Top Project Management Blogs
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No Kahuna
We had a suggestion from @johnwlong awhile back to improve the task list page by taking into account newlines. Previously, the task list simply showed the first X characters of the task. Now, it shows the first X characters of the first line of the task. This seems to really simplify...
Sometimes the best thing the makers of a website can do is remove a feature. It’s certainly uncommon in this age of software bloat and it can be painful if some of your customers have grown accustomed to the feature. The pain, though, is often worth it because it helps to...
The project managers out there will certainly appreciate the improvements we’ve made to task sorting. Previously, the task sort order was based on the category *and* the user. So each user could see the order of their tasks for a particular category. Now, it’s only based on the category. This allows...
We now have the ability to filter the task list by user. This...
We now have the ability to filter the task list by user. This cuts down on the noise and helps you to only look at the stuff that really matters....
When we originally added the ability to attach files in No Kahuna, we chose to make it a separate event, it’s own thing on a task or message. We were thinking that this made things simpler. The reality is that it confused many customers because they’re accustomed to attaching files to...
A handy little feature went out last week - we now have events...
A handy little feature went out last week - we now have events for when project members become subscribed/unsubscribed to tasks and messages. It’s nice to know when folks started listening in on the conversation....
The Tao of Project Management
Chapter 81 is the last chapter in the Tao so last week’s blog was the end of the series. But it is a cyclical process so out of the ending comes a new beginning. I will be away travelling in San Francisco, New Zealand and Hong Kong over the next...
Once again I find myself at the end of the cycle. Chapter 81 is the final chapter in the Tao. How very appropriate for coincidentally this week was my last working week at the University.The ProjectI called in after lunch on Thursday (my last day) to say goodbye and clear...
So I have survived another Christmas and New Year and managed to put on another two kilos in the process. Basically I ate and drank far too much so now I need to get back to the simple life. First step a very bracing run on a frosty but sunny...
The ProjectSo finally it came to my last working day on the project. I produced a status report, budget reconciliation and end project report and handed all the files and documentation over. It seemed quite strange and just a wee bit sad as I went round handing stuff over and...
The ProjectI’ve started winding down now. Handing stuff over and documenting things. I wonder how things will work out on the next phase of the project, assuming of course they get the extra funding they need to continue. It’s interesting the way they go about estimating things and I do...
The ProjectThe week started with a few issues. First we had to take the network down in the School of Psychology, so we could begin their upgrade. Unfortunately there are two other buildings that currently hang off their switches so we had to take them down as well and they...
ThE pM sTuDeNt
I'm sure you've all heard about the recent news with Toyota. Recalls happen. It's a statistical certainty that companies are going to have recalls from time to time. Usually it's something minor in nature but recently Toyota has had multiple issues regarding accelerators sticking and potential braking...
It's something that gets a lot of lip service. But are YOU doing it? You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want. -Zig Ziglar Related posts:Is it Possible to Successfully Deliver a Project without Really Good Project Management Resources? ...
Interview with Steven Kass (AskAboutProjects.com)
In Not the Status Report episode # 4 I talked about AskAboutProjects.com, a site similar in function to StackOverflow.com where anyone can ask questions. Answers are voted up or down and those ratings make the best answers rise to the top. I really enjoy the site and what it offers. So,...
Do you have questions about project management?
I am doing a few podcast shows right now, and we just released new episodes yesterday for both of them. Here comes another. I am starting a new podcast with a question & answer format.... Related posts:Project Manager Career Questions NOT the status report Project Manager Interview Questions ...
My first project management book: now available!
Thank you to everyone who has supported and encouraged me through the process of putting my first book out there. I'm happy to say it is now for sale! Related posts:Book Giveaway – SharePoint for Project Management From Software Testing to Project Management About the Prince2 Exam ...
entp hoth blog - Everything ENTP
Introducing Companies and the User Inbox
We just rolled out an update to Tender Support which includes two new features and a little bit of style polish to the supporter dashboard. So what's new? Companies User Inboxes For more details on the new features, please continue reading....
Scheduled server maintenance for Jan 24
Tender Support and Lighthouse will undergo server maintenance at 10 a.m. PST (-8 UTC) on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010. The services will be unreachable for approximately 2 hours. All incoming emails will be reprocessed once the systems have been brought back online. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Follow...
A fresh round of Tender improvements
We recently finished up a big push for better Tender integration: Multiple Lighthouse Projects Webhooks Updates to Multipass integration More API docs ...
We’ve recently deployed a few updates to Lighthouse: Ticket Previews Message Notifications Sortable Columns in the Ticket Listing as well as some minor improvements. For more details, continue reading....
Web.AppStorm Lighthouse Giveaway!
The Web.AppStorm crew have done it again! This time, they're giving away a few 1 year Lighthouse accounts for their advent calendar. For more details go HERE...
Web.AppStorm, one of the many awesome sites brought to you by the crew over at Envato, is giving away a few 1 year Tender Support accounts for their Advent Calendar! For more details and to enter, go HERE. Hurry though! This is just a one day thing!...
gantthead.com
Product Qualities Approach, Agile Style
Using product quality to deliver business value in agile development is vital. This article provides a how-to for progressive change agents interested in delivering products that generate measurable business value for their customers and stakeholders. You'll learn how product qualities differ from functions, how to identify the right ones, measure...
In the beginning of your ITIL implementation, setting up a process for service level management must be near the top of your list of priorities. Here are some items designed to get the ball rolling....
The Information Technology Infrastructure Library has become the recognized standard for managing IT service levels throughout the enterprise. What should you know about ITIL and service level management? Wrap your arms around the components and terminology contained within this extensive framework by reading on....
How do you produce requirements for an unknown solution? Prototyping is a slow and time consuming process, but in IT projects--especially software development--it is often the only solution that works....
The Importance of Early Communication
Early communications is essential if you want requirements documentation success. Don't enter requirements documentation without making these effective communications moves first....
Central Arizona Project's OPM3 Story (Part 1)
At Central Arizona Project, the IT department had 89 projects and no one was coordinating resources. All of these projects were behind schedule and over budget, and quality was in the tank. This story is about CAP's Information Technology department and its journey of project management improvement through PMI's OPM3...
Better Projects
The video below has a running time of 26 minutes and is incredibly fascinating. I can normally watch about 2-3 minutes of a video before boredom sets in, yet this one hooked me and held me all the way through. One of my biggest annoyances is touched on in this...
How do you manage large projects with Agile?
As a business analyst, I spend a lot of time focusing on gathering good requirements. Once I have a high level set of requirements, I work to refine the requirements to the point where the developers will have enough information for design and implementation of the application. Everyone has a...
Webinar: The Business Driven Software Development
Net Objectives conducts a series of webinars on Business Driven Software Development: This series provides an introduction on how to achieve Business Agility. Business Agility enables an organization to respond quickly to external forces (such as new market opportunities and competitive forces) as well as to...
Understanding the root causes of poor requirements; Invest in clear requirements
Early last year Nick Malik of Microsoft posted decision tree analysis of Requirements Failure modes. I thought I'd take a run through some of his points and offer them to you for discussion.It's a long list so I'll break this up over several posts across the next few weeks/months. Jump...
Steve Jobs on why Apple exists
This video just popped up in my newsreader and it was so good, I had to share with everyone. It encompasses so many of my thoughts for such a short clip. Steve Jobs is a guy you either love or hate (I am an Apple fanboi, so he's good by...
Defining Requirements at Apple
You're in the middle of an Apple PR tsunami at the moment, but bear with me while I share this clip. It's the first part of the iPad launch. In particular take a look at the first 2 minutes and the way Jobs introduces the product's place in...
Project Management Articles - PM Hut
Agile and the PMO Working Together
Agile and the PMO Working Together By Curt Finch It often seems that a lean, agile development environment will always be at odds with the structure and constraints of the PMO. Yet it does not have to be this way. The agile PMO can bridge the gap between these two very important...
How to Prepare for a Project Sponsor Meeting
How to Prepare for a Project Sponsor Meeting By Zenkara Sponsors are critical to almost all projects. They’re the people who get budgets approved, they’re the ones who provide the energy and impetus for getting the business ready for the project. Yet Project Managers often seem to treat them like they’re a pain...
Managing Project Scope (#30 in the Hut Introduction to Project Management) By JISC infoNet In any project there are likely to be changes to the original plan during the course of the project. The changes may arise due to: The business case altering The need to find a way round a problem Identifying a better...
Ten Things to Look For When Reviewing a Project Plan
Ten Things to Look For When Reviewing a Project Plan By Dave Paradi When you are given a project plan to review, here are ten things you should look for to determine the quality level of the plan. Calendar Setup If you are looking at a plan, check to see when the next statutory...
The Generic Project Schedule By Clifford Ananian Although every project is unique, and its execution plan is specific to its goals and objectives, there are some common rules and tendencies of project schedules that are not project specific. The purpose of this article is use a simplistic “generic” schedule to illustrate some of...
How To Ensure Your Projects Do Not Fail
How To Ensure Your Projects Do Not Fail By Neil Ryder In a previous article, we identified the eight causes of project failure. If you don’t want you project to simply become one of the statistics, start answering the following questions. If any of the answers to the questions are unsatisfactory, you...
Project Management
The Relationship between Pareto Distribution and Pareto Principle
Vilfredo Pareto has his name attached to some rather amazing concepts, such as Pareto Distribution, Pareto Analysis, Pareto Principle, Pareto Efficiency, and Pareto Interpolation. In this article, we’ll explore the Pareto Distribution and the Pareto Principle. Introduction Pareto Analysis and Pareto Principle (also known as the 80/20 rule) in......
Game Theory and Project Management
Game theory concepts can be applied to almost any discipline where at least some degree of strategy is needed. Read on to find out how elements of game theory can be used in project management, especially during negotiation and decision-making processes. What is Game Theory? Game theory is a branch...
Factors Most Critical to the Success of a Project Manager
The project manager's leadership qualities, interpersonal skills, and the ability to stay organized are some of the factors most critical to the success of a project manager. They also contribute to the success of a project, however, project managers should consider several other variables as well. Critical Success Factors in...
Top 10 Tools for Managing Project Resources
This article outlines the top ten tools project managers need to use to manage project resources. Find resource management tools that will benefit you in your projects below. Why Use Tools for Managing Resources? Resource management can be a daunting task for any project manager. Resource management involves careful organization...
When you are managing many projects at once, it is important to prioritize the projects. By setting priorities, you can ensure your projects are successful and that they get done on time. Here's some tips to help you in prioritizing your projects and the tasks you have to complete. What...
The individuals chart is a general-purpose control chart used in Six Sigma to understand sources of variation in process performance. There are other types of control charts that are more powerful when using specific types of data, however. About Control Charts Six Sigma focuses on improving processes by identifying sources...
Journyx Project Management Blog
New Year’s Resolutions For Your Projects
We make New Year’s resolutions for our health, our finances, our relationships and more. But how about for our projects? Kent McDonald at ProjectConnections wrote about how to go about creating project goals for 2010 in his latest article: Goals, especially those of the measurable type, are excellent ways...
PM World Today published an article by James Brown about the obsession some companies have with speed. On the one hand, he approves of this attitude, saying, “Your organization should be obsessed with speed. Speed is necessary for success in today’s market.” Yet he also tempers this by...
Project Times published an article predicting the Top Project Management Trends for 2010, and the list is as follows: The Implementation of New PPM Solutions Will Soar Reliance on Requirements Metrics to Measure Performance Will Increase Senior Executives Will Embrace the Value of Project and Program Governance PMOs Will Go to the Next Level...
What Value Does a PM Provide at the End of a Project?
The other day, I was challenged by a client to provide a description of why they still needed a PM at the end of their project. To understand their question, and my response, you need a bit of background information first. This software development and package integration project had been running...
5 Tips for Leadership Success in 2010
This year is going to be tough. The forecasters are all over the place about the outlook. Which indicators you use in your planning – economic growth, profit levels, unemployment rates, commodity prices, the value of the dollar, or others – how you see 2010 may be very different from...
Managing the Meeting From Hell!
Project Manager Sherry Martin couldn’t stop thinking about her last team meeting as she walked down the hall towards her office. Slamming her office door behind her, she let out an exasperated scream and looked for something to punch! Her team was driving her absolutely crazy and she channelled Scarlett...
project-management « WordPress.com Tag Feed
Nexus '10 - Hot Topic Suggestions to "Ignite Your Information"
Well, Nexus ‘09 is over and it was another great event. It was such a great event people began...
Are Functional Specifications good?
To answer this question let me explain what did happen to me while I was managing a website strategy...
Project management success depends on communication. Often project management failure is driven by p...
HWA is pleased to welcome Tara Murrell to the team as our new Director of Interior Design. She bring...
I visit Mars...at École des Mines de Paris
A historic past, with modern, state-of-the-art research The École des Mines de Paris was founded in...
More on "misleading or incompetent"
And DCC duckshoving… Where the true meaning of “start-up capital” defeats the depu...
SantexQ - Online Project Management
The SantexQ team would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and SAFE New Years Eve! Cheers. Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. ~Hal Borland...
Staying Organized During the Holidays
It’s the last few days before Christmas and while we always strive to keep things calm and under control during the holidays, the final stretch can be quite stressful. Shopping, planning, cooking, traveling - it really adds up! The best way to stay organized during the holidays is the tried...
SantexQ Online Project Management Tool: Basic Accounts vs Premium Accounts
Did you know? You can take SantexQ online project management tool for a test drive by taking advantage of our free basic account. Just sign up and you can have your first project up and running in less than 15 minutes. Once you’ve tried it, you can easily upgrade to...
6 Reasons Why You Should Use an Online Project Management Tool
Online project management tools speak for themselves. Take ten minutes with one and you’ll see how easily they can help you organize, track and report on your projects, all while keeping the important information you need right at your fingertips. Still need convincing? Here are 6 Reasons Why You Should...
Lunch Break! The Great Office War
Has this ever happened in your office?...
Top 10 Office Phrases I Will Hear in a Week
Much like David Letterman’s top 10 list, I have decided to put together a top ten list of most commonly heard office phrases heard around SantexQ headquarters. Perhaps it will give you a taste of what it’s like to work here, perhaps not. The only thing I know is that...
Project Shrink Blog
Tags: Sociology In A Virtual World
This a very early draft of the introduction to Tags: Living In A Virtual World. I use this blog as a notebook for drafts, so you can provide me with feedback in an early stage. Comments are, as always, appreciated. People can catalog almost everything on the Internet. You can...
I started this year explaining why I like the word “awesome”. “I like to use the word “awesome” instead of “felicitous” as I like to appeal more to people who like passionate words over expensive sounding ones.” Couple of days later, I tell you “Although writing in a style that sounds authoritative...
This Is Not A Story About Social Media.
This is not a story about social media. This is a story about verification. When I tell you that social media has a purpose for Project Managers, you basically have to trust me on this. I try to make a compelling case. I provide you argumentation that makes the case...
Using Information From The Reputation Space In The Project Space
We all have Googled someone. Put his name into the Google search box and hit enter. Just before a meeting. After we have received a mail. See what information we can find about this person. We can use this information to build up a mental image of this person. Build up context....
When The Living Room Becomes A Stadium
You act differently in the comfort of your living room than standing on the field in a stadium with a microphone in your hand. Conversations in an intimate space are different from those in a public space. Image by Joe Shlabotnik. When Facebook changed its default settings from private to public,...
WBS Coach: Everything You Need To Know About The Work Breakdown Structure
I don’t do this often. It has been a long time since I endorsed a product. Just want to let you know that this is highly exceptional. But my good friend and fellow blogger/podcaster Josh Nankivel has created the fabulous WBS Coach training course (affiliate link). This multimedia training...
Staying on the right T.R.A.C.C
The car is now a first-class citizen of the cloud
The ngConnect car is a concept car created to show the potential of the next-generation connected devices, in this case, a car. Connectivity is achieved via LTE, a 4G technology being developed by leading telecommunications companies such as Alcatel-Lucent.The LTE Connected Car initative is involves partners from multiple industries, and...
