How to go about with change in a project?

Like you might have learned in PMP and Scrum Master Certification training, you've mapped out a strategy, the state of all your projects, and your reasons for having to do this; you've talked to your team about the issues with the project and you still believe this is the appropriate step; and you've gone to your PMO director and presented your case. It is now time to implement the update. This is how.

·        Meet with your team again

You've presented your case to the PMO director, and you've gained consent and clearance to unload the project. Now is the moment to meet with your team and explain what is about to occur...and how it will occur. Let them know why you're offloading – it's basically so you can focus on the projects you have on your plate and hand this project off to a new project manager who has the available time to spend on something like this that is taking up too much of your time and attention due to problems, issues, or whatever is wrong with it. If the PM is drawn from the PMO's existing pool of PMs, it is likely that any or all of the following criteria will be met.

·        Work with the new PM on knowledge transfer

You and your team will be entirely responsible for bringing the new project manager up to speed as soon as feasible. Provide the new project manager with the statement of work (SOW), the most recent budget and resource planning information, all issue and risk management lists, the current project schedule, and the last few (or all, if applicable) status reports so that the incoming project manager can learn how the project got to where it is today. As understood in PMP and Scrum Master Certification training, perform as much verbal knowledge transfer as possible because this is where the most rapid – and presumably most informative – transmission of project information will occur.

·        Take it to the customer

Finally, inform the customer that a new project manager will be taking over the project. I would be hesitant to go into detail since it may make them feel like they are a less valued client than your other project clients. Concentrate on the future, on the new project manager's availability to help drive the project past all of the current problems, and emphasise that you'll still be available as needed — however realistic that may be — to help with problems or to mentor the upcoming PM.

Summary

It is never simple to let go of a project. Especially if you've put your heart and soul into it and have reached this point of complete dissatisfaction. Even if you know it's for the best, it's still difficult. Furthermore, it is tough to confess that you require assistance...that you require someone to shoulder this burden for you. However, make the transition as seamless as possible by thoroughly documenting it, and everyone should realise that it is best for you and the project to make this change.

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3 Tips To Guarantee Project Success And Quality Every Time!

Three important techniques are involved, based on my experience and what I’ve understood as project manager certification holder.

1)      Clearly defining what has to be done from the outset.

Any interaction or endeavour requires careful planning. A project can be killed virtually before it begins if adequate planning time is not included. Spend enough effort – and intend to spend enough time – early in the project to adequately record the work to be done before it begins. This will result in two outcomes.

·         You may have another deliverable - the project plan or statement of work - for which you may bill, earning extra project money for the business.

·         You'll get formal confirmation from your customer that you're on the same page, and you'll know you're focusing on the 'correct' issues rather than merely symptoms of another problem.

Once you've documented the work to be done, use a project management software solution like Project Insight to create a project plan with the exact activities that will be required to finish the project and track all progress through this schedule.

2)      Assist the project by utilising your project management office.

As understood in the project manager certification course, use your project management office (PMO) to the maximum extent possible to assist the project, the project manager, the team, and the client. If anything is impeding a project's progress and slowing service to a project client, the PMO should work effectively on that project's behalf to remove roadblocks, bring extra necessary resources to the project – even temporarily, if necessary – or demonstrate assistance to guarantee the project client maintains faith in the project manager and delivery organization's capacity to effectively deliver on the project's end solution.

3)      Maintain weekly project updates, regardless of how slowly the project is going.

Regardless of its size, the project should be managed as if it were a formal project. To document the project schedule, use your preferred online project management software solution. The project might be small and just require a few tasks, or it could be enormous and involve a whole team on both sides. Plan to deliver a weekly update in a uniform manner at the very least. For extremely minor projects, it may just be an email template that you fill out each week with progress information, however for bigger and more prominent projects, it would most likely be a fairly formal status report and weekly formal status call. The trick is to accomplish it and see it through. Never let yourself get complacent. Because some encounters continue forward with little observable progress over a period of time.

