It is truly amazing how many roles a project manager plays. From leadership to salesperson to technical manager, it really does take a full gamut of skills to complete a project on time and under budget. Following is a list of key skills for project managers to possess: Project management fundamentals. The "science" of project management, including scheduling, … [Read more...]
I've been asked by people who see the project management practices we employ, like project management plans (i.e. risk matrices, scheduling, and so forth), and ask: What is the value of all this? It's a good question. Some of our competitors appear to complete projects flawlessly, with some technical experts in charge and a "go and do the work" mentality. Actually … [Read more...]
Have you ever stopped to brainstorm the risks to your projects? If you're like most technical professionals you just arrive at work in the morning, and start your project where you left off the previous day. You try to dot all the i's and cross all the t's, and then cross your fingers that unexpected things don't blindside you. Project management standards dictate … [Read more...]
Contractual issues between organizations performing a project can be costly and time consuming, not to mention embarrassing for a project manager. I hope you've never experienced major contract disputes with a subcontractor or subconsultant, but in any case, be sure to heed the following 10 doctrines to make sure your projects stay out of trouble. Project Management is … [Read more...]
If there's anything that can get a project manager's reputation into the toilet in a hurry, it's contractual issues with vendors. I've seen a few messy issues in my time, and I don't wish this on anyone. Fortunately there are things you can do on the front end to ensure it doesn't happen to you. Follow these 11 tips to ensure your projects stay out of contract … [Read more...]
Have you ever been involved in a project where unexpected issues outside of the control of the project team cause the project schedule to change? Never? I didn't think so, you're way too good for that. But for the rest of us mere mortals, keeping projects on track is an important consideration. Actually, I think larger projects are more likely to see schedule hiccups … [Read more...]
Imagine the following scenarios: A phone call or meeting with the client smooths over late delivery of a report. A subcontractor completes his task late and offers a financial discount that improves the project's economics. These are not uncommon scenarios, and they appear to render the current schedule meaningless. Does this mean it was a waste of time to make a … [Read more...]
In order to meet the completion dates on your projects, it is wise to develop a project schedule. Whether you're managing the construction of the new Oakland Bay bridge or building a new shed in your back yard, adequate planning can ensure any project is completed on time, on budget, and meets all of its intended goals. In this article I will give you a 5 step crash … [Read more...]
I'll admit that project management can seem like paperwork at times, particularly the schedule part. Creating, managing, and controlling the schedule can seem like a whole bunch of needless number crunching when the project success seems to depend on strange, hard to control metrics such as unexpected delays, or relationships with multiple client stakeholders. If you … [Read more...]
Managing the project schedule can be one of the most formidable parts of project management. I've seen more damaged client relationships through this area of project management than any other. Time management is essential to attaining successful projects. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI) contains … [Read more...]
