Articles Archives - Page 2 of 453 - Project Management Articles, Webinars, Templates and Jobs

How to Select the Right Project Management Course for Your Needs?

Written by Shaz Shafiq on April 2, 2024. Posted in Articles.

Many of us do not know how to grow in our chosen careers. After all, career growth seems like a complex puzzle. Making a career switch in today’s job market can be challenging.

If you too are plagued by thoughts of how to make your mark in the world of today, then obtaining a project management certification can help you get out of low paying jobs. A certification course in project management has the potential to increase your earnings significantly.

Research shows that professionals with a project management certification can get a salary increase of up to 23% more than those without one! The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also predict a 7% growth or a demand for project managers from 2021 to 2031.

With this in mind, it’s crucial to understand how to pick the right management course. Read on to learn what to keep in mind when selecting one for your needs.

Selecting the Right Project Management Course

“Completing a project management course aligned with recognized certifications not only enhances your knowledge but also boosts your career prospects.” – Shaz Shafiq, Career Coach

It is not surprising that getting a project management certification can open doors to a lot of opportunities. After all, project management expertise is a highly sought skill after in the current job market.

By enrolling in a project management program, you position yourself as a serious player in the career league.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) provides a variety of project management certifications, such as the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) for beginners. Additionally, there’s the PfMP designation for portfolio managers and various other certifications for other professionals.

Many online platforms also offer courses for project management certification. Apart from PMI, reputed institutes like Transform Learning Academy offer programs, including a certified Project Management course (PRINCE2 certificate) along with hands on work experience and job placement assistance.

So, make sure, you happen to select the program that fits your needs and offers a flexible schedule if you need one.

Evaluate Your Project Requirements

When considering project management courses, it’s essential to start by evaluating your skills and professional background.

For newcomers focusing on fundamentals and basic principles is a must. In some cases, prior field-specific experience may not be necessary. This is true when you are trying to switch careers or when actively trying to find a job in a different sector.

If you are an experienced professional, it’s better to pursue an advanced project management certification. Begin by reviewing the course curriculum, and study material.

Thereon, if possible, connect with the instructor for a discussion about your career goals. It’s better to have a one-on-one chat or conversation with an instructor to know if obtaining a project management certification would help your career prospects.

Setting Your Goals

Before starting a project management course, it’s important to list out both personal and professional goals.

Take a moment to reflect on why you’ve chosen to enroll for a project management certification program. Some of the reasons worth considering a certification course in project management are as follows:

Improve communication and collaboration
Aiming for a salary increase or doubling your income
To improve your performance and productivity
To achieve desired outcomes and meet deadlines

Hence, having a roadmap outlining how you plan to reach your goals is essential. For instance, certain project management courses offer a three-month program. Others may offer a flexible schedule such as requiring a commitment of five hours per week.

Some courses can help you switch your career within 90 days. Whether your goal is growth or career advancement, defining your goal before enrollment is a must.

Advertisement
[widget id=”custom_html-68″]

Understanding the Course Content

Ensure that the curriculum outlines essential principles, techniques and tools necessary for managing day-to-day projects. At the end of the day, a good project management course will prepare you for handling the projects.

Select a program that covers how to handle stakeholder communication, managing project finances and provides you necessary industry exposure

Evaluate the Instructor

The ideal mentor should be a well-known figure in the field of project management. Additionally, he/she should have a proven history of completing real world projects.

To learn more, take a look at their LinkedIn profile. Find out if they have an online presence to understand their background and teaching approach.

Additional Resources

Ensure that the course provides assistance and study material. You must have access to mentors, online discussion forums or supplementary learning materials.

These resources can be incredibly helpful when you face challenges with a section or need clarity on a concept.

Testimonials, Ratings and Reviews

It’s best to read the reviews and find out as much as possible about the project management course you wish to take. Online user forums can be a great place to start.

Feedback from previous students can help you make a decision. Generally, previously enrolled students provide honest feedback about the course content and instructor.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Before enrolling conduct a cost benefit analysis. While cost is important to consider, it’s better to conduct a litmus test. You must question yourself against one yardstick alone. It is at the end of the day what skills you will acquire after enrolling in a paid course.

The answer that must resound with you is whether it will help you advance your career or not.

Note: A paid course with a fee that focuses on sought-after skills could be more beneficial than a free one. Think of it as an investment opportunity!

Networking Opportunities

Aside from focusing on the course material it’s essential to find out if you will get a chance to network. Getting to network can greatly help you secure a position as a project manager.

Global Project Management Consultant Salaries

Now that we have established that getting a PMP certification can be useful for your career growth, let’s take a quick look at the salaries.

Not only can you double your earnings after securing a PMP certificate but also use that certification to access even better opportunities.

However, the income you receive as a project management consultant is influenced by factors like your location, level of experience, and above all, your industry.

Here’s a brief overview of salaries in different regions around the world (sourced from Glassdoor);

United States of America:102,615 USD per year

United Kingdom: 65,354 USD (or £51,098.01) per year

Australia: 83,042 per year

Canada: 60,959 per year

Conclusion

Today the demand for project managers is at an all-time high. Just keep in mind, that you need to stay up to date. Remember there is no perfect project management certification course out there.

Only the one that fits your goals and schedule is the one that is the right project management course. It’s time to get certified to thrive as a project manager!

On-Site vs In-Office Experience – Word to the Interns

Written by Patrick Mwangi on March 27, 2024. Posted in Articles.

As you exit or take a break from your learning institutions and transit to the industry, you carry a lot of fantasies in your head about the good and comforting expectations that your tutors lied to you about. The construction industry in this country is not thoroughly regulated. Doctors have very good advocates that make their line of work look civilized and even indoors—what you call white collar. Your first test on the field is your capacity to bear what happens on the ground compared to what you have been writing in your books.

For the intern, who is either an Architect(Arch.), Quantity Surveyor(QS) or Structural Engineer(Eng.), the situation is not so tough as you will apply about 72% of your theory on site. The incoming project managers have a tough ride as you only apply 28%. As the engineer or Qs get on paper to do his calculations, you will sit on a corner and begin shaking your head in all directions, scanning for solutions on how to contain an emerging risk on site.

I recommend that you begin your journey as a site guy rather than an office guy. A lot of events happen on site that you will never get to experience while sitting in the office enjoying the free wi-fi and 10 a.m. tea. First, you will be able to expand your network through other professionals that you interact with through site meetings. Second, you will have high chances of landing a direct client, as they prefer to see the quality of your work rather than your academic portfolio. Third, you will be able to appreciate the role of builders, as you will feel a sense of pride as they transfer your work to the ground.

For architects, you will appreciate how the elements of design are practically implemented. For example, space, function, mood, and perception. For engineers, you will need to check how the design mix ratio is practically achieved as well as the reinforcement patterns in your drawings. For quantity surveyors, you will be able to do re-measurements for valuation purposes and breakdown your bill of quantities into a schedule of materials, which is the only document that suppliers understand.

Advertisement
[widget id=”custom_html-68″]

If you continue forcing your way to offices to only take care of paper work, then you are in the wrong industry. Leave that to accountants and politicians. From my experience, the office guy who rarely associates himself with the construction bit is the main cause of conflicts, starting from project inception to handover. He creates a moody environment between the consultant and the builder without appreciating the importance of “alternative measures” on site, especially where the situation is not so critical.

For example, if you, as the engineer, sit in the office designing and checking the suitability of your structural analysis just using software and fail to come on site, this is what happens; assuming you indicated bar x for a column and you are briefed that such a bar is currently out of stock in the market, what will you do? Because you want to be bossy with no tolerance to brainstorm with the site guy, you end up ordering for work to be halted until bar X is restored. The client will term you incompetent because you lack a versatile mind, thereby causing an unnecessary delay to the project. If you were the professional who was a site guy, you would let the builder continue with another bar, but in such a way that the purpose that was to be served by bar X is still maintained.

