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).
The most valuable projects support short-term business goals and contribute to achieving strategic objectives. Aligning projects with an organization’s strategy requires specific, often overlooked approaches. This Project Pointer describes a few practical techniques.
The magic behind the success of great project managers isn’t typically technical skill; it’s compassion. While it’s thought of as a “soft skill,” it’s not easy to be compassionate when the pressure is on. This Project Pointer explains how compassion can be a strategic advantage that transforms how project teams generate results.
Leveraging processes helps improve overall efficiency and delivers continuous improvement to projects. This Project Pointer describes ways experienced project managers leverage a process-focused approach to increase effectiveness.
Decision-making facilitates project delivery and conveys control, so it’s an everyday activity for PMs. This Project Pointer describes instances where project managers must be decisive.
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Microsoft Project blog
Scott Berkun's website
QuickBooks and Beyond
QuickBooks Online Blog
QuickBooks and Your Business