A big challenge in project estimating is dealing with the requestor! Leaders often have a number in mind. They might want you to deliver an unachievable objective or expect an unreasonable level of accuracy. Here are a few techniques to handle a challenging estimate requestor. Point out unknowns. Because projects are unique, they include things […]
Project managers need foresight to anticipate potential issues and handle project curveballs. Developing foresight takes time so here are five tips to help you expand your foresight. Learn from the past. Most organizations keep project files but few people ever look at them. Take time to study previous projects in your organization, successful and unsuccessful […]
The justification for a project isn’t always obvious. There could be a lot of negotiation to address conflicting business needs. And it can go beyond juggling the triple constraints of cost, scope, and time. When the team is struggling to agree on project justification, here are some trade-offs to consider. Resources versus project finish date. […]
Harmony between the project manager and project sponsor increases your ability to achieve project objectives. Because each relationship is unique, you must build it with intention. Here are critical items to understand to increase your harmony with your sponsor: Your sponsor’s perspective of their strengths and areas to improve. Everyone has strengths and areas for […]
Here are seven of the hottest trends in the evolving field of project management. Post in the comment section with which of these topics interest you. I will prioritize future articles based on the topics with the highest interest. AI and automation in project management. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technologies are being integrated into […]
Team members usually juggle work on multiple projects, so competing priorities and limited staff time are bound to disrupt project schedules. When your project faces competition from other high-priority projects, follow these steps to optimize results for your organization: Verify project priorities with management. Lack of guidance from senior leaders can result in conflicting priorities. […]
One of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly-Successful People is to put first things first – that is – put your time and energy into what’s important and say no to what isn’t. Let’s look at common project manager habits that you might want to break in order to have time to focus on what’s […]
If you use social media to manage your projects, why not reduce your typing with a set of project management acronyms? Bob McGannon and I decided to jump start the list with these (mostly) tongue-in-cheek acronyms. If you have suggestions to add to this list, share them in the comments! SOS – Sponsor Over Shoulder […]
As a project manager, you must be able to recognize that your project schedule isn’t feasible. That way, you can proactively address issues, mitigate risks, and increase the likelihood of project success. Here are common warning signs that your project schedule needs work. Building and sharing a schedule before scope definition is stable. When project […]
A recent Project Pointer talked about controlling project scope by confirming that each scope item has a true owner behind it. That is, someone who understands the business processes related to their scope items, has funding for it, and has time to work with the project team to realize its benefits. But what do you […]
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