As I conclude, there is a common Chinese proverb that says, “What you hear, you forget; what you see, you remember; what you do, you understand.“ All are lessons right there. When you also go to the site, don`t just be there to whirl your eyes around. Take that dumpy level and proceed with setting out, obviously with some guidance. If you don`t understand, ask the builder, and you will be a complete construction prodigy.

Adapting Agile Principles for Successful Maintenance Hand-Overs

Written by Martin Fenelon on March 26, 2024. Posted in Articles.

Over the 20+ years since the Agile Manifesto was created, more and more organizations see agility as key to success, especially for software development. Agile methodologies have revolutionized the way teams approach software development, emphasizing flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Ideally, there are Product Teams that handle development and maintenance throughout the product’s lifecycle. But what happens if development and maintenance are handled by separate teams?

This scenario can be problematic, especially if the teams are using are using different methodologies, or belong to different organizations (e.g. in-house and contractor teams). What happens when it’s time to transition control of a software project from the development team to the maintenance team? Can Agile principles be applied to facilitate successful hand-overs? In this article, we’ll explore how Agile principles can be adapted and applied to ensure smooth and successful software transitions.

Understanding Agile Principles

Before we delve into how Agile principles can be adapted for software transitions, let’s briefly review some the core principles of Agile methodology. Agile is built on four foundational values and twelve principles, as outlined in the Agile Manifesto. These values and principles emphasize:

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan (flexibility)

Adapting Agile Principles for Transitions

Now, let’s examine how these Agile principles can be adapted and applied to facilitate successful software transitions:

Flexibility: Agile methodologies prioritize flexibility and adaptability, allowing teams to respond to changing requirements and priorities. Similarly, in software transitions, flexibility is one key to navigating unforeseen challenges and adjusting plans as needed. By adopting a mindset embracing change, teams can proactively address issues and adapt their approach to ensure a smooth transition.
Collaboration: Collaboration is a cornerstone of Agile methodologies, with teams working closely together to deliver value to customers. In the context of software transitions, collaboration between the development and maintenance teams is essential for success. By fostering open communication, sharing knowledge, and working collaboratively to address challenges, teams can ensure a seamless hand-over process.
Continuous Improvement: Agile methodologies also emphasize continuous improvement, with teams regularly reflecting on their processes and seeking ways to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Similarly, in software transitions, teams should evaluate their transition processes, identify areas for improvement, and implement iterative changes to optimize the hand-over process over time.

Advertisement
[widget id=”custom_html-68″]

Applying Agile Practices to Transitions

In addition to adapting Agile principles, teams can also apply specific Agile practices to facilitate successful software transitions. Some key Agile practices that can be applied include:

Iterative Planning: Adopting an iterative planning approach to break down the transition process into manageable iterations, with regular checkpoints to assess progress and adjust plans as needed.
Daily Stand-Ups: During the transition period consider holding daily stand-up meetings, where team members share updates, discuss progress, and identify any impediments. The goals is to facilitate communication and alignment between the development and maintenance teams.
User Stories: Creating user stories to capture requirements and priorities from the perspective of the maintenance team can help ensure that the transition process is aligned with the needs of the end-users. Even more importantly, user stories that include updating and maintaining the software and likely rule or data updates will improve the maintainability of the software itself.
Retrospectives: Conducting retrospectives at key milestones during the transition process allows teams to reflect on their experiences, identify successes and challenges, and brainstorm improvements for future transitions. These should also be communicated across teams and product groups.

Applying Agile Principles in a Software Transition

To illustrate the application of Agile principles in software transitions, let’s consider a hypothetical case study of a software development company transitioning control of a web application from the development team to the maintenance team:

Flexibility: When unforeseen technical challenges arose during the transition process, the development and maintenance teams collaborated to adjust their plans and implement creative solutions, ensuring a successful hand-over despite the challenges. This included adjusting target dates and budgets for both teams to provide the time and resources needed.
Collaboration: Through regular stand-up meetings and collaborative planning sessions, the development and maintenance teams worked closely together to share knowledge, address issues, and ensure alignment throughout the transition process.
Continuous Improvement: Following each milestone in the transition process, the teams conducted retrospectives to reflect on their experiences and identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing iterative changes based on these retrospectives, the teams continuously optimized their transition processes over time. These were shared with other teams, along with tools, templates, and tips that had proven useful during the transition.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Agile principles can be effectively adapted and applied to facilitate successful software transitions from development to maintenance. By embracing flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement, teams can navigate the complexities of transition processes with confidence and ensure a seamless hand-over that meets the needs of end-users. Through the application of specific Agile practices and a commitment to Agile values and principles, organizations can optimize their transition processes and set the stage for long-term success in software maintenance.