Leadership Principles: Reciprocal Loyalty
I am reading a book called “The 12 Leadership Principles of Dean Smith” by author David Chadwick. I found the book buried upstairs in the guest bedroom and decided to give it a read.The book is written by David Chadwick, a former student and player of basketball coach Dean Smith....
What does reactive mean to you? And by reactive I mean in the situation or person sense and not in the chemical sense :)I found this great definition for reactive over at the Business Dictionary. Being reactive means:"Behavior that is not internally motivated but manifests in response to a situation...
The future of Car Infotainment
QNX is up for an award at the Adobe Max conference under the "Mobile" category. You don't get much more mobile then a car. Unless your battery is dead that is, then it is not so mobile until you get a boost.The QNX CAR application platform in an all encompassing...
Yay me! My blog was added as a top project management blog to The Daily Reviewer."Congratulations! Your readers have submitted and voted for your blog at The Daily Reviewer. We compiled an exclusive list of the Top 100 project-management Blogs, and we are glad to let you know that your...
Rotating Scrummasters - A good practice?
In many Scrum teams a practice has emerged to have the Scrummaster role played by a different team member each sprint. The ideas behind this are many and varied:Rotating the Scrummaster allows more people to learn Scrum in-depthEach team member adds new ideas to how to run the Scrum projectBuilds...
Pawel Brodzinski on Software Project Management
Project Management Failure Stories: I Want Them All
Once upon a time there was a project. It was rather small and, to some point, not very important. Bob the Young Manager has chosen one of the specialists to run this project. You know, all this boring stuff like reading specs, splitting the work to small chunks, telling how...
Project Management Failure Stories
We oh so often write about ideal world. How things should look like. How projects should be managed. How teams should be led. And then we come back to our desk and things around still suck, projects fail and teams have clueless managers instead of leaders. How come? When I hear...
The Kanban Story: Kanban Board Revisited
Kanban doesn’t prescribe much – if you follow The Kanban Story you already know that. Kanban Board which is a key tool in Kanban isn’t pre-designed or something. You need to tailor your own. That’s how we did with our Kanban Board. We decided to start with something simple and then...
Last time I wrote about status quo and how it becomes protected value within companies. I could tell you countless stories of people being (mentally) hurt by status quo. I could tell barely a few of these when status quo was defeated. How to fight with status quo then? A short answer...
Big Companies Are The Best… In Maintaining Status Quo
What happens when company grows from 10 to 100 people? Initially there’s a group of highly motivated and hard working people led by one or a couple of visionaries. Everyone knows each other well. Everyone knows what anyone else is doing at the moment. Then some success happens and organization grows....
How Would You React to Corruption?
Project managers stand in a specific place. Because of their role they know much about projects they run. They communicate a lot with folks all around: salespeople, product managers, technical staff, client representatives of all sorts etc. They get a lot documents which shouldn’t be shared with just anyone. ...
Project Management Tips || Project Management, Collaboration and Knowledge Management Blog
Should Technology Drive the Solution?
“Oh…pick me, pick me Mr. Kawtter!” (as Horshack would say to Kotter for those of you old enough to remember – see image to the left) I know this one. But wait, new technology is so cool…and so much fun. And often the customer comes to you...
Announcement: Share your professional opinion
With more than 150,000 readers in the past year, PMTips.net has become one of the most influential and respected resources for project management, collaboration and knowledge management. With the help of PMTips.net authors and contributors, the blog itself has added value to many project managers out there, and accelerated their work. Major...
Use Business Continuity to Your Advantage
In today’s economic environment, we’re seeing cutbacks and layoffs across the board. And if you happen to be in an overhead position, well…count your blessings if you’re still employed in some companies. Your company may have a disaster and recovery planning group in place. Or they may have just dismantled it...
Five Ways to Calm an Irate Project Customer
During the course of our projects, we often run into situations where our customer needs some massaging. Issues come up, problems arise that are the fault of the delivery team, budget overruns happen, and schedules slip. Rarely does a project team make it through an entire engagement without the customer...
Four Cases for Early Requirements Verification
Performing a verification assessment on your requirements during the actual requirement definition process is a key step in validating the requirements. As I mentioned previously, verifiability is a key characteristic of a good requirement. Assessing verification as you develop your requirements can provide four major benefits to your requirements and to...
