In This Issue:
From the Editor
Carl Pritchard: The Blackberry Maven
The 13 Rules for Surviving Projects
- Never do anything on a dare
- Don't pickup hitchhikers
- Recombinant DNA is not a toy
- It's probably deserted for a reason
- Wear running shoes
- Check the ammo supply
- Turn on the lights
- It wasn't just the cat
- Look behind you
- Don't split up
- Don't be afraid to call in backup
- Coffee is for when the building's not on fire
- No, it's not dead yet
Project Practitioners blog recap
Agile Corner
- Selecting appropriate agile methods
- Checklist for adopting agile
Featured Bundle: Project Selection
Where's ProjectConnections?
- This week: California. BOO!
Corporate Subscriptions
From the Editor
Horror movies follow unique and immutable laws of physics. There's never anything in the backseat unless you forget to check it. Brand new cars with the sticker still on the window will refuse to start when zombies attack. Even with a full gas tank and 35 mpg, you're going to end up with an empty tank on a deserted highway with no shelter but a creepy haunted old mansion. Sound like some of the projects you've worked? We thought so too. So with our favorite creepy holiday approaching, we decided it was time to publicize our favorite rules and tools for surviving a (project) horror movie. There are thirteen, naturally; read at your own risk!
If you've got no stomach for horror, you might prefer to check out this week's blog postings (3 new bloggers), our two new agile templates, or Carl Pritchard's take on the alarming side of technology malfunctions. Wherever you settle in, just remember to keep an eye out for wandering monsters. (And help yourself to some of the pre-Halloween candy, please. The sugar rush is starting to get to us.)
Featured Article
The Blackberry Maven, by Carl Pritchard
Once upon a project dreary, at a meeting getting weary
Over many a rehashed mound of data by a crashing bore,
Came a beeping, beeping, gently seeping, seeping through the conference door.
"Tis only from the hall," I muttered. "A passerby it must implore."
"Only hall noise, nothing more."
Carl Pritchard takes on the tell-tale cell phone. Quoth the maven, click for more »
Featured Templates
Never Do Anything on a Dare - New Product/Project Business Plan – PREMIUM
Any idea that's followed by the words "that would be really cool" is a good candidate for a stop, look, and think approach. Sticking your hand into dank, musty markets or spending the night in an abandoned product line in order to impress the execs is only going to work if you don't lose something important (like reputation, capital, or critical project resources). This template walks you through the entire rationale, so you can assess new ideas in a consistent, repeatable fashion that allows you to compare their benefits against each other as well as against objective reality. (Hint: Talking dolls are pretty much always a bad idea.)
Don't Pick Up Hitchhikers - Project Scope Definition: Deliverables – PREMIUM
A little yes here, a little yes there, and before you know it you're careening down the road with a homicidal clown and a guy with bolts sticking out of his neck. You'll never get to that quaint little town festival in the middle of nowhere if you keep stopping to pick up strangers. This worksheet helps you keep the project goals in clear view, and makes it very obvious what is out-of-bounds. Having a common understanding of these boundaries, in a simple "is/is-not" form, reduces do-overs and makes it easier to sort out requests that make sense and those that should prompt you to hit the door locks and floor it.
Don't Fool Around with Recombinant DNA Technology Unless You Know What You're Doing - Project Alternatives Tradeoff Table – PREMIUM
Before you decide to throw in a little frog DNA just to round out the edges, make sure you've really thought it through. This table format provides a concise way to document, analyze, and communicate the scope and feature alternatives for your project. Consider and capture the critical factors, and compare the impact of various combinations on cost, schedule, resources, risk, and potential staff loss to rampaging carnivorous reptiles.
It's Probably Deserted for a Reason - Rescuing and Revitalizing the Problem Project – MEMBER
If the locals say it's haunted or cursed, listen to them. They've been around a lot longer than you have. They can probably tell you exactly what the problem is, or at least where, if only someone asked, and if only they weren't so busy fighting off all those ravenous change requests and shambling zombies. This paper by ProjectConnections founder Cinda Voegtli outlines how to get everyone to put down the shotguns, step out of the bunkers, and develop a new plan of attack so you can get your product out the door.