As I learned when preparing for PMP and CAPM Certification, you don't want the client to be confused about what's going on since it leads to nothing good. Put something in front of that customer every week that indicates what you're working on, how far you and your team have come, and any challenges you're dealing with. Even better, if you can find some action item to include in that report, you'll be engaging them, which is typically a positive thing. And don't forget to update project progress in the project schedule using your web-based project management software application, and provide the client a copy of that amended schedule every week during the engagement.

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Is Agile Really For You?

·         You run mostly low tech or no tech projects. 

As learned in Scrum master certification - agile appears to be the ideal method for high-tech projects. Agile projects are ones that have tight deadlines, a high level of complexity, and are one-of-a-kind... That is, every customer encounter does not involve a revolving door of the same type of activity. High-tech projects are the best fit for this description, so if you're working on them, go Agile. If you've never worked on these types of projects before, you probably don't require Agile – at least not right now.

·         You or your organization resist change.

If your company is primarily "old school," with project managers and techies who are used to things the way they are and seem to be resistant to change, you have a huge decision to make. Replace everyone with people who will buy into Agile or who are already "Agile" ready, slowly (or quickly). That will be the quickest way to adopt, but it will also be the most expensive and time-consuming. So, for the time being, it may be preferable to put the Agile conversion on hold – it appears to be a lose-lose situation for the company.

·         No one in the organization or PMO is PMP certified. 

This isn't always a deal breaker. However, without a PMP-certified project management office and employees, selling a truly Agile environment and workable project approach can be challenging. PMP stands for "dedication." It denotes a tried-and-true method. It refers to processes that can be repeated. It connotes hard work, accomplishment, and a shared language. It will be difficult to get a client if you go to a client and bid on a project with an entirely uncertified staff. Although not everyone in the PMO needs to be certified, there will undoubtedly be clients who demand to hear the words "Agile" and "PMP" in the same phrase.

·         The requirements for your organization are static and well-defined. 

As learned in Scrum master certification - without a question, Agile is most effective when applied to a project that truly requires it. And it's frequently a project with a lot of ambiguous or changing needs. Alternatively, requirements that are ambiguous from the start. Or a series of phases that the customer would like to be implemented one at a time. Agile is a fantastic solution in all of these cases.

·         Never need phases rolled out early on any projects.

I've already mentioned that a little bit above. If you're in charge of relatively typical (boring?) projects that don't require early functionality to be released to the public, end users, or whoever the target audience is, you'll probably never need to make the huge switch to Agile. Depending on the company, change will not be quick or easy, and there will likely be some churn of skilled, experienced employees. So, if you don't have to, don't. Never do something only to be able to label yourself "Agile." Bring an Agile class in-house and then label yourself "Agile" even if you've never led an Agile project. It's useful to have in your hip pocket, but you don't have to convert completely if you don't want to.

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4 Steps to take when facing issues with a project!

As understood in PMP and CAPM Certification prep course - what steps do you take when you've hit a major snag – a potentially show-stopping issue or issues on your project – and you need to take action, notify your customer, and get the project back on track?

1.     Analyse and discover.

For the purposes of this essay, I'm presuming that the project manager and project delivery team found the flaws, not the customer. The team must gather and analyse the circumstance or challenges that are causing the project to stall at this point. Gather the team to brainstorm, list the concerns, and prioritise viable solutions or courses of action based on feasibility, cost / effort, and likelihood of success. In the coming steps, this will be critical information for your management and the client.

2.     Take it to management. 

Next, meet with your senior management or PMO director to discuss the issue and the possible solutions you and your team have discovered. It's critical to acquire their approval, especially if this is a high-profile project or the action plan is one that would cost the engagement a lot of money. They might even wish to participate in the consumer conversation, which leads us to the following step.

3.     Go to the customer. 

Next, As understood in PMP and CAPM Certification prep course -, you're in charge of all communication, thus it should be you who first contacts the client and informs them of the problem, assuming they aren't already aware of it. Allowing your supervisor to handle this duty could jeopardise the customer's trust in you as the project manager and leader in charge.Here's an intriguing fact: when I was the leader of the Las Vegas PMO for a now-defunct organisation headquartered in another state, and the firm was shutting down due to some issues with our CEO, it was I, not my vice president, who went to my clients to advise them of the situation. It was not a pleasant situation to be in, but it was necessary, and it resulted in the largest affected client offering me a leadership position with their company.

Hold a more formal conversation with the customer after that initial contact to discuss the situation in further detail and explain the potential courses of action that you and your team have come up with. Never bring problems to the table without also bringing potential solutions. Brainstorm with the customer about the most important corrective action from the list you and your team compiled, and make sure everyone is on the same page about the next steps.

4.     Implement. 

Finally, carry out the corrective action and continue to include it as a key status item on status reports and in weekly status meetings until you and your team have satisfactorily remedied the problem.

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What Can Artificial Intelligence Do For Project Management?

As stated by the Project Management Institute, the notion of artificial intelligence (AI) is now enthralling the globe. This is for a good purpose. AI is the future, AI is already being used in candidate interviews, and you've probably welcomed it into your kitchens, living rooms, and workplaces, as I have, in the shape of Alexa and Google products, and the list of things it can and will do for us is expanding rapidly — on a daily basis. The potential is limitless, and it is improving on a regular basis.

If AI can save lives like this, it's safe to assume it can also help us manage projects more effectively. It may be too expensive for certain firms, but it might be essential in the long run for precise administration of PM solutions and projects, as well as cost and time savings. What can artificial intelligence (AI) do for your project management infrastructure and PMO practises and strategies? Consider this:

·         Team meetings. 

If everything is configured correctly, AI could listen in on team meetings and collect all of the status update information, then update things like the project schedule, issues list, risk ledger, change orders, and other key project information with the most up-to-date progress and status information.

·         Status calls.

If AI can listen in on 911 dispatch conversations and detect signals of cardiac arrest in prospective call-in victims, it can certainly be trained to listen in on project status calls and detect confident and anxious tones from both the customer and project delivery teams.

·         Change orders.

AI may listen in on client status calls, as well as other important conversations and emails, and sort out talks with demands that appear to be out of scope. As stated by the Project Management Institute, having AI predict the need for project change orders in the future might significantly increase a project's income and profitability, as well as turn the entire scope management process on its head!

·         Issue tracking. 

Because AI learns the issue tracking and reporting methods as well as the project's goals and mission, milestones, and technology in use, whatever we can have AI track on the project certainly assures higher accuracy and possibilities for aid with solutions.

·         Risk assessment.

AI might be useful for finding, tracking, analysing, and managing the whole risk process throughout the project, just as it could be for problem tracking. As more data is collected on a single project and throughout a company's portfolio, AI learns and grows.

Summary / call for input

As I learned when preparing for the PMP and Scrum Master Certification, the bottom line is that AI will play a significant part in tech project solutions, as well as in the delivery structure and methodology for tech-centric project management companies, not if, but when. It will be beneficial if used intelligently, as it will save time and money while also considerably enhancing our PM capabilities, in my view. Project success may be easier to achieve, and fewer project failures would be beneficial. However, with AI, we must be cautious and handle any dangers and concerns - it will learn quicker than we can!

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3 Challenges Faced While Working With New Clients!

 As understood when preparing for the PMP and CAPM Certification– here are the three most common challenges that consultants face while working with new clients:

1.     Concern over your availability

The potential customer has undoubtedly looked at your website and client list, as well as your résumé. They may be correct in assuming you have a lot on your plate. They are afraid that they will be unable to locate you when they are most needed. For me, I normally address this problem by ensuring that they will have at least 'x' amount of hours of contact to me each week.If at all feasible – and I'll come back to this in point three below – I attempt to go with an expected number of hours – or range of hours – that they'll get every week for a set retainer fee. That way, they'll feel like they have a right to that level of access, and they'll be more confident that you'll be there when they need you.

