Although Ten Step is a registered service provider for PMI, yet it does a far better job than PMI in presenting the discpline of project management to the audience. PMI's website's sole purpose is to provide information about the programs that PMI offers. If one is not a member of the institute, one does not get much information. On the other hand, the Ten Step website provides greater information for the discipline of project management. The templates that are provided free of any charge are a great tool for any student of the discipline.
I think the Ten Step is much closer to the Verzuh book than PMI.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Project Portfolio Management
Though it was written seven years ago, the relevance of this article in today’s economic scenario could not be understated. In the light of, what we have seen in last two years, Enron’s bankruptcy has receded to the back corners of most everyone’s mind. Diversification of portfolio has been a widely used concept of the financial world for a long time. But it has been a lifeline for investors in the midst of crashing industry giants like Ford, GM, Lehman Brothers, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
Project portfolio management manages projects in the same manner as an investor would manage his stocks, bonds and mutual funds. It is much easier to balance resources and control the project when executives have an overall view of the project portfolio. More and more organizations are focusing on projects as portfolio of investments to produce maximum possible return on investment. In other words, money is allocated on necessary projects and redundant projects are eliminated.
Project portfolio management software is being increasingly used to simplify the process of building a portfolio. Portfolios can be assembled and assessed based on how they meet strategic needs of a particular business. The success of a portfolio is measured by metrics describing important milestones. The achievement of milestones is naturally tied to performance evaluation and bonuses.
Project portfolio management manages projects in the same manner as an investor would manage his stocks, bonds and mutual funds. It is much easier to balance resources and control the project when executives have an overall view of the project portfolio. More and more organizations are focusing on projects as portfolio of investments to produce maximum possible return on investment. In other words, money is allocated on necessary projects and redundant projects are eliminated.
Project portfolio management software is being increasingly used to simplify the process of building a portfolio. Portfolios can be assembled and assessed based on how they meet strategic needs of a particular business. The success of a portfolio is measured by metrics describing important milestones. The achievement of milestones is naturally tied to performance evaluation and bonuses.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Agile Project Management
The author states that Waterfall Project Life Cycle Model has limited applicability in today’s complex, interconnected, interdependent and interrelated business processes. Projects in reality do not follow the exact steps, sequential flow or requirements of traditional project management. It is not feasible to address current pressures of change, global competition, dynamic technologies and increasing complexity by following the steps in the waterfall model. Billions of dollars have been wasted on failed projects. It is not possible to ignore the growing number of poorly executed as well as cancelled projects. To overcome these problems, an alternative approach of Agile project Management has emerged. APM is a highly iterative and incremental process which follows Agile Project Life Cycle Model. It consists of initial requirements, fast iterative planning, constant evaluation and reviews. I was particularly impressed with the visual control component of Agile management .It ensures that every member of the team views the project the same way.
Another important element is that APM development is executed collaboratively with a small co-located team. All the key team members including the customer/end-user work on one location. When a user cannot be involved on a full-time basis, the business analyst can represent the user while the full-time core team continues to work together. This practice also facilitates the feature driven development of a project. It is possible to incorporate and implement some of the components of Agile management in a traditionally managed project.
Another important element is that APM development is executed collaboratively with a small co-located team. All the key team members including the customer/end-user work on one location. When a user cannot be involved on a full-time basis, the business analyst can represent the user while the full-time core team continues to work together. This practice also facilitates the feature driven development of a project. It is possible to incorporate and implement some of the components of Agile management in a traditionally managed project.
Chapter 14
Application is the Art: Solving Common Project Problems
This chapter in my book is the culmination point for all our previous readings. Discipline of project management arms the users with tools and techniques to define, plan, execute and control a project. Project management is a combination of art and science. Success of a project largely depends on its continued use and conviction in this discipline.
