August Poll Results

How many of you use one of the Quality Management Methodologies below in your company:

A. Six Sigma 18.57 % (13)
B. ISO 9000 32.86 % (23)
C. TQM 10 % (7)
D.Others 12.86 % (9)
E. We do not use a QM-Methodology 25.71 % (18)

Total votes: 70

************

September's poll question is: Does your organization use Project Portfolio Management?

A. Yes
B.  No
C. Partially implemented
D.  Plan for implementation within next two years

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

Project Management Poetry, by Bob Mittelsdorf, PMP

To Buy or Make

(With the greatest apologies to Bill the Bard)

To buy, or make, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous procurement procedures;
Or to make components against a sea of troubles,
And by making them, die; loose our shirts,
To work no more. But say we end
The heart-ache, and the thousand variation orders
That the project is heir to; 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To buy, to ship,
To ship, perchance delay; Aye, there's the rub,
For in that shipment delay, what liquidated damages may come?
And when we have deliver'd on all the myriad requirements
Must give us pause; There's the variance
That makes calamity of so long a project:
For who would bear the snipes and scorns of the sponsors,
The subcon's wrongful claim, the customer's contumely , 1
The pangs of dispriz'd V.O.'s, the supplier's delay, 2
The insolence of QC inspectors, and the spurns
That the ungrateful end user takes,
When he himself might his quietus make 3
With a proper project review? The PM audits bears,
To grunt and sweat under a weary project life-cycle --
But that the dread of something worse than death,
The undiscovered acceptance criteria, within whose bourn 4
No project ever is complete, puzzles the stakeholders,
And makes us rather bear those ill writ specs we have,
Than fly to others that we have not heard of.
Thus user requirements doth make cowards of us all,
And the naive hue of planning
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of risk,
And enterprises of great hopes and expectation,
With regard to their deliverables turn awry,
And fail in the name of procurement.

Definitions & Notes

1. contumely : Taunts, contemptuous treatment
2. dispriz'd : undervalued. (In some versions, the word "despiz'd" or 'despised' is used, which also works well in this context. However, "dispriz'd" feels ironic, whereas despised has a bitterer feel).
3. quietus : A final account, or settlement. An audit. (Ooh, anyone for ISO9000 ?)
4. bourn : Boundary.

********************

Bob Mittelsdorf, PMP has over 20 years of experience in project management. His background includes experience in project definition, start-up, planning, execution, monitoring and close-out on a variety of multi-million dollar developments throughout the Asian region.

He has extensive experience in organizing and leading multi-discipline and multi-project teams to achieve project success. He works as a consultant on various development and project management, quality assurance and quality control issues, and is involved in presenting adult education courses on various project management topics.

Initially trained in architecture at Kent State University, Bob holds a BSc from the University of the State of New York, an MBA from the National University of Singapore, and a Master’s Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University. He is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with the Project Management Institute (PMI) of the USA.

allPM Today Excel Tips Feature: The options in Tools/Options -beginner/intermediate Excel tip, by Bob Umlas, Microsoft Excel® MVP

When you issue the Tools/Options command, you're presented with a slew of options distributed among 13 tabs! In this article we'll take a look at some of them, and continue with the rest in future articles. The dialog looks like this:

Publisher's Note: If you are interested in learning about and/or participating in the live, virtual Mastering Microsoft Excel® course taught by Bob Umlas, click here: http://www.iil.com/str_link_all_results.asp?select_cartid=395&ld=allpm Our allPM.com members get a 15% discount on the course!

********************

Bob Umlas has been an MVP since 1995. He has been a beta tester for new versions of Microsoft Excel since version 1.5 (on the Macintosh!) He has led several sessions at Microsoft's Tech-Ed: Maximizing Excel development using Array Formulas, and Excel Tips and Tricks (at 2 separate Tech-Eds). He has also led a session on Tips and Tricks at the Advisor's Developers Conference in San Francisco in 1998, and at the Convergence Conference in Orlando in February 2004.

He has co-lead the New York PC User's Group monthly meeting on Excel and did so for about 12 years (including the NY Macintosh Excel User's Group). He was a contributing editor for the Cobb Groups' Inside Microsoft Excel , The Expert , and Excellence , all monthly publications on all aspects of Excel, for which he has written over 300 articles over the years.

