Articles
Project Management Fundamentals Part 2 - Communication
Just like the 3 most important factors in real estate are “Location, Location, Location”, the most important factor in the success of any project is communication. Surely, this is not a problem for most Project Managers. Is it?
Project Management Fundamentals Part 1 – Avoid the Fad Diets!
I was recently asked, "What project management methodology do you use?", and I had to really think about that question. It’s not that I don’t use a plan and a system, but I don’t know that it has a particular name.
In my opinion, many of the popular project management methodologies are like fad diets: There are plenty of them out there, and there’s always a new one coming down the pipe. In every case, you can find someone who claims great success, but no one system will work for everyone in every situation. They usually seem to over-emphesize one element of health while minimizing or ignoring others, and thus nearly all of them are unhealthy if followed strictly. The primary success of most of them is in selling books and seminars.
What Can a Funeral Director Teach us about Project Management?
Several years ago, I was working on a complex project which had multiple contracted project managers overseeing various aspects (construction, logistics, technology, etc.). There was one Project Manager in particular who did not seem to have the same sense of urgency as I (and, more importantly, the client) did about certain hurdles and setbacks we were running up against. The VP for my client, who was overseeing the project as a whole, expressed to me some frustration with this other Project Manager, and I shared what I felt was an interesting revelation with her.
3 Things Steve Balmer Did Wrong
On Wednesday, January 20, 2010, Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer spoke to the Nashville Technology Council's annual Membership Breakfast. A record crowd was packed into the room with great anticipation for his first visit to Nashville in almost 40 years, but many, including myself, left very disappointed.
Builders vs. Maintainers
In my years working with technology people, I have come to classify them in two basic categories - "Builders" and "Maintainers". I believe that identifying these types of people is one of the keys to building good teams and running successful projects.
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