January/February Poll Results

What is your comfort level when managing conflict?

A) Very Comfortable 27% (38)
B) Somewhat comfortable 50% (70)
C) Uncomfortable 21% (29)
D) I avoid it 2% (3)

Total votes: 140

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The March poll question is: Acceptance Criteria are:

A) nice to have but I rarely use them
B) usually too vague to do my project any good
C) the difference between success and failure
D) a waste of time because they take too much time

If you have not already done so, please stop by allPM.com and add your opinion today.

Project Management Poetry™, by Frank Saladis, PMP

Project Manglers, Project Damagers, and Project Managers

There are many who claim to be the best -- no project is beyond their skills,
They try to plan and make it work but just give their team the chills.

They have no clue but continue on, hoping for a miracle or two,
Knowing that someday soon, the sponsor will shout "You're through!

They thought the job was no big deal, what can be so tough?
And then they found to no surprise, they really don't have the right stuff.

They mangle the plan and the team cries out, we're about to pay our dues!
If we don't get a real PM soon, we'll be singing the project manager blues! 

So watch out for those damagers and manglers too, your project won't have a prayer,
They think the plan and the deliverables too, will appear right out of thin air!

A real project manager is what you need, someone who is tried and true,
A PMP who has made the grade, and knows just what to do.  

They manage the triple constraint each day, they're leaders truly skilled 
And finish the project on time and on cost, and with sponsors and clients thrilled!

Dedicated to all the true professional project managers worldwide

© 2005 allPM.com

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Frank P. Saladis (PMP) is Senior Consultant with International Institute for Learning, Inc. He has been involved in the development of standardized Project Management Guidelines (PMGs) for the AT&T Corporate Information Technology Services (Corporate ITS) organization and is the author of the Project Evaluation Review Process (PERP). He is the President of the NYC PMI Chapter.

allPM Today Tips Feature: Dynamic Scheduling with Microsoft Office Project 2003 , by Eric Uyttewaal, PMP

This article is reprinted with permission from the book "Dynamic Scheduling with Microsoft Office Project 2003" by Eric Uyttewaal, PMP. The book explains how the principle of dynamic scheduling can be implemented. Even though the author refers only to Microsoft Office Project 2003, the principle can be implemented using any scheduling software.

Many people create schedules in MS Project. A schedule consists at least of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), detail tasks to accomplish the WBS -- deliverables, estimates, dependencies between the tasks and perhaps some hard dates. Schedules are commonly presented as Gantt Charts with taskbars in a timescale. The way the schedule is entered into the software determines if the schedule is rigid or dynamic. If you enter the dates for the tasks, it creates hard dates and you will end up with a rigid schedule.

A dynamic schedule is not just a fashionable term. A schedule is only dynamic if the schedule can easily be kept up-to-date when you are busy during project execution. Think of a schedule as a dynamic model that you continue to work with until the project is over. Ideally, when one thing changes in your real life project, you would have to change only one field in your MS Project model to have valid forecasts again. This is the principle of dynamic schedules . You will only come close to this ideal if your schedule meets the following requirements:

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Eric Uyttewaal is the author of the book "Dynamic Scheduling with Microsoft Office Project 2003" (see http://www.iil.com/iil_shortdescr.asp?sku=PT246 ). Eric is Executive Director, Microsoft EPM Division at International Institute for Learning, headquartered in New York . He developed and currently manages the training and certification curriculum in MS Project and Project Server, which he and his colleagues teach all over the world.

He has presented at many project management conferences in the USA , Canada and Europe . In Holland , he published several articles on management issues. In 1997, he was President of the Ottawa Chapter of PMI, currently serving over 2000 members. He was president of the MPUG-Ottawa chapter (MS Project Users Group) from 2000 until 2004.

Theme of the Month: Acceptance Criteria - The True Measure of Task and Project Success Part I, by Eoin Callan (MBA, PMP)

ATTENTION PLEASE...Attention please...attention please… Will everyone out there who has ever delivered a project that was EXACTLY according to spec/requirements – and yet the client or end user said "I can't use that" - please raise their hand? (Note: both of mine are up as well…)

How does this happen? Why do we end up delivering products, services or results that don't serve the true, root needs of the project sponsors and stakeholders? Sometimes it's easiest just to blame the other side for not being clearer about what they want but the truth is that our focus is usually on the wrong part of the process in producing the final goods of our projects. This is the first of three articles on the subject of Quality, intended to help project managers facilitate better documentation of, adherence to and results from acceptance criteria.