He is a frequent contributor of Excel tips & tricks and solutions to questions on the Microsoft Excel Newsgroup, Mr. Excel, Woody's Lounge, CompuServe, and Peachtree.

Formerly an independent consultant in NYC using Excel exclusively, Bob now works in New Jersey for one of the top 5 tax and accounting firms.

Theme of the Month: "Global Project Management” By: Dr. Al Zeitoun, International Institute for Learning

This article is about global project management and how it is connected to creating the opportunities for organizational excellence. This is a journey of discovery that addresses first the competencies that the global project manager needs to have in order to handle global work. The personal attributes take the front stage in this context.

The journey then makes a stop in the land of project management skills and what the individuals working on projects across cultures need to be equipped with. The cultural understanding needed is an important component of the success formula crucial in global projects. The dimensions of what makes up a culture and how project managers get supported under global variables are of major importance.

Global Project Management Competencies

Knowing what the global stakeholders' competencies are is fundamental to a global project and its success. For the project manager to make a difference, he should be provided with the backing up of an organization that is focused on doing the right things in the global village. Many of today's organizations involved in global projects lack this leadership dimension and therefore affect the ability of the project manager to be the best he can be. If an organization's culture does not support doing the right things, project managers will be shooting in the dark, will lack the proper commitment, and will fail in selling that unclear direction further to the masses doing the actual project work.

********************

Al Zeitoun, (Ph.D., MS, and PMP) is Chief Projects Officer for International Institute for Learning, Inc. Dr. Zeitoun's extensive global project management experience encompasses engineering, construction, manufacturing, and product development. He received a research excellence award in 1992 and continues to have his papers published and presented at various PMI global conferences. He has led and chartered PMI chapters and SIGs worldwide and is on the board of the Global Accreditation Council of PMI.

The Zen of PM: Expect Resistance to Change and Manage It, by George Pitagorsky, PMP, International Institute for Learning

Thomas Jefferson, in the U. S. Declaration of Independence, wrote:

“All experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.”

This quote reminds me of the great difficulty of making change. As I explore the interplay among quality management, change management and project management, it seems that the theme of resistance to change and suffering is always close to the top of the critical issues list.

It is widely accepted that there is a degree of self inflicted suffering that underlies even the happiest of lives. This suffering is self inflicted because its root cause is ignorance reinforced by attachment expressed as grasping onto things we want but cannot have and pushing away things we don't want but cannot avoid. The ignorance that fuels the grasping and pushing away is the failure to recognize that everything is ever changing and therefore impermanent. In Jefferson 's terms, the grasping onto the “forms to which they (we) are accustomed” is the barrier to effecting the change that would remove the causes of our suffering.

How do these ideas relate to managing quality, projects and change? First we can agree that all improvement activities are projects. Then we can agree that when making improvements, we change the way people behave and interrelate.

********************

George Pitagorsky, (PMP), is Senior Enterprise Solutions Advisor for International Institute for Learning (IIL).  He is an expert in project management, and process improvement and facilitator.  George authored IIL's Project Management Basics™ , a multimedia interactive browser based course, and has authored or directed development of all of IIL's core PM courses.  He has written numerous articles on Project Management, organizational development, conflict resolution and personal development subjects.  George is the author of IIL's IT Project Management System, a multimedia product, and co-creator and director of IIL's The Unified Project Management Methodology (UPMM™) , Web PM knowledge tool.  He is a meditation teacher with over thirty years of experience in Yoga and meditation practice and co-creator of both the Conscious Living and Working Wisely workshops.

Positive Leadership In Project Management - Creativity &
Leadership: A Winning Combination, by Frank P. Saladis PMP

The questions a project manager will either ask or hear from project stakeholders are most likely to begin with the words “What if?" Common questions may include: What if the equipment is late? What if the design doesn't meet the customer's expectations? What if we can't get the resources we need? What if it doesn't work? The list can go on and on. It's actually a good practice to ask these types of questions throughout the life cycle of the project. It keeps the team focused on risk management and helps to create a proactive, rather than reactive approach to planning and problem solving.

