Information Technology, and the development of business computer systems, is relatively new, by which I mean less than 50 years old. I started in this business in the early 1960s and was involved in the replacement of punched card tabulator systems with punched card computer systems (such as IBM 1400s).
As the technologies grew more sophisticated (eg disks, bigger memories and compilers) so the systems we developed became much more complex. As the IT industry grew, so did the numbers of programmers, analysts and operators working within it.
These were mostly very bright people, skilled and inventive but with often little appreciation of the needs of business. The wheel would be reinvented countless times in many different ways and there were as many different ways of structuring computer programmes as there were programmers doing it!
It was out of this that system development methodologies arose. These early methodologies were often developed by the major hardware manufacturers and management consultancies and were intended to be templates for development. Some were good, some were truly awful. Some were concise and some, like SSADM, were massively overblown and became the “tail wagging the dog”. Inevitably, the overblown ones became adopted by governments all over the world, adding massively to the cost and timescales of IT development in the 1980s without significantly improving overall quality.
The advent of databases (relational, hierarchical, etc) added to the complexity and made ever larger development projects the order of the day. This was partly the trigger for the emergence of project management methodologies because IT project management was frequently assigned to systems analysts and programmers with massive technological skills but little in the way of organisational skills.
The management consultancies quickly saw commercial opportunities and we saw a plethora of proprietary project management methodologies but it was the UK government’s CCTA which broke the mould and launched PROMPT – an almost workable methodology for IT project management. This was developed, firstly, into PRINCE and then into PRINCE2, which is good and has become widely adopted.
It is not unreasonable to regard PRINCE2 as the benchmark for project management methodologies and it does, indeed, provide a route map. I use it routinely in most of my projects, but it begs the question:
Does using a good methodology make me a good project manager?
It certainly helps but project management is more than just the mechanics of the process. It is about interpersonal skills, stakeholder awareness, presentation to management and understanding your rules for winning. In other words, it is a blend of theory and skills.
My eBook Project Skills looks at many of the issues involved and tries to meld theory with practical advice. You don’t have to work in the industry for 30 years, but it sometimes helps if you listen to someone who has. Experience, awareness and common sense will always help, regardless of the methodology you choose for your project.
Article source:
About The Author
Barry De Boer is a leading project management consultant with extensive experience of successfully managing large scale complex projects for industry and government in the UK, Europe and worldwide. Barry is the author of the Project Skills eBook available from http://www.my-skills.co.uk.
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Thursday, November 24, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
What Is a Working Definition of Project Management
GOAL: A Manager Who Problem Solves & Doesn’t Give Up!
Who and what constitute a working definition of project management? YOU!
That’s right. Project management is a guided process that depends on a person taking charge, who is ultimately responsible for the program’s final outcomes.
That’s why project managers are always on their toes—in anticipating problems and avoiding them, putting out fires as they arise and setting the overall tone to achieve win-win outcomes.
A project manager is a whole different breed of go-getter who never ever gives up easily. Why? Because there’s just too much at stake to abandon ship. “PM” (project management) managers are creative problem-solvers with bags full of experiences to guide and innovate on solutions as needed. Solutions and resolutions will always have to be unique to the challenges at hand.
A Working Definition
That’s what a definition of project management is—the person at the helm of every project is the one responsible in overseeing and successfully completing all stages of the plan; even if it means:
ü changing the scope of the plan to meet goals
ü switching around team members to complete various tasks
ü working longer and harder than anyone else to get the job done.
For example, each day you get to the office, it may seem that something is always going wrong with the project. In my book, When Life hands You a Project, Manage It! I define a snag as any obstacle that consumes your time or hinders your ability to move forward. It’s like facing a nuclear meltdown on a daily basis. The trick to success, though, is fairly simple.
You have to manage the project—not let the project manage you! Your ability to maneuver your way out of, or around, obstacles is what makes you a successful project manager.
BIO: A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit www.projectmanageit.com for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com.
About The Author
A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit www.projectmanageit.com for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com.
Who and what constitute a working definition of project management? YOU!
That’s right. Project management is a guided process that depends on a person taking charge, who is ultimately responsible for the program’s final outcomes.
That’s why project managers are always on their toes—in anticipating problems and avoiding them, putting out fires as they arise and setting the overall tone to achieve win-win outcomes.
A project manager is a whole different breed of go-getter who never ever gives up easily. Why? Because there’s just too much at stake to abandon ship. “PM” (project management) managers are creative problem-solvers with bags full of experiences to guide and innovate on solutions as needed. Solutions and resolutions will always have to be unique to the challenges at hand.
A Working Definition
That’s what a definition of project management is—the person at the helm of every project is the one responsible in overseeing and successfully completing all stages of the plan; even if it means:
ü changing the scope of the plan to meet goals
ü switching around team members to complete various tasks
ü working longer and harder than anyone else to get the job done.
For example, each day you get to the office, it may seem that something is always going wrong with the project. In my book, When Life hands You a Project, Manage It! I define a snag as any obstacle that consumes your time or hinders your ability to move forward. It’s like facing a nuclear meltdown on a daily basis. The trick to success, though, is fairly simple.
You have to manage the project—not let the project manage you! Your ability to maneuver your way out of, or around, obstacles is what makes you a successful project manager.
BIO: A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit www.projectmanageit.com for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com.
About The Author
A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit www.projectmanageit.com for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com.
Applied Software Project Management Book Review
It’s not often that a software project management book comes along that is practical, easy to read and stacked full of ready to use process scripts. Andrew Stellman and Jennifer Greene have done just that with recent book Applied Software Project Management.
There are too many books about software project management or software engineering which are dry, overly complex and boring, but this book is not one of them. It was a joy to read because their style of writing is clear without being simplistic and the authors describe things in just the right amount of detail. It seems they understand their audience and set out to write in an extremely helpful and practical way. They have certainly achieved this.
Part one of the book covers tools and techniques that can be applied on projects. Project planning, estimation, scheduling, reviews, requirements, design and programming and testing each have their own chapter. Part two is about using project management effectively and has chapters on understanding change, management and leadership, managing an outsourcing project and process improvement.
