How common is limited authority when managing a project? It’s not unusual for Project Managers to be in charge of a project that spans across organizational departments or boundaries. In this situation you may find yourself managing people over whom you have little or no authority. How do you handle or solve this common project […]
Microsoft Project Visual Basic Application Programming – A Brief Introduction
I was somewhat surprised to discover that the standard Microsoft Project installation does not have a variable or field for displaying the resource material cost of tasks. Apparently, displaying this project data requires the insertion of a Visual Basic Application (VBA) subroutine for Microsoft Project. Really! My question is why would project data as simple […]
Reducing Project Cost
Project cost is a major factor in measuring project success. In fact, project cost is one of three in the triple constraint, cost-schedule-scope. A project manager that can deliver a quality product or service on time and under budget will be in high demand. Typically, at the start of scheduling a project, cost is variable […]
Project Success Factors
They say if you want to improve your golf swing focus on improving only one element of your golf swing at a time. The principle being if you focus on too many things at once you lose your focus altogether. When it comes to project management there are many elements you can focus on that […]
Responsible Organization vs. Performing Organization
What’s the difference between Responsible Organization vs. Performing Organization? On any given project, there is always the conversation on who is responsible for the accomplishment of certain segments of work. During the initial planning stages (often times during the proposal) of a program you develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), identifying a logical breakout of […]
New Projects: PMOs Can Propose Them Too!
Yes, the PMO can propose new projects too! The PMO is a hub for all new project ideas and they’ll be coming in from all areas of the business. As PMOs are generally considered impartial, you might feel that you can’t put forward any ideas for new projects of your own. That’s not true! In […]
Microsoft Project Quick Access Toolbar
The Microsoft Project Quick Access Toolbar is a great tool that can help the project manager with repeated commands. This can be extremely useful particularly during schedule creation or going through the updating process. There is normally more than one way to perform a feature command in Microsoft Project. Additionally, Microsoft recognizes that you may […]
Managing Project Risk
How well are you managing your project’s risk? For many project managers risk analysis is an addendum. And it’s not even the icing on the cake; it’s the sprinkles. Yes, most project managers do not think of risk management as an area of essential focus on their project. But risk management, never-the-less, is a primary […]
PMO Management: The Global Challenge to Stay Relevant
Research out from analyst firm Gartner last year points to a shift in the business drivers behind PMOs. A few years ago, they report, the main reason for having a PMO was to drive through measures that supported the economic survival of companies. Executives looked to PMO management to manage process improvement, improve standardization and […]
DCMA’s New Data Driven Approach To EVMS Compliance Validation/Surveillance Reviews
With the new thresholds for EVMS compliance being rolled out, a new approach to how DCMA manages its Validation review workload is being rolled out as well. In the past, DCMA would perform validation and ongoing surveillance reviews on any contract exceeding $50M. Now with the new thresholds in place, DCMA will only perform validation […]