project management

post-it notes scattered on a laptop Ready, Fire, Aim Anti-Pattern

If your organization is experiencing disproportionally higher chaos on your larger projects, you might ask if you had sufficient information and time at the beginning to understand the problem being solved before anyone committed to cost or schedule targets.

architects holding a blueprint The Importance of Project Foundation

Agile teams often struggle due to weak project foundations, not complex issues. Defined roles, clear communication, and acknowledged "Definition of Done" are critical. Neglecting these basics leads to dysfunction and missed goals, proving that visible fixes are needed for invisible problems.

two professionals having an interview Evolving Complexity & Hiring Challenges

I’ve seen a lot of change during my 45-year career in information technology, some more significant than others.

Scheduling a Kickoff Scheduling a Kickoff

When should the team and stakeholders be brought together to assure everyone is on the same page?

Risk Helps Set Realistic Project Sponsor Expectations Risk Helps Set Realistic Project Sponsor Expectations

This is an article about three ideas: project sponsorship, project wagers, and risk.  Understanding their relationship is critical to becoming more effective as project managers, and organizational leaders.

Ding! Project Manager Advances to Next Level Ding! Project Manager Advances to Next Level

In games like Everquest, World of Warcraft, or Diablo there are significant milestones when you accumulate enough experience to “go up a level”.  It’s always rewarding to watch a project manager do that in real life.

Change isn't the problem Change Isn’t the Problem

Project managers need to ensure that sponsors, team members, and stakeholders understand that un-managed change is the real bogeyman.

Perils of “Ongoing” Projects Perils of “Ongoing” Projects

Projects should have clearly defined goals, schedule targets, and resource allocations. When projects are described as “ongoing” that is often a red flag suggesting that either this isn’t a project, or it is not being well-managed.