From 30,000 feet, every project is pretty easy!
Same with projects. From a high-level it can be easy to think, “Hey, how tough can this be?”
But we need to get out of the clouds and get our arms around our projects as early as possible. In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast discusses ideas on how to avoid the trap of staying at a high-level for too long.
I’m amazed at what you can get away with if you manage expectations.
You can deliver late. You can over-spend. But only if you manage expectations along the way. Not manage those expectations and I’m equally amazed at how even one stakeholder can inflict serious pain on your project!
How do you manage expectations? Involvement. Stephen Covey has said, “No involvement, no commitment.” Wise words for project managers.
In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast explains why involvement of stakeholders is so critical, and some practical insights on how to do it.
Pop quiz for you and your team: How would you describe your project management methodology?
I’ve been to many organizations where, if the question was asked to five people, I could easily get 3-5 different answers.
The key is not to come up with the thickest methodology binder! In fact, over-encumbering your team with too much methodology is not what we’re talking about here.
But a well-thought out, consistently used methodology can help project teams deliver. In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares insights about how a common methodology can help project teams deliver.
Every project has assumptions–things we don’t know whether they are true, real, or certain. Yet we often don’t sufficiently document those assumptions.
How does it help a project to more thoroughly document assumptions? What’s the benefit for the extra work?
In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares key lessons about why documenting assumptions is critical and how to do it well.
In a previous video we discussed how unclear objectives lead to project failure.
So, how do we go about creating measurable objectives? In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares key lessons about answering the question: “How do we know what success looks like?”
Create a WBS? Can anything with the letters “BS” be a good idea?
From the standpoint of the Project Management Institute (PMI), the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the center of the universe! You wouldn’t think of doing a project without having a WBS.
In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares insights on why the WBS is actually a good thing, and how use it to help you deliver your projects.
By the way, Andy has a video that demonstrates facilitation of a WBS. Check it out here.
Eventually project management comes down to “who does what by when,” and that’s what sequencing is.
It’s easy to talk about the concept of sequencing, but in practice, it can be a challenge to do it well. But a well thought-out sequence of activities can make the difference between time constraints that seem unrealistic and those that are do-able.
In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares insights on how a well sequenced project can radically improve your ability to successfully deliver.
To see a video demonstration of activity sequencing, check out this video.
In a previous video we discussed the dangers of “denial of risk”.
A solid risk management process can significantly improve your ability to successfully deliver projects. But how do you do it? Do you need a PhD in risk management?
In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares practical ideas on how to reap the benefits of risk management.
Download this video