I was once part of a project which went behind schedule and over budget. In response the project manager asked the project team to come up with reasons why the project was late. Naturally the team produced several reasons, and a change in schedule and budget was approved. Everything sounded like it was back on... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Many project managers have executed the technical work to perfection only to find out that stakeholders were not satisfied because communication was poor. Thus, project communication is sometimes more important than the technical work. Of course, the project manager needs to communicate when unexpected events occur. That's the domain of project risk management. But the... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
To external parties, a project is defined by its deliverables. They are not just some relatively important part of the project, they are the project. They are also the measuring stick by which the success of the project, and by extension the competence of the project manager, are measured. For a word so important to... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Although it isn't in the dictionary, the project management industry uses the term deliverables almost daily. I must say, I am tired of MS Word underlining it as a spelling mistake. Deliverables are the products, services, and results that a project produces. Thus, they are the cornerstone to project success. Every project has to produce something.... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Projects don't manage themselves. Professional project management requires the development of a plan that outlines how it will be managed. According to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (section 4.2), the project management plan fulfills this purpose. Although it includes any and all items that define the management of the project, there are certain standard items.... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
From the awe-inspiring pyramids of ancient Egypt to modern-day initiatives, humans have long tackled complex projects. The more complex and technically challenging a project becomes, the more intricate dependencies, advanced technologies, and diverse teams can lead to increased risks, miscommunication, and scope creep if not carefully managed. Today, these efforts are streamlined and formalized through... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
There is no universal definition of project success. Since the very definition of a project is temporary (Project Management Body of Knowledge, 6th Edition), virtually all projects must meet a deadline and budget. But some projects must satisfy certain stakeholders. Others must meet regulatory criteria. Still others must achieve a certain return on investment. For these reasons,... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
The definition of a Project is: A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. The two most important keywords within that definition are: Temporary: A project has a fixed beginning and end. Because of this, there are two factors that come into play in virtually every project: Time (deadlines) and money (budgets). ... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
It's amazing how many projects do not know their true status until near the end, when there is little that can be done to ensure they finish on time or budget. The proper time to rigorously track project status is at the beginning, not at the end. This is when project risk can be managed and... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Project estimating requires predicting the future. Like ancient prophets and soothsayers, today's project managers are experts in telling people what is going to happen. The key to success, then, is to ensure that what actually happens is the same as the estimate. This might seem like magic sometimes, but it requires strong project cost estimation... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer