-oriented approach of effective project management training makes it essential for project leads to build upon the concepts of excellent project management and apply their knowledge to their projects. A PMP certification prepares you for managing business projects using project management tools, processes and techniques. Moreover, all project practitioners stand to gain a focus on how to gain clear objectives, insight, ensure timelines and budget demands. Also it serves as an brilliant guide to identify and manage resources, thus attaining highest return on investment. AstroWix training workshops trains project professionals for applying project management skills and techniques in varying arenas from an IT software firm, a construction company to telecom. Over the years our training workshops and seminars have turned out to be very valuable for organizations that have reaped long term benefits. To know more about Project Management Training, PMP visit www. astrowix. com
Project Management For Dummies
Posted By: admin on January 5, 2010 in Project Management - Comments: Comments Off
So what is project management? Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of the particular project. A project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to achieve a particular aim. The Latin word projectum means, “to throw something forward. ” Project Management is all about making things happen and moving forward and has existed for thousands of years. For example, the Fantastic Pyramid of Giza 2,550 B. C, the Fantastic Wall of China 221 B. C. – 206 B. C or the Roman Coliseum 80 A. D. all used project management techniques. Project Management is as much a way of thinking as it is an approach that can be applied to any initiative large or small that must deliver within a certain timeframe and cost, in order to meet specific objectives. Recognised as an essential capability for organisations to maximise value and reduce costs, Project Management has developed considerably in the past 20 years. Today Project Management is a professional discipline with a body of knowledge, a set of skills and competencies and professional certification bodies (listed at the end of this article). The Basic PrinciplesThere are a number of significant principles which determine success in any project. These are simple and well known principles, but they are hard to apply and are quite frequently ignored in practice. 1. Precise Business NeedsSuccessful projects are business driven. This represents the ‘why’ of the project, and it is vital because it provides the basis for all choice making. 2. Defined BenefitsProjects are about translating the business need into the business benefit. In addition to the business need, the ‘bottom line’ benefits must also be well defined in terms of source, timing and quantity. 3. Explicit PlansEffective plotting, allows people to work together in a co-ordinated way in order to achieve the project objectives. Effective plotting is dependent on being at an appropriate level of detail and being presented in an appropriate way. 4. Agreed DeliverablesQuite simply a ‘deliverable’ is an unambiguous way of defining responsibilities in terms of outputs rather than inputs. Each phase, area and task within the project plot should have a tangible deliverable associated with it, ie. something that one can see, touch, or otherwise validate. 5. Pro-Active Choice MakingProject work has small momentum of its own, unlike routine work. All parties involved are therefore required to take the initiative and actively look for ways of driving and improving the project outcome. 6. Single Point ResponsibilityIn business tasks are only completed successfully when people have unambiguous accountabilities. ‘Single point responsibility’ for results is of the very essence. The Project Manager is ultimately responsible for making the project happen and must ensure that every staff member receives the right amount of project management training accordingly. 7. Active Follow-UpPlans have practical value only when they are used to help people do their daily work. They are similarly used as a means of identifying problems while there is still time to overcome them. Plans must therefore be used throughout the entire project in order to allocate tasks and monitor achievement. 8. Open CommunicationsTime must be invested in communication as it is the key to a successful project. By effectively communicating the project and issues everyone involved has the opportunity to take the initiative and contribute fully with thoughts and decisions. 9. Excellent TeamworkTeamwork in projects is absolutely critical but does not happen automatically. Project work involves people from different parts of the organisation, often with competing priorities and different perspectives, which can make teamwork all the more hard to achieve. Teams must therefore be actively developed by the Project Manager. 10. Strong LeadershipSuccessful projects are usually led by an individual who is committed to the project objectives, and who has a completely clear view of where the project is going and how they intend to get there. The leadership qualities of the Project Manager are as vital as their technical management skills. Benefits of Project ManagementIn order to apply project management principles it takes time and effort, disciplines and techniques. The results are there for the taking if you are prepared to make the effort. Applying a project management approach is not simple. At the start of a project the project management approach may not necessarily show immediate results. But the investment always pays off in the long run. Project management adds value in quite a number of ways, some of which are detailed below:1. maximises the benefits of the project by focusing the efforts, of everyone involved, on the business need while working to improve the value of the result. 2. advances the benefits by minimising the time taken for the project and wherever possible, achieving a phased delivery of business results. 3. optimises resources by ensuring that everyone knows what they have to do. 4. minimises costs by ensuring that only essential work is completed, and that work does not have to be redone. 5. avoids wasted time simply by communicating extensively, and running effective meetings which result in agreed actions, which are completed. By using project management principles and practices millions of dollars can be saved on projects. It can dramatically accelerate the introduction of beneficial change, and greatly increase the satisfaction of everyone involved, alleviating enormous frustration usually involved in projects. When applied with sensitivity and adjustment the benefits of project management far outweigh the time and energy invested.
Article by PM-Partners, project management training professionals.
Project Management Training – Paving way for project success
Posted By: admin on in Project Management - Comments: Comments Off
The demand for trained and skilled professionals is all time high in India, with increasing number of organizations to government bodies looking for certified professionals. Amongst the available project management certifications PMP® certification is the most recognized and reputed certifications available offered by PMI® (Project Management Institute), USA. This certification is one of the most intensive certifications which demonstrate advanced knowledge and experience of Project Management concepts. This certification goes beyond academic credentials which represents the mastery over project management skills and knowledge. Earning a PMP® credential from PMI® requires a professional to demonstrate “long term commitment” to project management profession. It’s a hard and obscure certification that needs rigorous Project Management Training and preparation to pass this 200-question exam covering the five project management processes and nine knowledge areas in PMI’s project management body of knowledge (PMBOK®). In India, PMP certification is quick catching up with professionals and organizations opting for this certification. Training for PMP® Certification India, there are number of options, AstroWix being a well loved choice among PMP aspirants. A registered education provider of PMI it excels in providing project management training with over a decade long experience in training professionals on best practices in project management. About PMIProject Management Institute (PMI®), is the world’s leading not-for-profit professional association for the project management profession. A global organization, it supports practitioners with project management credentials that objectively assess experience, education, and knowledge. Founded in 1969 by working project managers, it has today 420,000 members and credential holders. The PMI’s primary goal is to advance the practice, science and profession of project management throughout the world in a conscientious and proactive manner so that organizations everywhere will embrace, value and utilize project management and then attribute their successes to it. As the global advocacy organization for the project management profession, PMI works with business and government organizations worldwide to build and showcase the value of project management profession. PMI® provides government organizations and businesses with the education, tools and networking opportunities they need to develop project managers and the profession within their organizations. PMP® Certification ProcessPMP® certification has bought a status of a market differentiator and is recognized by major organizations and government bodies as a benchmark for their project managers. This certification certainly lends a competitive leading edge to project professionals in both the public and private sector. This certification involves a process that develops, maintains, evaluates, promotes and administers a rigorous, examination-based, professional certification program of the highest caliber. For attaining PMP® Certification India, each candidate must satisfy all education and experiential requirements established by the PMI® and demonstrate an acceptable and valid level of understanding and knowledge about project management that is tested by the Project Management Professional Certification Examination. In addition, those who have been granted the PMP® credential must demonstrate ongoing professional commitment to the field of project management by satisfying Professional Development Program requirements. PMP certification training The certification examination requires submitting an application to PMI® which includes information about education, experience, etc. After the payment of the examination and processing fee, the Certification Committee scores the application on a published point system, and notifies the applicant of approval to take the exam. The exam is approximately six hours in length with one hour allotted to each section derived from the PMBOK®. Sections not passed can be retaken, with limitations on retakes within certain periods of time. Upon passing all sections, PMI® awards certification. Local chapters provide extensive study and preparatory help, and PMI® has local chapters in nearly every US state locale. To know more about Project Management Training, PMP® Certification India Visit:- www. astrowix. com
I have an experience of around 3 years in content writing. Writing and reading is my passion and I like to spend my time in writing on various subjects. As per my perception, this is one of the few professions, where you get to know about so many things while you read and write. It is one profession that gives you right to express your creativity and belief through the power of words. Perhaps, I know the importance of words. Words can influence your thought process. Words can give you a reason to reckon and act. The power of words has made a revolution in past and it has the ability to do so in future.
