A lack of clarity about what the future holds makes almost any endeavor more difficult. Risks can pop up that were unexpected or opportunities could pass you by because you didn’t have enough information to prepare for them. Any time a project team can’t confidently predict the major factors that will influence an initiative’s execution,…
project management tips
Beware These Threats to Project Teamwork
August 19, 2019 by
Projects provide a window into many facets of teamwork. People with different backgrounds, skills, and areas of expertise must come together around a common mission. They need to communicate effectively as they share information, solve problems, work through conflicts, and reach consensus on difficult issues. Each of them brings important knowledge and competencies. Though some…
What Does it Take to Build a Great Project Team?
August 5, 2019 by
Assembling a high-performing project team requires more than a recruiter and a handful of job descriptions. To achieve consistent project success, your group must have the necessary skills and experience to execute the kinds of initiatives your company normally undertakes. They must also be committed to maintaining forward momentum in the face of obstacles and…
Control the Project Ripple Effect: Tips to Get Started
July 29, 2019 by
If you’ve ever run into problems in a project, you probably noticed it wasn’t just a single issue that needed to be resolved. Trouble has a way of snowballing, starting out small before it grows into something big enough to bring progress to a halt. It’s also possible for problems to jump across the project…
4 Reasons to Ditch Your Big Project Tasks
June 6, 2019 by
Project task lists are vital to success. They provide guidance on what each team member should be working on and they help PMs confirm that the project is progressing according to plan. But putting together a useful task list is more complex than simply writing down the activities that come to mind. One mistake PMs…
Project Managers are Key to Agile Success
April 25, 2019 by
More teams are finding it advantageous to incorporate Agile concepts into their traditional waterfall project management structure. This strategy can deliver some big benefits, but a hybrid approach has the potential to present challenges if PMs don’t address a few key issues early in the process. Whether this is your first time implementing a hybrid…
Two Project Technology Traps to Avoid
April 22, 2019 by
Project teams can reap enormous benefits with the help of technology. From keeping e-mails flowing when they’re on the go to getting the latest status reports on a can’t-fail initiative, technology empowers people at every level to know more and to accomplish more. But if there isn’t a thoughtful approach behind your technology deployments—or if…
A Proven Project Management Methodology that Fixes the Pleaser Problem
April 17, 2019 by
We’ve looked at some of the problems pleasers can sometimes create within the project team as they try to execute initiatives without upsetting customers. Fortunately, a strong project management methodology gives PMs the tools they need to eliminate many of the issues pleasers commonly trigger. This not only keeps customers and the executive group happier, it…
Project Management: The Problem with Pleasers
April 17, 2019 by
Project teams want to deliver good results. They want to move their initiatives to a successful completion and provide stakeholders with the expected benefits. In short, PMs and others working in the project group want people to be happy with the final outcome. That’s an important attribute for any project professional, but there can be…
6 Ways to Make Your Project Better
April 17, 2019 by
When your team handles projects on a routine basis, it’s tempting to just plug the information on the latest effort into your software, add in a bunch of time and budget estimates based on previous projects, and start working on the first set of tasks. Stop! This approach sets you up to repeat mistakes you’ve…
