Project management is a critical discipline in the modern business world, ensuring that complex projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. Over the years, several project managers have stood out for their exceptional skills, innovative approaches, and significant contributions to their fields. Although some debate will exist … [Read more...]
You've probably been there. A project manager gets a weekly report that shows the project's time and expenses, and it's a little too high. The project hasn't advanced as far as its expenses have. Someone, somewhere has introduced inefficiencies that now need to be addressed. This is scope creep, the unauthorized inclusion of unplanned work into a project. Scope … [Read more...]
Recently, I was left in awe at how some of the world's best athletes dedicate years of their lives to honing their skills, sacrificing immense amounts of time that could be spent on other, potentially more enjoyable, things. It goes without saying, that an immense amount of meticulous planning and management goes into preparing for a chance to stand at the top of the … [Read more...]
Few projects out there are as big and complex as the Olympic games. They're truly in a category of their own due to their massive visibility and the world scale construction projects leading up to it. It gets awarded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the host city more than 10 years in advance of the two-week long event, and the entire decade is spent in a … [Read more...]
Sun Tzu’s "The Art of War" is a timeless masterpiece, offering strategic insights that have influenced military leaders, business executives, and strategists for centuries. Although it was written over two millennia ago, the principles laid out in this ancient text are remarkably applicable to modern project management. A project is not necessarily a "battle to be won," … [Read more...]
By now most people have heard of the tragic events of October 21, 2021 involving the actor Alec Baldwin on the set of the movie, "Rust." In case you haven't, a loaded handgun was accidentally used in place of a prop, and was discharged during filming of the movie, killing the camera operator and injuring a producer. The details are easily found on the internet or read … [Read more...]
In the dynamic world of project management, maintaining control over project spending is crucial for ensuring success and meeting stakeholder expectations. When project expenses spiral out of control, it can jeopardize timelines, quality, and overall project goals. One of the most effective tools to regain control is a well-crafted project scope statement. This document … [Read more...]
By now most people have heard about the disaster of the OceanGate Titan, the underwater submersible that imploded on its way down to the Titanic wreck site carrying five billionaires on a tourist mission. I'm genuinely surprised about how little the project management community is talking about this, because the lessons appear to be vast. Although the cause is not … [Read more...]
In 2005, when Airbus was in the development phase of the A380 Superjumbo, they announced a delay in the delivery of the first jet due to internal software issues. One year later, another delivery delay was announced. This time, however, several executives lost their jobs as the share price tumbled 26%. Could the delay have been avoided? Maybe, but this demonstrates … [Read more...]
There's nothing more aggravating than cheering or the underdog and then watching the favorite team win with what seems like a complete stroke of luck. But ask anyone who has played a sport. The lucky bounces always seem to go to the better team. It seems to defy logic when a shot results in a lucky bounce that has very little to do with skill. You inspect and … [Read more...]