If your organization uses Agile methodologies with development and maintenance handled by different teams, how are transitions handled?

The Karma of Postponing Due Diligence

Written by George Pitagorsky on March 20, 2024. Posted in Articles.

There is a trade-off between doing work now and postponing it until you are forced to do it.

The law of karma says that what you do and don’t do causes a ripple effect. So, be careful to avoid the unwanted consequences of putting off review and assessment, risk management, planning, project administration, and resource management work.

Due Diligence

Due diligence is the opposite of negligence. In finance, project, and acquisition management, it is the effort to collect, analyze, and use data to make decisions. Due diligence is the work to collect, assess, prevent, mitigate, and account. In project management, it is the process of deciding whether to pursue or pass on a project based on a risk-reward assessment. It seeks to determine if the project is feasible, legal, ethical, and profitable. From a project and process management view, add planning, regular maintenance, and quality management to the definition of due diligence.

Bypass due diligence and the risk of failure goes way up.

Accounting and Due Diligence

Doing my tax accounting reminded me of the importance of the accounting part of due diligence and the understanding that not doing accounting and regular status reporting makes the rest of due diligence far more difficult than it needs to be.

Every year I resolve to take the time to clean up my data and set things in place for a far easier next year. But it is already March and I’d have to spend even more hours dealing with this ‘stuff’ when I have many other things to do to catch up for all the time I spent on the taxes. Then because I have so much else to do, I do not take the time to regularly do the accounting that would make taxes easy, even if not pleasant.

I postpone the effort and each year I repeat the pain.

Project Management

For one reason or another, we often put off doing unexciting and easily postponed chores.

With the pressure to “act now” and get our projects off the ground, we often find that risk-reward decision-making is given only cursory attention or bypassed altogether. Amid a dynamic complex project with tight deadlines, limited resources, and “problems” the only thing that matters is getting the work done, now. Anything else is a distraction.

This kind of heads-down, undistracted, focused work on a project can be useful. However, if you are working without regularly stepping back, you and your organization will suffer. If you think and act as if doing status reports, risk management, communication, human caretaking, and project accounting are distractions, think again.

Project performance includes Project management. Due diligence during the project means doing:

project accounting – cost and effort tracking, issue logs, status reports
regular quality assurance/process-focused meetings
risk management
quality control
communication
human caretaking (stakeholder management)

Above the project level, in the higher-order process, due diligence means:

process management – making sure the process, methodology, standards, templates, roles, and responsibilities are as best as they can be
portfolio management – making sure that the right projects are being initiated and realistically scheduled to avoid overwhelming resources and taking on projects that are likely to be disappointing.

Advertisement
[widget id=”custom_html-68″]

The Higher-order Process

When we refer to the project level and above, we recognize that projects are being performed within a higher-order process, which includes process and portfolio management, environmental conditions, and resource management. Both the project and higher levels are important, and they are interrelated. However, given the nature of organizations with short-sighted priorities, the higher-order process is often overlooked.

The higher-order processes are complex and operate in multiple dimensions such as portfolio management occurring in the context of organizational strategy, market conditions, regulatory issues, and more. The benefits and costs of doing and not doing due diligence at this level are not immediately realized. They make themselves known when something goes wrong, and the problem cannot be explained by and resolved at the project level.

For example, your project resources may be taken away and reassigned to another project causing your project to be delayed. If senior stakeholders are ok with the delay because it was factored into their decision to remove the resources, then there is no problem. But if this happens frequently across multiple projects it is a sign that the project portfolio may not be being effectively managed.

