Tom

[UPDATE April 28th, 2016: There are more than 200 new terms in the 5th edition of the PMBOK, and we are adding new terms every day now!]

In 2013 already, the PMI has updated the PMBOK. Please note that not all new terms have been added yet, we are working on this right now. There have been significant changes, i.e. a huge number of terms has been added and another huge number of terms has been removed. Having said that, even if some terms are officially “outdated”, they will still be used by some project managers. In some cases, project managers have been using the new terms even before they have been added to the PMBOK which clearly shows that the PMBOK is also updated to reflect the changes in reality. Please note that we try to mention in which version of the PMBOK terms are mentioned or not mentioned so that you know for which version the term is important if you are preparing for your Project Management Professional certification or any other certification the PMI is offering.

We will also update the abbreviations/acronyms.

If you’re a project manager who’s working or actively looking for work, you’ve probably heard of the various methodologies of project management (PM), such as the Association for Project Management’s focus on “soft skills” or Prince2’s focus on the importance of honing in on your “hard skills.” Project Accelerator News and ParallelProjectTraining.com have both promoted these concepts at length and promote workshops at which project managers can attend and contribute. Building on these important skills, combined with intuitive management software, is a recipe for project success for most managers. Here are a few technical tools paired with soft skills that will help you to better navigate up that ladder of success. [Read more…] about Tools for Success: Concepts and Resources That Will Make Any Project a Snap

Project managers always have room for project improvement. Whether you are new to the world of project managing or have been in the role for quite some time, take a look at some of the tips below. If you’re new to the world of management, read on and pick up a few new ideas. If you’ve been at it for a long time, think of this as a refresher course—there might be a few concepts that could escape you and keeping yourself green is always a good idea. [Read more…] about Take a Project Management Refresher Course for 2013

It seems like everyone is using Google these days – and not just for personal purposes. According to the folks at White Stratus, one in five U.S. companies use Google Apps. Surprisingly, the bigger the company, the more likely they are to be leveraging these tools. The most commonly used applications are those that come standard with the basic product suite (Docs, Calendar, etc.). However, as businesses get past the pilot stage they are branching out and adding more functionality with niche solutions from companies that build web-based products to interface with Google Apps. Project management is one area where such specialty applications are coming into their own. [Read more…] about Google Compatible Apps for Project Management

Most of us hate to admit that things aren’t working out as planned. But, if you are in project management long enough, you will get to experience a project cancellation. Sometimes, you can tell early on that a project has the potential to go very wrong. Warning signs include:

• Lack of ownership at the highest level of the organization
• Inadequate resources committed at the start of the project
• Team infighting and poor communication
• Going over budget with no clear timeline for completion
• Constant delays in completing schedule milestones
• Scope and final goal keep changing

Those final 3 issues can usually be avoided with appropriate planning. However, sometimes you inherit a project from a previous PM that’s already halfway down the road to nowhere. In that case, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that you will have to work twice as hard to breathe life back into the project (if that’s even possible). The good news is that you can blame everything that’s gone wrong so far on your predecessor. You can do this without sounding whiny if you offer real solutions to the problems you point out.

What If You Can’t Save a Project?

If obstacles such as high costs, poor design or execution, and changing objectives can’t be overcome or worked around, it may be best to shut things down. This is a time when your project management communication skills need to be at their best. A cancelled project can affect morale throughout your organization. Be sure to solicit input from your full team and other stakeholders before moving forward with shutting down a project. That way, you will all be in agreement and you won’t overlook any possible solutions that could save the project.

Follow Proper Cancellation Protocol

Keeping relationships intact and conserving resources are the two main priorities in the actual cancellation process. If you are performing the project for a client, they should be involved at each step so they don’t feel like it is all out of their control. If you need to cancel orders with vendors, do this as soon as possible so they aren’t devoting production capacity to your project and counting on revenue that’s not going to materialize. When possible, identify ways to reuse project resources for other scheduled or future projects. Be sure to still recognize and reward team members for their contributions – it’s usually not their fault that things went wrong.

Add a Kill Switch in Advance Next Time

One part of project management planning that doesn’t get a lot of attention is setting parameters that will determine when a project should be shut down. This concept should be evaluated during risk management planning. You should be able to identify a specific point when the ROI for a project just isn’t going to be worth it. This could be a dollar amount. Or, it could be a timeline. For example, your organization’s goal might be to bring a certain product or service to market before a competitor. If you fall 12 months behind, the whole project might become moot. Rerouting project resources to something that’s more likely to be a “winner” could be the most strategic choice.

Don’t Get Caught Up in Emotions

Determining the criteria for discontinuing a project ahead of time (and sticking to it) makes it easier to actually pull the trigger if the time comes. Otherwise, you may get caught up in a cycle of justifying more and more expenditures on a project that’s a money pit. Like the song says “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em”. Getting emotionally involved in a project and having your pride hurt when you have to let go can be tough. But the sooner you put a failure behind you, the sooner you can start working on your next success.