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Project management: 7 steps to on-time, on-budget, goal-based delivery
Project managers who follow these seven high-level project management tips will achieve on-time, on-budget, goal-focused delivery of high-profile projects, thereby increasing their project success rates and career prospects.According to Project Management Institute’s 2017 “Pulse of the Profession” global survey, organizations are wasting $97 million for every $1 billion invested due to poor project performance. Yes, that’s a 20 percent decline from the previous year’s survey, but the truth is, projects still fail at a staggering [...]
Project management salaries: Talent gap reveals long-term growth
State of the project manager: Growing demand for project-based professionals is fast fueling a worldwide talent gap, leading to substantial career opportunities in project management — and salaries that can be expected to rise considerably.Organizations are increasingly relying on project management professionals to implement strategic initiatives, drive change and deliver on innovation. And whole industries just now realizing the value of project management are expected to spur a boom in demand for project management skills [...]
How to determine, document, and communicate your project scope
Determining, documenting and sharing a project’s scope can be complicated and stressful. Here are a couple of business leaders willing to share how they go about it and what they found to be successful. When it comes to determining project scope, there are key elements, but also some additional things to factor in that just might make every stakeholder’s life much simpler and help avoid scope creep. First, in the planning stage develop a scope [...]
10 project management myths to avoid
Don’t let your projects fall prey to the unnecessary confusion, uncertainty, and harm that can result from these all-too-commonly held project management misconceptions. Every industry, profession and company develops and operates with rules and guidelines. Alongside these, myths emerge, and the project management profession is no different. Here are the 10 most commonly held project management myths. Recognizing these project management myths and working to overcome the challenges they can create is vital in ensuring [...]
5 early warning signs of project failure
Far too many projects still do not meet intended goals. Here are five leading indicators of a failing project that — when caught — can drastically improve your project’s chances for success. Project failure is costly. While the Project Management Institute (PMI) last year reported that a 20 percent decrease in project failure rates versus the previous year, the amount of money lost to failed projects remains staggering, with an average of $97 [...]
16 tips for a smooth switch to agile project management
If your company is interested in making the switch to agile project management, here are some tips and strategies to help smooth the transition.Shifting to agile project management can greatly increase your project’s prospects for success. The methodology, which makes use of short development cycles to provide continuous improvement in developing a product or service, is being used across many industries due to its highly collaborative and efficient processes. View Moira Alexander’s article as it’s [...]
How to get a failing project back on track
While each project is unique and subjected to its own specific risks, there are some universals to heed when it comes to recovering a failing project. It can be a short path between project initiation and project failure. And while not every failing project is worth recovering, project managers who heed early warning signs of project failure can rescue a troubled project by tapping their valuable training and experience and executing the following. View Moira [...]
What is an EPMO? The organizational key to project success
An enterprise project management office (EPMO) differs from a traditional PMO in that it operates at a strategic level in collaboration with executives to ensure projects and portfolio activities are conducting to the benefit of the overall business. One of the most common reasons for project failure is the misalignment between project goals and business strategy. Organizations that establish an enterprise project management office (EPMO), with the goal of aligning projects and strategy, suffer 33 [...]
Agile project management: 12 key principles, 4 big hurdles
Geared toward continuous improvement, the agile methodology can greatly increase your project’s prospects for success. Here is everything you need to know about agile project management, from certification to training to software and more.Agile is a project management methodology that uses short development cycles called “sprints” to focus on continuous improvement in the development of a product or service. View Moira Alexander’s article as it’s published on Source link
The top 5 change management tools
With digital transformations on the rise, change management software is becoming increasingly recognized as a necessary tool to help companies transition smoothly.Change is a constant in the workplace — especially in the era of digital transformation. Thankfully, several vendors offer change management tools to help smooth any transition. Deploying change management tools can help reduce confusion and uncertainty, and communicate the impact of changes throughout your organization. View Moira Alexander’s article as it’s published on [...]
How to develop a PMO strategic plan
Developing a PMO strategic plan that ensures high alignment with business objectives is no light task. Here are the key steps to effectively launching your project management office’s strategic plan.Strategic-level (PMOs), also known as enterprise project management offices, are essential in developing, maintaining and communicating effective project, program and portfolio practices. Having a solid company-wide strategic plan provides the blueprint that all PMO initiatives should align with and be measured against. Unfortunately, only 41 percent [...]
Wrike review: Project management made simple
Wrike stands out as an intuitive project management platform complete with resource management, automated request capturing, proofing and approval, and more. Managing projects successfully comes down to skill, tacit knowledge, and having the right tools to collaborate with stakeholders and share information. Wrike, an online project management and collaboration tool, makes light work of these essential tasks. View Moira Alexander’s article as it’s published on Source link
Asana review: Intelligent, adaptive project management
Asana’s work management and collaboration platform is an impressive tool that enables teams to significantly reduce the time they spend dealing with processes and task management.Companywide visibility and accountability are of great importance to stakeholders seeking successful project outcomes. Asana helps makes this possible by offering a strong feature set that helps teams remain in lock-step, meet deadlines and achieve goals. View Moira Alexander’s article as it’s published on Source link
Trouble hiring a project manager? Five possible reasons why
Project managers are perpetually in high demand, but there may be other reasons you're having trouble recruiting a PM. Find out what they are, and what you can do about them. When looking for a PM with specific skill sets, focus efforts in relevant places that are more likely to yield the results you want. Resist the urge to cast a wide net in the hopes of finding the right PM for your project. View [...]
5 steps to avoid overcommitting resources on your IT projects
A new survey sheds light on the risks of inaccurately evaluating the demand for project resources. Get tips on effectively planning for your IT project's capacity. SEE: Project Management Resource Kit (Tech Pro Research) View Moira Alexander’s article as it’s published on Source link
Risks and rewards of making project decisions based on gut feelings
An expert weighs in on the potential advantages and disadvantages of trusting your intuition while leading a project. SEE: 7 ways to disaster proof your projects View Moira Alexander’s article as it’s published on Source link
8 assumptions that can derail projects and leaders
Assumptions should be built into all projects, though be careful--inaccurate assumptions can lead to wasted time and money and even project failures. 1: Business strategy-related assumptions are by far the most important. If projects are undertaken with specific business goals in mind, and those goals don't remain the top focus, it can be a disaster in the making. View Moira Alexander’s article as it’s published on Source link
How to resolve project sponsors' conflicting goals
Conflict between project co-sponsors is more common than you might think. Here's what to do if you're a project manager stuck in this unenviable position. SEE: Project Management Resource Kit (Tech Pro Research) View Moira Alexander’s article as it’s published on Source link
Agile project management: The smart person's guide
This is the go-to guide on Agile project management for project managers, business leaders, developers, project and product teams, consultants, stakeholders, and students. The Agile Manifesto was originally declared between February 11-13, 2001 in Utah by 17 software developers who called themselves The Agile Alliance. This manifesto was officially developed as the result of the 1994 Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM). View Moira Alexander’s article as it’s published on Source link
When hiring a project manager, how important is direct industry or product experience?
Experience is something employers ask for in job postings, yet don't always get with candidates. We explore how important industry or product experience really is when it comes to project management. When I hire project managers, there is always a base skill set that I look for--more personality traits than actual abilities. But once that baseline has been established, I look for someone that can hit the ground running and won't be spending too much [...]