Timeboxing is a powerful feature of agile. Rather than make scope static, you fix time and resources and modify scope to get the maximum value in the minimum amount of time and cost. Instead of estimating task duration, you use fixed time periods and adjust the scope accordingly. Here are the principles you can follow […]
Following a project methodology ensures that your project team, customers, and sponsor know what to expect and makes the project team’s efforts predictable. However, there are times when diverging from your methodology may be the best thing to do to ensure project success. Unexpected challenges occur. When market conditions or technological disruptions change suddenly, the […]
The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines value as “the worth, importance, or usefulness of something.” To stakeholders, usefulness is more than quantitative measures of how deliverables satisfy a business case. Qualitative value comes in many forms. Here are several key qualitative values to consider for your projects. Deliverables must work with existing processes. Project deliverables […]
Agile projects rely on different skills than those of traditional waterfall projects. The required skills vary based on team members’ roles. Here are vital skills and knowledge the people on your agile team need. Communication, especially listening skills. Agile involves the constant exchange and implementation of ideas. As a result, agile team members need refined […]
Agility goes beyond the basic principles of Scrum and Kanban. To excel with Agile, teams must adopt behaviors and techniques that enhance flexibility, collaboration, and responsiveness. Here are strategies to improve the success of Agile projects: Allow extra time for learning. Resist the temptation to rush to the next sprint. Give your agile team some […]
I was recently asked how to deal with a micro-managing customer, especially when the sponsor isn’t standing up to them. Here are a few tips for handling this challenge whether you’re a project manager or team member. Trigger a debate. A stakeholder might micro-manage the project team when they feel that’s the only way to […]
It’s important to remember that completing the project Gantt chart tasks or agile backlog items is not the ultimate project goal. Here are the true objectives project managers and their teams must achieve for successful projects. Build capable stakeholders. All products or services a project provides should be easy to use, fit for purpose, and […]
Failed projects damage financial status, discourage creativity and growth, bruise egos, and set back careers. Good news: with time, failure can lead to positive outcomes. Here are some benefits that come from project failure. Learning opportunities. Say an organization spends time and money upgrading an information system, only to have it shut down before producing […]
The best project managers are stewards of the businesses they support. Part of caring stewardship is appropriately applying the project management authority conveyed by the project charter. Here are tips for ensuring you properly exercise your project management authority. Use positive influence. Exercising authority can take many forms: forming partnerships or collaborating to accomplish tasks, […]
Research for the update to my course on choosing the right project management tool was enlightening: it offers an interesting perspective on what’s happening in project management today. Collaboration and communication are the focus. Today’s automated tools place significant emphasis on communication and team synergy. Tools can tag team members, integrate with email systems to […]
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