2.     Concern over your expertise

Your competence may be a source of anxiety for the potential customer. Especially if the planned engagement involves a technology or process with which you have some familiarity but not extensive knowledge. Gather as much information as possible about their requirement, ask for any supporting papers so you may examine them outside of a face-to-face encounter, and ask excellent, driving questions to show you understand the process and their need.As learned when preparing for the PMP and CAPM Certification– allow them a little additional time – unbilled time – up front in the 'discovery' phase to get as much information as possible about the requirement and use that knowledge to set up a decent proposal that details your understanding and allays any doubts they may have about your skills. The majority of consulting skills is transferable between engagements - even if the technology changes, the methods remain the same. That is something that a thorough and precise proposal from you will persuade them of.

3.     Anxiety over cost containment

This is a major one, especially given the current state of the economy. They're already thinking about how to minimise your spending from spiralling out of control the moment you walk through their door to discuss a future engagement since they know they need you but don't have an endless budget.If it's clear that cost-cutting is a priority, I attempt to offer them a fixed weekly or biweekly pay based on an estimated amount of hours. Of course, if the hours start to pile up, the agreement stipulates that you will be charged more to cover the extra labour. However, I've found that most people are willing to pay the set fee and wind up using less of your time than was originally scheduled.Win – win.

Want to learn more about such challenges? Enrol in a project manager certification course today!

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4 Tips To Add Value To Your Projects!

As learned in PMP Certification course–here are 4tips on how you might potentially bring value to your project engagements as the project manager in charge.

TIP 1: Improved project status reports. 

We go through the motions of creating the same report on every project using the project status reporting methodology and outcome. Not because it fulfils the customer's particular wants and desires, or because this project differs from the last one you supervised, but because that's what we've always done in this organisation, with no consideration to filling a hole, any ounce of originality, or any value added labour and information.Consider creating something more serious, such as a great dashboard report with high-level red-yellow-green status flags for each major feature for those stakeholders who want a fast look. Then look through the project's health in depth, including the timeline, budget, resource planning, problems, change orders, hazards, and so on. And don't try to construct a distinct status report for each interest group – make it a one-size-fits-all solution, and you'll know that no matter what they claim, everyone has the same information.

TIP 2: Share the financials. 

Keep the project client up to date on the project's finances on a weekly basis. Include it in the status report as a dashboard, full report, or – better yet – both. If I had done it (against my PMO director's better judgement on a handful of major federal contracts), they would not have failed and been cancelled. Don't hide the budget situation from your project customer; be transparent and show accountability. In many circumstances, if they don't see it, they will assume the worst.

TIP 3: Complete transparency. 

Be open and honest. There is no reason not to be entirely open in this age of real-time communication, news, and information exchange. As learned in PMP Certification course–all of your stakeholders require the most up-to-date information, and concealing news and information from the project client is never a good idea. When a stakeholder or client is required to make a choice, participate in a meeting, or simply participate in a key decision, you can depend on that individual having access to the most up-to-date status and information and being ready to offer what you require.

TIP 4: Focus on cybersecurity. 

Most project managers, I believe, can agree that risk management, avoidance, tracking, and mitigation receive insufficient attention. Cybersecurity has evolved into a critical issue that must be addressed on a continuing basis. Cybercrime costs the economy about $600 billion each year, thus each project involving sensitive data need a cybersecurity component, which means the CSO (Chief Security Officer) or one of his staff must be at least a peripheral part of any IT project. That also implies you'll need a CSO or someone who's been trained to fill that function. The presence of that crucial team member will be much appreciated by your project's customer. It's a win-win situation.

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5 Killer Ways To Improve Team Communications!

As learned when preparing for the PMP and CAPM Certification - here are five killer ways to improve team communications.

1.      Open Door Policy

Having an open-door policy, whether physically or figuratively, may be a terrific approach to build trust in your communications. An open-door policy indicates that you are available to talk about projects, objectives, or anything else with your team at any time. A policy like this fosters transparency in the workplace and ensures that all employees feel valued and important members of the team. In the office, having simple access to information is a wonderful approach to boost team collaboration.

