PMcrunch

You are new to a project. The project itself is new, or perhaps you have been handed an initial project. The project charter is a great place to start to get yourself oriented to where the project fits into the organization.

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How does the emergence of Web 2.0 collaborative capabilities and networks effect the organizational landscape, and how does that effect project and program managers? I think the key to answering this question is to look at what is happening to interpersonal relationships, power centers, and influence within organizations to see how this is changing as a result of this emerging development. I find that we can gain insights into this by observing from the following point of view: a. Organization charts are the way the organization is “supposed” to be, and b. Web 2.0 collaboration reveals relationships, and hence organization structure, as it really is. Let’s explore…

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Project Requirements Gathering is a complex and challenging activity. It is also one of the most important activities in project management, as it establishes the baseline against which the product of the project is measured. Here are some thoughts and ideas on effective requirements gathering for any project.

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I just finished reading a book which, among other things, highlighted the importance of having passion in your projects. The results of this passion were many compelling and highly successful projects.

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As project managers, we all know that the project sponsor is the most important stakeholder. Without the project sponsor, it would be very difficult to get any project very far off the ground. I have been thinking about some of the risks of not having proper sponsorship, but the real issue is in defining what proper sponsorship really is - and of course, what it is not.

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A great question that we can ask ourselves as project managers is, “Would we invest in our projects”? This is probably the single best indicator, if we are honest with ourselves, as to the health of our projects, our positions, our teams, our organizations and more. Here is a look at an investment perspective to managing projects.

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Town meetings, traditionally, are gatherings that involve the whole population of a given area. The public is invited to partake in the meeting whether to discuss administrative or political agendas. The purpose is to acquire certain community feedbacks or suggestions on policies that is vital for the local government officials to better serve its constituents.

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On December 11, 2007, PMConnection announced the introduction of “The Project Management Search Engine” product. This is a wonderful idea, and is true to the name and mission of “PMConnection”. Here are my thoughts on what practical innovation and usefulness it brings to the table.

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We all know the definition of a project is an undertaking that produces a product by a target date and within an agreed cost. This triple constraint (product, time and cost) is what the project manager must plan for and track progress against. But are the three dimensions equal in priority?

The answer is no – some projects are cost constrained; some have an immovable end date while others may place a priority on the product quality. Understanding the priorities on your project (and agreeing with your project sponsor on the priorities) is critical.

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Engineering and Management, as disciplines, were ‘married’ a long time ago! It only makes sense, as every engineering effort must be managed. There are some key differences between managing the engieering work and manageing the engineering project.

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