Wisdom from Consulting: Getting and Vetting AdviceWhen you hire a consultant, they may appear to have a wealth of experience and knowledge—and may actually have it. But accepting their advice without question is dangerous. Here are some good practices to keep in mind when you're receiving advice, including asking questions, exploring alternatives, and analyzing risks.
5 Factors That Could Be Making Your Project Estimates Go WrongWhy do our estimates for a project or a testing phase so often turn out wrong? Whatever causes underestimation, we clearly do not learn from experience, as we repeatedly make estimation errors, despite feedback showing previous errors. It’s a chronic problem. What could be driving these errors? Here are five factors.
Be Careful What You Ask For: Contract Considerations for New ProjectsIn a new project, there are always going to be challenges and delays, and when the end date is looming, you may be tempted to rush through the contracting and procurement process. But that can have dire consequences down the line if roles, responsibilities, and expectations aren't clear. Take the time to communicate.
The Risk of Overemphasizing RisksWe are trained to identify and evaluate risks. This prevents teams from making decisions that are unlikely to work, saving time and money and helping the team move forward. However, a risk-avoidance mindset can also stop progress. Successful agile teams see risks as ways of starting a conversation, not stopping it.
Refining Your Scrum Planning MeetingsScrum events are meant to be productive opportunities for collaboration that replace more tedious, wasteful meetings. If you find your planning meetings becoming passive events where no one is asking questions or actively seeking to understand the backlog, the problem might be in the execution or the preparation.
A Checklist for Managing Go-Live Decisions and RisksIf you have to replace a complex existing data system in production, decisions about when and whether to go live should be treated with gravity and care. One process that can help keep you honest is developing checklists that describe very clearly what is expected to be accomplished and verified at each milestone.
5 Ways to Improve Your Project ManagementAs a project manager, it's your job to cut through the noise to make clear objectives for your projects. But it’s not so easy to do, especially when your superiors or board are politely “suggesting” another action item. Help your team stay on track with these five tips to move more efficiently through your projects.
A Primer for IT Project Sponsors: 10 Steps for SuccessMuch time has been spent examining the project manager’s role in IT project success, but the role and duties of project sponsors are often overlooked—even though sponsors are an essential element of success (and failure). Here are ten rights and obligations a project sponsor should perform to improve project success.
