Unlocking PMO Profitability
By Darrel Raynor and Curt Finch
The potential benefits of a project management office (PMO) are many and well-documented. However, a number of the benefits never materialize. Take a look at PMOs over the years and you will see that many have restructured, dissolved, or constantly justified their existence during both economic downturns as well as high-growth periods. This is evidence enough that PMOs are not yielding demonstrable positive financial results. This churn often causes years of frustration for both the PMOs and the projects and departments they serve. Changing the way in which the PMO is chartered, works, and is perceived within an organization can ensure that it offers plentiful advantages for the entire organization.
Read the full article at: http://businessedge.michcpa.org/issue/article.aspx?i=v8n12&a=541&s=MI
Project Percent Complete – AC/PMEAC: An Improved Way to Measure Project Progress
- by Rob Seiler, MBA, PE, PMP and Darrel Raynor, MBA, PMP
PM-adjusted project Estimate at Completion (PMEAC) is the project manager’s best estimate of the final cost of a project based on both quantifiable data and the application of professional judgment of future costs on a project. The author explains how the actual costs from an accounting system and the developed PMEAC value can be used to calculate an accurate picture of project status.
The full article is available to PMI members at: http://www.pmi.org/Knowledge-Center/Knowledge-Shelf/Project-Estimating.aspx
Unique Project Charter Topics
In this 3rd of 14 A&IPM columns, we show how to create and use an effective Project Charter. This is your first and best chance to set the stage. The Project Pentagon shows your main dimensions or areas of compromise. It guides our initial and ongoing project discussions.
Best Practices Introduction
Troubled Projects Part 3 of 3 -Actions to Take
In this third of three columns, we look at Actions to Take relating to Troubled Projects. Discussion is from the second of two PMI/ATC sessions.
Troubled Projects 2 of 3 - Recovery or Controlled Shutdown
by Darrel A. Raynor, PMP, CCP, MBA
Dear Reader,
Troubled Projects is a highly requested topic for seminars and as a multi-part series here. We explore how to recover or stop work on Troubled Projects. We are trying a mailing service to reduce format and other email headaches. It purports to discover HTML or text preferences and adjust over time, so please let us know how you like it! We hope this solves format and email challenges! Enjoy.
Read more: Troubled Projects 2 of 3 - Recovery or Controlled Shutdown
Troubled Projects Part 1 of 3 - When to Be Concerned
by Darrel A. Raynor, PMP, CCP, MBA
Dear Reader,
Here’s your September Project Management Advisor column. Troubled Projects is a highly requested topic for seminars and as a multi-part series for this column. We explore how to identify and best handle Troubled Projects through research, two facilitated discussion groups co-sponsored by the Austin PMI chapter and the Austin Technology Council, and relevant experience. In this first of three columns, we take a look at indicators for Troubled Projects. Discussions is from the first of two PMI/ATC sessions.
Read more: Troubled Projects Part 1 of 3 - When to Be Concerned
Time to Negotiate Task Switching Time
Time to Negotiate Task Switching Time?
"How do you allocate the extra time it costs when you have to move people around between tasks?"
Estimating Project Task Iterations
Estimating Project Task Iterations
QUESTION
"How do you estimate and show an unknown number of iterations for a set of tasks on a project schedule?"
This question inevitably comes up in every software development and many other types of project.
Subcontractor Billing Issue
Subcontractor Billing Issue
QUESTION
"If a subcontractor submits an invoice for services not performed, how do you handle the situation professionally?" This one came from the Dallas PMI newsletter editor.
Automated Software Testing
Automated Software Testing
QUESTION
"Is automated testing software a viable option for today's multi-platform software development projects?"
PROBLEM
Several of my clients wonder about available tools and processes for automating part of their software testing. Automating your testing can provide worthwhile benefits such as repeatability and time savings when done right. From a project perspective, there are four main areas to consider: deciding to automate your testing, installation, training, and scheduling tasks.
Why use a Requirements Matrix
Why use a Requirements Matrix? Parts I and II
QUESTION
"Why use a Requirements Matrix (RM) when tasks are in the project schedule and requirements are documented in the Requirements Document?"
This question comes up each time I recommend using a RM to improve project performance. The project schedule is usually built around deliverables and most technical deliverables do not correlate well with business requirements. The requirements document is far too lengthy to serve as an easy tracking mechanism. A RM addresses two project problems, requirements tracking and scope creep. It also helps control the project in many ways, providing a short (2-5 page) snapshot of the project in terms business people can understand.
Project Security
The Project Management Advisor Column
Project Security
by Darrel A. Raynor, PMP, CCP, MBA
"WHAT IS PROJECT SECURITY?”
Project Security is the measures taken to safeguard your project documents, products, and other artifacts. Known vulnerabilities are mitigated to the cost-effective level of risk the organization is willing to take.
As with other types of security, project security breaches are instigated by malicious hackers, industrial espionage agents, project team members, organization members outside the project wishing ‘insider’ information, and simply hardware and software defects. Security breaches may be intentional or inadvertent.
Project Lawsuits
Project Lawsuits
by Darrel A. Raynor, PMP, CCP, MBA
The Project Management Advisor
Project Lawsuits
Discussion on how to avoid lawsuits in your technical projects
Having recently spent a loooong ten days as expert witness in civil court and also hearing endless public debate on Enron, Arthur Anderson, and now WorldCom, Avoiding Project Lawsuits seems a needed and current topic!
