Project Hero Blog - Weekly Best Practices and Tips

The Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide®) is the de facto standard for project management. It's used by many project professionals responsible for the outcomes of projects, including those in information technology, construction, engineering, biotech and pharmaceuticals, and other industries with similar workflows. Although the PMBOK has been updated over time to...

The PMP exam is approximately a four-hour (230 minutes, plus two 10-minute breaks), 180-question test. The questions on the PMP exam are designed to measure your ability to apply project management principles and techniques, including planning and organizing, monitoring and controlling, risk management, and procurement management, among others.

The PMP exam currently has 180 questions,...

Projects fail for many reasons, but the most common include

• unrealistic expectations
• lack of accountability or discipline
• unclear or conflicting goals
• poor communication

Poor communication is often a big part of what causes projects to fail. It can mean:

• Lacking a structured plan for communicating regularly with key stakeholders about the risks and successes of the project
• Not having a...

Project managers are responsible for ensuring that a project is completed on time, within budget, and within the desired scope. Risk management is one way to help ensure this happens. Whether you're just starting as a project manager or have years of experience, there are many benefits of adopting risk management into your project management processes. Here are five of the top reasons why risk...

A completed project budget can help you determine if a project is financially viable. With it, you may spend what was expected and get the return on investment you want. But it takes many steps to get the best budget and nail it down before starting a project. Let's dive into what goes into creating that budget:

Define the Project

The first step in creating a budget is to clarify the project...

As someone that has used MS Project for over 20 years, I've learned a thing or two about how to make MS Project work better. Here are five tips I hope will ensure more project success.

Establish a baseline. A baseline is a copy of your initial schedule, and you don't want to lose track of it. Once project execution begins, set your baseline. MS Project has a lot of fancy capabilities built into...

It's no secret that projects can be expensive. Even working with a small team, labor and materials costs can add up quickly. It's essential to budget, track expenses, and know how much money flows in and out of your project—and when. The best way to do this is by monitoring your project costs and documenting everything, so nothing gets lost or forgotten. Let's look at why it is essential...

Various types of meetings can be essential tools for managing projects and solving problems. They allow you to bring together the right people at the right time to share ideas, build consensus, and make decisions. But if you're not careful about how your meetings are designed, they can waste everyone's time.

You can’t just wing it when running effective project meetings. It’s vital...

Nearly every workplace has its share of challenging and difficult to manage stakeholders. The trick is to know how to approach and manage these people without letting them get the best of you. When you can do that, the entire team will also be better off!

A challenging stakeholder is anyone who is difficult to work with and who regularly or occasionally makes your life difficult. They can be...

Project management is one of the most critical roles in any organization. It takes a special kind of person to lead successful projects and teams. At the end of the day, you can do anything but not everything. Project management might seem a bit overwhelming initially, but don't let anything intimidate you. Keep growing daily, learn from your mistakes, and never stop learning. If you're just...