Tag Archives: PM Telesummit

News, Side Notes, and Observations

Posted on by
Reply

Every once in a while, I like to write about current events and (briefly) ruminate on what I’ve learned recently, and the vernal equinox is all the excuse I need.

  • Samad Aidane has completed the upload of the recordings of the PM Telesummit.  If you registered, he’s already sent you an EMail with the details; if you didn’t get it, let him know. samad@pmtelesummits.com
  • Sally Elatta interviewed Rory McCorkle, the business owner of the recently announced Agile project management certification (which still does not have an official name) on Thursday, March 17.  While no earth-shattering developments were discussed, it’s a really detailed explanation of what PMI has released about the pilot program so far, and if you have an hour or so, the recording is available.  Note: you need to be a PMI member to access the recording.
  • If you’re thinking about pursuing a Master’s degree, check out “The Definitive Guide to Master of Project Management Degrees.”  It’s the clearest explanation I’ve read yet of the difference in the various flavors – MBA, MS-PM, MS-IT/PM, MPM, and so on – and they conclude with a list of fourteen schools and the degrees they offer.  My alma mater, Capella, is on the list, and I recommend it highly if you’re a working professional in search of a good distance learning alternative.
  • It’s worth remembering that the subject of the legendary 2001 conference of seventeen software developers at Snowbird, Utah that resulted in the Manifesto for Agile Software Development was lightweight development methods.  While the collection of methodologies we refer to as “Agile” are certainly well suited for that purpose, I don’t want to drive over a suspension bridge built using an Agile approach.  Your mileage may vary, and so should your approach to managing projects.
  • Having said that, the Agile project management Declaration of Interdependence, which was written in 2005 by many of the same folks who were at Snowbird in 2001, is a set of principles that will benefit nearly any project.  Maybe even those that involve a suspension bridge.

Here’s to the start of spring, when all things are made new again!

New PM Articles for the Week of February 28 – March 6

Posted on by
Reply

New project management articles published on the web during the week of February 28 – March 6, 2011.  We read all of this stuff so you don’t have to!  Recommended:

  • In case you missed it, here’s a link to the PMI press release on their new Agile certification for project management practitioners.
  • Elizabeth Harrin skips out on this week of her Villanova course, “Maximizing IS/IT Team Effectiveness,” but manages to review “The Success Healthcheck for IT Projects.”  Enjoy your holiday!
  • Did you read Bas de Baar’s post on “temporary tribes” last week?  Good – now he’s writing about social cues, trust, tags, communication, and filters.  And identity.  I read it twice.
  • Good news!  A survey by staffing and services agency TekSystems indicates that IT salaries should rise in 2011, due to an increase in (wait for it!) new projects.
  • Ted Hardy writes about the HiPPO.  Not the “hippopotamus,” but the “highest paid person’s opinion.”  Read on, and try not to think of anyone specific …
  • Ray Wang writes about the four personas of the next-generation CIO.  And the four personas are based on four different “I” words in the middle of the title.  Interesting insight into how IT budgets will be allocated in the near future.
  • Bert Heymans likes to conduct interviews of the people he’s going to work with when he begins a new project, and he shares his favorite interview questions.
  • Gareth Byatt, Gary Hamilton, Jeff Hodgkinson, and Brian Grafsgaard are four of the five hundred or so credentialed Program Management Professionals, and they address the question, “Is the PgMP credential right for me?”
  • While we’re on the subject, Derek Huether did a little analysis of the PMI membership and credential statistics.  The trends are interesting.
  • Terry Doerscher extols the virtues of Jeet Kune Do (Bruce Lee’s style of Kung Fu) as applied to project management.  Personally, I prefer Judo – a good manager knows how to use his opponent’s weight against him.
  • Todd Williams expounds on the reasons change fails to “stick.”
  • Chuck Morton has been posting a series on The Project Manager’s Cycle.  This week, he writes about reviewing risks and mitigation actions.
  • Frank Saladis has far too much time on his hands.  “The Project Manager Blues,” safe for work, but not the way to win any arguments about whether project managers are cooler than programmers.

Enjoy!  And I’ll “see” you at the Project Management Telesummit!

New PM Articles for the Week of February 14 – 20

Posted on by
Reply

New project management articles published on the web during the week of February 14 – 20, 2011.  We read all of this stuff so you don’t have to!  Recommended:

  • Elizabeth Harrin continues her week by week report on the course she’s taking from Villanova University, with a brief (3:36) video where she reads from the course textbook, “IT Leadership Alchemy.”  She does a great analysis of both the content and how applicable it might be to a practicing project manager.
  • Samad Aidane posted a podcast (37:23) of his interview with Brian Munroe on his methodology for rescuing troubled projects.  Brian is the President of PMI’s Troubled Project Specific Interest Group, and he is one of the presenters at the Project Management Telesummit.  He mentions inadequate understanding of the requirements, vendor management, and scope management specifically as major sources of trouble – probably no surprise to the grizzled veterans.
  • Tony Hotko presents the case for a business education for IT workers.  Naturally, since I did my undergrad work in business, I agree – your mileage may vary.
  • Kevin Aguanno argues that testing strategy is critical to project success.  Not just testing, but the right testing, the right approach, in the right amount.  Brief, but good.
  • Patrick Gray tells a tale of two PMO’s.  Well, two PMO archetypes.
  • Daniel Essiet writes about the rise of the project management profession in Ghana and Nigeria.  It’s interesting to see project managers dealing with many of the same issues in every part of the world.
  • Scott Berkun offers a list of ten things to do to “torture your project manager.”  I’m sure your sponsor and stakeholders already know this stuff, but lists help us organize, right?
  • Bas de Baar asks, how do you set boundaries?  Borders we can temporarily put up when we need them, creating safe and comfortable (mental and emotional) surroundings?
  • Glenn Alleman reviews “Business Model Generation,” by Osterwalder and Pigneur.  He calls it “the best business model book ever.”  Unfortunately, it’s only available as a “dead tree” book.  But I ordered it, anyway.
  • Craig Brown posts a short (3:36) video of a discussion of the role of the business analyst, held at the 10 Years Agile Conference at Snowbird, UT.
  • Agile practitioners, take note: the certification “elephant in the room” is under discussion.  And since Derek Huether is writing about it, of course it’s a zombie elephant.  Watch out for the brain-sucking trunk!
  • Duncan Haughey writes, “In times like these, customers focus on value propositions. ‘Let’s suck it and see,’ is not a phrase you hear a lot in a recession.”  Yeah, more sucking.  Fortunately, the article gets significantly better after that.

Enjoy!