A clear thread throughout the book is a description of the typical problems software project teams face – inadequate requirements, managing changes, lack of quality assurance at each stage in a project, endless testing and bug-fixing cycles, tensions and misunderstandings between the software engineers and business users. None of these problems are technical in nature, but are organisational and managerial. Stellman & Greene offer practical advice to solve these problems based upon their experience on similar projects.
Stellman & Greene certainly appear to know a lot about problems that face software teams. As early as the introduction they describe the need to overcome chronic problems and this theme is continued throughout the book. For each problem, there is always at least one proposed solution. For example, they describe a common scenario whereby senior managers do not trust the estimates of the technical team, somehow believing that the technical team are deliberately over-estimating in order to give themselves some slack time. Their proposed solution is to involve these managers in the estimation process so they can see the estimates being made in a transparent and systematic fashion. They then go on to describe in detail how to run a Wideband Delphi estimation session and provide examples of templates and documents that can be used during such sessions. They also provide a valuable process script for teams to follow.
Subsequent chapters cover planning, scheduling, reviews, requirements, design and testing. Whilst most of these chapters cover each topic in reasonable detail, the section on design is lacking in detail and provides no description about what kind of design deliverables might be produced nor any detailed description of what these design deliverables might contain. This is in contrast to the requirements chapter which contains process scripts for requirements elicitation and analysis as well as a detailed description of use cases and software requirements specifications documents.
Another nice aspect to the book is the checklists that appear after dealing with one of the main project management or software engineering topics. Checklists are important quality assurance techniques that the authors rightly point out should be used throughout software projects as a way of catching errors early. For example, if a checklist applied to the software requirements specifications catches the fact that a critical requirement is missing or ambiguous, then the error can be corrected during the analysis stage. The authors explain that by catching and fixing errors early, the cost is small compared with the cost of fixing errors found later in a project. Their emphasis on quality assurance techniques being applied throughout the project with examples of checklists to apply is therefore very practical and useful.
The authors might want to reconsider some of the examples they use. They describe the process of refactoring code in order to make it more maintainable and use an example of some Java code which they gradually refactor over several iterations. At the end of this process they say why refactoring would be applicable in situations where code is spaghetti-like. This is fine, except they use an example of very un-spaghetti-like Java code to refactor. By doing this it looks to me that they fall into a common programmers trap of code beautification where programmers spend time from the schedule iteratively improving code that works just fine in order to write the ‘perfect’ code, class or object. I’ve seen this happen on projects where there simply wasn’t the time in the schedule to allow this, and it certainly didn’t bring any additional business benefits to the stakeholders. However this is a minor gripe.
I would have liked to have seen more pages devoted to risk management. Time and again, not managing risks is cited as a reason why projects fail. The authors do describe risk management in a cursory way, yet the book would benefit from a better description of how and why risk management should be done throughout the project, not just in the early stages of project planning.
One thing I thought the book lacked was a detailed look at iterative methods. The implicit assumption throughout is that the software project should follow the waterfall method. I would disagree. There have been some important alternatives to the waterfall method which have been developed over the last 20 years most notably those based upon iterative approaches. The main downfall with the waterfall approach is it’s assumption that everything about requirements is known at the beginning of a project.
Iterative approaches on the other hand assume that requirements will change during the project either because users gain a better understanding of what they need, or because of changes to the business environment. Based upon this assumption, iterative methods are designed to better manage this changing environment. With waterfall approaches, changes in requirements often require the project to revisit earlier stages with a corresponding increase in costs and effort. The authors spend barely a page on the Rational Unified Process (RUP) and the authors should look more closely into how their practical advice and processes might be used on alternative iterative approaches to the waterfall approach.
Finally, I think the book tried to be too broad by appealing to three different groups of people. Firstly, part one is aimed at those involved in a software team (project managers, analysts, programmers and testers). Part two is aimed at consultants hired to improve project management practices and project managers who need to manage software outsourcing projects. The book would have been better had it focused solely on those involved in the software team.
The penultimate chapter dealing with managing an outsourcing project is dealt with in a cursory way almost as if the authors felt they needed to mention it because outsourcing is such a business priority these days. The final chapter dealing with process improvement is also too short to deal effectively with such a large topic. Separate books dealing solely with these issues would have been more appropriate.
Not withstanding these points, this book is an excellent guide for those people involved in software projects, both project managers and technical team members alike. They will find much they can apply directly on their own projects.
I would recommend this book to anyone who works on a software development team because the book has so much practical advice to help people improve their capability to deliver quality software. Come to think of it, I would also recommend it to senior managers of companies who have a negative view of their own software development teams. Perhaps then senior managers might understand why committing resources to process improvement is one of the best investments they can make.
About The Author
Simon Buehring is a project manager, consultant and trainer and has extensive experience within the IT industry in the UK and in Asia. He works for KnowledgeTrain which offers project management training courses in the UK and overseas. He can be contacted via the KnowledgeTrain project management training website at: http://www.knowledgetrain.co.uk/.
There are too many books about software project management or software engineering which are dry, overly complex and boring, but this book is not one of them. It was a joy to read because their style of writing is clear without being simplistic and the authors describe things in just the right amount of detail. It seems they understand their audience and set out to write in an extremely helpful and practical way. They have certainly achieved this.
Part one of the book covers tools and techniques that can be applied on projects. Project planning, estimation, scheduling, reviews, requirements, design and programming and testing each have their own chapter. Part two is about using project management effectively and has chapters on understanding change, management and leadership, managing an outsourcing project and process improvement.
A clear thread throughout the book is a description of the typical problems software project teams face – inadequate requirements, managing changes, lack of quality assurance at each stage in a project, endless testing and bug-fixing cycles, tensions and misunderstandings between the software engineers and business users. None of these problems are technical in nature, but are organisational and managerial. Stellman & Greene offer practical advice to solve these problems based upon their experience on similar projects.
Stellman & Greene certainly appear to know a lot about problems that face software teams. As early as the introduction they describe the need to overcome chronic problems and this theme is continued throughout the book. For each problem, there is always at least one proposed solution. For example, they describe a common scenario whereby senior managers do not trust the estimates of the technical team, somehow believing that the technical team are deliberately over-estimating in order to give themselves some slack time. Their proposed solution is to involve these managers in the estimation process so they can see the estimates being made in a transparent and systematic fashion. They then go on to describe in detail how to run a Wideband Delphi estimation session and provide examples of templates and documents that can be used during such sessions. They also provide a valuable process script for teams to follow.
Subsequent chapters cover planning, scheduling, reviews, requirements, design and testing. Whilst most of these chapters cover each topic in reasonable detail, the section on design is lacking in detail and provides no description about what kind of design deliverables might be produced nor any detailed description of what these design deliverables might contain. This is in contrast to the requirements chapter which contains process scripts for requirements elicitation and analysis as well as a detailed description of use cases and software requirements specifications documents.
Another nice aspect to the book is the checklists that appear after dealing with one of the main project management or software engineering topics. Checklists are important quality assurance techniques that the authors rightly point out should be used throughout software projects as a way of catching errors early. For example, if a checklist applied to the software requirements specifications catches the fact that a critical requirement is missing or ambiguous, then the error can be corrected during the analysis stage. The authors explain that by catching and fixing errors early, the cost is small compared with the cost of fixing errors found later in a project. Their emphasis on quality assurance techniques being applied throughout the project with examples of checklists to apply is therefore very practical and useful.
The authors might want to reconsider some of the examples they use. They describe the process of refactoring code in order to make it more maintainable and use an example of some Java code which they gradually refactor over several iterations. At the end of this process they say why refactoring would be applicable in situations where code is spaghetti-like. This is fine, except they use an example of very un-spaghetti-like Java code to refactor. By doing this it looks to me that they fall into a common programmers trap of code beautification where programmers spend time from the schedule iteratively improving code that works just fine in order to write the ‘perfect’ code, class or object. I’ve seen this happen on projects where there simply wasn’t the time in the schedule to allow this, and it certainly didn’t bring any additional business benefits to the stakeholders. However this is a minor gripe.
I would have liked to have seen more pages devoted to risk management. Time and again, not managing risks is cited as a reason why projects fail. The authors do describe risk management in a cursory way, yet the book would benefit from a better description of how and why risk management should be done throughout the project, not just in the early stages of project planning.
One thing I thought the book lacked was a detailed look at iterative methods. The implicit assumption throughout is that the software project should follow the waterfall method. I would disagree. There have been some important alternatives to the waterfall method which have been developed over the last 20 years most notably those based upon iterative approaches. The main downfall with the waterfall approach is it’s assumption that everything about requirements is known at the beginning of a project.
Iterative approaches on the other hand assume that requirements will change during the project either because users gain a better understanding of what they need, or because of changes to the business environment. Based upon this assumption, iterative methods are designed to better manage this changing environment. With waterfall approaches, changes in requirements often require the project to revisit earlier stages with a corresponding increase in costs and effort. The authors spend barely a page on the Rational Unified Process (RUP) and the authors should look more closely into how their practical advice and processes might be used on alternative iterative approaches to the waterfall approach.
Finally, I think the book tried to be too broad by appealing to three different groups of people. Firstly, part one is aimed at those involved in a software team (project managers, analysts, programmers and testers). Part two is aimed at consultants hired to improve project management practices and project managers who need to manage software outsourcing projects. The book would have been better had it focused solely on those involved in the software team.
The penultimate chapter dealing with managing an outsourcing project is dealt with in a cursory way almost as if the authors felt they needed to mention it because outsourcing is such a business priority these days. The final chapter dealing with process improvement is also too short to deal effectively with such a large topic. Separate books dealing solely with these issues would have been more appropriate.
Not withstanding these points, this book is an excellent guide for those people involved in software projects, both project managers and technical team members alike. They will find much they can apply directly on their own projects.
I would recommend this book to anyone who works on a software development team because the book has so much practical advice to help people improve their capability to deliver quality software. Come to think of it, I would also recommend it to senior managers of companies who have a negative view of their own software development teams. Perhaps then senior managers might understand why committing resources to process improvement is one of the best investments they can make.
About The Author
Simon Buehring is a project manager, consultant and trainer and has extensive experience within the IT industry in the UK and in Asia. He works for KnowledgeTrain which offers project management training courses in the UK and overseas. He can be contacted via the KnowledgeTrain project management training website at: http://www.knowledgetrain.co.uk/.
Project Management Certification Around the World
Project management certification is proliferating worldwide as organizations around the globe ‘projectize’. This article surveys the various flavors of project management certification out there today.
PRINCE2
PRINCE2 is the de facto standard used extensively by the UK Government and is widely recognized and used in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally. The key features of PRINCE2 are:
- focus on business justification
- defined organizational structure for the team
- product-based planning approach
- division of project into manageable and controllable stages
- flexibility at a level appropriate to the project
The PRINCE2 project management certification has the following levels:
- PRINCE2 Foundation
- PRINCE2 Practitioner
PRINCE2 Practitioners need to complete the PRINCE2 Practitioner re-registration exam every 3-5 years to keep their qualification up to date.
AIPM - Australian Institute of Project Management
Project management certification through the AIPM is primarily geared toward Australian professionals and organizations, although it is based on international standards and best practices.
There are several levels project management certification with the Australian Institute of Project Management, and an individual’s level is based on the outcome of the RegPM ("Registered Project Manager") process. The individual’s competency in the workplace is assessed, and project management certificationis awarded at one of three levels:
-CPPP Certified Practising Project Practitioner
-CPPM Certified Practising Project Manager
-CPPD Certified Practising Project Director
After 3 years recertification through Continuous Professional Development is required.
CompTIA Project+
CompTIA Project+ is inexpensive, streamlined, uncomplicated project management certification that is more geared to teams of individuals within organizations. There are no prerequisites, no continuing education is required, and there is no application process, but there is a test based on international standards. It is targeted to teams or organizations that want to rapidly get up and running with the team thinking in a similar focused way about project management. CompTIA project management certification gives project managers the skills necessary to complete projects on time and within budget, and creates a common project management language among project team members. As with all CompTIA certifications, it is geared toward IT, and there is no evidence of strong market value for this project management certification.
Project Management Institute (PMI) - PMP and CAPM
The Project Management Professional (PMP) project management certification for experienced professionals is the most widely known and recognized worldwide. The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is an entry level project management certification and does not require experience.
Requirements for the PMP include:
-A bachelor's degree and 4,500 hours of PM experience in the five process groups, OR, a secondary school diploma and 7,500 hours of PM experience in the five process groups
-35 contact hours of classroom instruction that relate to project management objectives. Several types of courses fulfill this requirement.
-Supporting Documentation is required for the above qualifications.
-Pass the PMP exam, which consists of 200 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 4 hours
-60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) are required every 3 years to maintain the PMP project management certification
IPMA “International Project Management Association
This Swiss organization, “the oldest in the project management profession”, is primarily comprised of national project management associations worldwide. The IPMA represents 45 national project management associations on the international level and also offers a competence-based four level project management certification program.
The IPMA Competence Baseline (ICB) is the basis for the IPMA certification system. Certification is an independent third party assessment based on a level-specific combination of:
- Self assessment
- Written exam
- Report on the management of a project, program or portfolio
- Interview
Resulting project management certification levels are:
-IPMA Level A - Certified Projects Director
-IPMA Level B - Certified Senior Project Manager
-IPMA Level C - Certified Project Manager
-IPMA Level D - Certified Project Management Associate
APMC Advanced Project Management Certification
The APMC is a specialized advanced project management certification for senior project managers who want to go beyond go beyond PMP® accreditation and complete training in “The Kerzner Approach to Best Practices”. Candidates must complete two required courses and four of the elective courses, and pass a short online post-test for each course. The focus is on expanding knowledge of higher-level strategic project management issues, including complex project management issues such as managing risk and quality to managing portfolios and multiple projects. Learning is from experts and practitioners, focused on analyzing current best practices from successful companies.
American Academy of Project Management (AAPM)
The AAPM offers project management certification in the following flavors:
-MPM Master Project Manager
-CIPM Certified International Project Manager
-PME Project Manager E-Business
-CPE Certified Planning Engineer
All require an application based upon completion of education, exclusively by approved education institutions and not private businesses.
BrainBench project management certification
BrainBench offers a project management certification that borrows from the PMI. The test is based on the PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). BrainBench’s unique niche in project management certification is in “delivering easy-to-use assessment products that predict success on the job,” and thus it is more targeted to organizations than to independent individuals who are seeking a widely recognized credential.
About The Author
John Reiling, PMP, PE, MBA is an experienced Project Manager and certified Project Management Professional. John's web site, project management certification provides online project management training for beginning managers and for PMP exam prep and PDUs. John also writes regularly in his blog, http://PMcrunch.com.
Visit the author's web site at:
http://www.pmtrainingonline.com
PRINCE2
PRINCE2 is the de facto standard used extensively by the UK Government and is widely recognized and used in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally. The key features of PRINCE2 are:
- focus on business justification
- defined organizational structure for the team
- product-based planning approach
- division of project into manageable and controllable stages
- flexibility at a level appropriate to the project
The PRINCE2 project management certification has the following levels:
- PRINCE2 Foundation
- PRINCE2 Practitioner
PRINCE2 Practitioners need to complete the PRINCE2 Practitioner re-registration exam every 3-5 years to keep their qualification up to date.
AIPM - Australian Institute of Project Management
Project management certification through the AIPM is primarily geared toward Australian professionals and organizations, although it is based on international standards and best practices.
There are several levels project management certification with the Australian Institute of Project Management, and an individual’s level is based on the outcome of the RegPM ("Registered Project Manager") process. The individual’s competency in the workplace is assessed, and project management certificationis awarded at one of three levels:
-CPPP Certified Practising Project Practitioner
-CPPM Certified Practising Project Manager
-CPPD Certified Practising Project Director
After 3 years recertification through Continuous Professional Development is required.
CompTIA Project+
CompTIA Project+ is inexpensive, streamlined, uncomplicated project management certification that is more geared to teams of individuals within organizations. There are no prerequisites, no continuing education is required, and there is no application process, but there is a test based on international standards. It is targeted to teams or organizations that want to rapidly get up and running with the team thinking in a similar focused way about project management. CompTIA project management certification gives project managers the skills necessary to complete projects on time and within budget, and creates a common project management language among project team members. As with all CompTIA certifications, it is geared toward IT, and there is no evidence of strong market value for this project management certification.
Project Management Institute (PMI) - PMP and CAPM
The Project Management Professional (PMP) project management certification for experienced professionals is the most widely known and recognized worldwide. The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is an entry level project management certification and does not require experience.
Requirements for the PMP include:
-A bachelor's degree and 4,500 hours of PM experience in the five process groups, OR, a secondary school diploma and 7,500 hours of PM experience in the five process groups
-35 contact hours of classroom instruction that relate to project management objectives. Several types of courses fulfill this requirement.
-Supporting Documentation is required for the above qualifications.
-Pass the PMP exam, which consists of 200 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 4 hours
-60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) are required every 3 years to maintain the PMP project management certification
IPMA “International Project Management Association
This Swiss organization, “the oldest in the project management profession”, is primarily comprised of national project management associations worldwide. The IPMA represents 45 national project management associations on the international level and also offers a competence-based four level project management certification program.
The IPMA Competence Baseline (ICB) is the basis for the IPMA certification system. Certification is an independent third party assessment based on a level-specific combination of:
- Self assessment
- Written exam
- Report on the management of a project, program or portfolio
- Interview
Resulting project management certification levels are:
-IPMA Level A - Certified Projects Director
-IPMA Level B - Certified Senior Project Manager
-IPMA Level C - Certified Project Manager
-IPMA Level D - Certified Project Management Associate
APMC Advanced Project Management Certification
The APMC is a specialized advanced project management certification for senior project managers who want to go beyond go beyond PMP® accreditation and complete training in “The Kerzner Approach to Best Practices”. Candidates must complete two required courses and four of the elective courses, and pass a short online post-test for each course. The focus is on expanding knowledge of higher-level strategic project management issues, including complex project management issues such as managing risk and quality to managing portfolios and multiple projects. Learning is from experts and practitioners, focused on analyzing current best practices from successful companies.
American Academy of Project Management (AAPM)
The AAPM offers project management certification in the following flavors:
-MPM Master Project Manager
-CIPM Certified International Project Manager
-PME Project Manager E-Business
-CPE Certified Planning Engineer
All require an application based upon completion of education, exclusively by approved education institutions and not private businesses.
BrainBench project management certification
BrainBench offers a project management certification that borrows from the PMI. The test is based on the PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). BrainBench’s unique niche in project management certification is in “delivering easy-to-use assessment products that predict success on the job,” and thus it is more targeted to organizations than to independent individuals who are seeking a widely recognized credential.
