Carpenters have hammers, plumbers have wrenches, and programmers have computers. But does a project manager have any tools which help them perform their work better, quicker, or cheaper? Absolutely! In fact, if you don't use these tools you will be at a serious disadvantage to other project managers. And if you do, your career will see an order of … [Read more...]
12 Things to Include in a WBS Dictionary
A WBS Dictionary is a supporting document to the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). It provides supporting data about project tasks in the WBS. This information can be any type and format, ranging from textual information to numerical data to milestone dates. In short, it is an information bank for meta data about the project tasks. For example, WBS … [Read more...]
Guide to Project Scope Management
Project scope issues are the number one reason for unhappy clients and customers. Human nature is such that unauthorized tasks will always tend to slip into a project unannounced, thus project scope management is just as important as the more visible aspects of project management like scheduling and budgeting. Hence, it is the project manager's job to actively … [Read more...]
The Triple Constraint
In project management, like most things in life, there is no free lunch. If you want to finish sooner, you will have to cut the project scope. If you want lower costs, you have to cut expenses. If you want higher quality, you have to pay more. This constant tug of war is called the Triple Constraint, also known as the Project Management Triangle, or … [Read more...]
The PMBOK’s Project Scope Management Knowledge Area
Scope management, or rather the lack of it, is one of the biggest reasons for project failure. Correctly defining what is and is not included in the project is absolutely foundational to good project management. I've seen many projects go south even though they had the right expertise, schedule, high quality deliverables, and even satisfied clients. But if the dreaded … [Read more...]
Tips for Work Breakdown Structures
Project Management is like fixing a car - you must break it down into parts. You won't find the problem if you can't isolate the defective part, and you can't fix the problem if the defective part is not separated from the main engine. A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) represents this division of a project into constituent tasks. It is a tabular or … [Read more...]
How to Stop Scope Creep
Like termites that build their invisible kingdoms secretly and slowly, projects have a similar parasite that grows under the surface until it suddenly exposes itself with disastrous consequences. It's called scope creep, and it has eaten many projects alive. Scope creep is the unauthorized addition of tasks into a project. If the project manager is not on … [Read more...]
How to Control Project Scope
If your scope is pointed the wrong way, you're not going to hit the target! In fact, ineffective project control is one of the biggest sources of project distress. For this reason, one of the most important aspects of a project manager's job is controlling the boundaries of the project, that is, the tasks that are and aren't part of the project. If you want to have … [Read more...]
Project Scope Management according to the PMBOK
Scope management, or rather the lack of it, is one of the biggest reasons for project failure. Correctly defining what is and is not included in the project is absolutely foundational to good project management. I've seen many projects go south even though they had the right expertise, schedule, high quality deliverables, and even satisfied clients. But if the dreaded … [Read more...]
Make All Project Deliverables Count
To external parties, a project is defined by its deliverables. They are not just some relatively important part of the project, they are the project. They are also the measuring stick by which the success of the project, and by extension the competence of the project manager, are measured. For a word so important to the project management profession, you would expect … [Read more...]