Well, myself as Vidyut Bharti knows the power of words and it is because of this reason, I persuaded my career in writing. After working on different areas and types of writing like: web-content, sales promotional content, creative advertisements and education I have learned a lot about writing. Being a mass communication graduate, I write news and features on commission as well as other materials and have branched out in the last decade or so into blog and website creation. I have gained many useful insights into making websites and blogs that get ranked highly by the search engines so-called SEO, search engine optimization.
Why Does Project Management Fail?
Posted By: admin on January 4, 2010 in Project Management - Comments: Comments Off
“It must be remembered that project management is first and foremost a philosophy of management, not an elaborate set of tools and techniques. It will only be as effective as the people who use it. ”
- Bryce’s Law
INTRODUCTION
I often run into companies who question the simple question, “Why can’t we get our act together? Why does Project Management routinely fail in our company?” I do not believe a company’s overall problems in Project Management can be attributed to a specific tool or technique (although some certainly do not help matters). Instead, I believe it is based on how vital a company considers Project Management to be. If they believe it to be a vital part of the company’s overall performance, it will be more successful than a company who considers it irrelevant. In other words, I view Project Management as integral part of the corporate culture.
Let’s consider the indicators of how a company values Project
Management:
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE – employees simply lack the basic knowledge
of the mechanics of Project Management. I do not run into too many companies anymore with a total absence of knowledge in this regard. The conceptual foundation of Project Management has been around for a number of years. There is a multitude of training programs in Project Management, both at the college and commercial level. There are also several discussion groups on the Internet and professional associations dealing with this subject (e. g. , the Project Management Institute of Newtown Square, PA). Hiring or contracting people with absolutely no knowledge of basic Project Management concepts is becoming a rarity. LACK OF ORGANIZATIONAL POLICY – the company has not adopted a formal policy for managing projects. Consequently, informal and inconsistent approaches to project management are used with mixed results. This is a much more common occurrence than finding a company devoid of knowledge in Project Management. LACK OF ENFORCEMENT OF POLICY AND PROCEDURES – even though a policy has been established, it is not enforced. As a result, inconsistent results emerge. If a standard and consistent approach to Project Management is devised by a company, it must be routinely policed in order to assure accuracy and uniform results. It is one thing to enact legislation, quite another to enforce it. LACK OF CONSIDERATION FOR THE MAGNITUDE AND COMPLEXITIES OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND ATTACK IT IN PIECE MEAL – People seem to naturally underestimate the magnitude of project management. For example, project plotting involves defining work breakdown structures and dependencies which is a precursor to estimating, plotting, reporting and control; estimating is a prerequisite to scheduling; time reporting impacts project estimates and schedules; resource allocation is based on availability of qualified people (skills inventory) and current project schedules; etc. There is an overwhelming number of software packages on the market attacking various aspects of Project Management, but very few addressing it is an integrated whole. It must be remembered that project management is first and foremost a philosophy of management, not an elaborate set of tools and techniques, nor is it an administrative function. Rather, it is concerned with managing human beings towards the accomplishment of work (it is a “people management” function). As such, project management will only be as effective as the
people who use it.
Ultimately, project management represents DISCIPLINE, ORGANIZATION, and ACCOUNTABILITY; which are three areas people seem to have a natural aversion to these days.
DISCIPLINE – In the western world, people tend to resist discipline because some believe it inhibits creativity and personal freedom. As a result, teamwork is often sacrificed in favor of rugged individualism.
ORGANIZATION – Pursuant to discipline is the problem of organization. Again, in the western world, people prefer to maintain their own identity and organize themselves to meet their needs as opposed to the needs of the organization. There are also those who claim, “A cluttered desk is the sign of a brilliant mind. ” Hogwash. In contrast, I am a believer of the Navy’s regimen whereby you either work on something, file it, or throw it away. This forces people to get organized. If we need more files, let’s get them. A cluttered desk is a sign of a disorganized person. Shape up, or ship out.
ACCOUNTABILITY – This is an area people tend to rebel against the
most. The approach to project management, as advocated by “PRIDE,” ultimately represents visibility and responsibility to produce according to plot. Unfortunately, some people shun commitments and, instead, prefer to hide their activity, thereby they cannot be measured and evaluated. This is typically the reaction of people who are insecure. People who are confident in their abilities have no problem with the accountability issue.
REACTIVE VS. ACTIVE MANAGEMENT
The ancient adage, “If you do not make the choice, the choice will be made for you,” is valid. This also sums up the difference between an active and a reactive manager. Right Project Management requires an “active” manager, not “reactive. ” The active manager takes care of the problems before they happen. They plot on the future. The reactive manager deals with yesterday and waits until problems occur, then tries to take care of them. Today, more and more IT organizations find themselves in a constant “firefighting” mode of operation. Why? Because of a “reactive” management style. The “reactive” manager never seems to get ahead, yet probably enjoys the highest visibility in the company. As an aside, beware of your “firefighters,” they are probably your chief arsonists.
Managers don’t wait for things to happen, they make things happen.
HOW MUCH PROJECT MANAGEMENT IS NECESSARY?
Can the philosophies of project management be adopted and implemented by a single group of people for a single project? Yes. A department or division? Certainly. The entire company? Certainly. In fact, as the scope grows, communications improves and the philosophy is more consistently applied.
