It amazes me that project closure is one of the most visible aspects of a project to senior managers and executives, yet it is also the phase that is most often skipped or shortened. I realize that project budgets are often used up (or seriously stretched) in the final phases and skipping closing activities is an easy to way to cut the losses. But closing the project … [Read more...]
The Critical Chain Method is a relatively new concept in project management. It was developed and popularized by Dr. Elihayu M. Goldratt in his book Critical Chain (1997), which is written as a novel but outlines the methods used to ensure that projects complete on time. The Critical Chain method is similar to the Critical Path Method which is in widespread use today … [Read more...]
The project deadlines are firm but the resources are occupied. The deadlines have been tightened but the quality must stay the same. The customer wants the highest quality product at the lowest cost. These are some of the many issues a project manager must deal with on a daily basis. On a foundational level, the project manager must balance the cost-quality-time … [Read more...]
In the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) the process groups are the chronological phases that the project goes through, and the knowledge areas occur throughout any time during the process groups. The process groups are horizontal, and the knowledge areas are vertical. They are the core technical subject matter of the project management profession, … [Read more...]
I listened to a presentation recently where the speaker suggested that the highest quality producer is usually the lowest cost one. Can that be true? And if so, how do you become part of that club? The Cost of Quality (COQ), sometimes called Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) is a measure of the cost of producing the quality of products to the minimum desirable level. Most … [Read more...]
If there is only one foundational part of project management, it would have to be breaking down the project into manageable parts. Those parts are called phases and tasks. Everything else is built upon that foundation, so it should not be taken lightly. Although it seems trivial, it is one of the most important parts of a project manager's job. Example Activity … [Read more...]
With little exception, missing deadlines reflects poorly on the project manager and sometimes has financial consequences too. Because projects are by definition temporary, someone has authorized the project and expects its deliverables in a timely fashion. To meet the deadlines, a schedule management plan is produced which is a subset of the project management plan. … [Read more...]
Project managers need to wear alot of hats these days. Leader, manager, facilitator, negotiator, and the list goes on. The project management profession is changing at a rapid pace. It's safe to say it's still in its infancy and is slowly finding a place in the corporate world. But here are some of the biggest trends of the last few years: Managing virtual … [Read more...]
Given the value that project management gives to an organization, it's easy to understand why more and more companies are adopting it as a way to do business. Consequently, the demand for project managers is increasing, and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Almost anyone can benefit from a sound knowledge of project management skills. Laborers or … [Read more...]
A strategic plan documents the methods by which an organization achieves its corporate goals. We at ProjectEngineer have developed the best free strategic planning template on the internet, and we offer it to you here as a free download ( | ). A strategic plan contains the following 10 key parts: Mission statement Corporate goals Key Performance … [Read more...]
