Testing and quality control are essential part of every project and it is recommended to add that doing your best to “do it right the first time” to reduce the number of defects that will be found during testing and subsequent re-work (quality assurance) may be even more important. The idea that a project would release software, for example, released without complete testing is preposterous for those who were brought up to manage projects properly and to deliver a professional result. If the problem is quite significant or if the problem is in design itself then it is a matter of […]

A project manager should not define a project based on budget, size or duration. A good definition of a project is that it is a temporary work effort made over a finite period of time to create a unique product, service or result. The work effort is also a series of interconnected dependent activities with a start and end date. This definition stands for all projects and all organizations. Any organizations using a definition that is significantly different from this, is using an improper definition. It is worthwhile to assign a project manager, a team and follow a methodology to

Meetings (and the agenda that drives them) should always be arranged in priority sequence. This ensures that important “stuff” is dealt with and lower priority stuff can be handled at a more convenient time, if necessary. Invite only people that are necessary. If some of the people are needed only for a small portion of the meeting then it is better to split one large meeting into two small ones with different group of people invited to each meeting. As meetings become more concise and productive, people learn that being late means they are going to miss a lot of important

Succession planning in a project context depends on the nature of the project; its goals, objectives, and planned duration will determine the necessity of the ‘succession-focused’ objective. If you’re a contractor or consultant you begin “succession planning the instant you start the project, no matter how long it is one month or 5 years. If you are an employee of the company, you start succession planning as soon as your part of the plan begins. Considerable effort should be expended on this. Some reasons why team members may leave a long term project: They get bored with it – especially if

Earlier “Iron Triangle” was used as Time, Cost and Output(scope), but it was dropped from the PMBOK® Guide 4th edition onwards. The basic Scope, Time, and Cost gained Quality, then Risk, and later Resources. It no longer fits neatly into a triangle.  Is the Iron Triangle still relevant? People will always try to embellish it but the fundamental problem of balancing what you want, when you want it and how much you are prepared to pay for it always remains. The Iron Triangle just puts the same problem in project context. When the triangle is expanded to include all manner

Scope creep shouldn’t be “handled” in the middle or anywhere during a project. By its definition, scope creep is uncontrolled change or growth in a project. This occurs when the project wasn’t defined, documented, or controlled properly. At the beginning of the project, the plan must include documented requirements and a project schedule to which all stakeholders agree. There must also be a formal change control process. Change will occur of that you can be certain. It is how you manage the change that is important. Any requested change is vetted through and approved by key stakeholders. The proposed change

The two extremely important things helpful in managing your project board are relationship and communication. Relationships are critical between you and the project board. They must trust you. You must come across as credible and reliable. Be very sure regarding the information that you provide to the project board, ensure that it must be accurate and on time, as effective and efficient communication plays an important role building these relationships. Keep a track of communication, remember while you are communicating with your project board, you’re providing information timely, appropriately, and regularly. That is the board is updated on real time

When creating a timeline do take into account team member vacations in the beginning. It’ll likely depend on the size and nature of your project, but you should always take vacation schedules and availability into account sooner rather than later. For large business critical projects, it’s extremely useful to have this information up front in the planning process where the timeline and guidelines for requesting time off can be clearly defined. Vacation plans of all the team members should be considered as risks and the respective mitigation as well as contingency should be in place. If you are planning any