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From the Editor How-To Course Reminder Featured Article Template Bundle How We Influence Projects How Projects Influence Us Corporate Subscriptions & Licensing |
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June 24, 2010, Sponsored by RMC Project Management, Inc.
From the Editor If it seems this week like we've had an attack of the Pollyannas, please don't judge it too harshly. Rest assured that, as practicing project managers, we know what we're up against. But this week it's hard to be too jaded about it. Maybe it's the influence of Carl Pritchard's inspiring encounter with the Dalai Lama. Maybe it's the contagious effect of recent blogs like those by Alfonso Bucero and Mike Aucoin, who encourage us to our best attitudes as well as our best efforts. Maybe it's the happy after-effect of completing yesterday's webinar on just how possible it is to influence projects without a formal title or authority. Or maybe it's just the euphoria of impending summer vacations. Whatever the reason, this week's issue practically bubbles with possibleness and positivity. Sorry, we can't help it. I'm sure it will pass soon enough.How-To Course Reminder Putting a Stop to Endless Requirements GatheringWith every project seemingly time- and resource-constrained—especially compared to how much everyone wants to accomplish—it's easy to get trapped in "schedule death by a thousand little requirements questions." But it's easy to find your way out, too, if you know what to look for. This 20-minute session by Cinda Voegtli explores how to engage your customers with a few powerful tools and a mutual quest to identify what matters most, to help any project stay out of or get out of a schedule-killing requirements gathering morass. PDU credit available for paid Premium subscribers (exercise required). Featured Article A Time to Be Project Positive!
How We Influence Projects Prioritizing Project Work, by Randy Englund"It is possible to lead people through a change process that prioritizes project work if the leader asks many questions, listens to the concerns of all people involved, and seeks to build support so that people feel they have an active role in developing the process that is going to be used. A flexible process works better than a rigid one. Cultivate 'champions' who have the credibility and fortitude to carry the process across the organization." Read more »
Overcoming Resistance to Change, by A. J. Schuler The top 10 reasons for change resistance Did That Process Change Work?, by Alan Koch So you made some changes to the way you do your projects. Did those changes make a difference? "A question that often comes up ... is whether a business analyst has to be a subject matter expert in the domain of the project. I won't get into that discussion (good topic for a future post) except to say it implies that a Business Analyst's responsibility is to provide the right answers. I'd like to suggest that a business analyst is really responsible for asking the right questions." Read more »
Problem-Solving Tools and Techniques – SPECIAL This Premium resource is free to registered Members until July 8, 2010 When you're analyzing ways to solve a problem, simple tools like these can help. Opportunity Screening Worksheet – PREMIUM Is this great idea really a great fit for your business? Burning Question: There are so many gaps, where do I start? – PREMIUM A simple table can help you determine how to address issues found in gap analysis. "When it comes to documentation, many with basic exposure to agile may think that the methodology means that project documentation is not created. Instead, it should be more about creating meaningful plans and if that means documentation, then it should also add value and be the proper amount." Read more »
Agile Technique Brief: Requirements Cards – PREMIUM Document your requirements the agile way—on index cards. What Does an Agile Project Plan Look Like?, by Kent McDonald Would you know an agile project plan if you saw one? Burning Question: What are the characteristics of good project documentation? – PREMIUM We know there's such a thing as too much, but what does the documentation on successful projects look like? How Projects Influence Us Associate with Positive Project Professionals, by Alfonso Bucero"Have you ever heard the axiom 'Tell me who you hang out with and I'll tell you who you are?' There is a lot of wisdom in that simple statement. Have you given much thought to how this principle has been molding and shaping your life?" Read more » It Takes Ten Hands, by Mike Aucoin "[John] Wooden was the basketball coach for UCLA from 1948-75. During that time, he built the team into a juggernaut, winning an unbelievable 10 NCAA championships over a 12-year period. While his teams showcased a number of stellar individual players, the defining theme of his coaching was teamwork. Yet, it would be far too limiting to describe John Wooden only in basketball terms. To him, coaching basketball was the vehicle to mentor people in the great lessons of life." Read more »
Wild Success through Optimism and High Self-esteem, by Kimberly Wiefling When we're in the midst of project challenges, we have plenty of company. Personality Types and Team Interactions – MEMBER Is it a true clash of the titans, or just a difference in communication styles? Project Team Rewards and Recognition – MEMBER Build team spirit and reward effort without being hokey. As many of you know I am one of the many of us that have been "downsized," and I am currently running the gamut of resumes and interviews, and have come across another strange problem ... when as a Project Manager do we stop managing and start doing? Read more »
PM Roles and Responsibilities – PREMIUM It's not just a job, it's an adventure. Move Boulders, Don't Throw Pebbles, by Kent McDonald Why PMs need to sit back, bite their tongues, and learn to like the squares (for 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. |
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Let's get the negatives out of the way now. Joblessness. The spill in the Gulf. Foreclosures. That annoying pest in the next cube.