About The Author
John Reiling, PMP, PE, MBA is an experienced Project Manager and certified Project Management Professional. John's web site, project management certification provides online project management training for beginning managers and for PMP exam prep and PDUs. John also writes regularly in his blog, http://PMcrunch.com.
Visit the author's web site at:
http://www.pmtrainingonline.com
Top 5 Project Management Tips
Project management is ideal these days – especially if you need to get a lot done fast. Whether you are juggling a busy job, multiple jobs, or simply a hectic schedule, the ability to effectively manage your time and the projects on your plate will allow for increased productivity. Therefore, mastering the art of project management is essential. Here are some tips to help you succeed in your project management endeavors.
Lead Out
One of the best ways to ensure that you are succeeding in project management is to lead out. Those that fail to successfully project manage their lives or responsibilities often follow the crowd or wait for others to tell them what to do. Instead, a good project manager will analyze a situation and take charge. This is what natural leaders do. If leadership does not come naturally, it is important to work on stepping out of your comfort zone.
Develop Skills
In addition, specific skills are beneficial to project management. For example, those that are more organized often have an easier time managing their projects. The same is true with those that can communicate effectively. It is important that you develop the skills necessarily to effectively manage the different projects you are undertaking.
Learn To Solve Problems
Next, when it comes to projects, remember that nothing ever runs completely perfect. Instead, learn to solve problems. This will help you in the long run. Problem solving skills go a long way when it comes to project management and the best managers seem to know and understand how to effectively solve problems that come their way.
Delegate
In addition, it is important to learn to rely on others. A good manager understands that he or she cannot do it all by themselves. Instead, they need a good team by their side. Surround yourself with this team of people that will allow your projects to run smoothly. You will be glad that you have people to rely on throughout the project that can help you successfully complete each part.
Take A Class
Lastly, consider taking a class. There are a variety of different Project Management Courses that teach individuals how to effectively manage the projects they are in charge of. Most of the time these classes help individuals develop skills and they teach problem solving methods. All of this knowledge is invaluable and will only help an individual grow as they seek to be successful.
About The Author
Rachel Reed is a business analyst who is currently researching Prince2 Courses designed to increase individual business performance.
The author invites you to visit:
http://www.reedglobal.com.hk
The author invites you to visit:
http://www.reedglobal.com.hk
Lead Out
One of the best ways to ensure that you are succeeding in project management is to lead out. Those that fail to successfully project manage their lives or responsibilities often follow the crowd or wait for others to tell them what to do. Instead, a good project manager will analyze a situation and take charge. This is what natural leaders do. If leadership does not come naturally, it is important to work on stepping out of your comfort zone.
Develop Skills
In addition, specific skills are beneficial to project management. For example, those that are more organized often have an easier time managing their projects. The same is true with those that can communicate effectively. It is important that you develop the skills necessarily to effectively manage the different projects you are undertaking.
Learn To Solve Problems
Next, when it comes to projects, remember that nothing ever runs completely perfect. Instead, learn to solve problems. This will help you in the long run. Problem solving skills go a long way when it comes to project management and the best managers seem to know and understand how to effectively solve problems that come their way.
Delegate
In addition, it is important to learn to rely on others. A good manager understands that he or she cannot do it all by themselves. Instead, they need a good team by their side. Surround yourself with this team of people that will allow your projects to run smoothly. You will be glad that you have people to rely on throughout the project that can help you successfully complete each part.
Take A Class
Lastly, consider taking a class. There are a variety of different Project Management Courses that teach individuals how to effectively manage the projects they are in charge of. Most of the time these classes help individuals develop skills and they teach problem solving methods. All of this knowledge is invaluable and will only help an individual grow as they seek to be successful.
About The Author
Rachel Reed is a business analyst who is currently researching Prince2 Courses designed to increase individual business performance.
The author invites you to visit:
http://www.reedglobal.com.hk
The author invites you to visit:
http://www.reedglobal.com.hk
Project Management Success with the Top 7 Best Practices
Managing a project can be daunting. Whether planning your wedding, developing a new website or building your dream house by the sea, you need to employ project management techniques to help you succeed. I'll summarise the top 7 best practices at the heart of good project management which can help you to achieve project success.
Define the scope and objectives
Firstly, understand the project objectives. Suppose your boss asks you to organise a blood donor campaign, is the objective to get as much blood donated as possible? Or, is it to raise the local company profile? Deciding the real objectives will help you plan the project.
Scope defines the boundary of the project. Is the organisation of transport to take staff to the blood bank within scope? Or, should staff make their own way there? Deciding what's in or out of scope will determine the amount of work which needs performing.
Understand who the stakeholders are, what they expect to be delivered and enlist their support. Once you've defined the scope and objectives, get the stakeholders to review and agree to them.
Define the deliverables
You must define what will be delivered by the project. If your project is an advertising campaign for a new chocolate bar, then one deliverable might be the artwork for an advertisement. So, decide what tangible things will be delivered and document them in enough detail to enable someone else to produce them correctly and effectively.
Key stakeholders must review the definition of deliverables and must agree they accurately reflect what must be delivered.
Project planning
Planning requires that the project manager decides which people, resources and budget are required to complete the project.
You must define what activities are required to produce the deliverables using techniques such as Work Breakdown Structures. You must estimate the time and effort required for each activity, dependencies between activities and decide a realistic schedule to complete them. Involve the project team in estimating how long activities will take. Set milestones which indicate critical dates during the project. Write this into the project plan. Get the key stakeholders to review and agree to the plan.
Communication
Project plans are useless unless they've been communicated effectively to the project team. Every team member needs to know their responsibilities. I once worked on a project where the project manager sat in his office surrounded by huge paper schedules. The problem was, nobody on his team knew what the tasks and milestones were because he hadn't shared the plan with them. The project hit all kinds of problems with people doing activities which they deemed important rather than doing the activities assigned by the project manager.
Tracking and reporting project progress
Once your project is underway you must monitor and compare the actual progress with the planned progress. You will need progress reports from project team members. You should record variations between the actual and planned cost, schedule and scope. You should report variations to your manager and key stakeholders and take corrective actions if variations get too large.
You can adjust the plan in many ways to get the project back on track but you will always end up juggling cost, scope and schedule. If the project manager changes one of these, then one or both of the other elements will inevitably need changing. It is juggling these three elements - known as the project triangle - that typically causes a project manager the most headaches!
Change management
Stakeholders often change their mind about what must be delivered. Sometimes the business environment changes after the project starts, so assumptions made at the beginning of the project may no longer be valid. This often means the scope or deliverables of the project need changing. If a project manager accepted all changes into the project, the project would inevitably go over budget, be late and might never be completed.
By managing changes, the project manager can make decisions about whether or not to incorporate the changes immediately or in the future, or to reject them. This increases the chances of project success because the project manager controls how the changes are incorporated, can allocate resources accordingly and can plan when and how the changes are made. Not managing changes effectively is often a reason why projects fail.
Risk management
Risks are events which can adversely affect the successful outcome of the project. I've worked on projects where risks have included: staff lacking the technical skills to perform the work, hardware not being delivered on time, the control room at risk of flooding and many others. Risks will vary for each project but the main risks to a project must be identified as soon as possible. Plans must be made to avoid the risk, or, if the risk cannot be avoided, to mitigate the risk to lessen its impact if it occurs. This is known as risk management.
You don't manage all risks because there could be too many and not all risks have the same impact. So, identify all risks, estimate the likelihood of each risk occurring (1 - not likely, 2 - maybe likely, 3 - very likely). Estimate its impact on the project (1 - low, 2 - medium, 3 - high), then multiply the two numbers together to give the risk factor. High risk factors indicate the severest risks. Manage the ten with the highest risk factors. Constantly review risks and lookout for new ones since they have a habit of occurring at any moment.
Not managing risks effectively is a common reason why projects fail.
Summary
Following these best practices cannot guarantee a successful project but they will provide a better chance of success. Disregarding these best practices will almost certainly lead to project failure.
About The Author
Simon Buehring is a project manager, consultant and trainer. He works for KnowledgeTrain which offers Project Management training courses in the UK and overseas. Simon has extensive experience within the IT industry both in the UK and in Asia. He can be contacted via the KnowledgeTrain website at http://www.knowledgetrain.co.uk/.
Define the scope and objectives
Firstly, understand the project objectives. Suppose your boss asks you to organise a blood donor campaign, is the objective to get as much blood donated as possible? Or, is it to raise the local company profile? Deciding the real objectives will help you plan the project.
Scope defines the boundary of the project. Is the organisation of transport to take staff to the blood bank within scope? Or, should staff make their own way there? Deciding what's in or out of scope will determine the amount of work which needs performing.
Understand who the stakeholders are, what they expect to be delivered and enlist their support. Once you've defined the scope and objectives, get the stakeholders to review and agree to them.
Define the deliverables
You must define what will be delivered by the project. If your project is an advertising campaign for a new chocolate bar, then one deliverable might be the artwork for an advertisement. So, decide what tangible things will be delivered and document them in enough detail to enable someone else to produce them correctly and effectively.
Key stakeholders must review the definition of deliverables and must agree they accurately reflect what must be delivered.
Project planning
Planning requires that the project manager decides which people, resources and budget are required to complete the project.
You must define what activities are required to produce the deliverables using techniques such as Work Breakdown Structures. You must estimate the time and effort required for each activity, dependencies between activities and decide a realistic schedule to complete them. Involve the project team in estimating how long activities will take. Set milestones which indicate critical dates during the project. Write this into the project plan. Get the key stakeholders to review and agree to the plan.
Communication
Project plans are useless unless they've been communicated effectively to the project team. Every team member needs to know their responsibilities. I once worked on a project where the project manager sat in his office surrounded by huge paper schedules. The problem was, nobody on his team knew what the tasks and milestones were because he hadn't shared the plan with them. The project hit all kinds of problems with people doing activities which they deemed important rather than doing the activities assigned by the project manager.
Tracking and reporting project progress
Once your project is underway you must monitor and compare the actual progress with the planned progress. You will need progress reports from project team members. You should record variations between the actual and planned cost, schedule and scope. You should report variations to your manager and key stakeholders and take corrective actions if variations get too large.
You can adjust the plan in many ways to get the project back on track but you will always end up juggling cost, scope and schedule. If the project manager changes one of these, then one or both of the other elements will inevitably need changing. It is juggling these three elements - known as the project triangle - that typically causes a project manager the most headaches!
Change management
Stakeholders often change their mind about what must be delivered. Sometimes the business environment changes after the project starts, so assumptions made at the beginning of the project may no longer be valid. This often means the scope or deliverables of the project need changing. If a project manager accepted all changes into the project, the project would inevitably go over budget, be late and might never be completed.
By managing changes, the project manager can make decisions about whether or not to incorporate the changes immediately or in the future, or to reject them. This increases the chances of project success because the project manager controls how the changes are incorporated, can allocate resources accordingly and can plan when and how the changes are made. Not managing changes effectively is often a reason why projects fail.
Risk management
Risks are events which can adversely affect the successful outcome of the project. I've worked on projects where risks have included: staff lacking the technical skills to perform the work, hardware not being delivered on time, the control room at risk of flooding and many others. Risks will vary for each project but the main risks to a project must be identified as soon as possible. Plans must be made to avoid the risk, or, if the risk cannot be avoided, to mitigate the risk to lessen its impact if it occurs. This is known as risk management.
You don't manage all risks because there could be too many and not all risks have the same impact. So, identify all risks, estimate the likelihood of each risk occurring (1 - not likely, 2 - maybe likely, 3 - very likely). Estimate its impact on the project (1 - low, 2 - medium, 3 - high), then multiply the two numbers together to give the risk factor. High risk factors indicate the severest risks. Manage the ten with the highest risk factors. Constantly review risks and lookout for new ones since they have a habit of occurring at any moment.
Not managing risks effectively is a common reason why projects fail.
Summary
Following these best practices cannot guarantee a successful project but they will provide a better chance of success. Disregarding these best practices will almost certainly lead to project failure.
About The Author
Simon Buehring is a project manager, consultant and trainer. He works for KnowledgeTrain which offers Project Management training courses in the UK and overseas. Simon has extensive experience within the IT industry both in the UK and in Asia. He can be contacted via the KnowledgeTrain website at http://www.knowledgetrain.co.uk/.
