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Digg it UP - Flexible Project Management
Let me ask you a question? Imagine I would offer you $10 for eating 10 living cockroaches. Would you do it? Now listen, I raise the ante and offer you $100. How does that feel? If you hear me saying "you get $1000 bucks" does that change something? Here is the ultimate offer 1 million dollars for eating 10 living cockroaches right now. What is your feeling now?I am sure, if you pictured the disgusting image you have shaken. You would never do it for one buck. At least most of us won't. But, the higher the gratification the more you start thinking about it seriously. Right?What does this tell us? Seems like there is something we connect to lots of money that let us consider doing things we usually won't do. What
This approach is called “product based planning” and is an integral part of methodologies such as PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments). One thing that must be remembered with such a method is that it must remain flexible and allow for change in the project. Change always happens and you must plan to accommodate it.
Once you know what your different product stages are you can then start to look at the tasks required to move from one product to the next
Possible Reasons for the Decline of Filings1.The passage of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) in 2002 SOX has public companies on the forefront of documenting controls and establishing corporate governance. Some think that this oversight has limited fraud therefore there is less of a need for shareholder class actions. Although the research considers the differences across industries and court circuits there is not supporting evidence that proves a correlation of SOX regulation to the decrease in federal filings.2.Law firms that are the largest filers are currently tied up in legal battles Firms such as Milberg Weiss have been subject to high profile federal trials that
Even on a smaller scale many product development projects tend be misguided in what they will achieve within the planned time frame. There are normally a number of stock excuses for such a failing. These can range from “There was an unexpected change made by the customer”, “We underestimated the amount of time required” or even “We didn’t understand the risks involved”.
In the arena of customer / supplier projects there seems to be an increasing trend to win the project and then worry about how to deliver within the cost, timing and quality later. This normally results in compromised delivery for the customer or sometimes financial losses to the supplier.
In a study by TBC (Tylee-Birdsall & Co) it was determined using the value mapping procedure that most technical design projects could theoretically be completed in half the time if they were managed perfectly and there was no rework required. If we therefore assume that most projects are 50% efficient we can easily bring this up to 80% or even higher if methods to reduce rework and delays were put in place.
Most project management training courses concentrate on time and risk management. This results in well developed timing plans and generally not so well thought out risk management plans. There are project managers who will try anything to cling on to the timing plan they developed at the start of the project whilst everything else falls apart around them.
So where should you start? Well everything starts with the customer who benefits from the end result of the project. Make sure you understand fully the customer’s expectations for the project. If the project is internal research then make sure you know who all the stakeholders are and find out their expectations. You must also be prepared for expectations to change.
Any project essentially applies a process, or number of processes, to turn a set of data and/or materials into a final product (or products). At each stage different products are created. Therefore a product approach to managing the project can be adopted which is comparable to a manufacturing process. The difference to a manufacturing process is that each project is different. You do not get the opportunity to apply the full project process more than once and therefore it cannot be developed in the same way as a manufacturing process.
This approach is called “product based planning” and is an integral part of methodologies such as PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments). One thing that must be remembered with such a method is that it must remain flexible and allow for change in the project. Change always happens and you must plan to accommodate it.
Once you know what your different product stages are you can then start to look at the tasks required to move from one product to the next a
Branding is a very important thing for very large corporations, but there is another kind of branding that is not often talked about. The branding of people. Politicians, movie stars and professional athletes are wise to spend time thinking about branding and hiring professional public relations specialists and image consultants. With the millions of dollars of endorsements available to professional athletes and movie stars it makes sense to have strong brand identity.But how do you brand a Beach Babe as a sex symbol? The branding of society sex symbols is a tricky subject and if it is done wrong you can ruin a person's career and they will be fed to the paparazzi, like a raw flesh to barracuda. The branding of the
In the arena of customer / supplier projects there seems to be an increasing trend to win the project and then worry about how to deliver within the cost, timing and quality later. This normally results in compromised delivery for the customer or sometimes financial losses to the supplier.
In a study by TBC (Tylee-Birdsall & Co) it was determined using the value mapping procedure that most technical design projects could theoretically be completed in half the time if they were managed perfectly and there was no rework required. If we therefore assume that most projects are 50% efficient we can easily bring this up to 80% or even higher if methods to reduce rework and delays were put in place.
Most project management training courses concentrate on time and risk management. This results in well developed timing plans and generally not so well thought out risk management plans. There are project managers who will try anything to cling on to the timing plan they developed at the start of the project whilst everything else falls apart around them.
So where should you start? Well everything starts with the customer who benefits from the end result of the project. Make sure you understand fully the customer’s expectations for the project. If the project is internal research then make sure you know who all the stakeholders are and find out their expectations. You must also be prepared for expectations to change.
Any project essentially applies a process, or number of processes, to turn a set of data and/or materials into a final product (or products). At each stage different products are created. Therefore a product approach to managing the project can be adopted which is comparable to a manufacturing process. The difference to a manufacturing process is that each project is different. You do not get the opportunity to apply the full project process more than once and therefore it cannot be developed in the same way as a manufacturing process.
This approach is called “product based planning” and is an integral part of methodologies such as PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments). One thing that must be remembered with such a method is that it must remain flexible and allow for change in the project. Change always happens and you must plan to accommodate it.
