PMcrunch

Project teams, project oriented organizations, and project management offices have an unusually strong opportunity today for building highly motivated project teams. The reason for that is projects sit at the center of a new evolving organizational structure.

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The title of this post might seem funny to many given that we seem to be living in a tumultuous present. How could things become more tumultuous? Well that’s just many predict is coming our way for the world of work. How might that impact project management work?

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There is no doubt about it we are in tough economic times. The current woes on Wall Street are only the most recent evidence of our collective economic difficulties. So the big question is how do project and program mangers cope with these difficult times. Many fear the loss of jobs and extended time away from work. This includes team members, it can include stake holders, it can include the project and program managers themselves. It is this fear that is one of the important keys to coping with difficult times.

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A moderately lighthearted approach to project management and leadership can be very beneficial. To get the most out of ourselves, we need to strike a balance between hard work and fun. As leaders, we need to be assured that we are facilitating the right balance work and fun for individuals on our team and for the team as a whole. On project teams, where project leaders expect the absolute best from their people, fun on the job isn’t a frivolity, but rather a necessity.

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Thomas Edison was the quintessential mistake maker. He believed that the more mistakes he made, the more wrong answers and wrong solutions he could eliminate and, therefore, the closer he came to the correct solution to his problems. In management and on projects, on one hand, we seek to minimize mistakes but it is important to recognize when “mistakes” can actually be beneficial and produce positive outcomes. Indeed, we should not be afraid to make mistakes but rather should try to control and leverage the process. The project portfolio management process is an ideal place to formally do this.

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The TenStep set of free templates are helpful as a very basis step to structured management of your project, and the most helpful piece was the Project Charter. Given my use in framing a relatively small project, I would also say that it has limited use for larger projects, but is still of value as a first cut for any project. That being said, my breakdown was framing a larger project into a smaller, shorter term project that would define the larder project. This could be a great way for others to use the product.

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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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Enterprise architecture is a key consideration in portfolio management in the IT arena. One major issue related to portfolio management involves the issue of putting into place a system for creating enterprise architecture.

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In a world where there is so much happening, so much coming at us, one big question is: “Should I complete the project I am working on before taking on a new one?” Well, the answer is undoubtedly different for each person and in each situation. But the considerations are similar.

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Globalization and outsourcing represent a strategic advantage for countries that are best prepared with skillsets to manage the above risks. Culturally, the US has been more insular on this count – probably because of a strong domestic market and economy over time. A business case must be examined through various colored glasses in order to assess risk over time!

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