The scope of project management affects many people:
The individual worker will prepare estimates and schedules,
perform project work, and report on activities. The project manager will plot and direct the use of resources on projects, and solve problems. Department managers will administer resources and control projects within an area. Executive management will establish project priorities and monitor project progress. Obviously, project management should not be restricted to a handful of people or projects. Dozens of projects may be active at any one time, involving hundreds of workers across departmental boundaries. Synchronization of the work effort is required to maximize effect and minimize confusion. Project
management, therefore, should be viewed as a corporate philosophy as opposed to a technique used by a select few. Only when a standard and consistent approach to Project Management is adopted by a company will it become an integral part of the corporate culture. We will then hear less about why Project Management fails, and more of how the company is prospering.
For additional information on “PRIDE” Project Management, see:http://www. phmainstreet. com/mba/pride/pm. htm
Tim Bryce is the Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida, a management consulting firm specializing in Information Resource Management (IRM). Mr. Bryce has over 30 years of experience in the field. He is available for training and consulting on an international basis. His corporate web page is at:
http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/
He can be contacted at: timb001@phmainstreet.com
Copyright
Project Management Software
Posted By: admin on in Project Management - Comments: 1 Comment »
Project management software exists in many different levels of sofistication and variety of prices. This article aims to help project managers realize what kind of project management software tools they need and find out how computers can help them in everyday routine.
Before choosing some particular tool you should have a look at the different kinds of projects to manage and corresponding PM skills. It is very vital to pick a project management software tool appropriate for you and your organization. The following types of projects and project management software should cover the field broadly, though any categorization is very relative.
Project management software for small projects, usually in single functional area
At this level project managers usually plot and schedule only durations of project subtasks rather than resource capacity or work estimates. They do not need to track a project budget and their project status reports contain only completion date tracking.
Project management software in this situation helps project managers to automate such basic routines like
* plotting project flow
* occasional status reports preparing
* producing Gantt charts
If your project management tasks are not intended to grow and such functionality is enough, you should not spend a lot of money nor waste your time on long learning curve about features you’ll never use.
Project management software for managing larger projects
Project budget is very vital now, therefore we need a project management tool to give us the capability to estimate resources and money at every stage of the project. As more people are getting involved in the project, software should provide the ability to make numerous status reports – from simple total project cost to more sophisticated ones.
As the size of the project grows, the number of project management techniques increases. Requirements for project management software change accordingly. At this level project management software must be able to work not only with the static representation of start and end dates for each project subroutines, but it needs to be powerful enough to simulate the project and reschedule it every time something changes in project flow.
Project management software for huge multi-project environment
At this high-end level we need project management software that meets a lot of additional requirements. Now we need to roll-up multiple projects and require consistent information for choice-makers. Among the features they need are:
* material resources allocating (including finances)
* scheduling and tracking a pool of human resources
* sharing resources between multiple projects
* sophisticated risk assessment tools
* detailed project performance tracking
* making a detailed project budget. This brings project management software closer to the company’s accounting system
If you need a lot, you have to spend a lot. Project management software for this purpose costs from $400 up to $3000 and even more. Such packages usually have network versions and team communication capabilities.
Categorization above was rather comprehensive over the last years. But modern project management reality changes constantly, therefore we can talk about one more project management software category.
Project management software for managing multiple projects in small and mid-size businesses
It often happens that project managers face the need to manage multiple projects simultaneously, using resources that can be shared between them. But they do not need a huge and extremely expensive project management software tool with thousands of not really needed features. What should they choose? ConceptDraw Project can be the answer. It is a cross-platform (Mac OS X and Windows) project management software tool that allows the project manager to automate project routines – from plotting and assigning resources to powerful report generating capabilities
ConceptDraw product line inscludes software for every aspect of mind mapping, diagramming and project management.
Effective Online Project Management System Tool and Task Tracking Software From Inventatechnologies
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Project Management Software is the process of applying knowledge in overseeing and managing a project of whatever magnitude. Project Management System is not only required for huge projects, Small projects can also benefit from an Effective Online Project Management. Knowing how to use and apply the knowledge you have bought in all areas will be helpful in the implementation and accomplishment of any project. Project Management Tool is generally thought of as a business or organizational term, and it is right to say that Project Management techniques are normally applied to “Major” Projects within an organization. Project Management Software can help you to manage your Project Efficiently
Project Management Software to Manage Multiple Projects and Tasks
Project Management Software for Small-to-Medium size businesses who wish to manage their Multiple Projects and Multiple Tasks online in one centralized place. Project Management System increases the Effectiveness of your work and the happiness of your clients by making the workflow fully transparent to them. For every Project Management work is conducted under the supervision of an individual Project Manager and it is the responsibility of the Project Manager to head the whole project without even participating in the whole work, this is due to the software designed specifically for Project Management. Online Project Management Software is suitable for individuals as well as for businesses who want an uncomplicated and effective IT Project Management Tool.
Importance of Task Management Software
Task Management Software is interactive and responsive tool that runs on the computer as either a single user or may be shared by a group of project managers. Time is more precious than ever and the amount of tasks each of us has to cope with is nearly endless so with this Project Management Task each and everyone in the organization can save the time in managing there projects. The only difference between successful and average people is their ability to manage their tasks effectively. This ability could be improved significantly by using Task Management Software and other Task Tracking Tools. The principles of Effective IT Project Management are potentially applicable to any project type across different industries, it is an brilliant Tool for the Management of all types of Projects.
Choosing Project Management Software
Now a Days it often happens that Project Managers face the need to manage Multiple Projects and Multiple Tasks simultaneously, using resources that can be shared between them, But they do not need a huge and extremely expensive Project Management Software Tool with thousands of unnecessary features. What should they choose? Inventa Project can be the right tool for Project Management Software.
Inventa Technologies provides Web Based IT Project Management Software & Task Tracking System Tool Specially designed to help organizations collaborate and manage Client Information, Projects, Tasks, Files, Contacts and Calendars. It can be Accessible from Internet or on your intranet, it is adaptable to your business and easily modified based on your needs.
Conclusion: Project Management System is useful for small-to-medium size businesses who want an uncomplicated and effective IT Project Management Tool. Web Based IT Project Management & Task Tracking Software System Tool that lets you manage Multiple Projects and Tasks Online
What to Do Next. . .
If you have any queries regarding the above information or looking for a Project Management Software please contact us at Enquiry@InventaTech. co. uk or visit us on www. inventatech. co. uk
Inventa Technologies provides valuable information on Project Management Software, Web Based IT Project Management & Task Tracking Software System Tool, and designed to help organizations collaborate and Manage Client Information, Multiple Projects and Multiple Tasks, Files, Contacts and Calendars.
http://www. inventatech. co. uk/project-management-software. php
Project Management Software designed to help organizations collaborate and manage Client Information, Projects, Tasks, Files, Contacts and Calendars.Project Management System is useful for small-to-medium size businesses who want an uncomplicated and effective Online Project Management System Tool and Task Management Software London (UK)
24 Hour Science Projects.
Posted By: admin on January 3, 2010 in Project Management - Comments: Comments Off
Quick And Simple Science Project Guides That Can Be Finished In 24 Hours. Experiment Based Projects Are Parent And Teacher Tested And Approved. Fantastic Product With High Conversion Rate.
