A Project Management Office (PMO) is a dynamic hub within an organization that empowers project success by supporting project managers and teams. Far from a one-size-fits-all solution, PMO's vary widely in their roles, responsibilities, and structure, shaped by the unique needs of the organization they serve. Whether providing hands-on project management, offering strategic advice, or... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Unlike most of the project management knowledge areas, which deal with a specific area of expertise of the project manager, the Project Integration Management knowledge area is something of a catch-all, containing many of the everyday actions of a project manager. It is the glue that holds the project together. The processes within the Project... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
The Project Initiation Document (PID) is the most important document in the PRINCE2 project management method. It defines the project scope and identifies how the project will achieve its objectives. It puts the project on a solid foundation, a baseline that provides a place from which the project manager and project board can assess progress.... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Project planning is immensely underrated. Everyone has a story of how they could have planned better to avoid a disaster, even if they didn’t look back and realise it. The Project Management Institute suggests that planning should ideally consist of about 20 – 30% of the time required to perform the project work. This is... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
We’ve all seen the beauty of a perfectly crafted Gantt chart, the satisfaction of a budget that balances down to the penny, and the sweet victory of hitting a deadline with military precision. Hard skills—those technical, process-driven tools like scheduling, resource allocation, and risk analysis—are the backbone of getting stuff done. They’re the scaffolding that... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Project quality is the silent force in project management, often overshadowed by the loud demands of time and budget, yet capable of derailing success just as swiftly. While deadlines and costs dominate the spotlight, neglecting quality can quietly undermine a project, leading to costly rework, unhappy stakeholders, or outright failure. Complicating matters further, quality standards... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Before a project even begins, a project charter is a document that incorporates the project and appoints the project manager. Many projects operate without a project charter, even multimillion dollar projects. But the formal authorization of the project by the performing organization can be important to ensure the lines of authority are clear and identify... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Project risk analysis is too often sacrificed by project managers in the name of time or budget constraints. But while skipping this critical step might save a few hours or dollars upfront, when risks go unseen, they usually don’t just knock—they bulldoze. In this article, we’ll prove the value of risk analysis with a real-world example,... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Although projects span a huge spectrum from big to small, innovative to routine, and technical to repetitive, there is in fact a standard project organization chart within which all projects fall. With the exception of a few variable parts all project fit into a standard mold. According to project management theory, each member of a... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Before a project even begins, a project charter is a document that incorporates the project and appoints the project manager. More than just a formality, it’s the foundation stone that defines the project’s purpose, scope, and direction, setting the stage for everything that follows. Think of it as the project’s birth certificate—a concise yet powerful... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Many people become project managers simply by receiving additional responsibility or via promotion into the role. As such, project management fundamentals are often unknown to the very people who manage projects. The Project Management Institute's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a very structured, analytical outline of a somewhat abstract topic. Although the relevant... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
The project manager is the ultimate responsible authority for the successful completion of the project. They establish the critical success factors and take responsibility for achieving them. Usually the project manager inherits criteria that the project must work with, such as budget, stakeholder concerns, and so forth. These are codified within the project charter (i.e... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
A project manager's roadmap and guiding document is called a project management plan. It puts all the pieces of project management together into one coherent place. Rather than holding all the pieces of the project in your head (like alot of project managers I know) it's incredibly helpful to organize them on paper and to... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
In this day and age, project success is no longer a matter of luck. So long as the project schedule and budget are realistic and achievable, project management fundamentals provide more than enough tools for the project manager to implement project controls that provide sufficient early warning of variances that require action. Projects, by their... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Project status reports are essential tools for keeping teams, stakeholders, and leaders aligned on progress, challenges, and next steps. A well-crafted report provides clarity, builds trust, and ensures everyone understands where things stand. Projects are by definition temporary, that is, they have a defined beginning and end. For this reason, the project schedule is almost... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
The project plan is like the flight plan filed by a pilot prior to embarking on a journey. It communicates how the project will attempt to reach its destination. The project plan is the strategy that will be used to produce the project's products, services, or results. It is written in sufficient detail to communicate... [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
The difference between a successful project and an unsuccessful one can usually be narrowed down to one word: Planning. The Project Management Institute (PMI) reports that only 64% of projects meet their intended goals, and from my experience working for a large engineering company, this is probably not too far out. But there is a... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer