Tag Archives: PMI

More Lessons About Project Management

Posted on by
Reply

A few years ago, I posted Lessons About Project Management and recently added tips on How To Make Your Projects Successful.  Here’s an update and some new ideas:

  • Get to know your stakeholders.  Especially if you’re in a new environment (as I am now as Technical PM at the Center for Court Innovation), take the time to learn about why the project was initiated, and how committed (or not) your colleagues are to its success
  • Project success isn’t about the technology.  As was pointed out in a recent discussion on the Nten email list, it’s crucial to understand the business processes – how things are done in an organization – before you recommend how technology should be used.
  • Remember that your project team (usually) doesn’t work for you.  As a result, you have to be respectful of their other work obligations, and set reasonable deadlines for project tasks.
  • Participate in person at PM groups like PMI and NY Spin, and online at LinkedIn (try the Project Manager Network).  Don’t just attend meetings to earn PDUs;  ask other PMs what they’re doing to manage projects successfully.  Also review Lou Gasco’s Top 10 Obstacles to Project Success.
  • Don’t forget about training.  If you roll out a wonderful online application without planning for ongoing training and support of your user population, you haven’t completed the job.
Is your nonprofit unfamiliar with the basics of project management?  Learn the basics in my Nten presentation Project Management for Nonprofits.

Notes from Project Management Professional Development Day

Posted on by
Reply

On Sep. 19 I attended the NYC Project Management Institute‘s Professional Development Day.  Below are some of my takeaways:

Donald Gardner, Gardner Project Integration Group suggested that we avoid assuming that project team members and stakeholders are “just like us,” stressing the importance for different styles of communication.  In dealing with virtual teams, he suggested the simple step of posting pictures online to get to know people better who you may never meet in person.  (In my support of nonprofit staff across the US, I may not even say hello to someone when we do have an opportunity to meet because I have no idea of what they look like, only their voice.)  He also suggested we not sayto someone, ‘come back to me if you have a problem.’  Most people won’t – you have to reach out to them.

Lisa DiTullio, Lisa DiTullio & Associates, described her role in restoring Harvard Pilgrim Health Care from the brink of collapse to industry leadership using project management.  This was especially interesting to me, as I’ve previously spoken on how nonprofits can make better use of project management techniques.  Lisa suggested usng simple project tracking tools, using green/yellow/red to quickly summarize a project’s status.  When I asked how to move to a more collaborative organizational culture which allows project management to succeed, Lisa pointed out that Harvard Pilgrim Health Care almost went out of business before they could change their styles of interacting.  Responding to a criticism I sometimes hear about project management, Lisa described PM as not a way to introduce more work, but a way to change the way work is done.

Ronnie Battista, MISI Company spoke on one of my favorite topics – usability.  Ronnie suggested that users be involved in all stages of project planning and implementation, not just at the beginning.  He asked, “When is the last time you talked to a user,” adding that 85% of usability problems can be solved by speaking to five users.  I agree – nonprofits often put too much emphasis on what staff members think, and not enough on interacting with their target audiences.  Jakob Nielsen has long been the authority on this topic.

Why do projects fail?  Lou Gasco, Muto Performance.offered ten reasons why.  A few highlights:

  • ‘spontaneous requirements’ (a.k.a. scope creep) – adding in more requirements after the project scope has been defined
  • ‘invisible’ requirements’ – no one has taken the time to define what the project will specifically achieve
  • disappearing sponsor – project sponsor can’t be reached or otherwise loses interest in project
  • minimal / nonexistent testing – testing isn’t considered an integral part of project implementation

Thanks to program speakers for their valuable insights and to PMI for putting this event together.

Change Can Be Your Friend

Posted on by
Reply

I have always been intrigued by change, both personally and professionally.  Earlier this week I attended a presentation on Change Management at the NYC Chapter of the Project Management Institute, featuring Peter de Jager Some major points were:

  • The major changes in our lives involve getting married (or not) and deciding to have children.  In comparison, most changes which take place at our organizations are trivial.
  • When a change is presented / announced, the most natural response is ‘Why?’
  • Asking ‘if there are any questions’ to employees after a change has already been decided is of little value, especially if staff have had little involvement in the decision.
  • The process of how a change was decided upon should be openly communicated so that staff don’t feel that the decision ‘came out of nowhere.’
  • To be sustainable, change must be ‘your’ change.
  • Change doesn’t have to be difficult.  Change is often a positive force in our lives.

Peter described the change process model developed by Virginia Satirwhich traces the steps from the ‘old’ to the ‘new’ status quo, as well as the five stages of grief outlined by Elisabeth Kuber-Ross.

While change has often been a challenge in my life, this session provided a useful reminder that it is a necessary part of life, and can be reframed to be viewed as a positive force, not a source of dread.

Project Management for Nonprofits?

Posted on by
1

Last year I decided to apply for the PMP (Project Management Professional) certification to enhance my skills in managing technology projects.  I hoped this would be especially useful at my current position, where my title is ‘Web Project Manager.’

Yet when attending meetings of the Project Management Institute, rarely have I heard much talk about nonprofit organizations or have I met people who focus on nonprofits.  Similarly, in my current organization, I often have to explain the benefits of project management in planning and implementing initiatives.

Seems like project management would be helpful in any organization yet nonprofits have been a bit slow to get on the bandwagon.  One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced recently is getting all stakeholders to participate.  If only a few people / departments dominate conversations, it is less likely that the results will be acceptable to all who are affected by its implementation.