The Project and Line Manager: Final Conflict
From the pmStudent community: Hello Josh, My question is regarding the relationship between project manager and line manager. Especially when it comes to project driven organization, what is the purpose of line manager. I read a book regarding this, the more I read about it the more I see the conflict and...
Project Management Resources, Templates, Books, Tools, News :: PMToolbox
IT Management Review – First Issue
We are starting a new tradition here at Anticlue, the IT Management review. We will highlight the best articles on IT management from about the blogosphere. Bob Lieberman presents The Wisdom Of Fallow posted at Cultivating Creativity - Developing Leaders... Related posts:This week’s Health Wonk Review is published. Carnival of Project Management...
Getting Ready for the Meaningful Use EHR – Capture Current Workflow and Baselines
With a new year just around the corner, let's start off by digging in a bit deeper. Managing the transformation to workflow is what makes or breaks an EHR is a critical success factor for EHR Implementations. As you get... Related posts:Getting Ready for Meaningful Use – Using Rules to support...
How to be a Good Project Manager
Show appreciation - thanking people for their assistance is not only the right thing to do it is expected. Listen effectively - think before speaking. Listen attentively. Make the person feel like they are the only thing you are focusing on. Give credit to others - always give credit where credit is...
PMLL Episode 0085 Project Scope Management, PMBOK v4 (PMP ExamPrep)
Notes and Podcast info from the PMlessonLearned.com Conference Call:Topic: Project Scope Management, PMBOK v4 (PMPExamPrep)PMlessonsLearned.com founder and PM Best Practices host: Henry Will, PMPPMlessonsLearned.com PMPExamPrep host and Presenter: Dana Safford, Complex Problem Manager, PMP, MCSE, Global Solutions Engineering, Hewlett Packard CompanyDate of Conference Call: 05Nov2009Podcast Number: 0085MP3 / Podcast: MP3...
Seasons Greetings from Projectized !!
I wish a Happy and prosperous 2010 to all my readers and advertising sponsors. Thank you so much for your support during 2009. In 2010, I wish to have more knowledge sharing, Interesting discussions and more than anything else to link up with you more ... Related posts:Revamping of Projectized.. Happy New...
12/25/09 Tip of the Week: Performance Appraisals: Tip 2 – Don’t compare employees with each other.
While it is always appropriate to compare the end results achieved of employees with one another, take care to not compare employees to or against one another. This can and often does create bad feelings, poor morale, and an environment of unhealthy competition. Related posts:12/18/09 Tip of the Week: Performance...
Project Smart: Project Management Articles
The activity network diagram is a method of displaying the timelines of all the various sub-tasks that are involved in any project. By doing this, the total task duration and the earliest and latest start and finish times for each task are also calculated and displayed. In addition to showing...
What is the Secret to Project Management?
As the director of the project management discipline for a leading Interactive Agency, I interview quite a few people. A standard question I ask during a typical first interview is "What do you feel is the secret to project management, in other words, what separates good project managers from great...
Ironically, although resourcing production team members is a significant part of a project manager's role, very little focus is placed on resourcing the project managers themselves. Because of this, I've encountered many project managers that are overwhelmed, worn out, and in many ways, ineffective. Over time, I've developed some generic...
Get Maximum Benefits of Merging Top-down and Bottom-up Project Management
Nowadays, the bottom-up approach to management is becoming more and more popular. More and more, organisations are abandoning the top-down management style. Among them are the New York Times, Tribune Co., Ernst & Young and many others. Even the world biggest corporations, such as Toyota and IBM, are trying to...
Having a Robust Governance Process
So, you are organised, have identified the stakeholders as well as project risks (and you are actively managing both), you have planned the project and you are all ready to deliver. But, have you developed a monitoring and control process for your project - an essential part of project management...
SMART Goals and Business Coaching
Leaders of all industries know the importance of setting achievable and effective goals for themselves. These goals are termed SMART goals. Goals are one of the most underutilised yet important tools that businesses have. Once the main outline of your project has been set, your attention needs to be turned...