2.      Team Building Exercises

It's no surprise that when individuals socialise with one another, they feel more at ease and secure in their work. Team building and communication may be improved by investing in group exercises and socialisation. People form relationships and friendships when they socialise, which improves their capacity to collaborate more effectively. Finding a team building exercise that works for your staff, whether it's a happy hour, volunteering day, or adventurous activity, will increase communication among your company.

3.      Using Collaboration Tools

Using a collaboration tool or project management software, especially during this phase of remote work, will help your team communicate better. As learned when preparing for the PMP and CAPM Certification - project management platforms often include tools for assigning and prioritising tasks, as well as the option to allocate the same job to numerous users. Allowing many team members to see and modify a project in real time may minimise the number of emails and explanations sent, as well as improve team communication and cooperation.

4.      Establishing Appropriate Communication Strategies

Implementing procedures for various sorts of communication tactics will help your team communicate more effectively. Some queries or clarifications, for example, are better sent by email or instant message. Others, on the other hand, will benefit from a fast phone conversation or video conference. Developing such standards will aid in ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks and that everyone understands what is going on and how to resolve it.

5.      Develop a Routine

Every business is different, but creating a routine with your staff is a good method to boost team communication. Daily stand-ups, weekly one-on-ones, and even company-wide meetings may all assist ensure that everyone is on the same page and working toward the same objectives. These routines will also aid in the establishment of a performance feedback loop for employees. Setting aside time on a regular basis can enable constructive comments be more useful, as well as allow your staff to ask more questions.

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5 Key activities toward an effective danger relief methodology!

As perceived in the Scrum Master Certification - how about we check out what we accept are five basic strides to an effective danger alleviation approach and a cheerful future after such occasions.

1.                 Aggregate.

This isn't quite so basic as it sounds, and it is the wellspring of grinding and self-image conflicts in the task group, just as in some other work setting. You bring a different arrangement of obligations, experience levels, information, inner selves, and at times even devotions to each project contribution. The venture supervisor should shape this gathering into a similar, objective situated group in view of one point: project achievement. Does it have all the earmarks of being straightforward? No, it isn't. Nonetheless, an accomplished task administrator can surely deal with it by building up limits from the get-go in the commitment, while every other person responsible for ventures might need to "counterfeit it till they make it." The experience needs to start some place.

2.                 Facilitate.

At the point when struggle emerges inside the task group, it is the venture director's commitment to unite the gatherings at chances with the PM or with one another and orchestrate an exchange that prompts a speedy settlement. Investing an excessive amount of energy in useless conflicts can defer a task or its spending plan, subvert project client trust and satisfaction assuming they become mindful of the circumstance, and disintegrate the venture's general framework. Thus, the venture's prosperity is risked. The project manager genuinely must react and act rapidly to guarantee productive positive momentum.

3.                 Collaborate.

As perceived in the Scrum Master Certification- successful, ideal, and ceaseless correspondence is perhaps the most effective way to guarantee group union and keep away from pointless clash. What's more what's the most effective way to spread the news about it? Through an awesome course for cooperation. To keep up with group cohesiveness and task achievement, pick a stage that permits you to impart data and deft sheets to your group partners, remember the group for quick undertaking announcements, and manage the general trustworthiness of the venture portfolio guides.

4.                 Generate.

What can help a group go ahead, together and on a similar track, with the equivalent and right objectives set up, when they are stuck and not working admirably together? As I would see it, creation. Because of an absence of action, they might have become stale. We've all accomplished those dead periods on projects where the tech staff is anxious and prepared to create, however the authoritative side of the venture – i.e., the undertaking director – is keeping them down on the grounds that the following assignments on the task plan aren't accessible. Thus, as the venture supervisor, do all that you can to keep them creating code, expectations, and administrative work — whatever is needed at that point.

