PM Tips FINAL

We hope that you have enjoyed our posts over the last few weeks with tips on how to run an effective project management campaign.  If you are just now reading them, you can click here to go to the archive and start reading from the beginning.

For more information about our program, Project Management Essentials, let’s talk.  Send an email to john.vakidis@franklincovey.com to request a meeting by phone or in person.

Below are a few more tips to wrap up the series.  Enjoy!

 

Project Management Tip #9

When you need to have a difficult conversation during your project, use a Conversation Planner.  This ensures you hit the key topics and are able to produce results from the meeting. 

It covers: 

•         Identifying your intent before the meeting occurs

•         What are the facts?

•         What is the impact?

•         What are the action items after the meeting? When do those need to be completed?

 

Project Management Tip #10

When changes to a project are made, it’s important to document them and get key stakeholder approval.  We use a Project Change Request Form to facilitate this process. This ensures everyone understands the changes and the impact it will have on the overall project. The Change Request form includes:  

•         The proposed change

•         The reason for the change

•         How the change will affect Time, Scope, Quality, Resources, Budget, and Risk

•         Signatures from the key stakeholders

Project Management Tip #11

As a project manager, you need to monitor & control the project without becoming a micromanager. Use a Project Status Report to check on the project deliverables on a regular basis.  This allows you to both monitor the people responsible for items and communicate with key stakeholders in an organized way.

 

•       Identify the deliverables and if each one is On Target, At Risk, or In Danger.

•       Gather “Clear the Path” items that others need to assist with, and assign them to specific individuals with specific due dates.

•       Share the Project Status Report with both project team members and key stakeholders

•       Include the Project Status Reports in your files on the project. They are useful during the Close phase to analyze what worked well and where projects faced challenges.

Project Management Tip #12

When a project is complete, you still have the vital step of Closing. This is often neglected and leads to “history repeating itself” on projects. Be sure to document Lessons Learned so future projects can use that information during the planning stage. 

 

•       What worked well?

•       What could be improved?

•       Based on what we learned, what will we do differently?

Project Management Tip #13

Use a Closing Checklist when finishing a project to ensure you’ve captured all the necessary information and completed the important tasks.  Some of the items may not apply to all projects.  

 

- - -

Friday, March 1^st, marks the end of our FREE Virtual Certification Promotion for our newest program, ProjectManagement Essentials for the Unofficial Project Manager.  If you are interested in bringing this content to your organization, contact us today, 214-387-9960.

If you would like to attend a preview webcast, join us at 11AM Central on March 1^st for a 1-hour introduction for decision makers.  Follow this link toregister online.

PM Tip 7

Project Management Tip #7

When creating your project schedule, you must identify the Critical Path.  A project’s critical path is the longest sequence of scheduled activities that must start and end as scheduled and that determine the duration of the project.  If any activity on the critical path is late, the entire project will be late.

Learn more about Project Management Essentials for the Unofficial Project Manager.

 

For questions, please call 214-387-9960.

 

Check back in next week for our next tip on Team Accountability.

 

PM Tip 6

Project Management Tip #6

There are Five Elements of a Project Schedule.

1.    Develop the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

2.    Sequence activities.
3.    Identify and assign resources.
4.    Estimate duration.
5.    Identify the critical path.

FranklinCovey’s program, Project Management Essentials for the Unofficial Project Manager, is available for public open enrollment for 20% off our full-day webinars during the month of February.  This is a full-day webinar broken into three sessions. 

Online Public Training Dates:

Thursday, Feb 14
Tuesday, Feb 19
Thursday, Feb 21
Wednesday, Feb 27

Click here for more information on Project Management Essentials LiveClicks Webinars.

 

This program is also available for onsite team engagements and licensed certification.

Visit our Project Management Website: www.pm.franklincovey.com

Contact 214-387-9960 to learn more about all of our program launch promotions that expire 3/01/13.

Next in the series is Identifying the Critical Path. 

PM Tip 5

Project Management Tip #5

There are four types of Risk-Management Strategies. When creating your Risk Management Plan, identify which strategy you will use for each risk.  Learn more about a Risk-Management Strategy.

Transfer: Shift the risk to a third party.

Accept: Acknowledge the risk and deal with it.
Mitigate: Lessen the risk by reducing probability or impact.
Eliminate: Remove the risk.

FranklinCovey’s newest program, Project Management Essentials for the Unofficial Project Manager is available for public open enrollment for 20% off our full-day webinars during the month of February.  This is a full-day webinar broken into three 90-minute sessions.  

4 Remaining Online Public Training Dates:

Thursday, Feb 14
Tuesday, Feb 19
Thursday, Feb 21
Wednesday, Feb 27

Click here for more information on Project Management Essentials LiveClicks Webinars.   This program is also available for onsite team engagements and licensed certification.  Visit our Project Management Website: www.pm.franklincovey.com. 

 

Contact us at 214-387-9960 to learn more about all of our current promotions that expire 3/01/13.

 

Next in the series is 5 Elements of a Project Schedule.  Be sure to check back in a few days!

PM Tip 4

Project Management Tip #4

Plan a Risk-Management Strategy. A few potential risk sources include operational, financial, natural, and reputational. You can use the risk-assessment matrix to quantify risks.

IMPACT  X  PROBABILITY = ACTUAL RISK

Look at the chart below.  On a scale of 1-5 with 1 = Low Risk & 5 = High Risk, anything over a 12 is considered a high risk.  High risk items should be considered and dealt with quickly or it could negatively impact your project and risk project failure. 

 

 

Want to learn more about FranklinCovey’s approach to Project Management?  Join us on Feb 8^th or Feb 22^nd for a 1-hour introductory webcast to introduce this newest solution: Click here to register now.

