Your project budget can regularly end up in the financial cross-hairs. While careful budgeting is a priority for every project management consulting professional, there will be times when others in your organization want you to cut costs beyond what you think is reasonable. If you find your budget is under serious fire, use these tips…
project management consulting
Too Much Sisyphus in Your Project Team?
April 21, 2010 by
Many project management consulting veterans have experienced the frustration caused by the sometimes Sisyphean task of maintaining an experienced and motivated team within their Project Team. A legendary king from Greek mythology, Sisyphus was crafty and self-serving.
Project Management Tips: Read for Success
March 25, 2010 by
Business publications come in every flavor, from glossies aimed at C-level executives to no-frills journals written for those on the front lines of everyday operations. With the seeming overabundance of available trade magazines, it’s easy to narrow your focus to 2 or 3 that most closely speak to your needs, and leave it at that. Busy project managers have little extra time as it is, but by expanding your industry reading – even if only occasionally – you have greater opportunity to cultivate resources, establish contacts, discover tools and identify emerging trends.
Project Management : The Power of the Checklist
March 11, 2010 by
Checklists, when thoughtfully created and diligently maintained, offer your team a simple yet powerful tool to accomplish a variety of project management tasks, such as tracking communications, accommodating unexpected absences of key team members, and overseeing resources. Depending on the needs of your project, checklists may take many forms. They might be tweaked to accommodate the specifics of a project, expanded or reduced based on scope, and created anew when the need arises. The versatility of the simple checklist is what makes it a useful, constant fixture in any project.
Documentation Tips: Archival
March 9, 2010 by
At the end of each project, it’s important to ensure your documentation – including e-mails, invoices, contracts, schedules, diagrams and anything else related to the project – can be easily located, retrieved, searched and referenced later.
Conducting a Useful Post Mortem Analysis
March 3, 2010 by
Once a project is complete, take some time to review what was successful and what needs improvement. By evaluating each project in retrospect, you’ll be able to apply the lessons learned to future endeavors.
Software is a Tool, Not the Answer to Project Planning & Control
February 26, 2010 by
No matter what the job is at hand, great tools in the hands of a trained professional will lead to exceptional results. But what about providing great tools to an untrained person? Would you expect comparable results? The answer is a resounding NO! If this is true, then why do some people believe that having good project management software tools will make them good project managers and ultimately lead to successful projects? The missing variable in this equation is a sound project management methodology to guide them through the planning and control process. Engraining a sound project management methodology in your organization, supported by a suite of great tools, is the first step towards getting great project results.
