Method123

For several years now the phrase 'Zombie PMO' has been used to describe a PMO organization that is barely alive -- more focused on mundane self-serving practices than delivering business value.  Be sure that well before the 'Zombie' reference was born, this has been a crisis in the PM community.  For years we've seen PMOs come and go in and out of fashion, not because the concept of a PMO lacked business value, but because those executing the PMO have failed to focus on the business value they should be delivering. We staunchly support the idea of embracing best-practices, standards, governance, and employing sound methodology.  But, without an understanding of how these characteristics should be leveraged to deliver for the business you run the risk of becoming antiquated, unnecessary, and overhead that the business will either ignore or disband. One of the critical actions that I would encourage for any PMO leader is to engage in a healthy dialog with the business...

By using a project charter template you will have a jump start on completing the task you have undertaken. The template is designed to assist you in the creation of this document so the final product will be formatted as expected. The use of the project charter template will also make it possible for the project manager to complete this task with greater accuracy but in less time than if it was done by scratch. This is made possible by the template itself. By having the formatting and order already in place inside the template, the project manager only has to concentrate on the content of the project. This streamlines the entire process of completing the task at hand. For most the inclusion of a project charter template is just the first of many templates that are available for the proper documentation of a project. With this processes being in a digital format, this template along with the others can be reused multiple times. This will bring consistency to your project charters and...

We've worked with many organizations that have put in place some fairly mature project management processes and implemented what they call 'Governance'. While we 100% support the practice of providing a defined process around project, program and portfolio management we have detected a trend in organizations experiencing some unintended consequences of governance. Specifically, adopting a 'one size fits all' model to governance can be detrimental to the organization and to the PMO. By forcing all projects to conform to a rigid standard of controls (governance) we risk slowing down the execution of projects and overburdening them with too much process. One of the significant benefits of  MPMM  is that its highly customizable and adaptable to fit your projects needs. The PMO 'Process Police', as they are sometimes called, need to make sure that they are focused more on  business outcomes  than on governance process. Their processes should enable greater produc...

Project Management Life Cycle ...Avoiding confusion with Project Life Cycle   Project Management Life Cycle vs Project Life Cycle Unfortunately, I've seen many cases where these two are used interchangeably without acknowledging that they are truly two different and distinct things. The Project Management Life Cycle is defined by the methodology used to manage projects in your organization. MPMM©, like the PMBOK©, utilizes Initiation, Planning, Executing, and Closure phases in the PMLC. The Project Life Cycle (PLC) lives mostly within the Executing phase of the PMLC. If the project is a software development project that PLC will often be referred to as the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Its just a unique case of a Project Life Cycle. Furthermore, the SDLC may differ depending on your approach to software development --- think Agile vs Waterfall. Individual projects, being unique in nature, may have different Project Life Cycles. Think about the difference between an Agil...

Basics of Procurement Procurement refers to obtaining goods and services from outside companies. This specifically refers to vendors and suppliers. It does not refer to other internal organizations within your own company. (For the purposes of this discussion, "purchasing" and "procurement" are equivalent terms.) This is an area that project managers definitely need to understand at some level, and it is an area into which the project manager will give input. However, in many, and perhaps most companies, procurement is an area that the project manager does not own. The project manager normally does not have the authority to enter into contracts on behalf of the company, and he normally is not asked to administer the contracts once they are in place. (In some organizations the project managers have this authority, but my perception is that in most organizations they don't.)  If you are purchasing goods or services on your project, you should determine whether yo...

One of the most frequently debated questions we have seen in today's PMO environment is that of "How much is enough process, governance and oversight"? Business managers want to be nimble and responsive and sometimes have little appetite for what they perceive as the bureaucracy of the PMO office. Project team members and SMEs may likewise feel like they are being slowed down by complying with the methodology of the PMO. To all sides of this argument we say "Yes! You can make reasonable compromises to reduce project overhead." It all comes down to  Risk  management and how much tolerance you have for it. We had devised a Risk Analysis Spreadsheet that takes into account only 24 questions and score cards them into 3 distinct project buckets - Small / Medium / Large. This shirt-sizing approach then let us manage each bucket according to a tailored methodology and governance plan. The small projects used a light-weight methodology and proceeded through a limited nu...