Next in the series is Risk-Management Strategies.
Be sure to check back next week!

PM Tip 3

Project Management Tip #3

Constraints are the restrictions or limitations (either internal or external) that affect the project.  You must identify and rank them according to key-stakeholder priorities. 

Here are six of the most common constraints:

Scope: The sum of the products, services, and results to be provided.

Quality: The degree to which project characteristics fulfill requirements. 

Resources: People (individuals or teams), equipment, services, or supplies needed to fulfill requirements.

Budget: The approved estimate for the project.

Risk: An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has an effect (usually negative) on project results.

Time: The deadlines by which products, services, and results are to be delivered. 

 

Want to learn more about FranklinCovey’s approach to Project Management?

 Join us on Feb 8^th or Feb 22^nd for a 1-hour introductory webcast to introduce this newest solution:

Click here to register now.

PM Tip 2

Project Management Tip #2

When interviewing key stakeholders, use the Question Funnel model.  This allows you to begin with a very broad conversation and move to identifying specific, actionable results, criteria, and constraints.

Open: Gather general information (what, when, where, who, why, and how).

Detailed: Gather specific information and measures of success learning what you learned during the opening.

Closed: Elicit a clear yes/no response to specific measures and definitions so you have a shared understanding of expectations for the project. Document these items as part of your project plan.

Watch this video titled,

“Project Management in the 21^st Century - It’s Unofficial”

Want to learn more about our special certification promotion that ends on March 1^st?

Contact us to learn more now.

 

PM Tip 1

Project Management Tips

Between today and the end of February, we’ll be posting Project Management tips a few times a week.  With organizations with knowledge workers working on projects on a regular basis, we’ve discovered a big need to develop these “unofficial project managers” with a basic understanding of effective project management principles.  With our new solution, Project Management Essentials for theUnofficial Project Manager the right mind-set, skill-set and tool-set to increase overall project effectiveness, productivity and employee engagement. 

Below is our first tip of the series.  We hope this helps!

Project Management Tip #1

Differentiate stakeholders from key stakeholders.  Be sure to interview the key stakeholders.  While all stakeholders are important, with limited time and resources, you must focus your energy on understanding the needs of the key stakeholders.

Stakeholder Definition: A person or organization that is involved in the project or that is positively or negatively impacted by it.

Key Stakeholder Definition: Any person who determines the success or failure of the project. Key Stakeholders generally have one or more of the following attributes – budget, authority, direct need, connections, and positive or negative energy.

 

Learn more about FranklinCovey’s NEW program, Project Management Essentials for the Unofficial Project Manager byfollowing this link.

Watch this video titled,

“Project Management in the 21st Century - It’s Unofficial”

Want to learn more about our special certification promotion that ends on March 1^st?

Contact us to learn more now.

 

Project Management Essentials North American Tour

In more than 50 cities in North America, FranklinCovey will be holding exclusive 3-hour previews of our newest business solution: Project Management Essentials - For the Unofficial Project Manager. We would like to invite you to be one of the first to preview this Project Management Institute accredited workshop in Dallas on Tuesday, February 5th and Oklahoma City  on Friday, Feb 8th, 2013.

Project Management Essentials is designed for unofficial project managers - nearly every knowledge worker in organizations today oversees projects of some size. Not understanding how to do this effectively leads to increased costs, slow results, and damaged relationships between colleagues.

These event are not meant as a complete training solution, but rather an opportunity for industry leaders to evaluate FranklinCovey's new approach to the topic, and discuss if it makes sense to bring the full solution to your organization.

Please contact me directly to RSVP, or if you have any questions.

Thanks for your consideration.

John Vakidis
214.387.9960

john.vakidis@franklincovey.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrvakidis/

 

 

 

LEARN VALUABLE REAL WORLD SKILLS FROM FRANKLINCOVEY
Today’s knowledge workers have quietly slipped into the role of the unofficial project manager. Stakeholders, scope creep, no formal training, and a lack of process all combine to raise the probability of project failure, costing organizations time, money, and employee morale.

 

People + Process = Success
Project management isn’t just about managing logistics and hoping the project team is ready to play to win. The skills of “informal authority” are more important than ever before, so team members are inspired to contribute to project success!

 

 

This overview session is designed for decision-makers and leaders to evaluate the relevance of the Project Management Essentials™ For the Unofficial Project Manager Solution in their organizations.

Project Management Essentials for the Unofficial Project Manager

In today’s Knowledge Worker Age, virtually everyone manages projects of some type, big or small with little or no formal training, raising the probabilities of project failure. Pervasive and sustainable project success will come to those who intentionally choose to implement a disciplined process and master the skills of informal authority.

　
Project management isn’t just about managing logistics and hoping the project team is ready to play to win. Project Management Essentials strengthens a participant’s ability to implement a powerful process framework AND engage a team around project accountability.

Project Management Essentials for the Unofficial Project Manager is FranklinCovey's newest solution and we are happy to announce that this program is available for onsite deliver and licensed certification. Whether a FranklinCovey Consultant or someone from your organization facilitates, it can be facilitated traditionally in the classroom (1-day or 2-days), online through a series of LiveClicks Webinars or through blended learning. 

 

  

 

Download a program slipsheet here.

Learn more about this content during one of our many upcoming webinars in November or our LIVE executive showcase coming to Dallas on Nov 13th.

Visit our program site: http://pm.franklincovey.com/.  For more details about partnering with FranklinCovey, please contact us to learn more.

Introducing Project Management Essentials

 

                               Click here to download a PDF invitation.