Reasons to Hire Project Management Speakers
When you want your business to boom, you will always want to boost up the energy and mind of middle management people so that they can be the best driving force of your lower level employees, who are the actual money spinners of your business. The point is that you need to encourage your project mangers and will have to sometimes teach them how to motivate your employees who work under each project manager. Many of us are not sure about how to motivate people and hence try hiring a motivational project management speakers, who will mostly be experts of the same field or people who have enough experience to make people as role models with their motivational speeches.
Project management speakers are people who come in to make a motivational speech on how to take care of a project in a number of effective ways. As Project management speakers are experienced, they will have a number of useful and simple techniques to share it with the Project Managers. We can find that a project manager is someone who gets pressure from the lower management and the upper management. He or she has to take in a lot of mental pressure in the course of finishing a project. If something goes wrong any where, the person to be blamed is a project manager so; Project management speakers are hired to teach them a few ways by which they can handle problems smoothly and at the same time get the result what they planned for correctly at the end.
One of the main things that a project manger has to know is encouraging the employees when they feel tired and warn them before in hand about the problems they will be facing before in hand so that they don’t get shocked after seeing the problem. Project management speakers will teach project managers the psychology of the employees using different case studies and situations so that they will get trained to face any kind of situation. Professional Project management speakers would bring up the spirits of your project managers so that they will forget all old issues and turn a fresh leaf ahead.
As we all know project management is having a control over scheduling, organizing, as well as managing the resources in order to bring about the successful achievement of a particular project target in addition to it’s objectives perfectly as aimed or planned. Project management is occasionally conflated with program management, however both the process needs a lot of dedication, clear thought, aim, focus and repeated effort. All these qualities are inside every singles person but the process of kindling it or bringing it out is done by Project management speakers and other motivational speakers.
Project management speakers are hired to inspire the minds of a company’s project managers and take them along the path of determination and success. The thoughtful speeches made by the Project management speakers act like a recharge to them as these speakers give a lot of real life examples while speaking and this will encourage the project managers to work well.
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_12858.shtml
Project management speakers are people who come in to make a motivational speech on how to take care of a project in a number of effective ways. As Project management speakers are experienced, they will have a number of useful and simple techniques to share it with the Project Managers. We can find that a project manager is someone who gets pressure from the lower management and the upper management. He or she has to take in a lot of mental pressure in the course of finishing a project. If something goes wrong any where, the person to be blamed is a project manager so; Project management speakers are hired to teach them a few ways by which they can handle problems smoothly and at the same time get the result what they planned for correctly at the end.
One of the main things that a project manger has to know is encouraging the employees when they feel tired and warn them before in hand about the problems they will be facing before in hand so that they don’t get shocked after seeing the problem. Project management speakers will teach project managers the psychology of the employees using different case studies and situations so that they will get trained to face any kind of situation. Professional Project management speakers would bring up the spirits of your project managers so that they will forget all old issues and turn a fresh leaf ahead.
As we all know project management is having a control over scheduling, organizing, as well as managing the resources in order to bring about the successful achievement of a particular project target in addition to it’s objectives perfectly as aimed or planned. Project management is occasionally conflated with program management, however both the process needs a lot of dedication, clear thought, aim, focus and repeated effort. All these qualities are inside every singles person but the process of kindling it or bringing it out is done by Project management speakers and other motivational speakers.
Project management speakers are hired to inspire the minds of a company’s project managers and take them along the path of determination and success. The thoughtful speeches made by the Project management speakers act like a recharge to them as these speakers give a lot of real life examples while speaking and this will encourage the project managers to work well.
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_12858.shtml
Project Management Training Courses: So Many Options
Project management training courses come in many sizes, types, and flavors. As Project Management is very popular topic among professionals today, there are many project management training courses out there to help Project Managers advance their skills and careers. Choosing the right project management courses among the plethora of options, however, can be daunting! This article provides some guidance to help project managers more easily sift through the myriad of options and find the ideal set of project management training courses for their situation.
Here are some steps a project manager can take to identify the most beneficial project management training courses for their situation:
1. Match Training to Current Challenges
A great place to start is to first look at current challenges and problems. For example, Project Managers often have challenges gathering clear requirements for the project, or maybe have special challenges with stakeholders on their projects. . Another complex multi-dimensional issue is project communications. Other less experienced project managers might like to work on their basic management skills. This may involve taking project management training courses covering a broad project management methodology or framework and enhancing professional credentials by earning a project management certification.
2. Select Best Delivery Methods
As a second step, it is necessary to consider preferred methods of delivery for the project management courses. The most popular include classroom, audio, and online project management training.
Classroom training
Project Management Training Courses in the classroom enable students to give full, undistracted attention to learning. They also provide in-person access to the instructor and students for both learning and networking. However, classroom training is expensive, might involve travel, require the sacrifice of work time, and must be scheduled. The student also must participate in ALL topics, even those of lesser interest.
Audio project management courses
Audio project management training courses are gaining in popularity and can be very convenient, especially as a supplement to other training. While many usually lack the visual learning aspect, some PDA-based audio programs, are beginning to add video, enhancing the ‘anytime, anywhere’ aspect of this training method. For situations such as walking or driving a car, it important to assure that the audio alone is still effective. In general, audio or PDA-based project management training courses are a great supplement to other learning methods.
Project management courses online
Project management training courses can be taken online, and some are instructor assisted and some are simply pure, or individual, online training. Some online project management courses are live and are led and facilitated by an instructor over the internet at a scheduled time. These courses usually include the ability to interact online with the students and instructor during the class. Pure, unassisted, online training, on the other hand, is self-contained, is available 24x7, and the student can easily screen for topics of greater interest. Many online project management training courses also include and on-demand online mentor to contact for help.
3. Topics for project management training courses
Lots of topics are appropriate for project management training courses. For example, something like Microsoft Project training might be a good topic for project managers who need to learn about a project management tool. A new PM with a technical background might like project management training courses on transitioning from more technical functions to project management. Others in the IT field, for example, might enjoy an IT project management course. There are many other topics, especially in the soft skills areas like leadership, management, and where a Project Manager can find just the right course at the right time to take skills to the next level.
