Project Hero Blog - Weekly Best Practices and Tips

If project management feels like it's herding cats, you are probably doing something wrong. Here are 5 steps to avoid the cats:

1. Be sure you develop a definition of success and a clear vision with the project sponsor.
2. Be sure there are clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
3. Do enough planning, so there is a clear plan for the team to follow.
4. Follow the appropriate project and decision-ma
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1. Costs and time of implementing risk management are proportionate to the costs and time of the projects -less than 10% is a reas
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"Work smarter, not harder" sometimes seems unachievable for the project manager. Here are 5 tips toward achieving it:

1. You do not need to do all the project work too. Delegate effectively, then trust the team member to get it done.
2. Define clear roles and responsibilities. This will avoid questions and issues later in the project and help contain team-generated scope creep.
3. Focus on the most im
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I usually have to visit a copy shop at least 2-3 times a year to fulfill various needs for PMI meetings and events. This past weekend I had a critical business need to have a small number of copies made and spiral bound for a customer meeting. With FedEx Kinko's being the closest, I dashed off last night to have the copies done. Since I don't frequently visit, this was like a "first visit" all ove...

Developing a process for risk response planning is critical. In addition to reducing thinking bias, a process reduces the risk of poor responses and ensures any responses creating new risks receive treatment as all others.

1. Start with the highest priority risk - review the identification and analysis of the risk.
2. Identify at least one risk trigger. In the process, you may uncover additional inf
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Innovation is often a direct result of good project management - teams find novel solutions and produce superior results (creativity), which can be implemented (innovation). Here are 5 tips for encouraging and supporting innovation in projects:

1. Provide clear objectives, roles, responsibilities, and an overall plan to focus on creativity.
2. Demonstrate value for new ideas: let them be heard and d
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If we look at the five levels of effective quality management, it's easy to see that proactive (taking preventative measures) is the least expensive way to go.  If clients find problems, or we find the problems just before the project goes to the customer, there is a cost to repair issues, as well as the possibility of other losses, such as loss of reputation or the client.  A solid risk managemen...

They say that 90% of project work is about communications in some form. Others have estimated that meetings can take up around 50% of project communications time. So, make a commitment to follow these five steps to take your meetings from good to GREAT:

Goals: Pre-plan the meeting and determine what goals must be met to achieve meeting success.

Right people: Determine the right set of people to ...

Why do our projects not succeed?

Toward the end of last week, I completed a corporate training for UCSD Extension at a major San Diego/US defense contractor. They were taking the final exam, so I covered some short topics to generate discussion rather than cover new material.  I showed them the results of industry studies by organizations such as Standish Group and Meta Group. I showed them acade...

The working environment can be as important as having a good plan and will improve planning and other outcomes. Support creativity, innovation, and some risk-taking with these five tips:

1. Have a clear vision for the project and communicate it clearly to all stakeholders
2. Encourage open, honest, and transparent communication and collaboration
3. Become a lifelong learner with a mindset of continuou
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