In This Issue:
From the Editor
Alan Koch: Customer Focus
Featured Bundle:
Site Highlights:
We Have a New Project??
If We Could Turn Back Time ...
Onward and Awkward
No, Really, We've Got It Covered
There Goes Another Rubber Tree Plant
We Prefer "Portfolio Correction"
Where's ProjectConnections?
This month, at sea. In June, DisneyWorld and Vegas.
(Yes, really.)
Corporate Subscriptions
From the Editor
Project managers tend to make it all about getting it done, no matter what. Even if we work up a thorough risk profile, it may end up in a drawer (along with our evenings and weekends) as we step up to the just-get-it-done bar, setting us up for all manner of frustration—and sometimes failures—as a result.
The most successful projects don't just document risks; they consistently and continually deal with them throughout the project. Great project managers look for strategies that can address several risks at once, they keep customers and executives posted on how issues are being managed, and they know when to pull the plug. And the most successful organizations plan ahead of time by keeping an eye on the project pipeline for those that are really worth doing and those that may be silently struggling.
This week, we are highlighting resources designed to help you keep an eye on the issues that really matter for your projects, and an eye on the projects that will be least fraught with issues—or at least will be worth the pain.
Featured Article
Customer Focus, by Alan Koch
"Is the team 'Agile,' as they claim, or are they using that term as a cloak for a lack of discipline? One way to know is to observe what drives their activity: do they do what is cool, or do they do what the customer values? In this article, we will continue to explore the types of discipline that are the essence of being Agile. This time, we will focus on how the team relates to their customer.
"It is all about our customer. All! An Agile team will do everything in their power to maintain continuous (or at least regular) contact with their customer, because that contact is essential to their ability to produce what the customer needs. An Agile team doesn't trust a Requirements Specification to tell the whole story. They know that if such a document was written, it contains errors, interpretations, and key omissions. They also know that even if it accurately represents what the customer thought they needed when they signed off, things are likely to change before the product is complete.
"In order to ensure that they deliver what the customer really needs (and needs today), the team includes the customer in team activities as often as possible. The customer's input is important in each phase of the Agile lifecycle."
Click to continue »Featured Bundle
Did Someone Drop a Hat? – Project Selection Bundle - 1-year Licence
Are your project priorities thrashing around on seemingly random signals, or no signals at all? Yours isn't the only organization with less-than-deserving projects taking up valuable resources, and new projects springing up unbidden—and un-vetted—from who knows where. The templates and guidelines in this bundle will help you establish an organized approach to evaluating, selecting, and prioritizing projects so everyone can get better at making up their minds. Not every project deserves to exist. It's time to figure out which ones your organization should be doing, and which you can do without. The bundle includes a one-year, multi-user license, so your organization can get started with project selection processes right away.
Learn more »
Site Highlights
NEW - Congrats On the New Project! (We Have a New Project??) – Project Charter - PREMIUMTired of blank looks and vacant stares when you try to discuss the resources and requirements of your new project effort? Part of the problem may be that no one knows what you're talking about. Too many projects simply sneak into existence, quietly bubbling up through the organization (or dropping like a stone on some poor guy's head) without a clear picture of what the executives expect everyone to commit to and deliver. A project charter like this one will help you launch your new effort officially, with a brief but powerful summary of the business justifications, scope, resource requirements, and key personnel (that's you). Bonus tip: Get it signed. Seriously. A signature on one of these things is worth your project budget—quite literally! Download the template »
NEW - Well, There's a Seminar on Time-Travel Last Monday... – Risk Strategy Selection Matrix - SPECIAL
This Premium resource is free to registered Members until May 14, 2008
If you let a risk sideswipe your project, rolling back the clock to deal with it is rarely a viable option. Make sure that you and your team are managing the risks as effectively and proactively as possible. This template by Carl Pritchard provides for an intelligent cross-comparison of risks and the various strategies you can use to mitigate them. At the very least, it will help the team through a much more considered discussion about which approaches are truly best for the project. You may even find that you have options that will resolve multiple risks at once. Be prepared to pick the best possible strategies ahead of time. Download the template »
Onward and Awkward – Issue Resolution Status Report - SPECIAL
This Premium resource is free to registered Members until May 14, 2008
No project is free of issues, and no stakeholder is free of worries about those issues. Put some oomph behind your "we've got it covered" reassurances by explaining exactly what has happened (or might happen), how it's being dealt with, who is in charge, and when it will be taken care of. This report template helps you to provide the information that's needed to solve jangled nerves and assure everyone that you really do have it covered, and what they can expect when everything is handled. Download the template »
No, Really, We've Got It Covered – Executive Summary of Project Status and Risks - MEMBER
While you're at it, reassure your executives at your regular reports. Unlike other stakeholders, they just want the bottom line -- what is it costing, who is in charge, whether it's worth it, and when it will be done. This concise, bottom-line status report template will help you provide them the most possible information in the least amount of time so you can spend your valuable time with the executives going over the issues that really require their attention, instead of spending time walking them through every detail of the project landscape. Download the template »
There Goes Another Rubber Tree Plant – Spiraling In - MEMBER
What if a project went south and nobody noticed—not even the execs? This case study by Warren Craycroft spins the tale of just such a disaster project, one which seemed to be going just fine until everyone looked up at the proverbial "dashboard." The participants of this unfortunate project learned several valuable lessons about keeping an eye on the fundamentals. Sometimes high hopes aren't enough, and some projects shouldn't be saved. Download the case study »
We Prefer "Portfolio Correction" – Project Cancellation Guidelines - PREMIUM
Almost anything sounds better than getting trapped in a project bubble. Maybe it was the market demand, or the irrational enthusiasm, or just not thinking through all the risks and resource requirements. When it all comes crashing down, sometimes the only rational thing to do is to cancel a project—or a few projects. But which ones, and how can you do it gracefully? This guideline walks you through the process of assessing a project's true state, deciding between cancellation and a project re-start, and shutting it all down with a minimum of mess if that's really your best option. Download the guideline »
Where's ProjectConnections?
Kent McDonald will be at the Better Software Conference in Las Vegas June 9-12. His presentations there will address effective portfolio management and how to "Help Product Owners Define and Prioritize Requirements." More information and registration information is available on the conference website.Carl Pritchard will be conducting a seminar on "How to Be a Great Consultant" as part of the PMI New Jersey Seminars At Sea event, May 17-22. (8 PDUs available, not to mention sunny Bermuda beaches.) He’s also slated for PMI’s MegaSeminarsWorld in Orlando on June 25-26, where he will provide a breakfast keynote address as well as his courses. (Information and registration via the PMI website.)
Corporate Subscriptions and Licensing
Want your team members to have their own access to templates and how-to resources for their project work? Need to share documents and deliverables beyond your project team? We make it easier with affordable corporate subscriptions and licensing. Detailed information regarding corporate options is available online. Give your whole team, or even the entire organization, cost-effective access to our comprehensive online library of resources. You already know how helpful it's been for you. Now it's time to share with everyone else. Find out more »Not sure if corporate terms apply to you? Check out our licensing terms at the top of our Terms of Service page, in refreshingly ordinary, everyday English.