Best Practices of Program and Project Management
Decision Making Process For Making Decisions Quick
Program and project managers have to master the skill of decision making. Typically PMs are expected to not only make, but to justify, their decisions. In this post I share the process I use when making a decision, formulated some time ago by studying theory, best practices and observing the processes of others.
Posted in Program Manager's Snacks - 2 commentsShort list of factors contributing to project success
Continuing the conversation on lessons learned from failures and experience gained from successes, Ronda Levine has prepared a post on factors that contribute to the failure or success of a project. Ronda’s post is additional proof of how easy it is to list reasons for failure and how difficult to define factors contributing to success. Read more…
Posted in Project Management - 4 commentsInvest in learning from successes, focus less on mistakes
Have you ever asked yourself how much, exactly, you have learned from a failure? And did you ever compare the amount of knowledge gained from a failure with the amount of expertise gained from a success? I believe lessons learned from mistakes are not as helpful to us as the knowledge developed from success. Read more…
Posted in Program Manager's Snacks - No commentStart Effective Email With Catchy Subject Line
If you are interested in your email being noticed by recipients, you must use a catchy email subject line. Especially when using email to attract the attention of people whom you have never met. Forming a good subject line that catches readers’ attention is simple if you follow the three rules listed in this post. Read more…
Posted in Program Manager's Snacks - 2 commentsProject Manager Checklist to Achieve Success
Some time ago I came across an interesting article listing Eight Secrets of Top Project Managers. Reading it prompted me to think about a checklist that project managers can use to ensure the success of a project. Development of this idea has taken some time, but I have finally started building a list; as follows:
- Clearly document the scope, goals, and objectives of the project and get sponsor sign off.
- Take time to carefully plan the project with the team.
- Keep sponsor and stakeholders involved with the project.
- Spend time identifying and anticipating problems, and do your best to prevent their realization.
- Understand project tasks and work items well enough to identify risks that may occur when the work is performed.
- Always use detailed tracking methods and track team progress against the project schedule.
- Ensure team members are given clear assignments.
- Know your team and listen effectively to them. Work with them on preventing problems and finding solutions.
I will continue to update this page and eventually complete the list.
Other posts on this topic:
▪ Factors contributing to project success
▪ Simple issue tracking for small teams
If you or your Project Manager has a checklist used to achieve success in your projects, please leave a comment with a link – I would be happy to work on integrating checklists.
Posted in Project Management - No commentNegotiating With Difficult People Without Giving In
Negotiation is a task that Program Managers and Project Managers have to perform often with a project team member, a stakeholder or a sponsor. Listed in this post are several general principles of effective communication that can help you to quickly find a compromise and preserve, if not improve, your relationship with that person. Read more…
Posted in Program Manager's Snacks - No comment