PMcrunch

Yes, I asked if YOU are agile…because I think agile project management starts with the individual…and then the team…and then the organization…  Let me explain my thinking…

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As project and program managers we need to make sure that our projects are moving forward. We need to make sure that we identify the obstacles that get in the way of progress and that we address and remove them. We need to make sure that the greater project team has the tools and resources [...]

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Most good managers in project and program management know the importance of maintaining relationships with team members and stakeholders. Basic human relations can go a long way in improving overall program and project quality. However, I have learned that there is a community beyond our immediate team members and stakeholders that are worth considering in everything we do.

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I have used this. If you don’t want to have to start every project from scratch, then it’s worthwhile creating your own Project Life Cycle. I have found it especially useful – and impressive – in environments where there are a lot of technical people who have little project management orientation, and it has really made a difference. The best part is that it has helped me leverage my strengths – and to think through the project in an organized way.

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We need to consider how clear the objective of the project scope is when we build our project teams.  For an extremely well defined project of relatively short duration, and well-defined deliverables, this could be fairly easy.  However, for a project that is less defined, which may involve some significant shifts of some sort over the [...]

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Oftentimes, less experienced project managers and project teams wallow in uncertainty and lack of direction due to the lack of proper project management documentation. I have seen situations where there are lots of desperate sources of documentation but the specific project at hand is not well enough to find.

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Invariably, the same projects are defined later by people describing things that they worked on and activities that they did. What is missing many times are key deliverables.

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Project cutbacks are a common theme. In many cases, teams are simply reduced in size. In addition, project scopes are decreased while agile methods are a key way organizations develop software more efficiently. The term agility goes far beyond that.

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On so many projects we assemble all the tasks and then assign them to the appropriate individuals. However, I have found that as an alternative we need to consider assigning some tasks to a small team of people. This may sound inefficient but I think it is essential, especially in certain environments and on certain types of tasks.

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As project managers, we need to manage the resources and deliverables on our projects. In tough times we are often under pressure to deliver more with fewer resources. The question is “How can we cope with this? Is there a different way than just working harder, that we and our teammates can employ?”

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