Kanban is a visual system for managing work as it moves through a process. Kanban visualizes both the process (the workflow) and the actual work passing through that process. The goal of Kanban is to identify potential bottlenecks in your process and fix them so work can flow through it cost-effectively at an optimal speed or throughput.   The 3 core practices of the Kanban method are: 1- Visualize your Workflow 2- Limit Work in Progress (WIP) 3- Manage Flow & Eliminate Wasted Resources The Kanban Method is a process to gradually improve whatever you do – whether it is software development, IT/ Ops, Staffing, Recruitment, Marketing and Sales, Procurement etc. In fact, almost any business function can benefit from applying the principles of the Kanban Method. Sounds simple, right? Click on this download link  for a free eBook from our Partners at EasyProjects Sincerely, Jim Lombardi President/CEO Method123    

While project managers are focused on "getting the project done right" Portfolio Managers must focus on "getting the right projects done".  This places the role of the Portfolio Manager in a very key position that helps drive strategy in an organization. So how does the Portfolio Manager accomplish this? * Develop a process for prioritizing all projects across the organization -  A key technique for doing this is to develop a scorecard that is aligned to the organizations strategic objectives. - Force ranking the project list utilizing the above mentioned scorecard * Ensuring that the portfolio has the best chance of success by allocating the organizational resources required to successfully deliver the projects * Balancing the portfolio in such a way that short-term, mid-term, and long-term objectives are addressed in a reasonable mix that satisfies project sponsors. * Track the implementation and benefits against initial estimates * Manage the portfolio with an en...

Be Proactive Managing a Project with Unrealistic Budget If you are a project manager dealing with what you perceive to be an unrealistic budget, the first thing you will want to do is discuss this with your sponsor to see if there are any factors that are driving the project budget. For instance, there may be budgetary restrictions. If you are a vendor, it is possible your sales people committed to a fixed price for the project. In some cases your manager or sponsor might set an arbitrary budget without much justification. It does not necessarily make your challenge any easier, but you may find that by better understanding the reason for the fixed budget, you may have an easier time getting yourself and your team members motivated to achieve it. When you have a full project management methodology you will have tools and techniques to respond to these concerns.  There are a number of responses to a project with unrealistic budgets. Reduce scope . Talk to your sponsor about reducing t...

Define the Objectives of Your Project Objectives are concrete statements that describe the things the project is trying to achieve. They are included in your Project Charter . An objective should be written in a way that it can be evaluated at the conclusion of a project to see whether it was achieved. A well-worded objective will be Specific, Measurable, Attainable / Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART). (SMART is a technique for wording the objective. An objective does not absolutely have to be SMART to be valid.) An example of an objective statement might be to " upgrade the customer service telephone system by December 31 to achieve average client wait times of no more than two minutes ". Note that the objective is specific. The objective is measurable in terms of the average client wait times the new phone system is trying to achieve. You can assume that the objective is achievable and realistic. The objective is time-bound , and should be completed...

he conducting of a business case analysis is always done by the stakeholders of a project. This is because they will be financially responsible for the success or failure of this business venture. They will also be the ones that have the greatest chance of losing money if the right decision is not made. There is another person in the organization that should also do a business case analysis . This is the project manager. This will allow them to thoroughly understand just what is needed, to gain approval from the stakeholders. The first step in a business case analysis is to understand just what the stakeholders are looking for in a business venture. At the top of all of them is the profitability of the project. This has to include not only how much money the deliverable will make, but also the margin of profit. It would be great if a deliverable could be sold for $1,000 each. It would even be better if it had a value to the customer to the point they are willing to pay this $1,000 fo...

Four Responsibilities of Executives on Projects An executive has administrative or supervisory authority in an organization. That authority is used in a number of ways on projects. An executive is typically responsible for the Business Case of a project, which is used to determine whether the project should even be started. Once the project is approved they can impact the success of your project in four key areas. 1. Sponsorship and Funding Every project within a company starts with an idea. It’s hard for that idea to go much further without backing from the right person and some money to make it happen. An executive can provide the sponsorship and funding your project needs to get off the ground. They are responsible for signing off on the project charter, which describes the project, gives you the authority to manage and, most importantly, allocates the necessary funds to keep it alive. 2. Escalations and Resolution The second role an executive plays in your projects is to be the go...

Build Teams with  Project Management Templates So you’re a Project Manager on a new project and you want to build a high performing team using  project management templates ? Excellent, this is a great goal to strive for. But it’s not easy, especially in the project environment which has its own challenges. To do it, take these tips for... Building high performing teams What exactly is a high performing team? It’s “a team that exceeds the goals you set, by working hard and smart, as a group, not individuals.” Whether you’re in IT, construction, engineering or another industry, building a high performing team is critical to success. You can do it in just 5 steps... 1) Planning Before you hire your first person, you need to document what it is that your team have to achieve and by when. You also need to create specific Job descriptions that set out your expectations for each role and how you’ll measure their performance. Don’t stop there. Think about the team culture you want to build, t...

