PMcrunch

Engineering analysis is often an input to overall project management. However, in larger organizations, or in consulting firms that service a multitude of customers, the engineering analysis is a project unto itself. This brings to the surface the question, “What is the process for these types of projects, and how does it map to the PMBOK?”

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Is project management a project or a process? How about Six Sigma? These are interesting questions and point toward optimal and complementary use of both disciplines.

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Schumacher was right on years ago in his seminal book “Small is Beautiful”. The subtitle “as if People Mattered” is very appropriate for this comparison between large and small, as the struggle between large and small continues, and by and large people are treated as more important on smaller projects. In the software development field, Agile is small!

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There are a number of project management certifications available worldwide. Here is a quick summary of what they are about, and links to learn more.

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Agile Development, or Scrum, is a very popular topic these days. Dr. J. Davidson Frame, a long time PMI Fellow, spoke about it to the New Jersey Chapter of the PMI on 18 September 2007. Organizations do not need to choose one or the other. It is all about goals, and getting from where you are now to the next level.

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There are various types of training available for the PMP and CAPM exams. This provides some good examples of some of the various types of learning products and services available for PMP exam prep or CAPM exam prep, and pros and cons of each.

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Any good Project Manager knows the importance of having a good plan. So, if you are preparing for the PMP or CAPM exam, wouldn’t it be a great idea to build a plan? As in life, many procrastinate, can’t find the time, and myriad other excuses, and do not get where they want to go – to pass the exam. The key really is to have a plan, and to follow it! You can and will succeed. Increase your chances of project management and exam success with a plan.

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George Pitagorsky examines the possibilities of using Zen practices to become a more effective Project Manager in his article “Manage Wisely” on Projects@Work (August 9, 2007). The article is an edited excerpt from Chapter 1 of “The Zen Approach to Project Management”. I thought it was relaxing just reading the article – and thinking of the possibility of being relaxed with eyes and mind wide open! And I think this was the intent.

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I recently saw a forum post where a PMP hopeful was wondering if contact hours he had earned through a PM training course are ‘perpetual’. He wondered if they would “last forever”. After a little research, I verified that yes, his training in project management would not expire, and he could use it to help meet his PM educational requirements on his PMP application. The problem is, “Why would he wait?”

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Many PMs would benefit by earning another certification because of their industry or functional affiliation. For example, it may be career enhancing for a PM in the pharmaceutical or construction industry to earn another certification, to complement the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, directly related to their industry. Similarly, some PMPs might specialize in certain functional areas, like Human Resouces, Supply Chain Management, or financial projects. There are often certifications related to those, and you can earn PDUs to maintain your PMP certification while preparing for some of these other certifications.

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