Legislation, government regulations, and professional association guidelines are already increasing. We should expect more, not fewer, trends toward licensing, certifications, and other accreditations in the software and related technical areas.
This quote sums up why you should always live up to your agreements, and record and verify conversations, agreements, and commitments.
Project Ethics - A Start...
Project Ethics - A Start...
QUESTION
"How do you 'stick' to your Ethics when faced with project pressures?"
Lately this question has come up a lot in my project management classes and as I mentor project leads and managers. As Project Managers, we are constantly faced with negotiation, compromise, and other 'sticky' situations. How should we handle these?
Project Leadership and the Project Office
Project Leadership & the Project Office
by Darrel A. Raynor, PMP, CCP, MBA
Project Leadership & The Project Office How and why to infiltrate your project office with great processes.
Project Leadership and Project Offices are perhaps the hottest PM topics around, yet there is not much linking the two. How can project managers and individual contributors benefit from your project office?
How to Prepare for a Project or Process Audit
How to Prepare for a Project or Process Audit
by Darrel A. Raynor, PMP, CCP, MBA
"HOW DO I PREPARE FOR A PROJECT OR PROCESS AUDIT?”
Innocent sounding question, isn’t it? I’ve recently advised several organizations to prepare an audit response process with a script and supporting documents. At least one firm did not, and is now paying the price of redundant preparation coupled with much unplanned work. Below are several tactics for running the audit gauntlet without undue stress.
Project Management Consulting
Project Management Consulting?
QUESTION
"Project Management Consulting - Why, What, How, (and a Study)?"
This question comes up at least once a week! Some people have the notion that ALL project management tasks must be done in-house. This further erodes the notion that PM is a profession that can be learned, taught, and applied in most situations. The Study in RESOURCES below shows that the market is very large.
Non-Project Work - What to do
Non-Project Work - What to do?
QUESTION
"Please discuss team members who do non-project work on project time."
Thanks to Keith Jensen for suggesting the topic. This is a question that comes up frequently in matrix management organizations. If the project manager does not supervise team members, how can we minimize other work done on our project time? Let's assume that the team member is assigned to your project full-time.
There are many scenarios to this question, two of which we will discuss: company business and non-company business. Scenario One: You, the project manager, walk into one of your team member's work area. The good news is you find them hard at work on company business. The bad news is they are not working on your project! Scenario Two: You find a team member engaged in non-company work.
Internet and Email Policy Discussion
Internet & Email Policy Discussion
QUESTION
"Would you discuss Internet and Email Use Policies?"
PROBLEM
Several have asked about on-the-job Internet and Email use and if we recommend having a formal policy. With the Internet such a wild source of hobby, learning, collaborative, shopping, and myriad other information, some type of policy stating the organization's, or at least the Project Team's, expectations of use is needed.
Improve or Reengineer Your Process
Improve or Reengineer Your Process?
QUESTION"How do we know when to improve a process or reengineer it?"
This is a frequent question, usually about a specific process, especially from project and team leaders on their way to project management roles. As people start to view project processes as a critical success factor for projects, they naturally want to improve their processes to better fit their custom projects.
Project management encompasses process management for not only the main work of the project, but for the project processes. If project management does NOT include process management in your organization, perhaps it should...
'Hidden' Project Work
‘Hidden’ Project Work
The Project Management Advisor is written to help Technical, General, Project, and Program managers and their teams."WHAT IS ‘HIDDEN’ PROJECT WORK?”
We have all seen the jokes listing all the time spent on unproductive work, leaving zero time for our real work. Many times it almost feels like this is the norm! However we can all help by reviewing what we all need to do and communicating via assumptions and more importantly documenting tasks as appropriate. ‘Hidden’ project work are those tasks that are not in the project plan or schedule, yet still need to be done. Here is ‘Hidden’ work in four task groups: Organization Overhead, Infrastructure, Unplanned, and Undocumented.
Communicating Risk to Management
Communicating Risk to Management
QUESTION
"How can we plan for project risk if management does not recognize many risks?"
This question came from one of my Project Management class students. Let's define the problem as management not willing to spend time risk planning and not accepting estimates with risk contingencies built-in. "The goals of risk management, therefore, are to identify project risks and develop strategies which either significantly reduce them or take steps to avoid them altogether."1 I add to these goals the steps of estimating the impact of each risk, adjusting the project plan, and getting management buy-in to the reality of things. Without risk planning and communication, you simply are not providing your management with the whole project picture.
Generic elements of risk management: "Identify Risks, Assess Impacts, Evaluate Reponses, Document Choices."
Project Challenge Simulation
Project Challenge Simulation
REVIEW
"Project Challenge" (PC) by Thinking Tools, Inc. (appeared to be a joint work with MCI SHL, now apparently defunct...)
PC contains good, useful project management information, presented in such a way as to drill in how to use it in the context of a project. What it lacks in massive detail it makes up in realism. PC stresses communications and moving through the GPMBOK to get control of a project.
Build a Schedule from Scratch
Build a Schedule from Scratch?
QUESTION
"How do I make a schedule from scratch if we don't have a template for this type of project?"
I probably hear this question from new project managers and team leads more than any other. They have been asked to create a project schedule (notice I did not say project PLAN...) One way to help people start using project plans is to walk them through developing a project schedule one column at a time, and documenting their assumptions, risks, processes, communications, and other items as they go. I do not advocate creating all schedules from scratch, however you may gain valuable insights, identify tasks that otherwise may not have been written down, and create a more workable schedule by going through this drill.