Written originally in the tech crash that followed Y2K, this article describes many of the challenges and opportunities facing the project management industry in today’s economy. The article is reposted here from its original publication in Computing Canada Magazine.
Articles
Pilot Projects – Do they need Air Traffic Control?
Pilot Projects and Proof of Concept projects are often misguided and misunderstood when done for enterprise project management systems. It’s important to have realistic expectations. Here are some pilot project pitfalls to avoid.
Project managers don’t always manage from the top
Being an effective project manager or having an effective PMO isn’t only about authority. The most effective people in the project management business have an arsenal of skills and tools at their disposal to elicit the most out of the people they work with.
Path of least resistance
In today’s world of instant gratification it is hard for some to understand the level of investment that must be made in order to reap the benefits available from an enterprise project management system. Some would prefer to follow the path of least resistance even if that means those benefits are not available.
Project management is not just planning
So many project managers do the original schedule of the project, the planning and then start the project and run by the seat of their pants from then on. I can tell you how many projects I’ve seen with the schedule never updated. Project management isn’t just the planning.
Giving up on a project
The Dakota Indians have a saying – “If the horse dies, dismount” which you figure would be obvious. Why then do so many project managers keep trying to save a project that should have been made into glue ages ago?
Choosing the right projects – the first step to success
So much of successful project management comes from starting with the right projects. Portfolio management isn’t just for IT departments, it’s for every organization which has some influence over the projects they select.
Enterprise Software – Integrated or Best of Breed?
It’s a question that we would have thought would get settled years ago. When looking for EPM (Enterprise Project Management) software, should you be looking for the all-in-one or looking for the best of each type of tool that will link together?
Capitalization and why it matters
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or GAAP are now a part of all big project management environments. These standards are what makes for things like Sarbanes Oxley and other compliance challenges. What do project managers have to know about GAAP and where they come from?
From small projects, large projects grow
You’ve heard the expression “From little acorns big trees grow.” The same can be said for projects. There’s something compelling about the big project, the huge project, the significant project. There must be because almost everywhere I go, people take little projects and try to make them bigger. It might start innocently enough, the project […]