Verzuh has nicely summarized what we previously learned in the book. e.g How the can-do-attitude can cause the impossible dream of achieving a particular goal in unrealistic time frame with an impossible budget. A project manager has to make sure that clarity exists about the SOW. Statement of work has been explained in detail in the book. By now, we are familiar with the importance of clearly defining the project's purpose, scope and deliverables.
This chapter in my book is the culmination point for all our previous readings. Discipline of project management arms the users with tools and techniques to define, plan, execute and control a project. Project management is a combination of art and science. Success of a project largely depends on its continued use and conviction in this discipline.
Verzuh has nicely summarized what we previously learned in the book. e.g How the can-do-attitude can cause the impossible dream of achieving a particular goal in unrealistic time frame with an impossible budget. A project manager has to make sure that clarity exists about the SOW. Statement of work has been explained in detail in the book. By now, we are familiar with the importance of clearly defining the project's purpose, scope and deliverables.
A project can develop problems anytime during its life cycle because of customer demand, change in the environment, change in deliverables in terms of time frame and quality or because of internal management problems. The problem has to be solved in a systematic way beginning from statement of work, revised project plan, work package estimates, revised risk management and status report meetings. The strategy is to apply the basic tools and techniques of project management to find the solution to many of the familiar problems.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Evaluation of My Natural Leadership Style
I am most comfortable taking on a leadership role that is required during the forming and storming stage. I believe that I have the skill set to provide clear direction during the times of uncertainly and anxiety. When I joined Global IT Partners, I was immediately tasked to lead a complicated Sarbanes Oxley Compliance training project for an important client. The mandate I had was to provide a standardized training across multiple sites and within a stipulated time frame. I was the newest member of the staff and here I was assigned to lead the most visible effort of the company. I did not get to pick my own team since I was relatively new and did not know much about the internal workings of the company. My boss assigned me a team which constituted of high potential professionals, who happened to be high-tempered as well. A few of them were in the same applicant pool from which I was selected for the new job and while the others simply did not like me or other team members.
There I was, a new employee tasked with this grandiose project and provided with a team who could kill each other at a drop of a hat, all of this did not even figure in my First-90 Days Plan. I had a choice, surrender or lead to victory. The latter seemed logical choice because I did not want to give up even if it meant rewriting project plans to include contingency plan for minimizing the impact of friendly fire by the team which welcomed me with salvos of “this too shall pass” looks.
One by one I met with individual members of my team, explained them the purpose of the assignment and my proposed time line besides the action plan for which I solicited their inputs. It did not take me much time to confirm my belief that they all were smart people who wanted to be heard and wanted acknowledgement. In my initial meetings I could see the proverbial iceberg melting. Due to the extent of the domain knowledge, I needed their inputs for charting out the course for the project Despite their individual power struggles I could see that they all were at peace with my leadership role after the first week. They could see that I was not going anywhere and I can provide direction for the complicated project ahead. The ancient wisdom that has always guided me in life pointed towards one act that could make or marr the project and that was, listening. I listened to their issues questions and concerns and sought their ideas for the project. I could see them opening up and willingness to commit
After the second week, it was a smoother sail. Our team did an excellent job of delivering the promised goods!! Team work, works!!!
The leadership role that I do not feel energized performing is that of a leader in performing stage. I feel that when the teams are set and formed and the work flow is going smoothely, there is a less challenge for a team and the situation is more or less like business as usual.
There I was, a new employee tasked with this grandiose project and provided with a team who could kill each other at a drop of a hat, all of this did not even figure in my First-90 Days Plan. I had a choice, surrender or lead to victory. The latter seemed logical choice because I did not want to give up even if it meant rewriting project plans to include contingency plan for minimizing the impact of friendly fire by the team which welcomed me with salvos of “this too shall pass” looks.
