Technical and business priorities in an agile backlog require constant negotiation between delivering immediate value and maintaining long-term application stability. Stakeholders need to see and understand the trade-offs between the outcomes that they want and the work to maintain technical integrity. This Project Pointer describes approaches to achieve this balance.
A procurement plan is one part of every project plan. However, these procurement plans are often beefier than they need to be, particularly when your organization has existing procurement processes and staff. Bob McGannon and I discuss what a project procurement plan truly needs to have in a lot of cases, as well as when you might need to add more detail to your plan.
A new role is much like a project, whether it is a job, a consulting gig, or a volunteer position. Treat it like one and you’ll do your job well and prepare for a smooth handoff at the end. This Project Pointer describes how managing a role delivers success and gains admirers at the same time.
Padding estimates is a common occurrence because people like to give themselves wiggle room on their assignments. But padded estimates cause all sorts of issues for both the current and all future projects. And yet, this padding continues even though everyone knows that it’s happening. In this video, Bob McGannon and I talk about the damage padding does and how to prevent padding from happening.
Part of a project manager’s job is to manage risk on behalf of the sponsor. It is NOT to stop the sponsor from taking risks, because risk is often necessary to move a business forward. This Project Pointer describes ways to support a sponsor when they decide to take risks.
Understanding your project sponsor’s habits and perspectives can mean the difference between delivering business value and wasting time and money. This Project Pointer provides a checklist of key things to know about your project sponsor to increase your project success.
Rarely do all members of a project team participate from start to finish of a project. As a result, it’s important to have a procedure ready to handle the departure of a critical team member. This Project Pointer describes the basic steps.
Stakeholder reviews of deliverables can build buy-in, kick off organizational change practices, develop trust, save time, and generate excitement for project outcomes. Reviewing project deliverables too early can have the opposite effect: reducing confidence and generating anxiety about change. This project pointer explains how to ensure your project deliverables are ready for stakeholders’ scrutiny.
Organizations often treat internal staffing as “free,” thinking that existing salaries don’t affect the project’s bottom line. Not so! That approach distorts the view of project viability and staff capacity and undermines the accuracy of long-term planning. This Project Pointer describes several ways that tracking internal staff costs is beneficial.
A big reason projects with technical deliverables fail is that the PM and team assume everyone understands the deliverables and work. A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Dictionary can be a lifesaver in that case. This Project Pointer reviews what’s in a WBS Dictionary, along with tips for when it’s needed (or not).
Below are some interesting links for you! Enjoy your stay...
O'Reilly 50% Ebook Deal of the Day
Microsoft Project blog
Scott Berkun's website
QuickBooks and Beyond
QuickBooks Online Blog
QuickBooks and Your Business