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Written by Ollan Delany
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Editor’s Comments
 The ability of both humans and animals to adapt to changing environments is well known. In today’s private and public sectors, adaptive management or ”learning by doing” has become a recognized process of continuing improvement by learning from decisions previously taken. In Adaptive Project Management, Lev Virine takes an in-depth look at how project management is adapting. In Top Three Things You (Probably) Didn’t Know About Estimating, Jamal Moustafaev considers the different ramifications involved in estimating project costs and timing. He investigates what’s wrong with our estimates and what can we do to improve them by finding the root causes and providing some tips to help avoid common problems. In Staying Power, Sandra Lavoy, reviews a survey that outlines some ideas about how to retain good IT staff.
Our bloggers have some interesting comments on communication both in running projects and on a keynote speakers they’ve been exposed to recently. As usual, we hope you enjoy the ideas and views were presenting in this issue of Project Times and that you’ll share your views with us. We use them to help plan future issues.
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To view a slideshow of photos from ProjectWorld * BusinessAnalystWorld 2008 Toronto event, click here. |
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Written by Jamal Moustafaev
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Whenever I have a chance to teach a project management course at BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology) or in corporate environments, I usually start my class by presenting my students with the following scenario:
”Imagine, that I walk into the most upscale and exclusive car dealership in your city and ask for the latest model of a Ferrari with a number of custom features. I also specify that I will need a car by tomorrow and that I am willing to pay $5,000 for it. What do you think would be the reaction of the salesperson?” |
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Written by Lev Virine
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Will polar bears die because of global warming? Most likely not, as they, like any other living creatures, are capable of adapting. Of course, if global warming turns out to be extreme, no adaptations the polar bears make will help them find suitable habitat. Nevertheless, the ability to adapt is a distinctive feature of all life. |
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Written by Sandra Lavoy
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CIO Survey Reveals Most Effective Retention Methods
In the information technology (IT) industry, money talks, but it's not the only employee-loyalty tool, a new survey shows. When chief information officers (CIOs) were asked to identify the most effective ways to keep IT staff, compensation (27 per cent) topped the list. Providing flexible schedules was close behind, cited by 21 per cent of respondents; another 17 per cent said opportunities for professional development helped to improve retention rates. |
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