5.                 Instigate.

Make forceful strides as the task director to resolve colleague clashes and get the venture in the groove again, or to keep away from struggle totally. Anyway, what does that look like? "It depends," is most likely the best reaction I can give. In the wake of settling difficulties and getting the group rolling forward, the task supervisor should make a move - don't anticipate that this should occur or fix itself. It's probably not going to occur.

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4 Major Underlying Potential Failure Points For Projects

1.     Communication. 

As understood while preparing for the PMP and Scrum Master Certification- the project manager's primary responsibility is communication. 

Any project that isn't properly planned and executed in terms of communication is certain to fail. The project manager should be the focal point for all project communication, and it's great if you have a strategy in place – even if it's not a formal one. At the very least, you should have something that gives all key stakeholders contact information (email, phone, Skype, etc. ), identifies when and where all key ongoing regular project meetings will take place (and who should attend), how project status reporting will take place, and how adhoc project communication should take place. It's all about creating goals and sticking to them - which is essentially the notion underlying excellent project management.

2.     Resource availability. 

The availability of resources is always crucial. This applies to both sides of the project, but I'll focus on the delivery organization/project team for this item because I'll be discussing the client next. The availability of resources is critical to a project's long-term success. Imagine working nonstop on your project and discovering unexpectedly – and without notice – that your tech lead will be unavailable for the next month.It happened to me. Her boss knew...she felt I knew, despite the fact that we had made no plans to share project knowledge, which should have been a red signal for her to shout from the rooftops. As understood while preparing for the PMP and Scrum Master Certification- the trick is to remain on top of it by evaluating and re-forecasting your resource utilisation on a regular basis (at least weekly) and ensuring that all key stakeholders have access to this information. Don't allow what happened to me happen to you.

3.     Customer engagement. 

The availability of customers is equally as vital as the availability of project team members. You'll need the customer to be available on a regular basis for information, queries, and decision-making on needs and business processes. The absence of a customer can result in important tasks being moved forward based on incorrect assumptions or requirements that are misinterpreted. Maintain client engagement by establishing clear expectations from the beginning and keeping them informed through frequent status meetings and work assignments.

4.     Decision making failure points.          

Decisions must frequently be made on the moment with incomplete information or feedback from critical stakeholders. You attempt to avoid these circumstances as much as possible, yet they still happen. I hesitate to label them terrible judgments because even excellent decisions can lead to project failure when they appear to be good based on what we knew at the time and the individuals and information we had at our disposal. It's possible that we won't have access to the appropriate information until after we've made the decision...and made the mistake...and discovered that...oh, that was a horrible decision. That is why client involvement, availability of key stakeholders, and team resource availability are all critical. These people are frequently crucial to excellent decision-making.

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4 Things About Cybersecurity On IT Projects!

I’m a project manager certification holder – and here’s what I believe are the four most important things you should know about cybersecurity for yourself, your company, and your projects.

1.      It's ok to start small.

You don't need to set up a large cybersecurity response team or infrastructure ahead of time. Especially if you aren't already dealing with a huge cyber-attack. What you must do is begin someplace and at some point, and that time is now. Everything that can be done to hack you and your valuable employee data, project data, and project customer information has already been figured out, but you haven't been targeted... yet. Either you're not on a hacker's radar, or your data isn't valuable enough yet. You may be sure that you will be on their radar in the not-too-distant future.

2.      Not if but when.

It's not so much a question of "if" you'll need to react to a cyberattack as it is of "when." In the next decade... and probably sooner... nearly everyone and everything will be subjected to some form of theft, breach, infection, or cybercrime or cyberattack. In the last two years, 25% of my own clients – some of whom are quite tiny – have been impacted by a cybersecurity issue. As learned while preparing for the project manager certification- the most important thing is to be prepared. Hopefully, to mitigate, but since it may be futile, at the very least, be ready to respond and rapidly correct and shut holes, as well as clean up. You don't need an army of specialists to do this – hopefully – but it's best to have one or a few in-house experts ready to respond, as well as an external expert you've already linked with who could help depending on the severity of the situation and available budget.