If you do not take the time to evaluate the legal, budgetary, risks, and reward factors of a project, the consequences are not felt until the project fails or a regulatory body steps in to put the brakes on. If project performers are constantly complaining about having to do useless work on administrative tasks, it may be a sign that procedures and templates need to be reviewed and repaired, performers need to be better trained, or that the wrong methodology approach is being used.

Fine-tuning or more radically changing the higher-order process affects the quality of individual project performance.

Project-level Due Diligence

Accounting within each project is part of project management due diligence. Every team member, not just the project manager, must allocate time and focus attention on tasks that may seem to be distractions from the so-called “real work.”

Project accounting is done to satisfy regulatory and administrative needs, for example, knowing how money has been spent and resources used. In addition, stakeholders want to know what is going on and how it is affecting their expectations. Will the project be on time and budget? What events have occurred that can get in the way?

But that’s not the only reason. Project accounting sets the stage for due diligence at a higher level. It leaves an audit trail with the data needed to refine portfolio management decision-making and methodology assessment. With project-level reporting comes the ability to look back at what happened to learn from it. Hindsight is not 20-20 unless there is a record to review. Memories are imperfect. How will the data from this project influence decision-making at a higher level?

Commitment and Follow-Through

The bottom line is to build due diligence activities into work plans and commit to following through with effective portfolio management decision-making, raising the consciousness of stakeholders, and ongoing refinement of the project performance approach.

Brewing Success: Managing Your eLearning Project One Cup at a Time

Written by Tracy Contrino on March 19, 2024. Posted in Articles.

Coffee is a staple of my morning routine. With little deviation, I make my coffee as soon as I sleepily saunter into the kitchen. I don’t think much about it, the process is nearly hard-coded at this point: choice of favorite mug, mug placed, coffee prepped, brew cycle on- then I await the pop-pop-popping of hot water as the sweet aroma fills my kitchen. My brain is hyper focussed on both the sounds and smells like a Pavolivan trained dog awaiting the liquid award. Then finally, I add cream and a touch of honey (yes honey, it’s delicious!) and after my first sip, my morning is ready to begin.

I get it. I’m in a rare class of those who need this cup of coffee to go beyond the simple, great, I have coffee. I admittedly spend a lot of money on this caffeinated nectar. It’s my one true pleasure each morning. I have a deep appreciation for connoisseurs who hone their skills and master the art of selecting beans, grinding them to perfection, and brewing a rich, flavorful caffeinated beverage. I read about coffee entrepreneurs and love to smell fresh beans when I’m in a coffee shop. I even enjoy reading the descriptions of flavors: medium body with tasting notes of nutty, sweet chocolate, mild citrus and a bright finish….yes please, I’ll have a cup of that!

I realize that for the vast majority of the population, the process behind an excellent cup of coffee doesn’t really matter, it’s about the end result done right. Yet one morning, I started thinking about both my morning routine and the overall coffee process, going from a bean in a field to a liquid in someone’s cup. And that’s when it hit me that the process of making coffee bears a striking resemblance to eLearning project management. As it happened that morning, I had a busy day of deliverables and thought to myself, “huh, as clients receive their final deliverables, they’re likely unaware of all the careful planning, execution, and evaluation that goes on behind the scenes. They want their deliverable, done correctly and as expected”. So I set out to write about the two processes and their similarities.

Selecting the Right Beans (Project Initiation/Needs Assessment)

A high-quality, aromatic coffee bean sets the foundation for a rich, silky cup of Java and a well- organized pre-project launch process is paramount to the success of an eLearning project.

For example, a coffee’s success includes bean variety, the growing region, climate (including altitude) and how the beans are harvested and processed. Typically, there’s no need to think about anything else in the process. Sound familiar?

As PMs, the project initiation phase is arguably the most critical stage of the entire project. Above all other tasks, a PM’s job is to review and/or confirm the target audience, determine what, if any constraints or risks are present, understand scope, draft a schedule, confirm resources and ensure that all source materials were shared. In other words, conduct a thorough needs assessment. An air-tight project initiation sets the stage for a balanced and mellow project experience. Again, if done right, there’s no need for your learners to think about anything else in the process.