We usually work in systems environments, where a system may be described simply as any collection of inputs, processes and outputs. In such an environment, quality may be built into a product only through repeatable, consistent processes. Common quality bad habits usually measure the grade or performance of the products seen at the end. Such inspection is contrary to Dr. W. Edwards Deming's idea that quality must be built into products from the beginning using consistent best practices that we continually try to improve. One way we can improve our chances of success are by better documenting stakeholder project needs from the beginning.

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Eoin Callan (MBA, PMP) has over 15 years of practical application of disciplined project management. His business experience includes varied industrial expertise such as call centers large and small, financial services firms, direct mail efforts, pharmaceutical companies, software manufacturers, market research ventures, medical research, journalism/public relations and training.

Today I Was a Good Project Manager, by Kate McLeod, PMP

What motivates you to keep coming into the office day after day, besides the obvious financial incentive, of course? You often hear people say that if they won the lottery, the first thing they would do would be to quit their job. But think about it: would you really? Without question, a certain percentage of workers would submit their resignation via text message on the way home from cashing the lottery cheque at the bank. For some people, though, it's not about the money; it's about the personal satisfaction they get from doing a job well.

My work environment is not perfect. In fact, it can be pretty darned frustrating at times. I recently took a few weeks off on stress leave. The last year and a half on this job have been a constant pressure cooker, and it all finally caught up with me. After hearing that, you'd probably think I'd be out of there if I came into money, but you would be wrong.

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Kate McLeod (PMP) is currently working as an Information Technology Project Manager for the Canadian Federal Government. She is a graduate of York University and also has college diplomas in Web programming and Project Management. She received her PMP designation in 2002. Kate lives in suburban Ottawa , Ontario with her husband Brian, two children ages 9 and 10, and two cats. She hopes that when she retires it will be to a place that is warm in the winter.

Column: Positive Leadership In Project Management - Effective Communication through Feedback and Follow-up or "How 'ya Doin?" by Frank Saladis, PMP

Following up on commitments is something we, as project managers, expect our project team members to do. With all of the daily activity that a project manager is involved with, it's reasonable to "assume" that once direction is given, the scope or work is explained and responsibilities have been assigned, the project team members will go about their business and take care of their work packages. This is based on the belief that once the scope is explained they will understand what they have to do. Unfortunately, as many "veteran" project managers know, this is wishful thinking and very risky.

My mentor in project management, Dan Ono – true project management professional and one who not only talked the talk , but walked the walk of project management, advised his project managers, associates, and students that there are two phrases project managers should never use: " I hope" and "I assume." He suggested, or more specifically, demanded that his project managers remain fully and completely informed about their projects. That meant knowing what was going on at all times and constantly following with functional managers and team members to ensure that status was current and that new issues are addressed and resolved as quickly as possible. This certainly is a "best practice from my perspective and a practice that all project managers should adopt and implement.

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Frank P. Saladis (PMP) is Senior Consultant with International Institute for Learning, Inc. He has been involved in the development of standardized Project Management Guidelines (PMGs) for the AT&T Corporate Information Technology Services (Corporate ITS) organization and is the author of the Project Evaluation Review Process (PERP). He is the President of the NYC PMI Chapter.

Spotlight on Government: One of the Missing Keys to Drive E-Goverment’s Sucess: Professional Project Managers, by Shauneen Furlong, Executive Director, Government On-Line, Government of Canada

Governments around the world are moving some or all of their services into an online environment. In some cases this takes the form of automating existing services; in others it opens the way to significant public service reform. In cases where integration and rethinking of services are a fundamental part of the e-government initiative, professional project managers can play a key role. However, the outsourcing of technology and information services during the 90's and the "projectization" of work means that in many government bodies, professional project managers are very few and far between. In many jurisdictions, the term project manager has taken on an almost clerical or administrative role. This article provides insights into the Government of Canada's five year long Government Online (GOL) initiatives and the types of project managers that are necessary to move this type of project along.

Canada 's e-government initiative

Canada announced its (GOL) goal in the 1999 Speech from the Throne "to be known around the world as the government most connected to its citizens, with Canadians able to access all government information and services on-line at the time and place of their choosing". It was one of the few times that federal departments were encouraged (in fact, mandated) to work together to deliver services; to change their focus and perspectives regarding citizens; and to share systems and funds. The GOL initiative began with a focus on putting off-line services on-line. But, this quickly advanced into service and business transformation and seamless delivery to citizens. And increased synergistic benefits from integration and interoperability were within grasp. E-government morphed into using technology for better government, and technology became the catalyst and conduit for better government image, citizen security and protection, and modernization and reform of delivery of 21 st century public services.

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Shauneen Furlong is currently an independent consultant who lectures on e-government and project management with the University of Toronto , Rotman School of Business, and is currently studying how to develop project managers to successfully move the Government On-Line initiative to the next level. She has recent senior executive level experience in a number of Government of Canada central agencies and departments over a period of 20 years, most recently Executive Director, Government On-Line, Government of Canada. She is one of a handful of Canadian executives who were part of the policy development and implementation team in the Treasury Board Secretariat that initiated the Government On-Line initiative across the federal government, and then moved on to being responsible to deliver GOL within a federal regulatory department. 

Ms. Furlong was nominated by IT World Canada as being one of Canada 's key e-government drivers, and was profiled by Computer World Canada as a charter member of Canada 's first MBA in Project Management. She has participated as part of the Canadian delegation to the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), and has been invited to present to international e-government conferences. She has an BA in Philosophy; and an MBA in Project Management.

Why Do Executives Stay Awake at Night Worrying About Project Management? by Harold Kerzner, Ph.D.

In this 10-part series, Dr. Kerzner elaborates on the 10 PM migraine headaches that executives get from staying up all night worrying about project management. To read the original article with all 10 migraines, please click here: www.allpm.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1259

Each month Dr. Kerzner asks YOU for your remedies for the "migraine of the month." Once you read about it, please send your remedy to migrainecure@allpm.com .  Of all the remedies that are submitted, he and your Co-Publishers, Frank and Judy , will review them and we will post them on a new PM Migraine Forum on our website. You can then read them and vote for the remedy you like best. We will then publish the solution that receives the most votes in a subsequent issue of allPM Today!

The winner will receive a prize, which will be an autographed copy of one of Dr. Kerzner's best-selling books.

Remedies submitted for Migraine #3:

Please click here to read and cast your vote for the best of the entries: http://www.allpm.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=149

Migraine #4: Reporting Level of the PMO

Companies have established a PMO as the guardian of project management intellectual property. Included in the responsibilities of a PMO are strategic planning for project management, development of and enhancement to the EPM, maintenance of project management templates, forms and guidelines, portfolio management of projects, mentorship of inexperienced project managers, a hot line for project problem solving, and maintaining a project management best practices library.

This places a great deal of intellectual property in the hands of a few, and information is power. And with all of this intellectual property in the hands of three or four people in the PMO, the person to whom the PMO reports could become possibly more powerful than his/her counterparts. What is unfortunate is that the PMO must report to the executive levels of management and there appears to be severe infighting at the executive levels for control of the PMO.

To allay the fears of one executive becoming more powerful than another, companies have created multiple PMOs which are supposedly networked together and sharing information freely. Hewlett-Packard has multiple PMOs all networked together. Exel Corporation has PMOs in the United States , Europe , Asia , Mexico and Brazil all networked together. Star Alliance has a membership of fifteen airlines, each with a PMO and all networked together with the Lufthansa PMO as the lead. These PMOs are successful because information and project management intellectual property are shared freely.

Allowing multiple PMOs to exist may seem like the right thing to do to appease each executive but in some cases it has created the headaches of project management intellectual property that is no longer centralized. And to make matters worse, what happens if every executive, including multinational executives, each demand their own PMO? This might eventually be viewed as an over-management expense and unless the company can see a return on investment on each PMO, the concept of the PMO might disappear.

For our readers: What is your proposed migraine remedy for the situation where an excessive number of PMOs might be created thus diluting the potential benefits of a PMO?

Please send your remedy for Migraine #4 to migrainecure@allpm.com .

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Harold Kerzner (M.S., Ph.D., Engineering and M.B.A) is Professor of Systems Management at Baldwin-Wallace College.  He is also Executive Director for Project Management for the International Institute for Learning and President of Project Management Associates, Inc., a project management consulting company based in Ohio.  Dr. Kerzner's expertise is in the areas of project management and strategic planning.  Dr. Kerzner has previously taught engineering at the University of Illinois and business administration at Utah State University.  He obtained his industrial experience at Thiokol Corporation where he held both program management and project engineering responsibilities on a variety of NASA, Air Force, Army, Navy and independent IR&D programs.

