PMcrunch

This is a big a broad question: “What is the value of architecture?” I am working on a project regarding the value of full scale architecture supporting IT – from operational to system to technical. But in thinking about this, I am finding connections to lots of other areas that have been around for a while.

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I watched the 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony in New York City yesterday from my home in New Jersey, and it brought back a host of memories – big, broad, and bold…painful and heartfelt…from 10 years ago. But there was one thing that I noitced that I need to share in this post…

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When considering training…or just simply places to place your own efforts… Are you better off working on your strengths or your weaknesses? The answer may surprise you!

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One of the most profound and ubiquitous management concepts over the past 30 years is “systems thinking”. Systems thinking is all around us. One example is that project management has in essence been “systematized” by the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide!

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What do Six Sigma, ITIL, and Project Management have in common? These three disciplines all have associated business certifications, living largely in the ‘business’ versus technical realm, and all relate in some way to processes. But how can these disciplines relate to one another in such a way that greater value is created for the individual as well as the organization?

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I have worked on all kinds of projects.  I’m well aware that project requirements will pit you against limitations of all sorts.  Indeed, we all recognize that we operate in a world of constraints; however, sometimes WE are the biggest constraint of all.   This leads me to the question, “Is your project bigger than yourself?”

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In thinking about shareholder management or investor management, especially in today’s volatile environment, I see a big parallel with stakeholder management.  In essence stakeholders are the investors in our projects.  Stakeholders hold a “stake” in our projects.  Stakeholders, just like investors, have different levels of investment or interest in our projects.  We must think of [...]

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There is one thing that you can do on your project or program that can yield the best results for the organization, for your team, and for yourself.  It goes way beyond any project management tools or techniques.  It even goes beyond applying a typical methodology to your project plan.

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Looking at lessons learned from the current economic crisis, one that stands out pertains to how people are incentivized in business. Banks with risky loan portfolios somewhere along the line had incentivized their people to fill their portofolios with these loans. Somewhere along the line, the incentives did not incorporate some of the risks involved. How does this play out in project and program management?

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Human resources is an important function in all organizations and that includes the project organization. In these difficult economic times, the human resources’ function is being tested in organizations worldwide. How does that testing in this environment translate into the project team environment?

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