Measuring and Grinding (Project Planning)

Precision is key in both coffee and project planning. How one grinds coffee beans will play a significant role in the flavor, aroma, and strength of your final drink. If your beans aren’t measured correctly before grinding, or if the grind size doesn’t match the intended strength, that cup of coffee will taste acidic, weak, or sour, all things I cannot tolerate.

In eLearning, the best way to avoid a weak project finish is early preparation to ensure that all team resources are informed of the project objectives, deliverables, schedule and risks. An eLearning project is only as successful as the individual parts. The more project information a PM shares with the project team members, the higher the probability of success. Kickoffs are the best way to communicate with your project teams.

Kickoffs ensure that your team understands the schedule, the deliverables and that everyone knows the part they’ll play in the project. It’s a time for the team to ask questions, get to know each other if they don’t already, and to understand accountability for the project success. Projects started without kickoffs often go sideways because they’re missing precision from the start. Take the time to measure the project needs beforehand, so that your project begins from a position of strength.

Advertisement
[widget id=”custom_html-68″]

Power on- Whirring, Sizzle, Gurgle, Drip! (Official Project Kick-off)

Few things are better to coffee lovers than hearing the sound of the coffee machine preparing for your morning brew. It’s surely my favorite part, as I detailed at the start of this story.

The official kick-off with your learning team is akin to powering on your coffee machine. Kick-off meetings are the time to confirm project scope, timing of milestones, agreements around project responsibilities, establishing meeting cadence, verifying source material status, and highlighting risks. Kick-off meetings set the foundation for a strong project start.

The best way that PMs can level-set expectations is via note-taking. Holding everyone on a client call responsible for their individual or collective parts is key, and live scribing is highly suggested so that the collective team agrees to action items and deadlines. With the advent of AI-based tools that are creating quite the sizzle in our industry, note taking is easier than ever before so there’s no need to skip this important step!

Brewing (Project In-Flight, Monitoring & Control)

Obviously, the best part of the brewing process is your satisfying cup of coffee. The preparation of your coffee beans invites the flavors from coffee grounds, and at that point, your coffee should brew as expected. Still, like any process, problems might arise. For example, the water temperature (targeted between 195°F to 205°F) could be off, or the wrong type of brewing method is used for the ground type which would heavily influence the role in flavor, or worse yet, user error- inserting the wrong sized filter or not measuring the water correctly. Keeping a close eye on the brewing process throughout and adjusting parameters as needed is the best way to achieve and brew the perfect cup.

Similarly, an eLearning project that is meticulously and methodically organized (during initiation and planning), should percolate to an ideal state, assuming the PM’s involvement includes excellent communication, detailed awareness, shared notes and prompt resolutions. Regularly assessing project progress is critical so that you can identify and rectify any issues quickly. Incorporating feedback from stakeholders is an ideal way to glean that your near final product is meeting/has met expectations.

Ask open, thoughtful questions during status meetings that begin with “How”, “What”, or “Tell me” as examples. Sending short (3 question max) surveys mid-project works too. Dropping a quick email that simply reads, “I am interested in hearing your feedback around how the project is progressing to date” could glean rich insight of an issue that may have not been covered during a standing meeting.

Enjoying the Final Cup (Project Closure)

Finally, it’s time to serve your eLearning project like a perfectly brewed cup of coffee. Present the finished product to stakeholders and ensure they have the tools and knowledge to make the most of it. After successfully conducting LMS testing and launching, your project is complete. Celebrate your team’s hard work and savor the sense of accomplishment.

And so, much like brewing a good cup of coffee, managing an eLearning project involves distinct phases, each crucial for a satisfying end result. Skipping or rushing through any phase can lead to a less-than-desirable outcome. By carefully tending to each step, eLearning project managers can ensure a successful and effective learning experience for their audience. If you brew your eLearning projects with the same care and precision as you would your favorite cup of coffee, you’ll serve up excellence every time.