In this latest roundup of news from the world of project, program and portfolio management we highlight news and articles which have caught our eye recently.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Who is the real project customer?
Brad Egeland offers a wise reminder that products are produced for the benefit of the end user. Program and project managers rightly devote a lot of time worrying about benefits realisation, but those benefits will only be realised if the deliverable (or product) is used!
Why value for money is not just about the cost
Anna Patricia Valerio follows on the theme of benefits but from a very different perspective, one which it’s certainly important for us consultants to keep “front of mind”.
The CPO bringing the strength of the project manager into the boardroom
This super article reflects on how PMOs are often seen as an extension of the IT function, and looks at the value of the Chief Project Officer, and the very strong message the appointment rightly sends out to the organisation. We have seen this used effectively where the top table recognise the fundamental value of P3 (projects, programs and portfolio) and it’s professional governance and that the necessary competence is not yet valued organisationally.
Top 20 twitter influencers for project management
Lovely list, but we’re mystified as to why our @JWinLickey isn’t there even if we‘re not (sarcasm alert).
5 project management groups to join on LinkedIn
and sticking with Social Media for Project Management, this is a great list from the Wrike Blog – take a look.
PM COMPETENCE
We have 5 PM competence related 5’s this time:
5 critical skills for successful project management
- Communication
- Organisation
- Planning
- Leadership, and
- Flexibility
5 career pathways for project management degree holders
- Operations Management
- Construction
- Industrial/Product Development
- Information Technology, and
- Environmental
5 project management skills that will help you grow your business
- Resource Allocation
- Time Management
- Budgeting
- Team Management, and
- Problem Solving
5 Common Project risks and what to do about them
- Poor Leadership
- Staff Problems
- No Continuity
- Lack of Resources, and
- Change to Business Strategy
5 Critical project processes
- Risk Management
- Change Management
- Issue Management
- Resource Management, and
- Communications Management
and now you can take 5 reflecting on common sense.
Bring some common sense into your project management
Some great advice from Serhat Pala for keeping things simple, getting the fundamentals right and making informed decisions:
- Put an astute project manager in charge,
- Integrate parts into the whole, and
- Leverage project management tools.
Authority vs. responsibility: or, how to get things done without actually doing them
Monique Verrier offer three tips:
- Involve the team in decision making where possible,
- Maintain strong positive 2-way relationships with the team, and
- Talk with other PMs who share your resources.
PM TOOLS
Project management essentials: Gantt chart (infographic)
B2C have shared this lovely info graphic from Wrike.
Innotas announces new version of its cloud portfolio management solution
Innotas have announced a new version of their cloud portfolio management system, delivering improved efficiency for PMs and PMOs.
12 most striking benefits of using a project management software for business projects
This is a nice list which could help you put your business case across powerfully:
- Better planning, organisation and scheduling,
- Improved communication and collaboration,
- Perfect task distribution and timely completion of tasks,
- Centralised pooling of information, resources and files,
- Precise time tracking,
- Work on projects on the move,
- Collaboration over designs,
- Protection and security of data,
- Save time, costs and resources,
- Involvement and satisfaction of stakeholders,
- Accurate progress tracking, and
- Personalisation.
How to measure the ROI of project management software
This is a common challenge, as many feel uncomfortable justify their needs. Jesse Jacobsen gives some useful advice.
PM METHODOLOGIES
Applying agile the right way at the right time
In “A call for Quality” Zack Naylor looks at why you should help your organisation make informed design decisions and create great software or service products that people love.
Project management methodologies: the framework for success
Udemy take you through a useful high level framework which can be a useful reminder to those of us deep in a project.
PMO/3PM
Creating a project management office-improving project outcomes
Litcom provide some great first steps for creating a PMO:
- Understand the type of PMO that is needed,
- Determine the PMO’s roles and responsibilities, and
- Obtain senior management backing and support.
BUSINESS CONTINUITY
Top 5 biggest myths about business continuity
- Just put it in the cloud,
- The risk is actually pretty low,
- I don’t need to be involved,
- MY IT guys have it all in hand, and
- I have a copy of my data – that’s enough
Really – we’ve heard all of these too!
