Project Management Insights

Is your schedule off track?  Here are four steps you can follow to get it back ON track. #ProjectManagement #Projects #Business

Being too focused is a detriment. I say that because you become so narrow in the way you see things that you are not able to see there are others on the TEAM. "There is no 'I' in Team' remember. So consider if you are being too narrow-minded in your approach, or are you open-minded and work WITH your whole team. We are talking about the difference between focusing on an outcome as a team versus being too driven at all cost. #Projects #Team

You may not have had to write too many Business Cases. Naturally, then you aren't aware of what makes a business case strong. And when I say strong I mean one that clearly shows that the project should proceed. Here are my keys to writing such a business case. #ProjectManagement #Business #Projects

Often we ask questions and don't get a response, or at least not the one we wanted.  Here are tips and ideas for how to ask questions that will get you a response, at least one you can use. Gaining a response that allows you to ask for more information, or to negotiate is what you are looking for.

What you want on any project team is all of the team members onside. Why? So everyone is working towards the same end goal; successful delivery of your project. Here are five simple ways to make that happen, so you have the team working as a T.E.A.M (Together Everyone Achieves More). #Team #ProjectManagement #Projects #Business

If you display these 7 skills then you would be considered a strong leader by your team.  Isn't that how you want to be seen? #Leadership  #ProjectManagement

You do realize that testing on an IT system project has little to do with the actual testing itself and more to do with your reputation?  Why do I say that, well if you don't test and the system fails your reputation suffers?  If you do thorough testing and the system works perfectly then your reputation soars. Now you understand what I mean?

It is very important that your Project Sponsor is engaged and fully supporting you and the project. Here are 7 different ways that you can make that happen by engaging them.

And no, I'm not talking about Grammy Award acting. I am talking about taking action to do what is needed for the successful delivery of your project.  Have you ever noticed there are often members of your team who don't deliver, deliver late?  Here are three reasons why that might be the case. This will help you understand a little about how you might change up the way you interact with these people to get them TO deliver.

We all know that Project Managers are more often than not control freaks, right? Perhaps not all of them, yet there is a myth that as the Project Manager managing a project, you need to be in control of everything.  Let's bust that myth because it's just not true. And in fact the less 'in control' you are of some things the better off the team will be.  They will perform better, deliver more and be happier when you give up the reigns to those with the knowledge and skills.

Issues arise on a project, that's a given. The problem is when those issues turn into risks. That's the last thing you want happening on your project. So, what can you do to ensure that your issues stay as issues and are resolved BEFORE they turn into risks?  Here are some ideas to help.

A project scope that is not clearly defined is cause for trouble on any project. Without clearly defined boundaries to work in work will be done that is unnecessary causing more costs and blowing out timelines. So you can see the immediate impact of not having a solid scope.

A crazy topic I know and yet we often find that people get upset easily. Have you stopped to think why? Here are 7 different things that you might be doing that are likely to trigger someone's anger. When they are upset with you they are less likely to deliver; less likely to want to give you information and let likely to be interested in doing a great job, on your project. So notice if you're doing any of these 7 things.

What mechanisms do you have in place to manage any budget nightmares that might arise? I want to talk specifically about vendor overspend in this episode as it is often a large problem when so much of the IT world is outsourced to external vendors.

Your project can't possibly be delivered successfully when you have resourcing problems. Here are some different ways to get the resources you need in order to deliver. You might not have thought about some of them and yet if you ask, you might be surprised what you can manage to do, in terms of finding qualified or experienced resources to support you with your project delivery.

You've just been given a project only to find there is no Business Case.  Now, what do you do?  Here is a way to get agreement on what needs to be delivered, in writing, so you have something to work to. You need this clarity in order to know what it is that you are required to deliver. 

With team members from different areas in the business, or outside vendors, who all have perspectives that aren't aligning, it's not always easy to manage.  There are ways to get everyone seeing things from the same perspective, even though they all come from different starting points.

We all know how hectic life can be. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done. Here are some simple tips your can implement to at least find a little bit more time in your day, and get what needs to be done, done.

Risks can be of great benefit to us if we are willing to see them that way. Did you call out risks in your Business Case?  Maybe if you didn't you might go back and develop that list. I know it's easy to hate risk management. I want to talk to you about how to make it simpler. Let's get honest and clear about the real likelihood of that risk occurring.

Issues management is easy when you know-how. Let me explain the process that I've used to manage issues. It's easy and works well to capture, track and monitor your issues.