Tips for developing a Gantt chart

As project managers, our management likes insight into what the team is doing. There are many different ways to accomplish this including your project plan and all its specific plans, meetings with the managers to status the project, and schedules. One method that is very popular is the use of Gantt charts. A visual depiction A Gantt chart is a visual depiction of your schedule. […]

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The Two Most Important Documents – Initiation

Do you know the two most important documents in the Initiation phase of Project Management? In 2021, I wrote a couple of classes to present at a conference. The classes were canceled, and I thought I would offer the material here. The intent is to create a 5-part series for each phase of the Project Management process. Let us know if this is useful to […]

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Why I love Project Management

Why I love Project Management

In day-to-day life and work, we often don’t put much thought into what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. I want to pause for a moment to review why, exactly, I love project management. Projects End “Some things are better done than described.” ~ Hunt and Thomas For me, Operations tasks are a never-ending bore. Once I’ve mastered something, continuing to do it seems […]

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Gantt charts are not project plans

Gantt charts are not project plans

A critical component of the project is the project management plan. We’ve talked about developing a project management plan and schedule: Project planning – problems, scope, and deliverables, and Scheduling tips and techniques. There’s even a post on developing schedules so they display well on Gantt charts: Tips for developing a Gantt chart. Occasionally, there is a bit of confusion about what a Gantt chart is and how it […]

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4 tips for project team communication

4 tips for project team communication

Do your team challenge you? Here are a few tips to get a handle on managing your team.

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Keep the ducks in a row – scope management

Keep the ducks in a row – scope management

If you’re not a project manager, you are probably unaware of scope management. I was wrapping up phase one of a complicated infrastructure project. We were installing a large Storage Area Network (SAN) to handle all the U.S. and Canadian Training Centers – 10 locations if I remember correctly – with around 75 training rooms. I was feeling good that we were almost done, and I was […]

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4 Tips to a Better Project Status Meeting – and 3 Guidelines You’ve Forgotten

4 Tips to a Better Project Status Meeting – and 3 Guidelines You’ve Forgotten

For many projects, status meetings are a given, mostly because that’s how projects are run in most companies. So, if your company culture mandates status meetings, then let’s make those meetings the best use of time possible. Let’s assume that you already have a basic understanding of how a good meeting is run. You know you should have an agenda, only invite the relevant folks, […]

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How to Write a Problem Statement

How to Write a Problem Statement

Project management is all about solving problems and delivering results. When your manager comes to you with a project proposal, it’s because there’s a business issue that needs resolution. Part of the job of a project manager is to define that problem so that it is solvable, then develop the plan, the schedules, and handle the deliverables. It all starts with the problem statement. As […]

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Project recovery: How to clean up the mess

Project recovery: How to clean up the mess

  In a good mood, you arrive in the office with your coffee and a spring in your step. You acknowledge your coworkers as you make your way to your desk. In your email, there’s a message from your boss requesting a meeting. Your coworker’s Project X is not on track and the boss wants you to do project recovery. Your co-worker has been reassigned to […]

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How to Find Awesome Project Management Training

How to Find Awesome Project Management Training

“Help! I’ve just been assigned a project and don’t know where to start! Is there some training I can take that’s affordable?” Was this you at some point in your project management career? I think we’ve all been there at one time or another. Is there project management training out there that is affordable? Yes. Here are resources available for project managers to learn more […]

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