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.

[Read more →]

Project Management, Six Sigma, Business Analysis, and ITIL all provide domain frameworks, all have associated business certifications, all live largely in the ‘business’ versus technical realm, and all have a strong process orientation. But what does that mean to business professionals and organizations? Here are some thoughts on implications based upon the ITIL framework.

[Read more →]

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.

[Read more →]

We have all heard at one time or another someone say that people are products of their environment.  Undoubtedly, the environment is a strong influence on how people turn out.  However, it is each person’s reaction to their environment that really determines who they are and what happens.

[Read more →]

As a program or project manager, one must keep an eye on both the near term and long term.  Today, under tough economic conditions, we typically turn to more near-term thinking because the focus needs to be first on survival before considering future plans.  We need to be careful however to not take this near-term thinking too [...]

[Read more →]

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?

[Read more →]

I have found the practice of having an “ADMIN DAY” is a great valuable and necessary one. But what is “ADMIN DAY”? How does it work and how does it provide value?

[Read more →]

Any project portfolio is likely to have a high degree of synergy among various projects. This is especially true of a portfolio of projects that make up a particular program. The challenge is how to best realize these synergies and to derive true value from them.

[Read more →]

Most of us have experienced broken New Year’s resolutions; and for those who even made them this year, I can only imagine how many are already falling behind. In a sense, this phenomenon can actually work against us. Falling behind and failing is not a good experience and does not generate good emotions. In tough times, especially, we need positive emotions to carry us forward.

[Read more →]

In today’s economy, managers of all kinds are under pressure to right-size their businesses or business units. With the contraction of the economy, sales decreases trigger the need for rethinking, resizing, and reshaping throughout any organization. Projects and programs are no different. Let’s take a look.

[Read more →]