Click here to view the article entitled: Twenty Common Mistakes Made by New or Inexperienced Project Managers By Harold Kerzner, Ph.D., PMP
Links to the above post by Dr. Harold Kerzner have been published in several places, but I wanted to share it here too for those that haven't seen it. This is an awesome document that will help both new and experience project managers.
I have a couple of Dr. Kerzner's books and they are all excellent. One of his best books is listed below:
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Do You Use Business Cases to Justify Your Projects?
Before a project is started, there should always be a business case. Without a business case that defines the problem(s) you are trying to solve and what success looks like, your project will start on very shaky ground.
Rule # 1 - the business case is always written by the organization receiving the benefits.
A business case is nothing more than a story. As you begin to write your story one of the first things to define is the benefits (the value) the product(s) of the business case will bring. These value statements should be specific, brief, clear, and measurable.
Here are some basic questions that must always be answered when developing a business case. They are:
What is the problem you are trying to solve? What are the gaps between where you are and where you want to go? What are the assumptions? What will it cost?
What is the ROI (Return on Investment) and how long will it take to recoup the investment?
When did the problem first appear? How long has it been happening? What is it costing you?
Where is the problem occurring?
Who is impacted?
Why is there a problem? What is causing the problem and what is the effect? Why is a change needed now to address the problem? How big is the problem?
How will solving or minimizing the problem save money or add value? How will you measure the value?
Are the business case’s benefits worth it? Are they realistic? Are there alternative solutions that would cost less?
There are many more questions to be answered when developing a business case, however answering the questions above will get you off to a good start.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Project Communications Planning
Project Communications Planning is a process that is continuous throughout a project. When building your initial Project Communications plan focus on the following:
Define Your Audiences - Who needs to know What, and When and How do they need to know it. Communication needs and audiences will change as the project moves forward. Plan for it.
Start from the Top and Work Your Way Down the Chain - Start your Communications with the highest levels of the organization first, then work your way down to the team members. Repeat this cycle.
Target Your Message to the Different Groups - Different groups (and sometimes individuals) may require different types of communications media (e-mail, status reports, web site, face-to-face, memo, etc.). Plan for these different types of communications vehicles up front.
Define Roles and Responsibilities - Ensure that your Project Communications Plan includes Roles and Responsibilities for key stakeholders.
Status Reports - Status Reports are a great form of Project Communication if kept short and to the point.
Repetitive Messages will be Required - The same message delivered using different mechanisms and sources will help to reinforce your message.
Anticipate Conflict - Tailor your communications to overcome Conflict before it occurs. Keep in mind that Conflict will always occur on a project. Conflict needs to be anticipated and managed continuously throughout the project.
Allow for Anonymous Feedback - Create a way for people to relay their positive and negative feedback anonymously.
Project Managers need to recognize that good communication is important because it helps to reduce conflict, increases information distribution, and helps to silence critics while reinforcing the positive aspects of your project.
Define Your Audiences - Who needs to know What, and When and How do they need to know it. Communication needs and audiences will change as the project moves forward. Plan for it.
Start from the Top and Work Your Way Down the Chain - Start your Communications with the highest levels of the organization first, then work your way down to the team members. Repeat this cycle.
Target Your Message to the Different Groups - Different groups (and sometimes individuals) may require different types of communications media (e-mail, status reports, web site, face-to-face, memo, etc.). Plan for these different types of communications vehicles up front.
Define Roles and Responsibilities - Ensure that your Project Communications Plan includes Roles and Responsibilities for key stakeholders.
Status Reports - Status Reports are a great form of Project Communication if kept short and to the point.
Repetitive Messages will be Required - The same message delivered using different mechanisms and sources will help to reinforce your message.
Anticipate Conflict - Tailor your communications to overcome Conflict before it occurs. Keep in mind that Conflict will always occur on a project. Conflict needs to be anticipated and managed continuously throughout the project.
Allow for Anonymous Feedback - Create a way for people to relay their positive and negative feedback anonymously.
Project Managers need to recognize that good communication is important because it helps to reduce conflict, increases information distribution, and helps to silence critics while reinforcing the positive aspects of your project.