I really liked George Carlin's last book; "Last Words - A Memoir". In it he wrote the following, which I find very scary and very profound all at once.
"The worst thing about groups are their values...you will do things in the name of a group that you would never do on your own...because you’ve lost your identity, because you now owe your allegiance to this thing that’s bigger than you are and that controls you.
What are your group's values? Honesty, trust, cooperation, respect, or get it done at any cost?
Project management is about groups of people working together to bring to realization the project's objectives...and doing it on time, on budget and with expected quality and scope.
In my experience, most project teams are staffed with decent, cooperative, competent people, but many times there can be one or more toxic team members bent on steering the group to service their personal agenda. These toxic turkeys don't care about the project's objectives, they only care about themselves and their own agenda (usually hidden). When you see this type of person on your team remove them or get your sponsor to remove them before they poison the rest of the team and stop your project's progress.
Remember what Carlin said about large groups, "the larger the group, the more toxic it is, and the more of your beauty as an individual you have to surrender for the sake of group thought."
Click here to purchase George Carlin's last book from Amazon.com.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Technology Questions
Marshall McLuhan said “first we shape our tools and then they shape us.” Sometimes how we are "shaped" by technology isn't pleasant or what we were expecting. We need to keep in mind that technology for technologies' sake will never deliver anything of lasting value. When thinking about implementing a technology ask yourself a couple of very important questions.
Can we or should we do it?
Will it make our situation simpler or more complex?
Will it help us to solve a problem or cause a problem?”
Should we do nothing?
Also, when implementing technology remember these three rules:
The customer is your partner
The customer defines the requirements
Open systems beat closed systems
The customer defines the requirements
Open systems beat closed systems
Remember it isn't the technology that matters, it is what the technology makes possible.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Does your Project Still have Value (revisited)
Are you working on a project that has diminished in value? If you or others are questioning the value of one of your projects, think about these things:
What would happen in your organization if the project were cancelled? Would some of the cancelled project's objectives find their way into an existing project... a new project? Should a portion of your current project be de-scoped because of changes beyond your control?
What would happen in your organization if the project were cancelled? Would some of the cancelled project's objectives find their way into an existing project... a new project? Should a portion of your current project be de-scoped because of changes beyond your control?
Does the project still link to your organizations strategic goals and/or objectives?
Does the project still have visible support from senior management?
Does the project still generate excitement?
Is your organization still going to gain all the efficiencies or be more competitive as a result of successfully completing the project?
Are you hearing a lot of negative "buzz" about the project?
Would your project have had more value if it were implemented sooner?
Is the project over budget, late?
Is scope creep a problem?
Has the project sponsor suddenly abandoned the project?
I'm know there are lots of other questions that could be asked. We need to keep in mind that all projects eventually end. Some end when they are completed successfully, and others are terminated early for a variety of reasons.
The important thing to keep in mind is that you must continually communicate across, up, and down the organization to find out what others are thinking about your project, and more importantly, you muse communicate what is happening with your project.
If the project manager is the only person in the organization that thinks his or her project has value, then the project manager isn't really thinking.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Basic Team Communications
Do you know the difference between objective and subjective language/information? Objective information is precise and uses specific targets or numbers/indicators to help ensure the communication is clear. Subjective language uses unclear or non-specific information with terms like “accurate”, “quick”, “big”, and “best”. We can’t agree to subjective terms because they mean different things to different people.
We obviously want to use objective language whenever we communicate important information. Remember to use the “SMART” test when communicating with your project team (either in writing or verbally):
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Realistic
Time constrained
Unclear project communications are the fault of the project manager, and can lead to project delays and cost overruns. When communicating with your team, be aware of their listening filters because these will affect how your message is received. Lastly, always ask questions of your team to ensure your message is being received and understood.
