Ever notice that some project managers always seem to have sponsor support? Project managers who successfully manage sponsors use a handful of techniques. Here are the go-to tools for “executive whisperer” project managers. Get to the point in status reports. Status reports should be short and concise . Talk with your sponsor to understand their […]
The project lifecycle is well-known, but did you know there are other lifecycles within it? Well-managed projects include a business case, which has a lifecycle as well. Here are common stages in the lifecycle of a business case and the information they contain. Overview of the business case lifecycle The first draft of the business […]
An Exception Plan is a pre-agreed fallback approach to implement if a project gets into trouble. It’s more than a mitigation plan to address a single risk. An exception plan supplies an alternative project plan to recover from unacceptable conditions, such as exceeding the accepted tolerances for schedule delays or budget overruns. First, let’s look […]
Agile methodologies are designed to handle change easily, which is why they’re called -er- agile! Most aspects of agile work can change without causing problems. But a couple of things are best left alone. Here’s what you can and shouldn’t change when working in an agile environment: Priority. At the beginning of each sprint, the […]
It might seem like a hopeless situation when business value doesn’t meet expectations. Here are a few things to look at for potential opportunities for improvement. Revisit your estimates. Compare the estimates used to justify the project to the business results. Opportunities may arise from this, including: Business activities included in project justification aren’t being […]
You have delivered every component of your project, and your project team has started to disperse. It’s time for project closure, right? Not so fast! Here are other critical steps to take before closing your project. Confirm that business value is being generated. A project shouldn’t close until the business acknowledges value. However, some projects […]
Any project may be cancelled due to changing corporate priorities or cost constraints. It can even happen to projects that are running perfectly. If your project is cancelled, here’s what you can do to make the best of the situation. Communicate with your team. Emotions will be high and people will have questions. Talk with […]
Getting pressured by management to deliver a project early is common, so you should be ready for it. It’s important to note that pushing an early delivery doesn’t mean you’re in crisis mode. It’s a risk vs business value balancing act. Here are tips to balance risk and bring in the project delivery date. Cut […]
Guest post by Daniel Stanton, Mr. Supply Chain Main point up front: Project management and supply chain management are both relatively new professions, and they are highly complementary. Supply chain managers have always spent a lot of their time working on projects to reduce costs and increase efficiency. These days, many project managers are learning […]
A slipping schedule, lack of engagement, and cost overruns are common and easy to spot indicators of project trouble. Here are five other early indicators of trouble that aren’t often recognized. Team member hours are less than planned. Hours dedicated to project tasks can fall short due to differing business priorities or lack of confidence […]
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