One by one I met with individual members of my team, explained them the purpose of the assignment and my proposed time line besides the action plan for which I solicited their inputs. It did not take me much time to confirm my belief that they all were smart people who wanted to be heard and wanted acknowledgement. In my initial meetings I could see the proverbial iceberg melting. Due to the extent of the domain knowledge, I needed their inputs for charting out the course for the project Despite their individual power struggles I could see that they all were at peace with my leadership role after the first week. They could see that I was not going anywhere and I can provide direction for the complicated project ahead. The ancient wisdom that has always guided me in life pointed towards one act that could make or marr the project and that was, listening. I listened to their issues questions and concerns and sought their ideas for the project. I could see them opening up and willingness to commit
After the second week, it was a smoother sail. Our team did an excellent job of delivering the promised goods!! Team work, works!!!
The leadership role that I do not feel energized performing is that of a leader in performing stage. I feel that when the teams are set and formed and the work flow is going smoothely, there is a less challenge for a team and the situation is more or less like business as usual.
Evaluation of Teams using CMM model
Team, ah! what a great word. A lot of literature has been written focused on this very word. This word has been the center of corporate attention for many many years. They say T.E.A.M is an acronym for Together Everyone Achieves More. Leaders like John Wooden and Herb Brooks create and maintain . They have taken ordinary groups of people and created history. It was only through team work that NASA scientists could rescue the Apollo 13 crew. The passion and the synergy of a team is largely dependent on the the degree of involvement of a leader. With that being said, I think that the onus of making a team successful is equally on the team. In my career, I have had the pleasure of being a part of a great team as well as a not so great team. For the best team that I have been in, I would give it a Level 5 as we all were continuously improving ourselves, listening to our customers and to each other. As far as the worst ( should I say the most challenging ) team I have ever been in was where, we were nine people and we were the personification of T.E.A.M Together Everone Argues More! We all different individuals put in a professional situation with 15 different goals and agendas. There was no semblence of unison of direction, active listening or purpose. I will give that team a 0 because of lack of cohesion in the team.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Chapter 13
Enterprise Project Management
The transition of project management practices from individual projects to the organizational level holds huge potential for improving productivity. Enterprise project management is the conscious integration of processes, technology, organizational structure and people in order to synchronize organizational strategy with the execution of its projects. According to EPM, all projects need to be managed at three different levels; the project tier, project portfolio and program tier. The four components of enterprise project management are processes, EPM technology, people who work on the project and the project office. Verzuh uses the example of integrated product teams in Boeing and Lockheed Martin to illustrate this transition. Established organizations are increasingly using the process of IPTs -integrated product teams to focus on the product being developed in the project. This is an approach which is moving away from the emphasis on functional specialities.
When Boeing developed its 777 aircraft, it used IPTs to optimize design and speed development of the product. All the disciplines and functional teams from manufacturing, engineering, procurement, finance, technology etc worked together as a team on the project.
Similarly, the example of Lockheed Martin was also a case in point for IPTs as enterprise project management used to develop the new joint strike fighter aircraft. As a result of integrating IPTs , it reported better program management decisions, early detection of cost and schedule problems, timely performance reports and higher level of efficiency and quality.
The transition of project management practices from individual projects to the organizational level holds huge potential for improving productivity. Enterprise project management is the conscious integration of processes, technology, organizational structure and people in order to synchronize organizational strategy with the execution of its projects. According to EPM, all projects need to be managed at three different levels; the project tier, project portfolio and program tier. The four components of enterprise project management are processes, EPM technology, people who work on the project and the project office. Verzuh uses the example of integrated product teams in Boeing and Lockheed Martin to illustrate this transition. Established organizations are increasingly using the process of IPTs -integrated product teams to focus on the product being developed in the project. This is an approach which is moving away from the emphasis on functional specialities.
When Boeing developed its 777 aircraft, it used IPTs to optimize design and speed development of the product. All the disciplines and functional teams from manufacturing, engineering, procurement, finance, technology etc worked together as a team on the project.
Similarly, the example of Lockheed Martin was also a case in point for IPTs as enterprise project management used to develop the new joint strike fighter aircraft. As a result of integrating IPTs , it reported better program management decisions, early detection of cost and schedule problems, timely performance reports and higher level of efficiency and quality.
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