Imortance of Web Based it Project Management Software Tool and Online Task Management Software
Posted By: admin on in Project Management - Comments: 3 Comments »
Project Management Software is a simple Tool that helps Managers and the Team Members successfully plot, manage and do the different Tasks involved in each Project. All the Project Management Software is equipped to perform the functions including Statistics and Reports, Manage Client Information, Projects, Tasks, Files, Contacts, Calendars, facilitating Multiple Projects and Multiple Users Management. Manage any project with ease, communicating all necessary details to your staff via the web.
Types of Project Management Software
There are several types of Project Management Software. It can be a desktop application and it can also be a Web-Based Software Solution to allow access from remote locations as needed. It can be a personal setup allowing only a few to access it or it can be a collaborative set up which would allow to access several users simultaneously. These Project Management Software Solutions can work for various types of organizations.
Web-Based Project Management Software is often termed as the latest generation high-level Project Management Software. In order to further help web technique of Management many companies have come up with Project Management Tools. Project management System can help you to manage your project efficiently if the project requires contributions of multiple individuals or teams using a multi tiered development plot with in a allocated time and existing resources. It organizes not just the parts of project as landmark targets but also organizes the output of the team member in a comprehensive manner.
The salient advantages of the web based project management software are:
(a) It Helps the corporate sectors in increasing productivity as the Web-Based Software don’t required to be installed.
(b) It immensely useful in maintaining Multiple User Management, A Well-Organized Task Management Tool, Project Calendar and Email Notification.
(c) It also facilitates in getting the thought of numerous reports and comprehensive statistics, providing the overall huge picture on project advancement.
Selecting Right Project Management Software
Project Management Software is designed to allow you to manage all aspects of your project needs effectively. There are various types of this software available but most will allow for complete management from the beginning through completion. Here are some of the benefits that you can expect from a Project Management Software that you choose.
They are:
• It should make multiple projects and tasks quickly and intuitively
• It should be simple, Simple to Use and user friendly as well
• It has the ability of working on some of the most complex of projects
Keeping all these aspects in mind we at Inventa Technologies have designed latest generation Online Project Management Software Tool which increases the effectiveness of your work and the happiness of your clients by making the work flow fully transparent to them. You can buy the software and host it yourself, or subscribe for a monthly fee and let us take care of everything. Either way, we’ll provide industry leading support if you need it and will continue to add fantastic new Project Management System features like:
1. Simple Project Management
2. Multiple User Management
3. Make Multiple Projects and Tasks
4. Security and Access Rights
5. Files Upload
6. Calendar
7. Contacts
Conclusion:
Project Management Software is a Web Based Tool which helps to make Multiple Projects and Multiple Tasks quickly and intuitively. Online Project Management Software is suitable for individuals as well as for businesses who want an uncomplicated and effective IT Project Management Tool.
What to Do Next. . .
If you have any queries regarding the above information or looking for a Project Management Software please contact us at Enquiry@InventaTech. co. uk or visit us on www. inventatech. co. uk
Inventa Technologies provides valuable information on Project Management Software, Web Based IT Project Management & Task Tracking Software System Tool, and designed to help organizations collaborate and Manage Client Information, Multiple Projects and Multiple Tasks, Files, Contacts and Calendars.
http://www. inventatech. co. uk/project-management-software. php
InventaTech offers Web Based IT Project Management System & Task Tracking Software Tool London (UK) which increases the effectiveness of your work and the happiness of your clients. with Project Management System you can manage Multiple Projects and Tasks Online.
Astral Projection Underground: Astral Projection Secrets Revealed.
Posted By: admin on January 2, 2010 in Project Management - Comments: Comments Off
Finally Revealed. . . Closely-Guarded, Underground Astral Projection Secrets Of Safely Leaving Your Body And Traveling Anywhere You Want To. . . Within 30 Days, Or Even Less!
Astral Projection Underground: Astral Projection Secrets Revealed.
Project Management Models, Certifications, and the Pyramids
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All projects are really about change. Let’s take my favorite project of all time: the pyramids of Egypt. Imagine a sweltering desert with miles of sand, snakes, and other scenes from an Indiana Jones film. Add a few million workers, some fantastic plans, some scary mummies, and you’ve got the pyramids. All right, so my history is a small skewed, but I reckon you see my point. First it was nothing; then, after some plotting and execution, there were the pyramids.
What approach to project management do you reckon the pharaohs used? Does it matter? I don’t reckon so. Project Management Is Project Management
Erik Larson’s book The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Honest That Changed America (Crown Publishers, 2003) is an incredible read about Chicago playing host to the 1893 World Columbian Exposition–also known as the Chicago World’s Honest–and the tale of a creepy murderer living in the Chicago at the same time.
The project management victories and failures within the World’s Honest were incredible: debate over where the honest should take place, visions of what the honest should offer, uncompromising landscape details, and (my favorite project) the creation of the Ferris Wheel.
The book says nothing about what project management approach the organizers of the honest preferred. Does it matter? I don’t reckon so.
That’s my real point. Does it really matter what approach we take to project management?
In software project management, a few flavors have popped on and off the project management radar for the past few years, Scrum and extreme programming being two of the juiciest, in addition to other models such as Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and even rolling wave plotting.
But here’s what I reckon: Project management is project management. I don’t reckon it matters what approach you take to complete your projects–as long as you complete your projects.
We could argue over the virtues and positive attributes of all the different project management approaches and go at each other like fans of the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. But really, does it matter at all?
Again, I say no.
I don’t care what you like. I don’t care what project management approach you say is the best. I don’t care what you reckon of my approach to project management. I only care that you use whatever approach gets the job done.
I’m not criticizing anyone’s favorite methodology (or the Packers, for that matter). I just believe there’s a tendency to fall in like with processes, action items, forms, reports, control charts, and theories. Huge freakin’ deal. Find what works for you, for your organization, and then do it.
Project management is about getting the work done. Project management is about getting from here, at project launch, to way down there at project closure. Project management is about getting to results. Using the PMI Model
What approach do I use in project management? I subscribe to the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). It’s the approach I’ve laid out in the previous articles in this series.
The collection of these five process groups is also known as IPECC: initiating, plotting, executing, controlling, and closing. Here’s a recap of each process group:
· Initiating. A project is found feasible, a project manager is selected, and the project charter is made.
· Plotting. Well, gee, I wonder what folks do in this process group? Yeah, they plot how the project should go. Plotting is an iterative process group that allows project managers and the project team to revisit as needed.
· Executing. You’ve plotted the work, now your project team completes the work. You do the project plot, not the project team.
· Controlling. You aren’t going to let your project team run helter-skelter, are you? You’ve got to control the work to ensure that’s it done according to plot.
· Closing. The project work is complete, so you and the customer have to verify the deliverables and then close out the project finances, team reports, and lessons learned.
All projects, regardless of their model, go from initiating to closing.
