Getting Back on Track

  1. Collect: Grab everything that needs your attention. Whether you use David Allen’s mind sweep or you prefer a list format, go through your messages, e-mail, missed actions, etc. and capture all the items that require some action.
  2. Meet: Sit down with co-workers. This is the people version of collecting. Find out what was managed was you were away, what new issues have arisen and add these to your mind-sweep list. This is also a good time to thank them for covering your unexpected absence.
  3. Process: Once you’ve collected all the open loops, figure out what you need to do to close them. Whether it’s as simple as throwing a brochure in the garbage or as complex as planning a management retreat, you need to identify the steps needed to move the item forward.
  4. Prioritize: Next, you can organize the action steps into lists of what you’re going to do.
  5. Get it done: Now that you know what you need to do, get started. It may take time and effort to get things reorganized to move forward, but don’t stop at the end of step four. Here’s where you can pull things back on track.

From: Ian’s Messy Desk

General Douglas MacArthur’s Principles of Leadership

  • Do I heckle my subordinates or strengthen and encourage them?
  • Do I use moral courage in getting rid of subordinates who have proven themselves beyond doubt to be unfit?
  • Have I done all in my power by encouragement, incentive and spur to salvage the weak and erring?
  • Do I know by NAME and CHARACTER a maximum number of subordinates for whom I am responsible? Do I know them intimately?
  • Am I thoroughly familiar with the technique, necessities, objectives and administration of my job?
    Do I lose my temper at individuals?
  • Do I act in such a way as to make my subordinates WANT to follow me?
  • Do I delegate tasks that should be mine?
  • Do I arrogate everything to myself and delegate nothing?
  • Do I develop my subordinates by placing on each one as much responsibility as he can stand?
  • Am I interested in the personal welfare of each of my subordinates, as if he were a member of my family?
  • Have I the calmness of voice and manner to inspire confidence, or am I inclined to irascibility and excitability?
  • Am I a constant example to my subordinates in character, dress, deportment and courtesy?
  • Am I inclined to be nice to my superiors and mean to my subordinates?
  • Is my door open to my subordinates?
  • Do I think more of POSITION than JOB?
  • Do I correct a subordinate in the presence of others?

From: Leading Blog: A Leadership Blog

Unbreakable Rules for Project-based Work

  1. Know what you are doing: Make sure there is a project plan.
  2. Know why you are doing it: Make sure the objective is clearly defined.
  3. Be prudent, honest, and prepared: Few organizations have limitless budgets, prudence, honesty and common sense are critical.
  4. Plan to your strenghts: Make sure you have the right team for the project.
  5. Know how to navigate: Understand how to get things accomplished within your organization.
  6. Know how to communicate: Good communication skills are critical.  Project managers must communicate with team members, end users, and stakeholders.
  7. Know how to succeed: Project success should be clearly defined and understood.
  8. Know how to fail: There should also be a definition of what constitutes failure.
  9. Know when the project is over: Don’t let scope creep turn the project into the never ending story.
  10. Know how to learn: As the philosopher Santayana suggested, if we aren’t willing to learn from history, we are destined to repeat it.  I believe the ability to learn from experience is one of the most critical project management skills.

From: AtTask

Metrics

It is possible to measure virtually any activity in the program, but if the measurement does not support a key objective, it is not worth the cost of data collection and analysis.

- A caution in The Integrated Project Management Handbook, Dayton Aerospace Inc.

From:  Herding Cats

Checklist for Program Management

  • A clear, concise statement defining the program has been prepared and reviewed by knowledge parties for consensus.
  •  Performance objectives have been written following guidelines and each contains an actual calendar date for completion,
  • A Work Breakdown Structure has been developed to a level sufficient to prepare accurate estimates of cost, resources and working times for all program activities.
  • A Statement of program scope clearly defines the limits of what will and what will not be done.
  • Specifications that must be met are either identified or contained in the program notebook and the Control Accounts Managers (CAM) notebook.
  • Tangible deliverables have been identified for specific milestones to permit performance measurement.
  • A Linear Responsibility Chart shows involvement of key contributors to the program.
  • A working schedule has been prepared with resources allocated so that significant planned overtime will not be required to meet program deadlines.
  • A Critical Path Method and Program Evaluation Review Techniques diagram is the basis for all bar-charts working schedules, so that dependencies are known.
  • A spend plan cure has been prepared to show cash flow throughout the program’s duration.
  • Strengths, Weaknesses as well as Opportunity and Threats (SWOT) analysis have been prepared, with particular attention to program risk.
  • Where risks have been identified, contingency plans have been started to deal with them as well as a risk register to tract the potentials for the risk becoming a problem.
  • If capital equipment is needed in the program, appropriate requisitions have been prepared, with cost justifications attached. The Program plan was prepared with participation and/or input from the Control Account Managers.
  • The program notebook has been signed off by stakeholders and copies distributed to contributors.
  • A control system has been established using variance analysis to assess in performance measurement.
  • All components of the program measurement system are in place as defined in the Earned Value Management System description.
  • Individuals have been selected for assignment to the program whose individual needs will be met through participation, where possible.
  • The program is planned to a manageable level of detail at no less that level 3 of the work breakdown structure (WBS).
  • Work has been broken down into reasonable durations tasks (work packages) which are assigned with a budget and to a responsible Control Account Manager.
  • A post-mortem has been done at each milestone in the program and a final one has been done for the overall program and placed in the program and CAM’s (Control Account Manager) notebooks.
  • The program notebook has been placed in a central file for use in the future program planning.
  • Members of the team have been instructed to record their working times on the program daily.
  • A chart of control accounts (level three of the WBS) has been developed to track earned value against the plan and the contract deliverables of the program.
  • All members of the team are clear on the expectations of them in terms of authority, responsibility and accountability.
  • The standard operating procedures for empowering people has been applied to every member of the team.
  • Limits have been established to determine when the program plan will be revised, such as plus or minus 10% total authorized budget variation, etc.
  • The needs of customers have been carefully considered and documented in preparing the program plan.
  • Qualitative guides have been developed for non-quantifiable program objectives, such as program performance.
  • Checklists have been prepared for major segments of the program so that nothing is overlooked.

From: Herding Cats

Free Video Courses on R, Structural Equation Modelling, Causal Inference, and Regression from Uni Jena

 

The Department of Methodology and Evaluation Research at Universität Jena has made available a set of free online video courses on data analysis. They cover topics that are particularly relevant to psychology and social science researchers, including SEM, causal inference, regression, R, and psychometrics. Some courses are in German, but many are in English, and the language of the course is clearly marked. Some require that you register, but registration is free. Their website allows you to filter just for English Language courses. Below are some courses that Jeremy Anglin found particularly appealing.

From: R Bloggers

Knowing What DONE Looks Like

Program success means…

  1. Knowing what DONE looks like begins with the Integrated Master Plan.
  2. Recognizing what DONE looks like when it arrives means measuring the planned Technical Performance.
  3. Measuring Physical Percent Complete tells us how far we have moved toward DONE by calculating the “Earned Value” we’ve achieved.

Connecting Earned Value, Technical Performance, and Physical Percent Complete establishes a credible measure of Progress to Plan.

From: Herding Cats

Top Ten Project Management Blogs for March 2010

Here are my top ten sites for project management articles in March 2010.

  1. PM Hut
  2. Herding Cats
  3. [tie] AtTask
    [tie] LearningTree Project Management
    [tie] Brighthub: Project Management
  4. ProjectTimes
  5. The Art of Project Management
  6. [tie] PMO Expert
    [tie] N2Growth
    [tie] ProjectSmart

Tweets for March 2010

Reading: SuperCompetent KEY #3: Attention http://bit.ly/9En3D8 #pmot
Reading: Can Project Managers Make Themselves Linchpins In Their Organizations? http://bit.ly/bWqdk1 #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: The Grammar of “Done” http://bit.ly/bhHExP #pmot
Reading: How to Monitor a Project http://bit.ly/9cejye #pmot
Reading: Control Factors in Project Management – Time http://bit.ly/absgDU #pmot
reading: Example of a Written Root Cause Analysis http://bit.ly/dyxkwQ #pmot
Reading a series: A Facilitator’s Guide for Effective Meetings http://bit.ly/cEVATr http://bit.ly/cZ5YoI http://bit.ly/cSqBJf #pmot
Reading: Project Leadership Success: Responsibilities, Competencies and Behaviors That Produce Positive Results http://bit.ly/dxgQXm #pmot
QOTD: “The person who knows ‘how’ will always have a job. The person who knows ‘why’ will always be their boss.” Diane Ravitch #pmot
Reading: Positive Leadership in Project Mgmt – Value, Success and 12 Factors for Effective Project Leadership http://bit.ly/bx3Chn #pmot
Reading: Embedding Project Risk Management (PRM) into Project Management Processes http://bit.ly/bnjKjj #pmot
Reading: Ten Reasons to Trash your Risk Management Plan http://bit.ly/a6pJCu #pmot
Reading: Unwritten Rules of Communication http://bit.ly/bwRPtX #pmot
Reading: The Keys to Key Performance Indicators http://bit.ly/9iIR9M #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Seven Deadly Sins of Project Scheduling http://bit.ly/9nqgcA #pmot
Reading: Seven Deadly Sins of Scheduling – PM Hut http://bit.ly/aVz7gr #pmot
Reading: Technical Excellence isn’t enough http://bit.ly/auKtrq #pmot
Reading: Are You Squandering Your Intelligent Failures? http://bit.ly/dwwiyi #pmot
Reading: 10 Project Management Best Practices http://bit.ly/a3b5yy #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Probability v. Statistics in Cost and Schedule http://bit.ly/c0NyzQ #pmot
Reading: The BABOK® Requirements Taxonomy http://bit.ly/cXJ7KR #pmot
Reading: Bringing a New Team Together: Tips for the Initial Meetings http://bit.ly/9kXOXE #pmot
Reading: Old, grumpy and agile – the ideal combination? http://bit.ly/c5S26c #pmot
Reading: Team Motivation http://bit.ly/dmE2pF #pmot
Reading: The Difference Between Complex and Complicated Projects http://bit.ly/9smhGv #pmot
Reading: Crisis Planning or Chaos Management? http://bit.ly/a8pGPo #pmot
Reading: Danger! Danger! The Warning Signs of a Failing Project http://bit.ly/bSOJtu #pmot
Reading: The Myth of Project Management http://bit.ly/azhVDQ #pmot
Reading: Is the Critical Path Obsolete? http://bit.ly/bNSZOh #pmot
Reading: Garbage In, Garbage Out. Haven’t We Learned That Yet? http://bit.ly/c6FP1q #pmot
Reading: 10 Ways to Destroy the Effectiveness of Your Project Management Office (PMO) http://bit.ly/cZDzc4 #pmot
Reading: Using a Time-Sequenced Network Diagram http://bit.ly/cn3DRC #pmot
Reading: Writing Industrial Strength Requirements Using the IEEE Checklist http://bit.ly/djJFhH #pmot
Reading: Think For A Change: How Do You Measure An Idea? http://bit.ly/caKgvV #pmot
Reading: From Benchmark Report: Thoughts on Competencies http://bit.ly/9DRTsj #pmot
Reading: Project Leadership Success: Responsibilities, Competencies and Behaviors That Produce Positive Results http://bit.ly/aoplMk #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: 3 Point Estimates Part 2 http://bit.ly/acZiWo #pmot
Reading: Why I am more afraid of too-much project management than not-enough http://bit.ly/cztcgA #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Why 3 Point Estimates Create False Optimism http://bit.ly/bYj6Mp #pmot
Reading: Problem Solving Requires Human Factors Root Cause Analysis http://bit.ly/c9iOeE #pmot
Reading: A new way to think about RACI http://bit.ly/abBf0l #pmot
Good one: Planning…not my job! http://bit.ly/cb0PY7 #pmot
Reading: Project Management Governance is Vital http://bit.ly/bVH5TZ #pmot
Reading: Project Management Requires a Systems Approach http://bit.ly/aVtk1Y #pmot
Reading: Fundamentals of Range Estimating in Project Management http://bit.ly/a57y46 #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Chartering the Project http://bit.ly/8YGx2O #pmot
Reading: What are some effective communications tools for project managers? http://bit.ly/99GOdN #pmot
Reading: The Multiple Definitions of the Project Charter http://bit.ly/9ySZ4d #pmot
Lesson: If you’re listening to someone and something smells fishy, it probably is. — Steven Levy #pmot
Reading: Who Wrote Shakespeare’s Plays? Drawing a Lesson in Management http://bit.ly/bE6jr9 #pmot
Reading: Leading Those Who Don’t Want To Follow http://bit.ly/aK5WhF #pmot
Reading: Requirements gathering? elicitation? No… http://bit.ly/aZO66T #pmot
Reading: Avoiding Padding Problems when Scheduling Projects http://bit.ly/cm1A0M #pmot
Reading: Authority versus Influence http://bit.ly/bDlUvs #pmot
Reading: Are PMO’s frightening? http://bit.ly/c5gNnD #pmot
Reading: Beyond The Firewall: The Case for Project Management – C. Wayne Peal http://bit.ly/bRnWvl #pmot
QOTD: Excellence is not a single act, but a habit you do repeatedly
Reading: Business Analysis and the BABOK® http://bit.ly/bnNM6R #pmot
Reading: The Fallacy of No http://bit.ly/cZz6j6 #pmot
Reading: Learning to Lead in the Project-focused World http://bit.ly/dpDXeB #pmot
Truncated RSS Is A Bad Business Decision http://bit.ly/bQ5X9Z
Reading: The Importance of the Risk Log http://bit.ly/9tg9Ct #pmot
Reading: Simple steps to manage your project changes http://bit.ly/cLew95 #pmot
Reading: Tip: Make time for the right things « Adventures in Project Management http://bit.ly/ckQkHo #pmot
Truncated RSS Is A Bad Business Decision http://bit.ly/bQ5X9Z
Reading: Managing a Remote Team—Changing Business as Usual http://bit.ly/akOoE8 #pmot
Reading: Why I Stopped Working With Busy People http://bit.ly/9zfLuL #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Risk Management Maturity http://bit.ly/asP6iH #pmot
Reading: Information Distribution in Project Management http://bit.ly/bnaPQv #pmot
Reading: Project Leadership Success: Responsibilities, Competencies and Behaviors That Produce Positive Results. http://bit.ly/cOmEd1 #pmot
Reading: Requirements are Actionable Goals http://bit.ly/9C99Rv #pmot
Reading: Better Projects: Kano analysis and Bernoulli’s error http://bit.ly/985wnv #pmot
Reading: When Making Project Decisions You Can’t Always Trust Your “Gut” http://bit.ly/9vJmAG #pmot
Reading: Six Essential Capabilities for Practicing Project Portfolio Management http://bit.ly/dlrLoO #pmot
Reading: Project Management Fundamentals Part 6 – Trust http://bit.ly/9rUnvh #pmot
Reading: Bayes Theorem for project managers http://bit.ly/a7ilTw #pmot
Reading: Project communication and how to create a communication management plan http://bit.ly/cIa8Yf #pmot
QOTD: “Anything that lasts more than a week isn’t a crisis, it’s a situation.”
Reading: Do You Know Where Your IT Projects Are? Part 1. http://bit.ly/bP1nhM #pmot
Reading: Mindfully Managing Expectations http://bit.ly/bf6oBR
Reading: What is a Business Analyst? http://bit.ly/cpumon #pmot
QOTD: “A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are for” – William Shedd
Reading: Striking an Agile Balance when Evaluating Project Requests http://bit.ly/c7Ivz5 #pmot
Reading: PRINCE2 Management Products http://bit.ly/cfNMzt #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Status Reports http://bit.ly/91wwl6 #pmot
Reading: Is a Statement of Work Really Important?http://bit.ly/cTJRuw #pmot
Reading: Four Tips for Avoiding Conflict Between the PM and BA http://bit.ly/bcC0t1 #pmot
Reading: Get to the Why by Starting at the Epicenter http://bit.ly/cQLBTs #pmot
Reading: Continuing Your Professional Development – It’s Not Just About Training Courses http://bit.ly/axy3Li #pmot
Reading: Horse Trading and Project Management http://bit.ly/aSDvxy #pmot
Reading: How Far Should Project Managers Breakdown a Project? http://bit.ly/aTNGAG #pmot
Reading: Agile Portfolio Management http://bit.ly/bQgVAg #pmot
Reading: Kick yourself out of your position… – The Hard-Nosed Project Manager http://bit.ly/cYBSE1 #pmot
Reading: Ten Ways to Ensure Project Failure http://bit.ly/astHBQ #pmot
Reading: Resource Management – Critical to Project Management Success http://bit.ly/apg9Z6 #pmot
Reading: Obsolescence is a Choice http://bit.ly/bDp7OJ #pmot
Reading: Control Factors in Project Management – Money http://bit.ly/agj4Mo #pmot
Reading: Transformational -v- Transactional Negotiations http://bit.ly/cdgKuo #pmot
Reading: Project Management Best Practices http://bit.ly/92FWpk #pmot
Reading: Three pronged strategy for new project managers http://bit.ly/cNgJo1 #pmot
Reading: Project Leadership Success: Part 1 of 10 http://bit.ly/b9Xqpb #pmot
Reading: Vendor Management – Project Managers Get a C-minus – PM Hut http://bit.ly/aU2fqx
Reading: The Enlightened Manager: Email: A Terrible Way to Manage Conflict http://bit.ly/9LniRC #pmot
Reading: AtTask – Base Coaches and Project Managers: Four Common Success Traits http://bit.ly/95BsO0 #pmot
Reading: 10 Steps to Setting SMART Objectives http://bit.ly/cdSdtu #pmot
Reading: Assumptions: The Elegant Risk http://bit.ly/bCl229 #pmot
Reading: What Are Some Effective Communications Tools For Project Managers? http://bit.ly/ceXYan #pmot
Reading: CMM and Project Management – Tracking and Oversight http://bit.ly/adhx4I #pmot
Reading: The Value of Results over Documentation http://bit.ly/bxy92I #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Quote of the Day http://bit.ly/b6eX3C #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Quote of the Day http://bit.ly/b6eX3C
Reading: How to Improve Your PM Skills: Get Grumpy http://bit.ly/c3JAdj #pmot
Reading: Risk Breakdown Structure – A Risk Management Tool http://bit.ly/dqOyZa #pmot
Reading: Risk Register – Output of Risk Management Process http://bit.ly/db566e #pmot
Reading: Do PMs need to know content? « Adventures in Project Management http://bit.ly/cdhAuf #pmot
Reading: How Should the Project Manager Deal with Scope Creep? http://bit.ly/bAcXyY #pmot
Reading: The 8 Dimensions of Project Management – PM Hut http://bit.ly/dv4Q7S #pmot
Reading: Project Managers Need Leadership Skills http://bit.ly/c9WCjL #pmot
Anyone have a helpdesk implementation plan to share? #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Managing Risk in Projects: What’s New? http://bit.ly/aO2S0o #pmot #projectmanagement #riskmanagement
Reading: Attain Better Business Organization With Online Project Management http://bit.ly/dmOfiY #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: The 22 minute meeting « Scott Berkun http://bit.ly/ahmkzu #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Rogue Project Leader: The FIST Handbook http://bit.ly/akP6Lt #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Benefit Mapping Project Change Requests http://bit.ly/dm2l8T #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Sharing Work Management Best Practices: Why “Community” is Important http://bit.ly/bsMsfN #pmot #projectmanagement
QOTD: When you separate the “doing” from the measurement of the doing, you start to establish credibility for the work. Glen Alleman #pmot
Reading: Like Siblings, Teams Get Locked Into Behavior Patterns http://bit.ly/co8qxu #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: What Projects Can Learn From The Latest Design and Manufacturing Disciplines? http://bit.ly/b2XmsX #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: To PMP or not to PMP That is the question http://bit.ly/clrBCF #pmot
Reading: Warum ignorieren Sie Typographie in Präsentationen? (Why are you ignoring typography in presentations?) http://bit.ly/d5tPu3 #pmot
Reading: Do we need accurate estimates? http://bit.ly/c2V4TX #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: PMBOK Guide® for the Trenches, Part 3: Cost – Voices on Project Management http://bit.ly/bjW7IY #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: How to Calculate the ROI of an IT Project http://bit.ly/cWnTYC #pmot
Reading: Project Success Plans – Planning for Success http://bit.ly/9zmVSm #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Managing Complex Projects that are Too Large, Too Long and Too Costly http://bit.ly/caRU0i #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: How to have more self-discipline http://bit.ly/bqWJtz #pmot
QOTD: Good excuses are still excuses
Reading: Successful Project-Based Work Requires a Decision (or Two) http://bit.ly/9LOcBJ #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: 220-year-old leadership tool still very effective http://bit.ly/aDHWxe #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Teamwork Will Happen…If… http://bit.ly/dxMdDq #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Herding Cats: Milestones? Resist Milestones http://bit.ly/b8tvmj #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Deming’s 14 Points and Quality Project Leadership http://bit.ly/9XfjBh #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Keep it simple http://bit.ly/ba8JAK #pmot #projectmanagement
Good advice: Seth’s Blog: Try different http://bit.ly/9VAncs #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Building a better business analysis practice http://bit.ly/aHe45C #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Two project teams for the same “project!” http://bit.ly/9blJYM #pmot #projectmanagement
QOTD: All general statements are false
QOTD: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
Reading: More Milestones or Fewer? http://bit.ly/bXojQ7 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Project-based Knowledge Management http://bit.ly/bnwwr1 #pmot #projectmanagement
New addition to PM blogroll: “The Hard-Nosed Project Manager” http://bit.ly/au8DTD #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Herding Cats: The Project Driven Organization http://bit.ly/c0rWP9 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: The PM and the BSC – The Hard-Nosed Project Manager http://bit.ly/a2y4A6 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Nurturing Project Leaders: Rewarding Change can be Rewarding http://bit.ly/99Tb7K #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: PERT Works for Non-Construction Projects, Too! http://bit.ly/cgJUY0 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: 14 Design-Regeln für Präsentationen (14 Design Rules for Presentations) http://bit.ly/aMyhhc #pmot
Reading: How much process is too much? | quantmleap http://bit.ly/aeov3R #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: 5 Things To Do Instead Of Complain http://bit.ly/9ATS4F #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Better Projects: Upgrading your Skills http://bit.ly/9jYFF6 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: AtTask – Three Proven Decision-Making Tips for Project-Based Work http://bit.ly/9F346P #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Project Management Tools: Whiteboard http://bit.ly/dj17HT #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Project Mismanagement, Pentagon Style – Project Management http://bit.ly/cUdCfo #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Announcing the Tools Section of Our Website | Mike Cohn’s Blog – Succeeding With Agile® http://bit.ly/c1uNgR #pmot
Reading: Using a Time-Sequenced Network Diagram http://bit.ly/cHW5HT
Reading: What is Configuration Management anyway? http://bit.ly/bGvuNK #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: What happens when they make a mistake? http://bit.ly/dkg1Nr #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Scrum Project Planning Templates and Samples http://bit.ly/9j0Cyw #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Initiative Overload… http://bit.ly/9otsyv #pmot #projectmanagement
QOTD: Bottom line…success equals focus – @MikeMyatt #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: When PMs OD Projects Run Better http://bit.ly/brHSq0 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Having Consistent Motivation for Your Projects http://bit.ly/9ZJT1t #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Rogue Project Leader: Proximity Matters http://bit.ly/dmN6j3 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Project Management Checklists – 12 Checks for Planning http://bit.ly/auYQyD #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: 78 Things I Have Learned in 6 Years of Agile Coaching http://bit.ly/akUbIt #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: 10 Ways to Know You are not a Leader http://bit.ly/c2gGEV #pmot #projectmanagement

Critical Concepts Applicable to All Project Success

  1. Where are we going?
  2. How are we going to get there?
  3. Do we have enough time and money to make it?
  4. What’s going to prevent us from showing up on time, on budget, and on specification?
  5. How are we going to measure physical progress to plan?

From: Herding Cats

The Rat Experiment

A great example of the importance of perception:

There was an experiment where researchers were given a set of rats and told to rate their ability to learn mazes.  They were told that certain rats were “smart rats” and had an abnormally high IQ.  When the researchers tested the rats, their studies showed that the “smart rats” performed significantly better than the ordinary rats.

The experiment, however, wasn’t focused on the rats, it was testing the researchers.  All of the rats were the same, but telling the researchers that some of the rats were smart caused them to rate the rats better, even though there was no difference.

People will view what you do through their own set of prejudices.  To a certain extent, your ability to succeed is determined by what people think of you ahead of time.  When it comes to humans, very few things are actually objective.

By being aware of this, you can help yourself prepare for the future by nurturing positive impressions of yourself with those around you.  If they expect you to succeed, you are more likely to (at least in their eyes) than if they expect you to fail.

From: Productivity501

Five Easy Pieces

Remember risk management has five easy pieces:

  1. Hope is not a strategy
  2. No single point estimate of cost or schedule can be correct without knowing the variance
  3. Cost, Schedule, and Technical Performance are inseparable (this is the REAL Iron Triangle)
  4. Risk management requires adherence to a well defined process
  5. Communication is the Number One success factor in Risk Management

From: Herding Cats

Statistics Resources for Social and Behavioural Sciences: SPSS, R, Maths, and Writing

Here is a newly discovered blog with lots of useful articles about practical statistics.

GENERAL STATISTICS
OTHER

From: Jeromy Anglim’s Blog: Psychology and Statistics

R Tutorial Series

Below is a categorized list of the articles currently offered in the R Tutorial Series.

Introduction to R

Descriptive Statistics

Data Visualization

Correlation

Regression

HLM

ANOVA

From: R bloggers

Blogroll Pruning

I had to face the fact over the last week while I was on vacaction that I need to prune my blogroll again. And as I have done in the past, any blog without a full-text feed is gone. End of discussion. If you don’t understand why, read the following article:

Truncated RSS Is A Bad Business Decision http://bit.ly/bQ5X9Z

Net result – if you want my attention, then communicate how I desire. No, that is not curmudgeonly – I just have no time for anything else.

Quote – Glen Alleman

When you separate the “doing” from the measurement of the doing, you start to establish credibility for the work.

From: Herding Cats: The Role of Program Planning and Controls (PP&C)

Recommended Fonts for Presentations

  • Baskerville – cultured, dignified and just and admirable
  • Bodoni – elegant, subjective, both classic and modern
  • Caslon – dignified, formal, vigorous but graceful
  • Franklin Gothic – classic sans serif
  • Frutiger – strong, readable, simple, smooth
  • Futura – elgante sans serif
  • Garamond – classically elegant, adult
  • Gill Sans – sans serif font with a strong, warm and friendly personality
  • Helvetica – neutral without being boring, simple, contemporary
  • Optima – smooth, refined, calming, elegant, in my view, however, partially limited line width for presentations
  • Rockwell – owned, bold, confident

From: Warum ignorieren Sie Typographie in Präsentationen? Die wichtigsten Regeln!

Guidelines for Writing Summaries

Read the passage carefully. Determine its structure. Identify the author’s purpose in writing. Make a note in the margin when you get confused, or when you think something is important.

Reread. This time divide the passage into sections or stages of thought. The author’s use of paragraphing will often be a useful guide. Label, on the passage itself, each section or stage of thought. Underlying key ideas and terms. Write notes in the margin.

Write one sentence summaries, on a separate sheet of paper, of each stage of thought.

Write a thesis: a one or two sentence summary of the entire passage. The thesis should express the central idea of the passage, as you have determined it from the preceding steps. You may find it useful to keep in mind the what, who, why, where, when, and how of the matter. For persuasive passages, summarize in a sentence the author’s conclusion. For descriptive passages, indicate the subject of the description and its key feature. Note: in some cases, a suitable thesis may already be in the original passage. If so, you may want to quote it directly in your summary.

Write the first draft of your summary by (1) combining the thesis with your list of one sentence summaries or (2)combining the thesis with one sentence summaries plus significant details from the passage. In either case, you eliminate repetition and less important information. Disregard minor details or generalize them. Use as few words as possible to convey the main ideas.

Check your summary against the original passage and make whatever adjustments are necessary for accuracy and completeness.

Revise your summary, inserting traditional words and phrases where necessary to ensure coherence. Check for style. Avoid a series of short, choppy sentences. Combine sentences for a smooth logical flow of ideas. Check for grammatical correctness, punctuation, and spelling.


Behrens, L., Rosen, L. J., & Beedles, B. (2002). A Sequence For Academic Writing. New York: Longman.


Top Ten Project Management Blogs for February

Here are my top ten sites for project management articles in February 2010.

  1. PM Hut
  2. Brighthub: Project Management
  3. HarvardBusiness.org
  4. [tie] Herding Cats
    [tie] AtTask
  5. N2Growth
  6. [tie] The Art of Project Management
    [tie] Rogue Project Leader
    [tie] ProjectSmart
  7. PM Coup

Tweets for February 2010

Reading: Earned Value Reporting – To Complete Cost Performance Index http://bit.ly/aO6u8O #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: X Bar/Range Control Charts for Data Collected by Subgroup Sampling http://bit.ly/dltluI #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Root Cause Analysis Confidentiality http://bit.ly/c8arwT #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Root Cause Analysis Dandelion Diagram – What Is It and When Should You Use One? http://bit.ly/biAhs0 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: What is Scrum Process? http://bit.ly/dBUr3n #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: What is Scrum Methodology? http://bit.ly/bAIBHb #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: How Should the Project Manager Deal with Scope Creep? http://bit.ly/a48zKY #pmot #projectmanagement
Interesting paper: Multidimensional project control system implementation methodology http://bit.ly/cG6i2W
Reading: Fish Bone vs. Apollo Root Cause Analysis for Six Sigma and Agile http://bit.ly/cGz0CD #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Leadership Lessons Learned the Hard Way; Part IV – Apply the lessons you learned! http://bit.ly/cxML0y #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Stakeholder Management Best Practices Tools http://bit.ly/bLAdFp #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: ProjectSteps: Great People http://bit.ly/cbLOgc #pmot #projectmanagment
Reading: What is a Project Charter? http://bit.ly/9Fe1Sw #pmot #ftpm #projectmanagement
Reading: Using a P Chart for Quality Control http://bit.ly/9N64Wv #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: The Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule) Explained with Charts, Graphs, and Examples http://bit.ly/cstrC9 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Seven Key Principles of Project Management http://bit.ly/9U9pY2 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Some Risk Management related thoughts – Part 2 http://bit.ly/aC0T21 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Three Uncommonly Common Meeting Mistakes http://bit.ly/b7V4BR #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Herding Cats: Standish Report http://bit.ly/9mDYbf #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: What is So Significant About Framing the Project? http://bit.ly/bMH8lM #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: The Indivisible Task http://bit.ly/batdG9 #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: How to Grow Communities of Practice http://bit.ly/arJmOP #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Know When to Back Down From a Challenge http://bit.ly/aW4ODo #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Working with Virtual Project Teams http://bit.ly/aLP3TU #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Project managers: develop your consultancy skills http://bit.ly/9tDYIC #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: The Psychology of Those Who Win http://bit.ly/dz8O4C #pmot #projectmanagement
Writing tip: A paragraph is like a skirt – long enough to cover the subject but short enough to keep it interesting.
READ THIS! Putting Things In Perspective http://bit.ly/bfnmqD #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: The Hidden Costs and Dangers of the Shortcut http://bit.ly/bqgsrB #pmot #projectmanagement
Great Leaders Leverage Great Messaging http://bit.ly/9Dp4VB #pmot #projectmanagement
Leadership Lessons Learned the Hard Way; Part III – Say no to a bad promotion! http://bit.ly/aTE4lH #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: When Do You Kill A Project? http://bit.ly/apJWVw #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: What Can Project Managers Learn From the Movies? Part II http://bit.ly/c9inVr #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Meet Your New Best Friend: The Project Charter http://bit.ly/dw13OX #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Inspiration vs. Motivation http://bit.ly/dji3KB #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Power Scrum: Secrets to a Good Meeting http://bit.ly/cRPaRc #pmot #projectmanagement
RT @rickamorris: There can be no value in project management if all you ask us to do is to execute poor decisions.  Embrace the process!
Reading: Project Management – Your Business Needs It! http://bit.ly/cVtJxy #pmot #projectmanagement
English translation: Golden rules of project management http://bit.ly/bB1rZM #pmot #projectmanagement
RT @ninusch01: The golden rules of #projectmanagement: http://j.mp/cisjYK – actually simple, you can only win. #pmot
Reading: Making More of Metrics http://bit.ly/9Wx67t #pmot #projectmanagement
RT @ronaldmansonPMP: #pmot  The fellow who says he’ll meet you halfway usually thinks he’s standing on the dividing line. – O. A. Battista
@JohnEstrella I would be interested in seeing your presentation. Put it on your blog perhaps?
@JohnEstrella Tip: Retweet interesting stuff. Others in your network may find it interesting as well.
@JohnEstrella Tip: It is better to give than to receive
@JohnEstrella Tip: Remember this is a “conversation”, albeit in short chunks
@JohnEstrella Tip: Make sure you follow back your followers (as long as they are reasonably relevant and not spammers).
Reading: 6 awesome strategies for taking meeting notes with mind maps http://bit.ly/cBluml #pmot
Reading: MIT formula for uncertainty: Pad your estimates http://bit.ly/clDOKm #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Dealing with Conflict http://bit.ly/bPXoxu #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Staffing and Competency Levels for the PMO http://bit.ly/bKuvnS #pmot #pmo #projectmanagement
Reading: Cause of Delay http://bit.ly/dqIbaH #pmot
I need one of these: Skooba Design Wants to Stable Your Cable … Among Other Things http://bit.ly/afbRBW
Reading: Project Management ROI http://bit.ly/9Dd1jz #pmot
Reading: Bragging, Army-style http://bit.ly/aVkLA6 #pmot
Reading: Some Risk Management related thoughts – Part 1 http://bit.ly/bucEnc #pmot
QOTD: Peter Drucker: “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.” #pmot
Reading: What are you deploying? If you think it is SharePoint, you got it wrong! http://bit.ly/apZ6sv #pmot
Reading: Experience and Judgment | Project Management Guide http://bit.ly/cJqUJB #pmot
Reading: What Can Project Managers Learn from the Movies? http://bit.ly/bulb2x #pmot
Reading: Those Darn Norms!: How Coworkers and Bosses influence Motivation http://bit.ly/blBdGF #pmot
Reading: The Three Key Elements of a Solid Project http://bit.ly/crdSIC #pmot #ftpm
Reading: Introductions Are Much More than Icebreakers http://bit.ly/91C9GU #pmot
RT @CIOPeerResearch: Peter Kretzman on more practical approaches allocating resources across multiple projects  http://bit.ly/caGNDI  #pmot
RT @andrewbuck: Meeting Behaviors: The good, the bad and the ugly. http://bit.ly/c9fWE5 #pmo #pmot #projectmanagement
New addition to PM blogroll: “Bridging the Gap” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @LLBrandenburg #pmot #projectmanagement
RT @LLBrandenburg: The Janus Relationship as a model for how BAs and PMs can work together http://bit.ly/aOsp19 #projectmanagement #pmot
There isn’t just one agile: “Agile” is really the ability to respond to change in the most effective way…
…considering the restraints of the environment in which you’re working. – Dave West
Interesting series re: Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and project management @mrsungo http://bit.ly/anEbPk #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Leadership Through Communication http://bit.ly/9RUgRW #pmot
Too true! RT @purpleprojects: All to often PMs spend 90 % of their  time on 10 percent  of the things needed to deliver a project.  #pmot
If a firm is not moving its quality forward, it’s sliding backwards. Quality NEVER stands still!
Job snapshot: Project Manager http://bit.ly/9kEjcM #ftpm
Reading: When doubt about doubt leads to confidence http://bit.ly/a590pa #pmot
Reading: The PM and BA Role; a Deeper Dive http://bit.ly/b87YGh #pmot
Reading: Looking Beyond the Trees to the Forest http://bit.ly/bNrDKO #pmot
Reading: 10 minutes on your project with the big boss http://bit.ly/cgEdpE #pmot
Reading: Satisfying Needed Scope Versus Wants http://bit.ly/dw2mYh #pmot
Reading: Who Should Do The Hiring? http://bit.ly/bTHBkt #pmot
RT @corneliusficht: Methodology Matters: A couple of days ago I had a chance to attend a project management wo… http://bit.ly/a01ij3 #pmot
Reading: Common Mistakes in Project Change Management and Organizational Change Management http://bit.ly/bgL12u #pmot
RT @bainsight: Reading: What Sort of Checklist Should You Be Using? http://bit.ly/duRLUx #baot #pmot
RT @brainslink: Common IT Project Management Mistakes: http://is.gd/916dF (make new mistakes, not these old ones) #pmot
Amen to that! RT @pmstudent: PMP does not = “automatic job”.  Run away from companies who say otherwise, they don’t care about you. #PMOT
Additions and comment to my PM blogroll http://bit.ly/9QkAVw #pmot
Reading: Managing IT project priorities in a pressurized, unstable business climate.. http://bit.ly/apREze #pmot
Reading: Leadership Lessons Learned the Hard Way; Part II – Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing! http://bit.ly/doXVLV #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “The Kelso Group” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @TheKelsoGroup #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Five Tips for Estimating Requirements http://bit.ly/bJ6dTO
Reading: It’s Geek to Me: A Team-building Story http://bit.ly/aAzmlv #pmot
RT @StevenBLevy: Metrics Aren’t Measurement – http://bit.ly/a0nvmm #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “ProjectBrief” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @WatermarkDarcy #pmot #projectmanagement
RT @WatermarkDarcy: 2 Ingredients To Spice Up Meeting Effectiveness – ProjectBrief Blog http://bit.ly/9fIkkz #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “Projekt Management Beratung” http://bit.ly/au8DTD #pmot #projectmanagement
New addition to PM blogroll: “PMO Expert” http://bit.ly/au8DTD #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Honing Your Skills as a Peer Coach http://bit.ly/dAbOWz #pmot
Reading: Project Management Leadership Styles – Which One is the Best? http://bit.ly/buPVoA #pmot
Reading: Complete Requirements http://bit.ly/9VZLuK #pmot
Reading: The Value of Process http://bit.ly/dBJNdj #pmot
Reading: Instant Change « Shift Happens! http://bit.ly/cXYgha #pmot
Reading: CMM Configuration Management and Project Management – PM Hut http://bit.ly/cGlIfw #pmot
Reading: The Critical Path by Derek Huether » The Hateful Cycle of Apathy Hits a Nerve http://bit.ly/9vMMpo #pmot
RT @CS_Project_Mgr: RT @projectmgmt: Wow, that’s certainly a list, Top 100 Project Management Blogs http://bit.ly/bIgkgP #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “The Agilista PM” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @AgilistaPM #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: Communicating risks using the Improbability Scale « Eight to Late http://bit.ly/aFHgpe #pmot
Reading: Leadership Lessons Learned the Hard Way; Part 1 – Know When to Get Out of the Way http://bit.ly/dzbTt7 #pmot
Reading: Better Projects: Driving in Inclimate Project Weather http://bit.ly/9E3GJJ #pmot
Reading: Common Project Management Mistakes: Badly Handled Changes http://bit.ly/bR6e1V #pmot
RT @LearningTree: Are you really deploying #SharePoint? A breakdown of the features & how they can impact your org http://bit.ly/9KIzBw
RT @AMAnet: What makes a Leader effective? #pmot | http://ow.ly/19RwD
Reading: Project-Based Work: The Challenges of Project Learning http://bit.ly/9DHbII #pmot
Reading: Distributed Teams: Build Trust through Early Progress http://bit.ly/c20gbv #pmot
RT @AMAnet: Today’s Lunch & Learn: Preventing and Resolving Conflict within Virtual Teams. #management | http://ow.ly/19RjS #pmot
Good tips for any meeting: RT @virtual_teams: Tips to Facilitating an Effective Virtual Meeting. http://ow.ly/19U77 #pmot #teams
Reading: Unleashing the Hidden Potential of Your Staff http://bit.ly/czkHyZ #pmot
Reading: Projects Fail Because Project Managers Are Doing the Wrong Project http://bit.ly/cyYXQj #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Estimating http://bit.ly/aGXoED #pmot
Quote: Companies don’t usually die of sudden heart attacks, but rather have protracted illnesses that kill them over time. – Ron Ashkenos
Reading: How to Face Your Company’s Mortality http://bit.ly/c1aZ8a
RT @RBryanPeterson: However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results. ~  Winston Churchill #pmot
RT @clarizen: How to Turn a Failed Project into a Successful Program http://bit.ly/dvXopy #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “Dantotsu PM” http://bit.ly/au8DTD #pmot #projectmanagement
Reading: 20+ questions for a « lessons learned  session at the end of your project http://bit.ly/crASGJ #pmot
Reading: Common IT Project Management Mistakes http://bit.ly/aE44KJ #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “Back from Red Blog” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @BackFromRed #pmot  #projectmanagement
Reading: The PMP: Competency or Marketing? http://bit.ly/dh8eyr #pmot
Reading: Indispensable? I think not… http://bit.ly/9AhRgG #pmot
Reading: How to Motivate Unmotivated People http://bit.ly/a1SWwK #pmot
Reading: Building a BA Work Plan http://bit.ly/akfskr #pmot
Reading: Stakeholder Management Best Practices  http://bit.ly/9ceODB #pmot
Reading: Project Management is Stressful http://bit.ly/ceMbmf #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “Parallel Project Training Blog” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @parallelproject #pmot
Reading: The Problem with Project Sponsors http://bit.ly/bnf7KP #pmot
Reading: New project manager? Twitter can help: #FTPM | pmStudent http://bit.ly/adlVct #pmot
Reading: Think For A Change: What Does Project Management Have To Do With Innovation? http://bit.ly/asC3b2 #pmot
Reading: Now where did I put that risk log?  http://bit.ly/cD5WO1 #pmot
Reading: The Dangers of Project Management Templates http://bit.ly/d5FVq1 #pmot
RT @maxmidnight: 5 Keys to Project Task Management http://bit.ly/aIZXaY #pmot
Reading: Project Conversations-Shared Understanding http://bit.ly/7IeH58 #pmot
Reading: Scrum Is Dead. Long Live Scrum. http://bit.ly/9P1oJT #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “Shyam’s Blog” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @shammy11 #pmot
Reading: 7 rules for highly effective PMs http://bit.ly/d1ZOgh #pmot
Reading: Project plan or project schedule? http://bit.ly/9DWJqJ #pmot
RT @businesschange: Reading: PMO Value and Victory – The Most Bang for Your Buck http://ow.ly/16Cod6 #pmot
Reading: Keeping it real…real simple http://bit.ly/cszKqj #pmot
Reading: What You Need Is Some Kaizen http://bit.ly/b8nn0l @DerekHuether #pmot
Reading: Ten critical foundations for successful collaborative networks http://bit.ly/aI0Z4W #pmot
Reading: Why Your Employees Are Losing Motivation http://bit.ly/dhagN8 #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “Adventures in Project Management” http://bit.ly/au8DTD  #pmot
Reading: The Two Types of Quality Reviews – PM Hut http://bit.ly/cnEpio #pmot
Reading: The Project Stakeholder—Friend or Foe? http://bit.ly/8Xa0PJ #pmot
Reading: Project-Based Work: Three Levels of Cooperation http://bit.ly/9ZCuF7 #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Project Management Principles Need To Have Units of Measure http://bit.ly/bu4vh2 #pmot