We obviously want to use objective language whenever we communicate important information. Remember to use the “SMART” test when communicating with your project team (either in writing or verbally):
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Realistic
Time constrained
Unclear project communications are the fault of the project manager, and can lead to project delays and cost overruns. When communicating with your team, be aware of their listening filters because these will affect how your message is received. Lastly, always ask questions of your team to ensure your message is being received and understood.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Quality Revisited (again)
Quality is a heavily tested knowledge area on the PMP exam and as such we should all be familiar with the subject.
According to Philip B. Crosby, Quality is “conformance to requirements”. He goes on to state the Four Absolutes of Quality as:
The definition of quality is conformance to requirements
The system of quality is prevention
The performance standard is zero defects
The measurement of quality is the price of nonconformance
Another Quality Guru is Joseph Juran. He states that “Quality is fitness for use”. He also defines something called the Quality Trilogy.
It is composed of:
Quality Improvement
Quality Planning
Quality Control
Juran also goes on to define the “Ten Steps in the Quality Improvement Process”. They are:
Build awareness of the need and opportunity for improvement
Set goals for improvement
Organize to reach the goals
Provide training throughout the organization
Carry out the projects to solve problems
Report progress
Give recognition
Communicate results
Keep score
Maintain momentum by making annual improvement part of the regular systems and processes of the company.
Lastly, we look at what Dr. W. Edwards Deming says about Quality. According to Dr. Deming, Quality is “continuous improvement through reduced variation”.
His five principles are:
The central problem in lack of quality is the failure of management to understand variation
It is management’s responsibility to know whether the problems are in the system or behavior of people
Teamwork should be based upon knowledge, design, and redesign. Constant improvement is management’s responsibility. Most causes of low quality and productivity belong to the system
Train people until they are achieving as much as they can (within the limits of the system)
It is management’s responsibility to give detailed specifications
Do the above statements reflect the situation in your work environment? Is your management engaged in Quality? Are they hands-on, hands-off, or asleep at the switch?
Quality is everyone’s job; however Quality cannot be managed with out the participation of management. I would even be so bold to say that “poor quality equals poor management”.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
16 Points to PM Maturity
One of my favorite project management books is called - "Project Management - A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling and Controlling" - and is written by Dr. Harold Kerzner. In this book there is a section entitled "16 Points to Project Management Maturity". These points are listed below, and are worth reviewing on a regular basis.
1. Adopt a project management methodology and use it consistently
2. Implement a philosophy that drives the company toward project management maturity and communicate to everyone
3. Commit to developing effective plans at the beginning of each project
4. Minimize scope changes by committing to realistic objectives
5. Recognize that cost and schedule management are inseparable
6. Select the right person as project manager
7. Provide executives with project sponsor information, not project management information
8. Strengthen involvement and support of line management
9. Focus on deliverable rather than resources
10. Cultivate effective communication, cooperation, and trust to achieve rapid project management maturity
11. Share recognition for project success with the entire project team and line management
12. Eliminate non-productive meetings
13. Focus on identifying and solving problems early, quickly, and cost effectively
14. Measure progress periodically
15. Use project management software as a tool - not as a subsitute for effective planning or interpersonal skills
16. Institute an all-employee training program with periodic updates based upon documented lessons learned
If you have some of your own post them in the comments section.
1. Adopt a project management methodology and use it consistently
2. Implement a philosophy that drives the company toward project management maturity and communicate to everyone
3. Commit to developing effective plans at the beginning of each project
4. Minimize scope changes by committing to realistic objectives
5. Recognize that cost and schedule management are inseparable
6. Select the right person as project manager
7. Provide executives with project sponsor information, not project management information
8. Strengthen involvement and support of line management
9. Focus on deliverable rather than resources
10. Cultivate effective communication, cooperation, and trust to achieve rapid project management maturity
11. Share recognition for project success with the entire project team and line management
12. Eliminate non-productive meetings
13. Focus on identifying and solving problems early, quickly, and cost effectively
14. Measure progress periodically
15. Use project management software as a tool - not as a subsitute for effective planning or interpersonal skills
16. Institute an all-employee training program with periodic updates based upon documented lessons learned
If you have some of your own post them in the comments section.