Now reckon about this: You’ll find these five process groups in any of the project management approaches that are alive in the world today. Or, heck, even the approaches that aren’t alive anymore. Can’t you see the Egyptians going through IPECC for their pyramids? Do you reckon they really called each group by the terms we’ve assigned to them today? Probably not, but I bet they performed some of the same actions that we do as project managers. (Well, maybe not the same actions–if they really used slave labor, they had incentives to offer their project team members that we can’t use: Work or die. )
And what about IPECC in the World’s Honest example from Devil in the White City? As I read the book, I could really see the project pass through IPECC.
Here’s an aside: You could argue that the 1893 World’s Honest wasn’t a project, but really a program–a collection of projects working together for a common cause. The honest had massive projects: buildings, landscaping, exhibits, transportation, and more. Each project within the program went through its own IPECC. Each project was independent, but all projects depended on each other to guarantee the success of the honest. Back to Business: Professional Certifications
So what made me fall in like with PMI’s project management approach? I like to reckon that I’m a logical guy. I also like to reckon I’m not balding, have a fantastic sense of humor, and can cook a mean steak–but that’s beside the point.
To me, PMI’s approach is the most logical, most forgiving approach to project management. It was also the way I learned project management, so it was simpler to accept their approach and see how it can adapt to any project management model.
PMI offers the Project Management Professional certification. If you’ve been around the IT world for the past 10 years, you’ve experienced–or been blasted by–the flood of certifications that will allegedly help you earn more, prove your worth, verify your knowledge, and add letters behind your name.
Certification has become huge business. Search this site. Search the web. Browse through your local bookstore. There’s even a magazine devoted to certification. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you any more about certifications in general, but let me tell you specifically about the PMP. First of all, it’s not the Pimp certification. I get this one all the time:
THEM: ‘Ha-ha, Joe. You’re a certified Pimp. Ha-ha. ‘
ME: ‘Yeah, pretty amusing. ‘
THEM: ‘Ha-ha, Joe. You’re a certified Pimp. Get it? PMP? PiMP? Where’s your purple suit and gold teeth?’
ME: ‘Yeah, pretty amusing. How’s your mother?’
You’ll have that conversation too after you’ve heard this ‘ha-ha’ for the billionth time.
Not everyone can take the exam. To earn your PMP certification, you must first qualify for the exam. You have to prove education and hours of experience, and pass a 200-question exam. After the exam, you maintain your certification by earning Professional Development Units (PDUs) through continuing education and PMI participation.
Once you submit your application, there’s a chance that PMI will audit your experience and education qualifications. This means that you’ll have to provide contact info for supervisors of your projects, proof of stated education, and your shoe size.
PMP Candidates have to qualify for the PMP Examination.
See how this certification is different from the ones from Microsoft, CompTIA, and others? It’s more than just your check clearing the bank. There’s a weeding process.
Did you notice that I said these are the current requirements? I bet you did. The PMP certification will change on September 30, 2005. The new certification requirements center on these key changes:
[lb] Exam qualifications. The new exam will require candidates to document specific project management experience, such as leading and directing project activities. This is not a current requirement for the PMP certification.
[lb] Experience documentation. Right now you don’t have to provide names and numbers of supervisors of the projects you’ve managed–unless your application gets audited. Once the new exam goes live, you’ll have to provide contact info on the exam application for all project experience.
[lb] Audits and review. PMI promises that all new applications will pass through an enhanced review process. And if you’re one of the lucky ones to get audited, you’ll get an instant notification that your application is being audited. Oh, the joy.
[lb] Passing score. Right now, the passing score for the PMP exam is 68. 5%. On the new exam, you’ll need 81. 7% to pass. Right now, you need just 137 of 200 questions right. On the new exam, you’ll have to answer 141 of 175 questions correctly. But get this–there will a total of 200 questions, but 25 of the questions don’t count toward your passing score. These 25 questions are peppered throughout the exam to test their validity for potential use in future exams.
[lb] Three strikes. If you don’t pass the new PMP exam within three attempts, you’re out. That’s right. Part of the new PMP exam is that candidates will have three chances to pass the exam and then, well, they’re done for.
As you can imagine, there’s some incentive to pass your PMP exam before the exam changes. The excellent news, for now, is that once you earn your PMP you’re in for life–assuming that you maintain your required PDUs. If you’ve invested any time in studying and qualifying for the PMP exam, I advise you to take it before the new exam goes live.
And I should know. I wrote the book PMP Project Management Professional Study Guide (McGraw-Hill Osborne Media, 2003) and have watched sales rocket over the past few months. In addition, on my web site I sell a set of cards dubbed PMP Essentials that have all of the PMP exam facts you must know to pass. These have also been selling. My point? You’re not alone in your quest for PMP certification, but if you’re going to pass the exam before it changes you’d better act now. Certifications and the Real World
You’ve probably noticed that this series of articles is titled ‘Real-World Project Management. ‘ Until this article, I ignored all certifications, project management approaches, and formalities with how projects go from start to end.
Why? I don’t believe–and I bet you don’t either–that just because you have a certification you’re a better project manager. I don’t subscribe to the theory that a certified project manager is better than an experienced project manager. Both certified and noncertified project managers have only one thing to prove: Can they get the job done?
Who cares if Joe Schmoe has an MBA, PMP, and other alphabet soup behind his name, if he can’t deliver on his promises? Not me. I’d rather work with a project manager who’s practical, down to earth, accessible, logical, and can deliver, than with any PMP out there.
Having said that, I’ll go back to why I like the PMP certification: It assigns accountability. If there’s a PMP out there who blows as a project manager, it’s not because he doesn’t know the mechanics of what a project manager should do. A PMP is only as excellent as the projects he delivers. And there’s no exam that tests the quality, the completeness of a project deliverable.
Or is there?
I know of only one exam that tests the quality and completeness of a project manager: the acceptance and satisfaction of the project customer.
And what about the ability of management to compare a project’s anticipated costs against the actual costs within a project? The ability to benchmark actual schedules with what was promised? The same with promises in quality, communication, risk assessment, procurement, and the project management framework as a whole?
You want a real exam? An exam that really proves worth? It’s there. The real project management exam is in the results of every project you deliver.
Joseph Phillips is the author of five books on project management and is a PMI Project Management Professional, a CompTIA certified Project Professional, and a Certified Technical Trainer. For more information about Project Management Training, please visit Project Seminars .
The Rising Need of Project Management Training
Posted By: admin on January 1, 2010 in Project Management - Comments: Comments Off
In today’s global marketplace, complexity and speed are essential factors to survive. If we try to have close look on different projects taking place in various corners of the world, they all are being initiated under tight budgets with fewer resources than ever before. Apart from this, project-based business is growing larger and larger every single day.
In last few years’ modern business are no longer based on just operations. More and more key business initiatives are now subject to a defined project plot, with specified deliverables and time constraints. These days every manager is expected to do more with less. In such an environment, a excellent saying for project management is, “Do It, Do It Right, and Do It Right Now. “ Making clear directions, timely response and quality outcomes are the demand of current scenario. The art of project management has gradually changed and as a result of this today the art of effective project management requires a new type of skill base.