Reading: RT @wil_wsi: Build a better PMO by following their fundamental flow. http://bit.ly/8eEnRH #pmot #li
RT @P5C: You Are What You Acknowledge! – Voices on Project Management http://ow.ly/193ph #pmot
Reading: RESPECT – How NOT to be the Rodney Dangerfield of Project Management http://bit.ly/bUXA9w #pmot
Reading: Core Competency – A Critical Success Factor http://bit.ly/bBpZ0w #pmot
Recommended! RT @commsabilities: PapercutPM’s Big Granddaddy of Excel Project Tracking http://bit.ly/avj3iN #pmot
Reading: Pragmatic Risk Management – No Rocket Science! http://bit.ly/95inAn #pmot
Things that make you go “hmmm”: RT @purpleprojects: Without ethics Project Management is reduced to politics and “spin”. #pm #pmot
Reading: Effectively communicating numbers: Selecting the best means and manner of display http://bit.ly/cxQBIj #pmot
Reading: Project Success Criteria / Acceptance Criteria Document http://bit.ly/9qzBbu #pmot
RT @businesschange: Reading: Stop worrying about “responsibility with no authority” – what’s your influence factor #pmot http://ow.ly/16BSUL
RT @AMAnet: How to use the Pygmalion Effect to boost employee performance.  http://ow.ly/18E5x #pmot
The scarcest, rarest, and most valuable resource in the world today is wisdom http://bit.ly/9sDw95 #pmot
Quote of the day: I suffer from a medical condition known as hyperpneumo craniosis (air headedness).
Reading: AtTask – Realistic Plan plus Execution equals Value http://bit.ly/9y1Xop #pmot
Reading: Why Good People Skills Matter in a Recession http://bit.ly/cMEBAJ #pmot
RT @Leadership1: A true leader will never ask of others what they themselves are unwilling to do. #pmot
Reading: Scope Verification of Software Projects http://bit.ly/9EQOYT #pmot
Quote: The person who says a thing can’t be done should never interrupt the one who’s doing it! http://bit.ly/c5BC9W #pmot
Reading: Identifying Leaders http://bit.ly/b2OEJt #pmot
RT @maxmidnight: Do You Need a Project Manager? http://bit.ly/9ZJ7BY #pmot
Reading: Are you a Project Management Gantt Chart Slave? http://bit.ly/cwLsAb #pmot
Reading: Embracing Project Portfolio Management Principles – PM Hut http://bit.ly/bq0xoJ #pmot
RT @hierwirdslustig: Warum haben Bienen eine Königin und keine Bundesregierung? – Weil sie Honig produzieren wollen und keinen Mist.
Reading: Building Better Software › Nonfunctional Requirements Q&A http://bit.ly/cSurJW #pmot
Reading: Thinking Strategically: Executives Create Space for Thinking http://bit.ly/cB8pCt #pmot
Reading: Quantifying Risk: The Purpose of Testing http://bit.ly/d8ax40 #pmot
RT @clarizen: Risk Management – Overview, Lifecycle and Useful Tools & Techniques  http://bit.ly/ayIT89 #pmot
RT @ahoojas: Decision Making Methods for Teams http://bit.ly/dnMr4x #pmot
RT @itgEvangelist: RT @PeterKretzman: The futile quest for a kind of Unified Field Theory of IT & project mgt http://bit.ly/cR9JYx  #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “Clarence Williams, PMP” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @clarencew #pmot
RT @pmhut: Communication & Collaboration in Project Management http://bit.ly/anvgNs #pmot
RT @UnlikeBefore: I didn’t but have now. RT @Leadership1: Did you see my blog on: “Risk Taking and Leadership”? http://is.gd/7X7go #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “PM Lessons Learned” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @PMlessons #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “De-RISK” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @de_risky #pmot
RT @De_Risky: @askegg You might find this interesting re risk management? http://bit.ly/5uLXIj #pmot #riskmanagement
Reading: The Simplicity of Lean http://bit.ly/aHRhfa #pmot
Reading: Service Companies Adopting Product Companies’ Project Management Strategies http://bit.ly/cCxXVi #pmot
Reading: Writing Better Project Charters http://bit.ly/aNGQFR #pmot
Reading: Communication Matters http://bit.ly/9kswVm @mikemyatt #pmot
Reading: Fixed date projects: more advice from the experts http://bit.ly/aIlcLK @pm4girls #pmot
Quote: If common sense were that common we wouldn’t have bothered to name it @pmcoup http://bit.ly/awPO7L #pmot
Reading: Avoiding Problem Of Padding http://bit.ly/c4s1ZY #pmot
Reading: Learn to Ask Better Questions – HBR http://bit.ly/arqrLB #pmot
RT @GuiapracticaPMP: Blog: Roles del PMP  http://bit.ly/cJ2y6S Translated: http://bit.ly/9ksgF8 #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Who’s doing what on this project? http://bit.ly/dl96EF #pmot
Reading: The Weak Matrix in a Strong Project Culture http://bit.ly/dakXrJ #pmot @bmossing
So true! Reading: Rogue Project Leader: Misreading Data http://bit.ly/9yZUc9 #pmot
Reading: Do Your Controls Create Complexity? http://bit.ly/bpt91B #pmot
Reading: 3 Keys to Successfully Working With Project Stakeholders http://bit.ly/9VEqxW #pmot @attask
RT @pmhut: 5 Intricacies of Fixed Bid Projects http://bit.ly/dk0vuB #pmot
Reading: Four Ways to Attack the Castle — And Get a Job, Get Ahead, Make Change – HBR http://bit.ly/cepDjJ #pmot
Resources: Communications Management http://bit.ly/9VYXK4 #pmot
Fight back against bad password policy http://bit.ly/aIm7iG
Reading: Systems Thinking: Why you should care @pmStudent http://bit.ly/cwiv0O #pmot
Reading: Using Focus Words in Your Requirements « Project Management http://bit.ly/9IFrZf #pmot
Reading: Cause and effect, Iskikawa diagrams and the 4S’s http://bit.ly/bUovfB #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “The Project Management Monkey” http://bit.ly/au8DTD  #pmot
Reading: Don’t Forget Your Project Team – PM Hut http://bit.ly/doU2t6 #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “Michael Greer’s PM Resources” http://bit.ly/au8DTD  #pmot
RT @rickross10: Why Experts Never Stop Learning http://bit.ly/4XrEjV #pmot
Reading: George Washington’s 110 Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior http://bit.ly/d47y6k #pmot
Reading: Better Projects: Project Accounting and Development Methodologies http://bit.ly/dDqvNP #pmot
Good lessons for PMs: How to Productively Handle a PR Crisis – WebWorkerDaily http://bit.ly/arDoeQ #pmot
Reading: A PMBOK® Guide for the Trenches, Part 2: Schedule http://bit.ly/9GYCSf #pmot
Reading: Importance of Team Agreements http://bit.ly/d7C5Xq #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “Donna Fitzgerald” http://bit.ly/au8DTD  @nimblePM #pmot
Reading: pm-lotus | Project Management Checklists http://bit.ly/9E7HYS #pmot
Reading:The Best Project Office Books http://bit.ly/bdePng #pmot Any other suggestions?
Reading: Inside PRINCE2: Fixed date projects http://bit.ly/99PNJZ #pmot
Reading: The Key to Performing an Effective Analysis of Alternatives http://bit.ly/9K9cQT #pmot
Reading: Mind the Gap – Where emotional intelligence rules http://bit.ly/93cblP #pmot
Reading: Don’t overwrite project files http://bit.ly/b4IGmo #pmot @pmtips
Reading: Project Success Tips – Thinking Like a Risk Manager http://bit.ly/cYlf9k #pmot
Reading: Plan and Act Based on Reality http://bit.ly/b1MUH8 #pmot
Reading: Better Projects: It’s up to you http://bit.ly/9KLKfd #pmot
Reading: Zen, Project Management, and Life: Requirements http://bit.ly/cIy87K #pmot
Reading: Project Managers Should Not Fear the Baseline | CIO – Blogs and Discussion http://bit.ly/9aZ0uN #pmot
Reading: Control Factors in Project Management – PM Hut http://bit.ly/cW1LXg #pmot
Reading: Leyes que se cumplen en todos los proyectos | Think Like a Project Manager http://bit.ly/aOs1yr #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll: “Enterprise Navigator” http://bit.ly/au8DTD #pmot
New addition to PM blogroll:  “Think Like a Project Manager” http://bit.ly/au8DTD @albertcmz #pmot
Reading: Developing Competency « Mosaicproject’s Blog http://bit.ly/clJpmJ #pmot
