In This Issue:
From the Editor
Kimberly Wiefling on collaboration tools you may need (or not)
Carl Pritchard's gift list for project managers
Highlights from 2008:
Favorite blogs
Most popular agile resource
Favorite new templates
Topic Thunder
Haven't we wished we'd been here before?
What new project?!
Rating risk from 1 to oh ...
2008 Newsletter Archive
Where's ProjectConnections?
- Snow Days
Corporate Subscriptions
From the Editor
Those paying closer attention than most may realize that this newsletter is reaching you a tad earlier than expected. It's only been 11 days since the last issue, rather than our more usual 14-16, but given the holiday schedule next week, we decided earlier was better. Like many of you, we'll be going on hiatus from the 24th until January 5, so here's our tribute to the passing of 2008 and the dawn of 2009. While this issue is (predictably) all about what happened this year, we've got exciting plans for the future, and we hope to help you create a happy and prosperous New Year.
Happy Holidays from Cinda, Chris, DeAnna, Erik, Kirby, and everyone else at ProjectConnections.com!
Featured Article
Don't Try This Alone!, by Kimberly Wiefling
In early December I attended a conference called the "Program for the Future" in honor of Doug Engelbart—best known as the inventor of the computer mouse, but more accurately described as a champion of technology and tools that increase our collective intelligence. Years in the corporate world had made me occasionally doubt the existence of such a thing, so I signed up right away. Legends like Steve Wozniak and Alan Kay were among the luminaries. (I'm pretty sure I was the least famous person there, outside of the one refilling the coffee.) It was a fascinating exploration into the need for collaboration to solve the most pressing challenges facing our world, and the tools that enable it. It seems to me that this should be a topic near and dear to every project leader's heart. After all, this is what we spend much of our working lives doing—steadfastly facilitating collaboration in the pursuit of often seemingly impossible goals outside of the reach of a single human being.
Kimberly Wiefling reviews a few of the 21st century collaboration tools you may want to consider for your project efforts. Read more »
Featured Article
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree, by Carl Pritchard
To: Santa Claus
From: Senior Elf project manager
Subject: Holiday Wish List
Date: ANYTIME
Dear Santa,
I have been a very good project manager this year, so I'd like to ask for the following in the year ahead:
Not sure what to get your star PM? Here are the 11 things on the top of Carl's year-end wish list for project managers. Read more »Favorite Blogs
We never imagined the Project Practitioners blog would go over quite so well, and we're thrilled with the response. For those of you who haven't tuned in yet, here's the runaway favorite for the year.
Lessons from a Hurricane: Leadership in the midst of a project storm, by Cinda Voegtli
I like word pictures, especially for more ephemeral concepts like leadership. We can talk about it all we want, but I understand it best when I see it in action—which also gives me something to model my behaviors around and model for others as well.
Gustav damaged my parents' home, and flooded (to the point of requiring internal gutting) their family camp on a nearby lake. I went home for a week to help my parents with clean up, insurance filing, decision-making, and the angst of losing so much and having so much to deal with in the aftermath.
ProjectConnections founder Cinda Voegtli describes what leadership looks like in the aftermath of a storm. Read more »
Other blog entries from the last two weeks that you may want to check out: Laura Erkeneff lays out a project plan for surviving a layoff, Josh Nankievel urges us to accept that sometimes projects fail and we should just move on, and new blogger Sinikka Waugh explains how to explain project management in five minutes or less.
Agile Corner: 2008 Favorites
Love it or hate it (and plenty of people do both) it's impossible to ignore Agile and its influence on project management in the last year. That's why we launched our Agile resources index, along with the Agile Corner section in this newsletter. So far we've added 17 detailed agile project management resources and columns, with more to come. The favorite from 2008:
Agile: Overview and Core Methods - MEMBERWhat is this Agile stuff, and why does it work? Kent McDonald, who was loitering around when some of this started, provides a history of the Agile movement and outlines its basic principles in this overview, with a focus on the overall value system behind the various approaches referred to as "agile development" and why those values can lead to better projects. In addition, Kent provides seven key actions you can take to begin stretching toward agility today. Read the overview »
In the interests of equal time to the opposition (so to speak), check out Kimberly Wiefling's column on the agile "craze": Agile Methodologies: Age-old Ideas in Fancy New Clothes.
Favorite New Templates of 2008
We added over 40 new templates and resources in 2008, and we have no plans to slow down any time soon. Out of the dozens of new offerings this year, these were the most popular with ProjectConnections members:
Topic Thunder – Establishing Meeting Ground Rules – SPECIALThis Premium resource is free to registered Members until January 6, 2009
You could use the power of agenda and your rock stadium lung capacity to keep your meetings grounded... or you could get everyone on the same page by agreeing to and even writing down some norms and rules for meeting behavior. A basic set of ground rules is essential to maintaining order and structure in our meetings. It is also useful for educating new members about how the meetings are run. How formal the team is about the rules and their publication will depend on the group's size, culture, and how frequently they meet. Here we provide some guidelines, examples, and a checklist of suggestions for establishing ground rules for meeting behavior. Trust us, it's easier than thundering about staying on topic. Download the guideline »
Well, There's a Seminar on Time-Travel Last Monday... – Risk Strategy Selection Matrix - SPECIAL
This Premium resource is free to registered Members until January 6, 2009
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 »
Congrats On the New Project! (We Have a New Project??) – Project Charter - PREMIUM
Tired 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 »
On a Scale of 1 to Armageddon ... – System Hazard Analysis – PREMIUM
When is a risk is really a risk, and when is that risk intolerable enough to delay or alter production or specs? Some risk management situations call for a deeper analysis than a simple low-medium-high ranking. If you're responsible for risk assessment in a safety critical environment, there are few more effective models than the medical/biotech industry. Medical products are required to perform risk management in compliance with ISO 14971:2007, the basis for this document outline from Matt Glei of Know-how Consulting. It includes risk tables, a methodology diagram, severity definitions and risk interpretation, a Hazard ID summary table, an 80-item worksheet for identifying contributing factors, and 25 questions you can use in brainstorming sessions to identify potential system and/or medical device hazards. Get the template »
2008 Newsletter Archives
Another new feature this year is our online archive of email newsletters. We've been pleased and flattered by how many members keep our newsletters on hand and refer to them months (or even years!) after we've sent them, so we're now stashing them online for future reference. That way if you forget them or (perish the thought!) delete them from your inbox, you'll still be able to find them on the site. Our favorite newsletters from 2008 (and yours too, apparently):
13 Rules for Surviving Horror Movie Projects (Best. Newsletter. EVER.)Fun With Numbers - Making Project Decisions Easier (Math isn't quite as funny, but this still struck a chord.)
What Is This Agile Stuff Anyway? (Let's face it -- a lot of people really aren't sure!)
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.