Project managers need to develop a new type of skill base. It’s very unfortunate that today accidental project managers’ are on the rise. Moreover, it is estimated that nearly 2/3 of employees in project manager roles lack the necessary guidance and understanding essential to accomplish successful projects. A recent survey conducted by independent research agency has shown that 58% of people surveyed agree that their projects rarely meet time, cost and quality targets. Accordingly the importance of project management training and certification is on the rise.
Project management is a critical role within a project that acts as the ‘glue’ in bringing diverse competencies together and coordinating the current of information between them. In fact it is the demand of present scenario and project manager must be able to play several functions including an advisor, a planner, a manager, and effective communicators and a businessperson. The challenge for the Project Manager consists of attracting the right resources, shaping a solid team, keeping the team motivated, meeting individual aspirations and getting the work done – all within scope, cost, time, and customer satisfaction.
Thus project management training can help project managers know the what, why, and how of the discipline. Apart from this, project management training also help these project managers in understanding:
· What are the fundamental skills project managers need to be effective and how to develop them
· Why business and project alignment is essential for project management success and how to get it
The basic purpose of project management training is to educate and train project managers with the ability to foresee as many dangers and problems as possible and control activities so that the project is completed as successfully as possible in spite of all the risks.
Today, project management training has revolved around the benefits of a set framework of principles and various practices that are a part of effective project management. The result-oriented approach of effective project management training makes it simple for project managers to develop concepts of excellent project management and deliberately apply their knowledge into their projects.
AstroWix is one of the leading organizations to offer world-class training on project management. AstroWix project management training service helps project management professionals know the fundamental project management skills and different ways to develop them. AstroWix project management training program also helps candidates learn different project management methods and pass professional exams. It helps professionals get certifications from PMI®: PgMP®, PMP® and CAPM®.
To know more about Project Management and Project Management Training, visit: : Project Management , Project Management Training ,
I have an experience of around 3 years in content writing. Writing and reading is my passion and I like to spend my time in writing on various subjects. As per my perception, this is one of the few professions, where you get to know about so many things while you read and write. It is one profession that gives you right to express your creativity and belief through the power of words. Perhaps, I know the importance of words. Words can influence your thought process. Words can give you a reason to reckon and act. The power of words has made a revolution in past and it has the ability to do so in future.
Well, myself as Vidyut Bharti knows the power of words and it is because of this reason, I persuaded my career in writing. After working on different areas and types of writing like: web-content, sales promotional content, creative advertisements and education I have learned a lot about writing. Being a mass communication graduate, I write news and features on commission as well as other materials and have branched out in the last decade or so into blog and website creation. I have gained many useful insights into making websites and blogs that get ranked highly by the search engines so-called SEO, search engine optimization.
Duplicate File Cleaner.
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Duplicate File Cleaner Is A Powerful And Professional Grade Duplicate File Management Solution, Which Helps People To Find And Remove Large Amount Of Duplicate Photos, Musics, Videos And Outlook Email Messages.
The Phased Approach to Project Management Implementation
Posted By: admin on December 31, 2009 in Project Management - Comments: 1 Comment »
If you are thinking about using a project management consulting company to help your organization with implementing a Project Management Office (PMO), there are a couple of vital factors that you should consider when choosing the right firm. According to PMAlliance, Inc. , an Atlanta, Georgia-based project management consulting company, implementing a PMO can present significant challenges. For that reason, a phased approach to PMO implementation is not only crucial but also a distinguishing characteristic of successful project management consulting firms. Experienced project management consultants know that a phased approach: (1) helps to overcome resistance to change, (2) allows for lessons learned in early phases to be incorporated in systems installed in later phases and (3) establishes a solid foundation of available project-level data prior to rolling-up enterprise-level information. Second, successful project management consultants also know that, when it comes to designing a PMO, there is no such thing as a “universal solution. ” To be effective, a PMO must be tailored to your organization’s project types, management/staff capabilities, and organizational culture. A phased approach to implementation allows the necessary time (in the initial phases) to gather first-hand information about project characteristics, personnel, and cultural nuances so that the delivered solution can be tailored appropriately. The Four Phases of Project Management Implementation I. Initiation Phase: Throughout the Initiation Phase, project management consultants use pilot projects to build process momentum, overcome natural resistance to change, and gain first-hand knowledge of your organization. This goal of this phase is to successfully mobilize your organization, remediate any current at-risk projects, and set the stage for the next two Installation phases. During this phase, the project management methodology is introduced and software training is conducted; but only for those individuals who will be specifically associated with pilot project teams. Also, a plot for the Project-Level Installation phase is developed and key tools are made that will be utilized during the remaining Installation phases. II. Project-Level Installation Phase: The second phase utilizes information gathered from pilot projects in the Initiation phase to roll-out structured project plotting and control processes for all remaining projects, as well as to formally establish the Project Management Office. This phase can include the creation of PMO job descriptions, formal guidelines for project plotting/control, a project web site, and a web-based activity update system – basically the necessary infrastructure to support the consistent, successful application of project management techniques by the PMO. Project Management Training is also rolled-out to the entire organization during the Project-Level Installation Phase. By the conclusion of this phase, the nucleus of a Project management Office is in-place, all project team members have been trained, and the project management consultants are ready to start transitioning from their role of supporting project team requirements to supporting the PMO staff. III. Enterprise-Level Installation Phase: During the Enterprise-Level Installation phase, tools are implemented that are focused on managing an organization’s entire portfolio of projects. Examples of these tools include; enterprise performance metrics, a management “dashboard” to gain summary-level visibility to project status, and project scheduling based on limited resources and project priority (enterprise resource leveling). The intent of these types of tools is to (1) provide management with timely and accurate information about the status of the all the projects being undertaken by the organization and (2) support business choice-making that impacts the successful completion of projects such as: changes to staffing, funding, project prioritization, and workload. During the Enterprise-Level Installation Phase, the Project Management Office staff has already begun to assume some of the day-to-day responsibilities for developing and maintaining ongoing project plans. In doing so, the PMO staff is able to free-up the project management consulting firm to focus on the design and implementation of the enterprise-level tools. By the end of this phase, all responsibility for developing and updating individual project plans have been transitioned from the Project Management Consultants to the PMO staff. IV. Maintenance Phase: The final phase marks the vital transition of the Project Management Office from the project management consultants back to the organization. In addition to supporting the day-to-day responsibilities for plotting and controlling individual projects, the PMO staff will now become the focal point for providing the enterprise-level information and analysis required by management. At this point in the project management implementation process, the organization has been well trained, numerous success tales have been made and communicated, virtually all projects have well-developed project plans, and there is widespread support for investing in a formal project plotting and control process. Also, the Project Management Office infrastructure is in place, the PMO staff has been trained, and management has necessary visibility to the key project portfolio-level information. Successful completion of this phase makes long-term continuity by implementing the necessary policies and incentives to permanently inculcate project management into the culture of the organization. Ideally, formal project plotting and control processes will become recognized as a required core competency and an essential function within the organization. Deliverables to Expect From Your Project Management Consulting Company Phase 1 – Initiation Phase Initial communication(s) to management and help in the identification of pilot projects Project Management methodology and software training for identified pilot team members Project plans and formal control processes in place for all identified pilot projects A library of project “templates” for use during the Installation phases Standardized project coding structures and project-level report formats Finalized requirements and a plot for the Project-Level Installation phase Phase II – Project-Level Installation Phase Network-based, structured project plans and formal control process for all targeted projects Rollout of PM/software training to all project leaders and team members Training and mentoring of PMO personnel Implementation of the initial PMO infrastructure Finalized requirements and a plot for the Enterprise-Level Implementation phase Phase III – Enterprise-Level Installation Phase Implementation of the enterprise-level PMO infrastructure Turnover to PMO staff of the day-to-day