Herding Cats

The Grammar of "Done"

Geoff Crane posted a piece about "Achievements for Projects." Setting aside for the moment all the Face Book stuff, Geoff has discovered what the Defense industry and those following that guidance have been using for some time now. The Integrated... Read more →

Probability v. Statistics in Cost and Schedule

There's a popular myth that says project process can't forecast the future. This is literally not a correct statement, since this phrase leaves out the confidence with which the future is being forecast. Add to the counter arguments used many... Read more →

Basic Rules of Managing Projects and PM 2.0

There are 1000's of rules for managing projects. I've collected many over the past 3 decades of managing projects. I came across a web site that has important things to say about project and program management. Altis is the site... Read more →

Garbage In Garbage Out

Mathematics may be compared to a mill of exquisite workmanship, which grinds you stuff of any degree of fineness; but nevertheless, what you get out depends on what you put in; and as the grandest mill in the world will... Read more →

Quote of the Day

Competing pressures tempt one to believe that an issue deferred is a problem avoided, more often it is a crisis invented - Henry Kissinger Remember risk management has five easy pieces Hope is not a strategy No single point estimate... Read more →

Using Social Media to Help Manage Projects?

Ryan Enders has a post about using Social Media to help manage projects. Notice "help." Ryan mentions what social media is being used in an article in PMI's PM Magazine. The referenced McKinsey study claims: 69% of respondents reported "gains... Read more →

Seven Deadly Sins of Project Scheduling

Kiron D. Bondale posted about the Seven Deadly Sins of project scheduling. After you read this very useful post here's my experience of putting this advice to work in ways you'd see if you were on the site of one... Read more →

Quote of the Day

"The system is finite, therefore trivial" What Can Be Automated, Bruce W, Arden, Cambridge, MA, 1980 Read more →

Critical Path Obsolete? Probably Not

Josh Nankivel has a post on his PMStudent site about the Critical Path. This presentation is one of those "let me re-examine the obvious." This worth the time to watch, but it brings out several issues in the domain of... Read more →

PM 2.0 ≠ Agile, But What Is PM 2.0?

I never thought I would be saying this. Ron Jeffries, would be flipping in his grave if he were not so alive, well, and definitely kicking. So here goes. The Agile Manifesto has come to my rescue The proponents of... Read more →

The 15 Second Elevator Pitch

I cam across the 15 Second Pitch site. I've built "elevator" pitches for marketing literature. But this was cleaver. Here's my effort... I am a Program Planning and Controls specialist in aerospace, defense, government, and enterprise IT domains. I create... Read more →

Quote of the Day

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to... Read more →

3 Point Estimates Part 2

The use of 3 point estimates is fraught with statistical integrity problems. Don't elicit estimates in this way. While many will have anecdotal evidence of this working for them personally on small self contained projects, the issue of estimating impacts... Read more →

Why 3 Point Estimates Create False Optimism

A recent post at PM Hut describes the process of capturing 3-Point estimates for schedule. This is an example of Yogi's quote in action In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. - Yogi... Read more →

Chartering the Project

Building the charter for the project does more than just gather everyone in the room for the "kick off" meeting. The charter starts with the definition of a team A team is a group of people who hold each other... Read more →

Imagine

Reading Jesse Fewell's description of a Scrum Gathering, I was stuck be a few things. The notion that Project Managers are "commanders." Too bad those using this concept haven't worked project were a "Real" PM was present. I'd be interested... Read more →

Risk Management Maturity

Dr. Mike Clayton asks an important question "What is your appetite for risk?" His approach is different than we find in our domain. The inverse question needs to be asked What is your appetite for delay, cost overrun or possible... Read more →

Status Reports

Brad Egeland has a post about status reports. This is a topic near and dear to my heart, along with many others. Brad has a nice list of items that should be in a status report. Project title Project description... Read more →

Communicating with a Tuna Fish Cans and String

Geoff Crane of Paper Cut Project Monitoring described his TwitterView with Jhaymee Wilson. I had not heard of a "TwitterView" before this. It seems to be an interview over Twitter. I've been interviewed twice this year (2010), once by PMI... Read more →

Quote of the Day

If a profession is to sharpen its skills, to develop new skills and applications, and to gain increasing respect and credibility, then theory and practice must be closely related – Martin Shub Why is it those starting with theory have... Read more →