Once you know what your different product stages are you can then start to look at the tasks required to move from one product to the next
Bad Customer Service does not happen overnight. It is a combination of several controllable and predictable circumstances involving policies, procedures, training, management and personnel.Bad Customer Service is not from bad customers, poorly made product, high prices, poor location, voodoo or moon phases. (I have personally blamed angry customers on the phases of the moon, have you?)Let’s take a moment and examine the items that influence Customer Service.Policies have a major influence in how you are allowed to treat your organizations Customers. I have worked in and consulted with organizations that have written policies regarding everything from starting time to break time to quitting time and every
Most project management training courses concentrate on time and risk management. This results in well developed timing plans and generally not so well thought out risk management plans. There are project managers who will try anything to cling on to the timing plan they developed at the start of the project whilst everything else falls apart around them.
So where should you start? Well everything starts with the customer who benefits from the end result of the project. Make sure you understand fully the customer’s expectations for the project. If the project is internal research then make sure you know who all the stakeholders are and find out their expectations. You must also be prepared for expectations to change.
Any project essentially applies a process, or number of processes, to turn a set of data and/or materials into a final product (or products). At each stage different products are created. Therefore a product approach to managing the project can be adopted which is comparable to a manufacturing process. The difference to a manufacturing process is that each project is different. You do not get the opportunity to apply the full project process more than once and therefore it cannot be developed in the same way as a manufacturing process.
This approach is called “product based planning” and is an integral part of methodologies such as PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments). One thing that must be remembered with such a method is that it must remain flexible and allow for change in the project. Change always happens and you must plan to accommodate it.
Once you know what your different product stages are you can then start to look at the tasks required to move from one product to the next
The day has finally come where you have completed your dreaming and planning and are ready to take the big plunge. It is time to start your business. Your business has a catchy name describing your products or services (at least we hope so), a great location has been found, the pro forma is established, and the money to get started is in the bank. By the way, if you have made it this far then give yourself a pat on the back. Very few make it to this point.The next steps you take are critical and inter-related. There are certain tasks the new business owner has to complete.The very first thing is getting your business facilities ready for action. These steps may include remodeling, redecorating, knocking out wall
Any project essentially applies a process, or number of processes, to turn a set of data and/or materials into a final product (or products). At each stage different products are created. Therefore a product approach to managing the project can be adopted which is comparable to a manufacturing process. The difference to a manufacturing process is that each project is different. You do not get the opportunity to apply the full project process more than once and therefore it cannot be developed in the same way as a manufacturing process.
This approach is called “product based planning” and is an integral part of methodologies such as PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments). One thing that must be remembered with such a method is that it must remain flexible and allow for change in the project. Change always happens and you must plan to accommodate it.
Once you know what your different product stages are you can then start to look at the tasks required to move from one product to the next
We are reminded almost daily of improvements in the labor market and that jobs are now available, even if not plentiful. More workers than ever are quitting their jobs, worn out by the efforts that have been required over the past 5 to 8 years to be as productive as before with half the staffing of the past.If you have been unemployed for an extended period of time, you may find that when you apply for one of the positions now appearing, that you are competing with individuals who are either still working but looking to make a change, or with others who have been working until very recently. From experience, you know that potential employers are going to look at your long period of unemployment with a jaundiced eye. not get the opportunity to apply the full project process more than once and therefore it cannot be developed in the same way as a manufacturing process.
This approach is called “product based planning” and is an integral part of methodologies such as PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments). One thing that must be remembered with such a method is that it must remain flexible and allow for change in the project. Change always happens and you must plan to accommodate it.
Once you know what your different product stages are you can then start to look at the tasks required to move from one product to the next and begin to pull together a timing plan. The initial timing plan and tasks list should be viewed as one possible route to a destination. You will need a good vision of the road ahead in order to change the route and stay on track. The majority of a project manager’s time should be spent assessing risks and planning contingencies. A good project manager who has a good understanding of customer expectations will have a good idea what problems or changes may be encountered and will already have plans in place. They will be the least busy person in the team. A project manager who spends all of their time fire fighting problems has missed a step in their planning and will always be busy at the frontline.
There are many risk management methods that can be used. It is suggested a project manager uses the method they are most comfortable with. The objective is to determine issues before they occur or to avoid them completely. The problem with most risk management systems is that the project manager will carry out a half hearted risk assessment at the start of the project and then never revisit it. If you make the risk assessment your own process then you are more likely to follow it.
PRINCE2 has already been mentioned and this provides a sound methodology for achieving much of what has been discussed. However the method should not be followed blindly or rigidly, it only provides a framework and not a set of rules. Good sense, good planning and flexibility should always be part of the project manager’s tool kit.
There are two good analogies that can be used for project management which you should bear in mind:
1. Driving from A to B. Generally when driving somewhere you will plan the route you will take in advance. You will also have a good idea of how long it will take you to get to your destination. You would certainly ensure that you had enough fuel to get to your destination and that your car was in good condition and had been serviced regularly. As a further contingency you would also have breakdown recovery assistance. A further level of planning would be to research the location of any roadworks or where the accident black spots were. You could then plan alternative routes to get around these problems areas if required.
2. Chess. The game of chess is very similar to the requirements of project management. You need to plan ahead in order to win. If you play a purely reactive game you are extremely likely to lose.
TBC provide training and project manageme
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