responsibility for developing and maintaining individual project plans Finalized requirements and a plot for the Maintenance phase Phase IV – Maintenance Phase Turnover to Project Management Office staff the responsibility for supporting all of the project management requirements of the organization Recommendations to management for policies and incentives required to permanently establish project management as a core competency and essential function Conclusion Without a doubt, the design of a Project Management Office must be tailored to the specific needs of its organization in order to be effective. A universal “cookie cutter” approach does not recognize differences in project types, management, or staff capabilities. As a result, standardized solutions tend to have a low probability of success. A phased approach not only maximizes the effectiveness of the project management consulting firm, but also of the organizations that they serve. It allows time in the initial phases to gather crucial, first-hand information, overcomes resistance to change, and leads to a well defined and successful Project Management Office at the end. About Thomas P. Stevens, PMP and PMAlliance, Inc. – Thomas P. Stevens, PMP is the President and found of PMAlliance, Inc. and holds a master’s degree in Business with a focus on Choice Science and is a registered PMP (Project Management Professional). PMAlliance is an international project management consulting firm that helps Fortune 1000 companies improve the execution of their mission-critical projects. For the second consecutive year, Inc. magazine has ranked PMAlliance Inc. among the fastest growing Project Management Consulting companies in the United States. Through its Duration-Driven® methodology, PMAlliance enables its clients to successfully complete their most vital projects—on time, within budget and to the intended level of quality. Please visit their website at www. pm-alliance. com
Thomas P. Stevens, PMP is the President and founder of PMAlliance, Inc. and holds a master?s degree in Business with a focus on Choice Science from Georgia State Univeristy and is a registered PMP (Project Management Professional). PMAlliance is an international project management consulting firm that helps Fortune 1000 companies improve the execution of their mission-critical projects.
Project Management Best Practices
Posted By: admin on in Project Management - Comments: Comments Off
Define the scope and objectivesFor any project to be successful you need to know what the project is supposed to achieve. Suppose your boss questions you to organise a campaign to get the employees to donate blood. Is the aim of this to get as much blood donated to the local blood bank? Or, is it to raise the profile of the company in the local community? Deciding what the real objective is will help you to determine how you go about plotting and managing the project. The project manager also needs to define the scope of the project. Is the organisation of transport to take staff to the blood bank within the scope of the project? Or, should staff make their own way there? Deciding which activities are within the scope or out of scope of the project has a huge impact on the amount of work which needs to be performed during the project. An understanding of who are the stakeholders is also crucial if you are going to enlist their support and know what each person expects to be delivered from the project. Once you’ve defined the scope and objectives, you will need to get the stakeholders to review them and agree to them as well as agreeing who should be on the list of stakeholders. Define the deliverablesTo achieve the desired outcome from the project, you must define what things (or products) are to be delivered by the end of the project. If your project is an advertising campaign for a new chocolate bar, then one of the deliverables might be the artwork for a newspaper advert. So, you need to choose what tangible things are to be delivered and document in enough detail what these things are. At the end of the day, someone will end up doing the work to produce the deliverable, so it needs to be clearly and unambiguously described. Once you have defined the deliverables, you will need to have the key stakeholders review the work and get them to agree that this accurately and unambiguously reflects what they expect to be delivered from the project. Once they have agreed, you can start to plot the project. Not defining the deliverables in enough detail or clarity is often a reason why projects go incorrect. Project planningThis is the time when you define how you will achieve the desired outcome of the project embodied within the objectives and definition of deliverables. Plotting requires that the project manager decides which people, resources and budget are required to complete the project. You will need to choose if you will break up your project into manageable phases, choose which products will be delivered in each phase, and choose the composition of your project team. Since you have already defined the deliverables, you must choose what activities are required to produce each deliverable. You can use techniques such as Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) to help you to achieve this. You will need to estimate the time and effort required to complete each activity, dependencies between related activities and choose on a realistic schedule to complete the activities. It’s always a excellent thought to involve the project team in estimating how long the activities will take since they will be the ones really doing the work. Capture all of this into the project plot document. You also need to get the key stakeholders to review and agree to this plot. When developing the project plot, a project manager is often under pressure to produce a plot which meets the (unrealistic) expectations of some of the stakeholders. It is vital here that the project manager comes up with a realistic schedule – one which he/she thinks is realistic to achieve. You will be doing nobody a favour if you succumb to pressure and agree to deliver the project in a really unrealistic schedule. CommunicationEven the best made project plans are useless unless they have been communicated effectively to the project team. Everyone on the team needs to know exactly what is expected of them, what their responsibilities are, and what they are accountable for. I once worked on a project where the project manager sat in his office surrounded by huge colour print outs of his latest plans. The problem was, nobody on his team knew what the tasks and milestones were because he hadn’t shared the plot with them. Needless to say the project hit all kinds of problems with people going off and doing the activities which they deemed vital rather than doing the activities assigned by the project manager. Tracking and reporting project progressOnce your project is underway and you have an agreed plot, you will need to constantly monitor the actual progress of the project against the plotted progress. To do this, you will need to get reports of progress from the project team members who are really doing the work. You will need to record any variations between the actual and plotted cost, schedule and scope. You will need to report any variations to your manager and key stakeholders and take corrective actions if the variations get too large. There are lots of ways in which you can adjust the plot in order to get the project back on track (rearrange the order of tasks, assign tasks in parallel if the variation is small, or add more staff to the project or reduce the scope if the variation is very large). All projects require the project manager to constantly juggle three things: cost, scope and schedule. If the project manager increases one of these, then one of the other elements will inevitably need to be changed as well. So, for a project which is running behind schedule to recover so it can be delivered to it’s original plotted schedule, the budget might be increased by employing more staff (although this invariably never achieves the desired result of reducing the time left to complete the project), or the scope will need to be reduced. It is the juggling of these three elements – known as the project triangle – that typically causes a project manager to tear their hair out in frustration! Change managementAll projects change in some way. Often, a key stakeholder in the middle of a project will change their mind about what the project needs to deliver. On projects of longer duration, the business environment has often changed since the start of the project, so assumptions made at the beginning of the project may no longer be valid. This often results in the scope or deliverables of the project needing to be changed. If a project manager simply accepted all of these changes into the project, the project would inevitably be delivered late (and perhaps would never ever be completed) and would inevitably go over budget. By managing changes, the project manager can make decisions about whether or not to incorporate the changes immediately or in the future, or to reject them. This increases the chances of project success because the project manager controls how the changes are incorporated, can allocate resources accordingly and can plot when and how the changes are made. Not managing changes effectively is often cited as a major reason why projects fail. Risk managementRisks are any events which can adversely affect the successful outcome of the project. I’ve worked on projects where some of the risks have included: staff lacking the technical skills to perform the work properly, hardware not being delivered on time, the control room being at risk of flooding in a major thunderstorm and many others. Risks will vary from project to project but it is vital to identify the main risks to a project as soon as possible and to plot the actions necessary to avoid the risk, or, if the risk cannot be avoided, to at least mitigate the risk in order to lessen its impact if it does occur. This is what is known as risk management. Do you manage all risks? No, because there could be too many to manage, and not all risks have the same impact. So a simple way is to identify as many risks as you can, work out how likely each risk is to occur on a scale of 1 to 3 (3 being the worst), estimate its impact on the project on a scale of 1 to 3 (3 being the worst), then multiply the two numbers together. The result is the risk weighting. A high risk weighting is the most severe risk. Just manage the top ten risks i. e. the ones with the highest risk weighting. Constantly review the risks and constantly be on the lookout for new risks since they have a habit of jumping up at unforeseen moments. Not managing risks effectively is also often cited as a major reason why projects fail. SummarySo, in a nutshell, these best practices are the main things that I would expect all project managers to do. They are applicable on all projects huge or small. Project management is not rocket science. Applying best practices on your project cannot guarantee that your project comes in under budget, on time and exceeds all the expectations of the stakeholders, but applying them will certainly give you a much better chance of delivering your project successfully than if you don’t apply them on your project.
