Do you remember how Rod Serling started the "Twilight Zone" TV series each week? He would say "For Your Consideration." That is exactly what I request of you in this blog entry. An article entitled "Case Study: Design in Cost Reduction", which was cited in one of the Group Discussions on LinkedIn, caught my eye the other day. The article's author discussed how Motorola … [Read more...] about What Can Projects Learn from the Latest Design and Manufacturing Disciplines?
Best Practices
What is So Significant About “Framing” the Project Correctly?
If you have been following my blog posts, you know that I have used the term "framing" with regard to projects many times. Some of you may be wondering just what is the significance of "framing" to the success of projects. When I a was a member of the Shared Services PMO with ConocoPhillips, we had a framework for analysis known as DRA--Decision and Risk Analysis. This … [Read more...] about What is So Significant About “Framing” the Project Correctly?
What Can Project Managers Learn From the Movies? Part II
In my last post I promised to follow-up on the metaphor that I had developed comparing movies to projects. Although project managers do not often think about themselves as "Directors," they essentially play the same role in projects as "Directors" do in films. I mentioned that the movie DVD "Pride and Prejudice" with its additional features had struck me over … [Read more...] about What Can Project Managers Learn From the Movies? Part II
What Can Project Managers Learn from the Movies? Part I
If you are reading this entry, chances are you are a project manager, a project team member, or someone who is interested in how projects are executed and how PMOs are implemented and maintained. If that is the case, I am certain that you are probably tired of reading the same old lists of "What Contributes to Project Success?" or "Why Projects Fail." That is why I want to … [Read more...] about What Can Project Managers Learn from the Movies? Part I
Just What Do We Mean When We Say “Best Practices” in a Project Context?
"Best Practices" is a term which is used very loosely in project as well as other business contexts. Often people use the term when they mean those practices which can be employed with high probability of success across organizational or company boundaries. But the real context of the application of Best Practices is within a single organizational context itself. Harold … [Read more...] about Just What Do We Mean When We Say “Best Practices” in a Project Context?