He has published or presented more than 250 engineering and business papers, and has 19 texts entitled:  Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling and Controlling; Project Management for Bankers; Project Management Policy and Strategy: Cases and Situations; Project Management for Executives; Case Studies in Project Management; A Handbook for Proposal Preparation and Management; Project Management for the Small and Medium Sized Business; Operating Guidelines for Project Management; Strategic Planning; A Dictionary of Terms for Project Management; Team Management; An Introduction to Operations Research for Managerial Decisions; Investing in the Corporate Bond Market; A Practical Guide to Strategic Planning;  In Search of Excellence in Project Management; Applied Project Management: Best Practices in Implementation;  Strategic Planning for Project Management Using a Project Management Maturity Model, A Casebook in Project Management, and Advanced Project Management.

Achieving Excellence in Business Development: The Business Development Capability Maturity Model, by Dr. Ginger Levin and Howard Nutt

Introduction

Maturity, according to the Random House Dictionary, is defined as "full development or a perfected condition." It also connotes understanding or visibility as to why success occurs and ways to prevent common problems. It implies that capabilities must be grown over time. Harold Kerzner in his book, Strategic Planning for Project Management Using a Project Management Maturity Model (2001) states that "All organizations go through a maturity process, and that this maturity process must precede excellence. The learning curve for maturity is measured in years."

Numerous maturity models have been prepared, beginning with the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model for Software (SW- CMM ). In December 2003, the Project Management Institute published its Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3). Maturity models provide a progressive standard to help organizations continue to improve their processes.

Similarly in 2003, the Business Development Capability Maturity Model (BD- CMM ) was published. Business development is an essential part of any business' efforts to succeed and serves as the front-end to project management. It involves identifying and building relationships with new customers and creating new opportunities with existing customers. Through business development, organizations then can pursue effectively chosen and delivered projects that lead toward competitive advantage and sustained growth.

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Dr. Ginger Levin is an independent consultant in project management and an Adjunct Professsor and Program Specialist in Project Management for the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She can be contacted at ginlevin@aol.com .

Howard Nutt is the Executive Director of the Business Development Institute International ( www.BD-Institute.org ). He can be contacted at hwnutt@bd-institute.org . Dr. Levin and Mr. Nutt, along with Nancy Kessler, are the authors of the Business Development Capability Maturity Model. It can be ordered through its publisher, Shipley Associates, at http://www.shipleywins.com.

PMBOK® Guide, Third Edition - Is more really better? A Review by R. Max Wideman - Part I

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge®, Third Edition,
is copyright by the Project Management Institute, PA, USA , 2004.
It has been distributed on a CD free of charge to members of the Institute.

Editorial Note: This article uses the form "we" to indicate that while the author is responsible for the research and content, it has been reviewed by an independent and select group of knowledgeable PMI members. The original work has been modified according to their recommendations.

Executive Summary

The Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge is the Project Management Institute's flagship document upon which is based its accreditation, certification, and training programs. It underpins a major part of the Institute's products and marketing. The existence of a documented body of knowledge in project management is also the foundation of its success in recent years and a credible and supportable update is therefore critical to the Institute's continued success. So this review has been undertaken from the perspective of the potential reaction from experienced project managers, and the credibility and lucidity with which the latest update can be presented to students of project management.

In this review we have found much that we liked, but also areas that could and should be improved. We present it in three parts: Part 1 takes a broader view of the document providing a General Introduction and a description of the Guide Structure followed by What we liked , the Downside, and Missed Opportunities that should be of serious concern. Part 2 provides more detail with respect to Sections I and II contained within the document. It too is divided into What we liked and the Downside . Part 3 deals similarly with Section III. For purposes of brevity, this Executive Summary touches only on the highlights.

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Max Wideman is a retired Canadian professional engineer and project manager with experience in systems, social and environmental projects, as well as design and engineering projects. He is a Fellow of the Project Management Institute, of which he is past president and chairman, and for whom he developed the 1987 version of the Project Management Body of Knowledge. He also enjoys Fellow status in the Institution of Civil Engineers (UK), the Engineering Institute of Canada, and the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering.

Max has lectured or presented papers in eleven countries and has contributed books, chapters, papers and articles on many project management topics. His latest book is A Management Framework for Project, Program and Portfolio Integration , Trafford , BC , 2004. Comprehensive coverage of project management theory and practice can be found on his web site at http://www.maxwideman.com