Simon Buehring is a project manager, consultant and trainer. He works for KnowledgeTrain which offers training in project management and PRINCE2 trainingin the UK and overseas. Simon has extensive experience within the IT industry in the UK and Asia. He can be contacted via the KnowledgeTrain PRINCE2 project management training website.
Confronting Project Management Challenges by Adding a Project Management Consulting Firm to Your Team
Posted By: admin on in Project Management - Comments: Comments Off
There are many reasons that corporate executives turn to external consultants to provide project management support for their projects. The challenges that organizations face include: sub-par project performance, the potential for lost credibility, lack of experience with a particular project type, and a lack of internal project management practitioners. Project management consulting firms can supply experienced practitioners that offer high-quality solutions to the complex issues facing project teams. The following are six ways that project management consulting firms are making a difference with leading organizations. ADDRESSING PROJECT-RELATED ISSUESOften times it is the highly visible, at-risk project that drives management to recognize that a better project management approach is required. Frequently, project management consultants are brought in to address various project-related issues including: poor on-time performance (key dates being missed), unsatisfactory financial results (unnecessary expenditures to meet deadlines), dysfunctional team dynamics (poor communication, team in-fighting, and misdirection), and complicated team composition (multi-locational, language barriers, external partnerships, etc). By providing the right combination of methodology, training, resources and technology, project management consulting firms can help executives determine how to most effectively focus the resources they have available. They can also help preserve the integrity of project deliverables by ensuring that issues are identified in a timely manner and key dates are being consistently met. These tools and support solutions help improve overall project metrics, while enabling project teams to work more effectively and efficiently in high-stress environments. PROVIDING ADVANCED PROJECT ANALYSIS TO UPPER MANAGEMENTIn many cases, upper management has difficulty evaluating project performance and making the best decisions because they lack visibility to key project information. A project management consulting firm can provide the necessary reports and analysis to equip managers with key information on upcoming obstacles, possible project pitfalls, and potential resource constraints. When this type of information is incorporated as part of a more encompassing project management approach, the consultant can convert standard project data from a reactive snapshot of historical information into a predictive project analysis tool. FILLING AN EXPERTISE GAPProjects are sometimes launched without regard for the expertise and experience of the project teams working on them. Also, a project’s complexity, magnitude, and uniqueness may be a significant concern even for the most experienced teams. Finally, the project management proficiency required to lead major a project initiative may be unavailable or in small supply. In these instances, a project management consulting firm can provide the required expertise necessary to drive the project to a successful outcome. ESTABLISHING A PROACTIVE APPROACHMany projects, by default are managed using a reactive approach to problem solving. This style of project management makes an environment where “fire fighting” is the norm and the latest project emergency demands the attention. A proactive project management approach enables project teams to identify obstacles earlier in the project, which allows them to make better decisions and provide more cost effective solutions. By implementing the right mix of training, consulting and advanced tools, a project management consulting firm can establish an early warning system that provides management a forward-looking tool to ensure their project will be executed as-agreed. OFFERING SMALL-TERM SUPPORT SOLUTIONSThe lack of qualified personnel to support a congested project pipeline is an ongoing concern to many organizations. Hiring and training full-time resources and mentoring them in the intricacies of an advanced project management approach can require more time than organizations have available. Project management consulting firms can fill the gap between the immediate need project management support and the organization’s current capabilities. PROJECT ASSURANCESome projects are so critically vital to the success of an organization that failure is simply not an option. In some cases, a past project may have been so poorly executed that management wants assurance that future projects will be more successful. A project management consulting firm can help in this scenario by helping to deploy advanced risk mitigation tools and providing expert scrutiny of existing project schedules. CONCLUSIONProject management consulting firms can bring a combination of experience, knowledge and advanced tools that are not readily available in most organizations. By combining those capabilities with an understanding of best-in-class project management practices it is simple to see how the benefits realized from using a project management consulting firm can far outweigh the out-of-pocket investment. About Thomas P. Stevens, PMP and PMAlliance, Inc. – Thomas P. Stevens, PMP is the President and founder of PMAlliance, Inc. and holds a master’s degree in Business with a focus on Choice Science and is a registered PMP (Project Management Professional). PMAlliance is an international project management consulting firm that helps Fortune 1000 companies improve the execution of their mission-critical projects. For the second consecutive year, Inc. magazine has ranked PMAlliance Inc. among the fastest growing Project Management Consulting companies in the United States. Through its Duration-Driven® methodology, PMAlliance enables its clients to successfully complete their most vital projects—on time, within budget and to the intended level of quality. Please visit their website at www. pm-alliance. com.
Thomas P. Stevens, PMP is the President and found of PMAlliance, Inc. and holds a master?s degree in Business with a focus on Choice Science from Georgia State Univeristy and is a registered PMP (Project Management Professional). PMAlliance is an international project management consulting firm that helps Fortune 1000 companies improve the execution of their mission-critical projects. Please visit their website at www.pm-alliance.com.
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