Project Management Templates - Delivering projects on Time As a Project Manager, you are always pushed to deliver your projects on time, by using project management templates .  Not a day goes by that you don’t worry about whether you are on, behind or ahead of schedule. To help you to boost your chances of success, we’ve described here... How to Deliver Projects On Time On a project, it is easy to get bogged down with the details, and forget about the “helicopter view”.  Other than completing Project Status Reports at the end of each reporting period, many Project Managers adopt the approach that their own knowledge and experience alone will ensure that the project delivers on time. But the reality is that all project managers need to complete some basic steps throughout the project, to make sure that it is “on track”, otherwise it is easy for a project to go off the rails. So what are the steps that a Project Manager needs to complete to make sure that the project is delivered on ti...

Project Management Life Cycle Change Management In this latest article, we're discussed the topic of Change Management . A  project management lifecycle is typically undertaken within changing business environments, so it's inevitable that during the life of your project, there will be some element of change required. Whether a customer requests a change to their requirements, management request a change in priority or team members request a change in roles, you will need an effective Change Management Process to minimize the resulting impact on your project. So here, we have described: How to implement a “Change Management Process” Change Management is the process of monitoring and controlling changes within a project management life cycle . By managing the implementation of change, you can: Reduce the impact of changes to the project Identify new issues and risks as a result of changes raised Ensure that changes do not affect the project's ability to achieve it...

Writing a Business Case with Project Management Templates We all know that successful Project Management is about delivering projects on time, within budget and to specification. But what many forget is that it’s also important to deliver the business benefits to the customer. If your projects do not result in the stated business benefits, then your customer will not gain the return on investment expected, thereby affecting the level of success of your project. So how do you ensure that your projects consistently deliver the stated business benefits to your customer? You can do this, by creating a “Business Case” using online project management templates for each project. Its purpose is to justify the initiation of the project and to clearly specify upfront, the business benefits to be delivered. In this newsletter, we’ll explain how to: Create a Business Case using Project Management Templates in 4 easy steps... The first step when creating a Business Case using project management t...

As you kick off new projects in the coming year, make sure you start out on the right foot. These tips will help you set up projects properly from the outset, and avoid problems down the track. Starting new projects When you start a new project, you need to follow these 8 “golden rules” to ensure its success... 1.  Sponsorship : You need to have a highly motivated sponsor who understands the criticality of the project on the business and is motivated to making it a success. They need to have the resources available to support you, and the right level of “influence”in the business. 2.  Targets : Sit down with your sponsor and agree specific targets. Make sure they are realistic. Perform a Feasibility Study to ensure that what is discussed is feasible to achieve. Only agree to the targets if there is sufficient contingency. Add an extra 20% to the budget and timeline if you can. 3.  Scope : Keep your scope to a minimum. If you can’t get the contingency you need, then try and negotiate t...

How to Create Project Management Methodology Pages Q: I have opened a project management methodology and I’d like to create a brand new page. How can I do this? A: Easy. There are several ways of creating new pages for project management templates methodology . First, under the File menu you can simply select the New / Page item and then type in the name of the new page you wish to create, in the Title bar. You can then choose to import content from an existing HTML page on your PC, or copy and paste content into the page from any Microsoft or other Windows application. Or you could simply do this by accessing everything online through this Project Management Software . The MPMM Support Team  

Know the Five Steps in a Document Life Cycle Document management is a part of communication management. It is important for the project manager to recognize the stages that a document must go through from creation to completion. This knowledge allows the project manager to understand the overall status of a document at any given time and helps ensure adequate time is allocated for the completion of the document. For instance, when a team member says they can complete a document in two weeks, are they saying that the document will be ready to circulate in two weeks or that the document will be completed and totally approved in two weeks? Not all documents need to go through all the stages of document creation and approval. However, depending on the document, one or more of the steps will be required. Plan the document Sometimes you can sit down and immediately start writing your document. Other times you need to think, prepare and plan first. This is especially true as your document ge...

Schedule Estimating Threshold When you create a schedule you generally don’t know enough to enter all of the detailed activities the first time though. Instead, you identify large chunks of work first, and then break the larger chunks into smaller pieces. These smaller pieces are, in turn, broken down into still smaller and more discrete activities. This technique is referred to as creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). A question people ask is how small the activities should be before they do not need to be broken down further. This is referred to as your “estimating threshold”. Work can be broken down into smaller activities than the estimating threshold, but normally no work would be left at a higher level. The threshold can be different based on the size of your project and how well the work is understood. You can use the following criteria as a guide. For a typical large project (say 5000 effort hours or more) the activities should be no longer than two weeks. Medium and smal...