If You Expect Zombies, Go With the Running Shoes - Product and Project Risk Assessment and Mitigation Tables – PREMIUM
Those shambling zombies are a LOT faster than they look; high heels and oxfords aren't going to cut it. Neither will laying around and screaming about it, for that matter. You need to have a plan and an escape route, and you need to know when to use them both. This collection of tables and guidelines helps you develop a comprehensive risk plan covering both technical and non-technical areas, and analyze them against factors like potential impact, probability, and how hard it is to spot them on a dark night or in a thick fog. It covers risk ownership too, so you can ensure someone is actually watching for the zombies instead of waiting for them to sneak up on you.
Check for Bullets BEFORE You Need the Shotgun - Tools and Equipment List – MEMBER
Why does it always come as such a surprise when they pull the trigger and nothing happens? Did no one think to look for ammo when they grabbed the weapons out of that old shed behind the farmhouse? This template provides a simple table for documenting the equipment and tools that will be needed during a project, before the project. Your list should include the things you'll need (decoy hockey mask, working flashlights, chainsaw repellent), as well as vital information like need dates and owners (before the city-sponsored graveyard relocation, any character that has lines in the second half of the script) to ensure that equipment is available on schedule.
Turn On the Lights - Project Status Reports – PREMIUM
Something's gone bump in the night, so you fumble around for a bit, see something scampering around out of the corner of your eye, and announce with a relieved sigh that "it was just the cat." Wouldn't it be a lot easier and less stressful if you flipped on the light switch? This template includes several different one-page document formats for getting a true picture of a project or portfolio at a glance, and a presentation format for talking to management-everything you need to make sure that no one (including you) is stumbling around in the dark.
P.S.: It Wasn't Just the Cat - Executive Summary of Project Status/Risks – MEMBER
That little scamper you saw out of the corner of your eye? It was actually the cat trying to get the heck away from the giant axe-wielding maniac wreaking havoc on the other side of the room. (This is why turning on the lights is so important.) Sure would be nice if you had a high-level view of everything that's going on right now. This easily scanned form was designed to keep executives-who never read more than a page no matter what's chasing them-up to date on project progress, by showcasing all the major project parameters: scope, goals, resources, expenses, and risks. A compact form like this is a great overview for project managers as well as execs; it doesn't leave axe-wielding maniacs anywhere to hide.
Look Behind You - Lessons Learned Meeting Agenda – MEMBER
How much carnage would be averted if people would just look over their shoulder once in a while? Reviewing the lessons learned from previous projects gives you a front-row view of the bogeymen that stalked them. If you don't have these invaluable records from the previous team(s), consider calling the lessons learned meeting yourself. This sample agenda shows you how to capture a wealth of information in just a few hours, with time left over to brainstorm better approaches. Even if you're calling on memories from months ago, people have an amazing capacity to remember disastrous results and near misses, and will probably be able to tell you right where the bogeymen are hiding. Shouldn't you know too?
Don't Split Up - Getting Aligned and Staying In Sync – MEMBER
"Let's split up" is almost always a terrible idea. (But go with it if you're pretty sure the other guy is one of the pod people.) You don't want to be the guy standing around wondering where everyone went and why the fog suddenly got so thick. So if you're pulling in an outside team, make sure they're really on the team, with a clear understanding of your goals, objectives, and timelines. This paper draws on QRPD principles to provide real world examples and specific recommendations for keeping everyone from running off in different directions.
Just Call the Cops Already! - Project Escalation Process Guidelines – MEMBER
When the creepy villain is chasing people around in the fog, how come they never call for backup? Self-sufficiency is admirable, but certain situations call for an authority figure with a really big gun and access to SWAT gear. An escalation process can help your team deal with high-level issues like threats to staffing (stealth reassignments, mysterious portals in appliances), unmet group dependencies (recalcitrant science teams who would rather "study it" than work on the antidote), scope disagreements (like whether to quarantine the neighborhood or the entire town), and issues with functionality (has anyone made sure the brand-new getaway car still starts?). This guideline will help you establish an escalation process appropriate to your situation. Examples from several different project environments are included, so you can see how escalation plans work when different factors like company culture and project complexity come into play.