4. Taking Action right Away
Once the choice is made, it is beneficial to take the selected Project Management Training Courses as soon as possible to have the maximum impact! Realizing the benefit from project management training courses lies in applying the knowledge right away, and this also makes that knowledge one’s own for the long haul.
In summary, the way to get the most out of project management training courses is to choose a topic related to something of very current interest, something for which there is a burning desire or need and that can be applied right away. Picking from among classroom, online, audio, self-paced, or other courses is an individual matter. However, giving one’s full focus and attention to the project management training courses and applying what was learned in the right away ensures maximum effectiveness!
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_10711.shtml
Here are some steps a project manager can take to identify the most beneficial project management training courses for their situation:
1. Match Training to Current Challenges
A great place to start is to first look at current challenges and problems. For example, Project Managers often have challenges gathering clear requirements for the project, or maybe have special challenges with stakeholders on their projects. . Another complex multi-dimensional issue is project communications. Other less experienced project managers might like to work on their basic management skills. This may involve taking project management training courses covering a broad project management methodology or framework and enhancing professional credentials by earning a project management certification.
2. Select Best Delivery Methods
As a second step, it is necessary to consider preferred methods of delivery for the project management courses. The most popular include classroom, audio, and online project management training.
Classroom training
Project Management Training Courses in the classroom enable students to give full, undistracted attention to learning. They also provide in-person access to the instructor and students for both learning and networking. However, classroom training is expensive, might involve travel, require the sacrifice of work time, and must be scheduled. The student also must participate in ALL topics, even those of lesser interest.
Audio project management courses
Audio project management training courses are gaining in popularity and can be very convenient, especially as a supplement to other training. While many usually lack the visual learning aspect, some PDA-based audio programs, are beginning to add video, enhancing the ‘anytime, anywhere’ aspect of this training method. For situations such as walking or driving a car, it important to assure that the audio alone is still effective. In general, audio or PDA-based project management training courses are a great supplement to other learning methods.
Project management courses online
Project management training courses can be taken online, and some are instructor assisted and some are simply pure, or individual, online training. Some online project management courses are live and are led and facilitated by an instructor over the internet at a scheduled time. These courses usually include the ability to interact online with the students and instructor during the class. Pure, unassisted, online training, on the other hand, is self-contained, is available 24x7, and the student can easily screen for topics of greater interest. Many online project management training courses also include and on-demand online mentor to contact for help.
3. Topics for project management training courses
Lots of topics are appropriate for project management training courses. For example, something like Microsoft Project training might be a good topic for project managers who need to learn about a project management tool. A new PM with a technical background might like project management training courses on transitioning from more technical functions to project management. Others in the IT field, for example, might enjoy an IT project management course. There are many other topics, especially in the soft skills areas like leadership, management, and where a Project Manager can find just the right course at the right time to take skills to the next level.
4. Taking Action right Away
Once the choice is made, it is beneficial to take the selected Project Management Training Courses as soon as possible to have the maximum impact! Realizing the benefit from project management training courses lies in applying the knowledge right away, and this also makes that knowledge one’s own for the long haul.
In summary, the way to get the most out of project management training courses is to choose a topic related to something of very current interest, something for which there is a burning desire or need and that can be applied right away. Picking from among classroom, online, audio, self-paced, or other courses is an individual matter. However, giving one’s full focus and attention to the project management training courses and applying what was learned in the right away ensures maximum effectiveness!
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_10711.shtml
A Project Management Process with Brainstorming
GOAL: 5 Tips for Productive Brainstorming
Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand. ~ Chinese Proverb
One of the most challenging, yet fun, parts of project management is starting the process itself—with team members to define their tasks and assigning responsibilities to those with relevant skills.
This comes after you’ve identified the PMO (project management office). In a previous blog, I wrote about setting the stage with the PMO. This is where you organize your passel of team members and gather tools such as location and equipment to begin production.
The Cycle of Decision-Making
With your PMO in place, the next step involves the cycle of decision-making; this sets the tone, pace and eventual results of your project.
There are three steps to group decision-making:
* Brainstorming
* Research
* Resolution
5 Tips for Productive Brainstorming
1. Let ideas roll and pop—but do not compliment or downgrade comments. Why? Because no judgment enters at this stage, even as no idea is a bad idea. Preface every session with this statement. And, take notes.
2. Encourage wild and outrageous ideas to spark and foment more ideas.
3. Quantity counts (not quality), at this stage. The more ideas emerge, the more likely good ideas are to be found.
4. Build on ideas. Encourage fast ideas and keep expanding on them to widen your repertoire. Adapt and improve on ideas.
5. Encourage everyone to participate—including you, as you keep up taking down notes.
Emphasize that each idea produced belongs to the group, not to the person who said it. This way, group ownership by team members makes it easy for everyone to buy into the ideas generated.
Good ideas produce strategic outcomes. Sun Tzu, a Chinese military strategist, cautioned, “Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.”
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_13128.shtml
Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand. ~ Chinese Proverb
One of the most challenging, yet fun, parts of project management is starting the process itself—with team members to define their tasks and assigning responsibilities to those with relevant skills.
This comes after you’ve identified the PMO (project management office). In a previous blog, I wrote about setting the stage with the PMO. This is where you organize your passel of team members and gather tools such as location and equipment to begin production.
The Cycle of Decision-Making
With your PMO in place, the next step involves the cycle of decision-making; this sets the tone, pace and eventual results of your project.
There are three steps to group decision-making:
* Brainstorming
* Research
* Resolution
5 Tips for Productive Brainstorming
1. Let ideas roll and pop—but do not compliment or downgrade comments. Why? Because no judgment enters at this stage, even as no idea is a bad idea. Preface every session with this statement. And, take notes.
2. Encourage wild and outrageous ideas to spark and foment more ideas.
3. Quantity counts (not quality), at this stage. The more ideas emerge, the more likely good ideas are to be found.
4. Build on ideas. Encourage fast ideas and keep expanding on them to widen your repertoire. Adapt and improve on ideas.
5. Encourage everyone to participate—including you, as you keep up taking down notes.
Emphasize that each idea produced belongs to the group, not to the person who said it. This way, group ownership by team members makes it easy for everyone to buy into the ideas generated.
Good ideas produce strategic outcomes. Sun Tzu, a Chinese military strategist, cautioned, “Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.”
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_13128.shtml
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