Reading: Beyond The Firewall: 7 Signs of Highly Effective Projects http://bit.ly/cwR4jl #pmot
Reading: SUPERCOMPETENT KEY #2: AVAILABILITY http://bit.ly/96Iuij #pmot
Reading: Good Project Plan Schedules « Fear No Project – A Project Management Blog http://bit.ly/bXFWU8 #pmot
Check out my new PM blogroll http://bit.ly/au8DTD #pmot
Reading: iJournal: The Impossible Project Triangle http://bit.ly/9fnDIT #pmot
Reading: The Critical Path by Derek Huether » How Do You Know Your Metrics Are Worth It http://bit.ly/aW7UTo #pmot
Reading: The 10 Traits of Highly Effective Project Milestones – PM Hut http://bit.ly/bjHoDY #pmot
Reading: Project Management Articles – PM Hut http://bit.ly/9oDZZB #pmot
Reading: How to brain storm! http://bit.ly/cJg5iq #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: What is a Project Plan? http://bit.ly/bzjueK #pmot
Reading: “Train them, and train them fast!” http://bit.ly/d5nzKP #pmot
Reading: Five Collaboration Mistakes Leaders Should Avoid – The Conversation – Harvard Business Review http://bit.ly/aUG2q4 #pmot
Reading: Paradigm shifts. The True Nature of Successful Project Teams; Everyone is a Sponsor http://bit.ly/ahXwLz #pmot
Reading: Complex Project Management – What’s All the Fuss About? http://bit.ly/bJEGLU #pmot
RT @projstream: Dept of Energy Earned Value Requirements – http://cli.gs/T7Uuz #pmot
Reading: Are You “Knowledge Seeking” or “Problem Solving” – or Both? http://bit.ly/9BCpLW #pmot
Reading: A General Model of Decision Making http://bit.ly/aIOtAG #pmot
Reading: AtTask – The Value of Social Media and Its Impact on Project-Based Work http://bit.ly/at4kDl #pmot @attask
Reading: pm-lotus | Defining Scope using Deliverables http://bit.ly/b4QLJQ #pmot
Reading: The Resource-Loaded, Dependency-Linked Schedule: Where’s the Love? « Shisso http://bit.ly/c4iTXO #pmot @jgodfrey
Reading: Expert advice on fixed date projects | A Girl’s Guide to Project Management http://bit.ly/aAIvkB #pmot @pm4girls
Reading: Scope crêpe: The Cost of Community http://bit.ly/a5Njom #pmot
Reading: Do You Have an Edge? | N2Growth Blog http://bit.ly/a1kq9J #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: PM 2.0 Communications Channel Bandwidth Requirements http://bit.ly/dBUL4B #pmot
Reading: Earned Schedule http://bit.ly/cwMToy #pmot
Reading: Cultivate Teams, Not Ideas http://bit.ly/cC2qeK #pmot
Reading: Universal Laws of Risk Management http://bit.ly/b03RBE #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: The WBS and Estimating http://bit.ly/bcgAkP #pmot
Reading: Separate Estimating from Committing http://bit.ly/arem5J #pmot
Reading: A New Fan of Project Charters « CottagePM.com http://bit.ly/cYcipO #pmot
QOTD: There are two kinds of people – Project Managers, and everyone else who wish they were Project Managers. #pmot thanks @derekheuther
Reading: Rogue Project Leader: People -vs- Angels http://bit.ly/a48PsV #pmot
RT @JoelOnPM: Excellent 2 part blog post on how to handle becoming an Accidental Project Manager http://bit.ly/cJuTTL #PMOT
RT @AMAnet: Who’s afraid of project deadlines? #project #management | http://ow.ly/1516E #pmot
Reading: Entrepreneurs: Beware of Vanity Metrics – Harvard Business Review http://bit.ly/bTb8jq #pmot >Like the “3 ‘A’s”
RT @icarito: #PMOT #Odisea filosofía #coodots “Hope for the best – plan for the worst” “Espera lo mejor, ten un plan por si acaso”
RT @MadProjectMgr: Enthusiasm does not compensate for lack of competence; it just means you make more mistakes, faster. #pmot
RT @aqtech @Anis_Malouche PMO Success: Determining the Role, Personnel, and Maturity of the Project Office http://tinyurl.com/ybt7pq6  #PMOT
Lessons for PMs: Why Winning Streaks End – Rosabeth Moss Kanter – Harvard Business Review http://bit.ly/aDWvWp #pmot
Reading: Critical Chain Project Management: History and Value http://bit.ly/9vjzI4 #pmot
RT @strategicppm: Three Tips For Better Post-Mortems: http://wp.me/pzEY6-7J > Doesn’t post-mortem assume  death?  #pmot
Reading: All Things Workplace: Influence and Leadership: Raise the Standard http://bit.ly/bBurWE #pmot
RT @dougbachelor: RT @gilmarhansen: RT @Gartner_inc: #Gartner: Seven Major Guidelines to #BPM Project Success http://bit.ly/bX5Gqu #pmot
RT @brown_note: Use Cases:  Me either! http://bit.ly/c1XYRH #PMOT #BAOT #PMI #IIBA
Worth a try: Big Granddaddy of Excel Project Tracking | Papercut Edge http://bit.ly/990Z9v #pmot
@splett  PM success is achieved through the team, not self. #pmot
RT @splett: Should a project manager always enable his team to archive success instead of promoting himself? #pmot A good one always will!
Reading: The Need for Formal Project Change Control http://bit.ly/dpRZpl #pmot
Reading: 12 Behaviors You Can Practice to Make You a More Inspiring Leader http://bit.ly/ctRPOf #pmot
Reading: How framing affects our thought processes http://bit.ly/bdJ602 #pmot >good lesson for project communication
A key to success: Learn How to Manage Your Boss http://bit.ly/aLtmKb #pmot
Reading: Rogue Project Leader: The FIST Manifesto http://bit.ly/9WYk53 #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: Credible Estimates http://bit.ly/dwolJQ #pmot
Reading: Project management today – applying “agile” principles http://bit.ly/cPT9Gn #pmot
Reading: Projects and the ungrounded middle http://bit.ly/cVyaUv #pmot
Reading: What Makes a Successful Project Manager? http://bit.ly/dBAlic #pmot
Reading: A Computational Formulation of WBS in Construction Project Management – PM Hut http://bit.ly/9kXbNP #pmot
Reading: Better Projects: Time to Retire “Scope Creep”? http://bit.ly/cIORgu #pmot
Reading: Herding Cats: The 5 Immutable Principles of Project Management http://bit.ly/c5SZMS #pmot
RT @RosabethKanter: #Leadership Trap: Believing anything can remain private. Leadership Tip: Always act as if the cameras are on. #pmot
Reading: pm-lotus | Project Management and the Four Cultures http://bit.ly/cTH0Xu #pmot
Reading: What is Pareto Distribution? http://bit.ly/ccs9hD #pmot
Reading: Find a mentor http://bit.ly/arPIxw #pmot
Reading: Project Communication and Social Networking | quantmleap http://bit.ly/bnNZex #pmot
RT @AMAnet: The Science of Asking Great Questions #leadership #communications | http://ow.ly/134DL  #pmot
RT @Agilebuddy: Interesting take, STUPID vs SMART goals http://ow.ly/12Ofs #pmot
An ah-ha moment indeed! RT @Agilebuddy: Interesting take, STUPID vs SMART goals http://ow.ly/12Ofs
RT @AMAnet: The Politically Incorrect Truth about Team Building.  http://ow.ly/12Wih #pmot
No! RT @albertcmz: Does everybody agree? RT @purpleprojects: If you fail to plan you are planning to fail. #pm #pmot
Good lesson for PMs: The Importance of Buffers http://bit.ly/a5Rar7 #pmot
Reading: Set up an agenda to keep meetings on track http://bit.ly/9nsnRT #pmot
RT @clarizen: RT @clarizen Emotional Intelligence and the project manager http://ow.ly/1nWtUQ #pmot
RT @begeland: HR should put PMP in proper perspective http://bit.ly/ctEkVU #pmot
RT @ManagerGuru: RT @sapelzin New blog post on project management: Project Management Proverbs – http://bit.ly/4ojB20 #pmot
Reading: Build a Web Worker Friendly Project Management Office http://bit.ly/d4YldF #pmot
Reading: How is disorganization and clutter affecting your job performance? http://bit.ly/cLZICe #pmot
RT @tykiisel: 6 keys to successfully implementing a PMO http://bit.ly/K8c8q #pmot #pm #prodmgmt #pmo #in
Reading: What Are the Factors Most Critical to the Success of a Project Manager http://bit.ly/b7qPLd #pmot
Reading: How Technology Affects Project Management http://bit.ly/bhYutv #pmot
Reading: Work out an elevator pitch for your project http://bit.ly/ahwGMu #pmot
RT @pmhut: Making Structured Analysis Your Foundation for Managing Requirements http://bit.ly/9TwRfP #pmot
Reading: Rogue Project Leader: Optimism & Estimates http://bit.ly/9E5W6x #pmot