3.      Read the books - info is abundant.

About a regular basis, books on cybersecurity become accessible. If you want to start with one or two internal employees, social media and these books are a terrific place to start. To begin, no detailed, expert certification is required; all that is required is basic knowledge, a strong desire to learn, and materials like as books, films, webinars, seminars, and the annual Black Hat conference in Las Vegas and other locations. All of these will help your cybersecurity start-up’s employees gain awareness and understanding. Great books, articles, and other resources are readily available to assist you in getting your response team up and running - take advantage of them.

4.      Start with a consultant. 

You may not require the services of an expert consultant, but it is a good idea to make contact with one in case you do. And if you can't hire or train any employees but would rather pay "through the nose" if and when a cybersecurity disaster occurs, an expert consultancy might be the way to go. Getting an air conditioner repair person on a Sunday in July in Las Vegas when it's 115 degrees or a plumber at midnight isn't cheap, and getting an external cybersecurity expert consultant after a breach isn't going to be inexpensive either. But that may be all you need, and whether or not you hire an outside professional adviser, having the relationship in place is a smart idea.

Want to learn more about the same? Take on a PMP or CAPM Certification training program today!

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5 Frequent Mistakes in Project Estimation

I understood this while preparing for the Project Management Institute certification. When it comes to producing good estimates, I've found that there are a few key flaws or traps we can fall into. Although being aware of these ahead of time can assist the PM and team in avoiding them, it does not guarantee that you will produce an accurate estimate. I've compiled a list of the top five that I believe are the most prevalent.

1.      Weak requirements. 

All future work on the project is built on the foundation of good, full requirements. It's difficult – if not impossible – to produce an end product that the client will accept without good criteria. It's also practically hard to predict the amount of work that will be done on the project precisely. You can put up a fantastic estimate based on the needs you have, but if those requirements are inadequate or missing, your estimate is useless.

2.      Too much optimism. 

If you continually base your estimates on the best-case scenario, you'll be startled when you discover your project is consistently over budget. Risks and challenges arise; certain jobs take longer than anticipated, and customer issues can often hold things down. If you continually expect for things to go perfectly, you'll be irritated by estimation failures time and time again.

3.      Padding for the just-in-case scenario. 

Similarly, over-planning for the "what ifs" can be detrimental. Overly conservative estimates give the impression to the consumer that the vendor is greedy, which will not gain you or your team any praise or confidence. The easiest method to develop excellent estimates is to make real estimates based on what you know right now and what you believe is likely to happen (with a certain degree of confidence). Make a list of any assumptions you have about what may or may not happen. As learned while preparing for the Project Management Institute certification - don't over-plan for things that may or may not happen. It's a horrible strategy.

4.      Not considering risks.

When it comes to estimating efforts, it's a terrible idea to ignore those hazards that you meticulously recognised early in the project. Some will happen, but not all. And, when estimating project work, it's advisable to assume that at least some of these may produce problems for your project - especially the ones you thought had a high chance of happening. Make your estimations as realistic as possible - it doesn't benefit anyone if you and your team are too optimistic...or pessimistic...with your estimates. Make an effort to strike the appropriate balance.

5.      Rushing it.

Look out if someone approaches you and says, "Give me a ballpark figure by the end of the day" with the caveat, "Don't worry, I won't hold you to it." Almost usually, this means danger. Estimates should never be rushed. It's one thing to give an estimate for something you've done a hundred times. However, if you need some time to think about it, don't let them pressure you. Because you will almost certainly be held to it. Take care.

Want to learn more about the same? Enrol in a professional training program for credentials such as PMP, CAPM, PfMP, Scrum Master Certification etc.

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How To Deal With A Project's Unexpected Loss Of A Critical Resource?

How do you deal with such a significant shift in the middle of a project? As understood while preparing for the PMP Certification - there are a number of factors to think about:

·         What effect will it have on the team's chemistry?