Making Coffee Will Not Stall the Monsters - Brainstorming Meeting Techniques – PREMIUM
You'd better believe that the bad guys aren't popping off for a quick cappuccino while they discuss how to get around the hastily-rigged trap you just installed on the back porch. You need a better plan, and fast. By all means continue with the coffee maker, as long as it hasn't spoken a dead language or sucked anyone into a vortex yet. But while it's brewing, you might want to try some of these brainstorming techniques for getting a group focused on finding and fixing the problem, once and for all. Pound for pound, problem solving beats hitting the panic button (or the double-non-fat-whipped-mocha-lattes).
No, It's Not Dead Yet - Project Cancellation Guidelines – PREMIUM
Everyone knows that monsters have more lives than cats from suspicious cemeteries. If you need to send your monster project to its just rewards, you don't want it to pop up again (and again and again) where you least expected it. This detailed guideline helps you plan a strategy for closing it down once and for all, without leaving a nasty mess behind in the process.
Project Practitioners Blog
In the Project Practitioners blog, we are trying to create a diverse and wide-ranging discussion on the practical ins and outs of project management. Three new bloggers have joined the conversation in the last two weeks—Jerry Perone, Josh Nankivel, and Brandon Carlson—and more are waiting in the wings. Next issue we'll be taking the time to introduce several of our bloggers in more depth. Meanwhile, here's a recap of what's on their minds lately.
Josh Nankivel has suggestions for avoiding death by meeting, and Lisa DiTullio explains why vanilla is her favorite PM flavor.
Alfonso Bucero of BUCERO PM Consulting provides advice on building PM credibility and explores what it takes to make technical staff successful as PMs (assuming they want the job).
ProjectConnections founder Cinda Voegtli provides a newbie perspective on agile tools, as well as a view of leadership in action in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav. Also, DeAnna Burghart outlines how to say "I'm sorry" to the customer when the project takes a misstep.
Jerry Perone's debut post introduced his philosophy and goals for his blog, and this week he lives up to them in grand style. In his follow-up post he emphasizes the importance of PM fundamentals to enterprise success, and offers to conduct a study of (sanitized!) WBS files from ProjectConnections members!
Guest contributors Matthew Sharron and Rachel Jones of Shepell-fgi describe the evolution of their project management learning group and its effect on their organization.
You can stay up to date by checking the blog page directly, or pick it up via our RSS feed. And if you've got something to say, post your comments! We want to hear from you.
Agile Corner
In a World Without Boundaries... - Selecting Appropriate Agile Methods – PREMIUM...one methodology stands alone. That is, as long as you're not looking at the other umpteen possibilities. The truth is there are many different agile methodologies. Pick the wrong method, and you may end up with a cranky team and a cranky project, both wishing someone would draw the line somewhere. This guideline will help you start the conversation with your team so you can choose the right methodology for your project, your team, and your organization.
I'll Need a Chainsaw, a Wood Chipper, and a Box of Rubber Gloves - Checklist for Adopting Agile Methods – PREMIUMThere's more to agile than hacking your project plans to bits. (What were you thinking?) If you'd rather not rush in where angels and hockey players fear to tread, you may want to consider adopting agile one project at a time. This practical checklist gives organizations an agile alternative that doesn't involve wholesale process changes right out of the gate, and includes criteria for selecting a likely candidate project.
Featured Bundle
Did Someone Drop a Hat? - Project Selection Bundle - 1-year License
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.
Find out more »
Where's ProjectConnections?
The October 29 growBOLD Lunch Meeting will feature ProjectConnections founder Cinda Voegtli discussing "The In's and Out's of Virtual Teams: What does it take to make it work?" This lunch meeting in Redwood City is open to the public (non-members of growBOLD pay a small fee). You have just enough time to register if you go check out the website right now.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.