·         What impact will it have on your project customer's level of comfort?

·         What will happen to the tasks that are currently being worked on by the resource?

·         Will this have an impact on the project's budget?

·         Is there enough time to find the proper replacement skill set in order to make a smooth transition?

These are all legitimate concerns, and none should be dismissed lightly. However, you have reached a point where you have no option – no form of bargaining – except to maintain the resource, and you must align all activities with moving forward and fast replacing the outgoing resource with the proper skill set.

When this occurs, it's best to follow three key steps as you learned while preparing for the PMP Certification- to ensure a smooth transition for all parties involved –

1.     Inform the project customer. 

The first step is to notify the project client that a change is coming. We're presuming that this is a high-profile member of the team, therefore there's no easy way to do this without having a significant impact on the consumer. Take it to the consumer and explain the problem, as well as the efforts you're taking to find a suitable substitute. It all comes down to the customer's degree of comfort and confidence.

2.     Work with your senior management. 

If you work in a matrix organisation, someone is in charge of converting resource requests into actual resources. Because you're not dealing with a new project – you're dealing with a customer who has an existing relationship with a key resource that you're about to lose, and you're in grave danger of losing a lot of customer confidence if the transition is handled poorly, you'll need to work closely with that person to find the right resource. Assist this resource manager in locating the appropriate resource as soon as feasible.

3.     Begin the transition. 

It's sometimes just as crucial how you onboard the resource as it is the item itself. It's preferable if you can ease into the transfer by having the new resource shadow the outgoing resource for a couple of weeks. This is frequently the most effective strategy to maintain high levels of client satisfaction. If this is not possible, the project manager and the rest of the team will be responsible for successfully taking over duties and transitioning the new resource into the project. The key is to be transparent and honest with the client about how the transfer will take place and who will be accountable for the exiting resource's duties throughout the transition, regardless of how it's done. Over-inform rather than under-inform the buyer at this stage.

Want to learn more about dealing with project’s unexpected loss? Take on a Project Management Institute certification program today!

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4 Must-Include Steps In Your Risk Management Planning

As learned in the PMP and CAPM Certification training - in order to be successful and a "sellable" tool in your project management process, your risk management strategy must involve four phases.

1.     Document a risk plan

As the project manager, it is your obligation to officially establish – at the start of the project – how you and your team will identify, record, and react to risks throughout the project, with the support of the client. Obtain the customer's buy-in and signature, and use it as a benchmark as you progress through the risk management process.

2.     Risk identification

Early in the project, get down with your team and customer and explore potential hazards to the engagement. Examine all alternatives that might have an impact on the project's timeline, budget, and resources. This activity will serve as the foundation for the remainder of your risk planning process, including how you will analyse potential risk items and continue to discover new risks during the engagement.

3.     Look for ways to mitigate risks

As learned in the PMP and CAPM Certification training - when you're working with your team and customers to identify risks, be sure to write what the overall impact would be on the project if the risk is realised, as well as how that risk may be avoided – or mitigated. You're essentially searching for every conceivable way to mitigate the risk if it affects your project. You know there will be some impact on the project in the shape of a potential budget rise or a timeframe extension in the case of risk mitigation, but with appropriate planning, you'll know what to do to reduce the blow and keep the project moving forward.

4.     Look for ways to avoid the avoidable

When risk avoidance is practicable, I prefer it to risk mitigation because risk avoidance is the process of taking proactive, evasive action to help guarantee that the potential danger is never realised. Although most risks cannot be completely avoided or forecast, your project will be better off if you can prevent them. You won't take the chance, and you've ruled out the idea of your project being thrown off track in the middle.

Summary

Setting out time on your project for risk planning tasks is crucial. When the project's potential hazards become apparent, you and your team will be considerably more prepared. Consider it similar to purchasing homeowner's insurance. You may never need to make a claim, but knowing it's there gives you peace of mind, and you'll be grateful you have it if the unimaginable happens.

Want to learn more about the same? Take on a project manager certification course today!

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