Project managers must learn to deal with a variety of issues that affect their projects. These can be anything from damaged or missing equipment to inter-personal conflicts. The problem isn't the question being asked, it's determining the best solution that becomes the real challenge. When a problem develops, especially something urgent that requires immediate attention, many project teams are quick to react to the situation with the first solution that comes to mind. Later, during a review of the problem many other possible approaches are identified when the answering the question “ How could we have done this better? We have all heard that “hind sight is 20/20 vision.” It's a lot easier to look back on something that has already happened and pick apart the actions to come up with brilliant “ We could have done this” solutions. This type of review does have its value in the form of lessons learned and sharing the information if it is used to prevent a future occurrence of the same type of problem. We know that lessons learned play a key part in managing projects by giving the project manager something to look back on during planning but what is also needed is a creative edge to address the current situation. These current situations can be referred to as “future lessons learned”. They must be dealt with effectively in the present while the problem exists. The knowledge gained can be shared later.

********************
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 former President of the NYC PMI Chapter.

Spotlight on Government -- E-Government: Project Managers as Entrepreneurs, by Don Jones, MA, PMP

"The whole topic of e-Government can be daunting…"

How Can PMs Promote E-Government?

Given the grim budget outlook facing most units of government, the challenge is to convince executives and elected officials to resist the urge to simply cut technology investment. Instead, we should be looking to proven Internet strategies as at least a partial solution to the budget crisis. In other words, rather than simply cut out IT expenditures, innovate our way out with road tested e-government solutions. In a word, the more successful government PMs will help their host organizations become more entrepreneurial.

How can project managers promote e-government? Above all, remain objective. There's no doubt that the potential for e-commerce was oversold to business, and the dot-com industry has experienced a large-scale shakeout. We don't need a "dot-bomb" implosion in government. Still, government has learned from the private sector experience and is moving ahead steadily, if cautiously, with on-line information, services and interaction with citizens. Therefore, there's no need for PMs to be apologists for e-government. The following strategies might help.

********************

Don Jones, MA, PMP, Ramsey County Human Services St Paul, Minnesota is currently Director of the Ramsey County Redesign Project, a comprehensive 4-year program to re-engineer the delivery of County human services. Don has held previous positions with the Hazelden Foundation and Stanford University. He has large-scale project management experience in IT, construction, healthcare, educational research, and organizational development. Currently, Don is a Director-at-Large for the Minnesota Chapter of Project Management Institute (PMI), and a Community Faculty Member at Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Don is participating in a study on E-Government being conducted by the Citizens League in Minnesota.

For more information, contact Don at:
Ramsey County Human Services
160 East Kellogg Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55101
DonJones@co.ramsey.mn.us
651/266-4324

How Project Management Skills Can Help the Procrastinator (and Those Who Manage Them), by Clare J. Settle, PMP

As a born procrastinator, I have struggled with the need to “get started” most of my life. I know that sheer determination and discipline do not necessarily work for those of us who share this challenge. I also know that it is extremely difficult for non-procrastinators to understand why procrastinators don't just buckle down and "get to it", because that is what they do. They don't realize how fortunate they are; to them, it is a simple thing. To procrastinators, a project can be an unimaginable behemoth, with no clear place or way to start.

It's especially important to understand that most procrastinators really want to get things done. For some, it's the enormity of the project that is the obstacle; they need to find ways to make the unmanageable manageable. For others, the compulsion to create perfection stands in their way; they need to accept that perfection can - and might have to be - compromised in order to get things done.

********************

Clare J. Settle, PMP has over 20 years of project management experience, and has been involved in or responsible for the introduction of structured methodology and project management to a number of IT organizations. She is presently building a project management office for an international fraternal organization that has never before experienced the benefits of project management.

Managing the Virtual Employee, by William Dow, PMP

The Project Management industry is changing; we are moving away from the days of the boardroom meetings and group gatherings, to the virtual team world. Full and part time employees work each week from a home (Home office employees) or a remote office (corporate or remote office, in another town or state) 100% of the time. This is still a relatively new direction but more and more companies are starting to offer this kind of work arrangement for their employees. The question is; how effective is it?

How does a Project Manager (PM) handle a virtual team? What are the challenges and issues he/she faces on projects? Can a PM be effective with a team spread out across the country, and in some cases the world? Can they really bring a team together and be successful?

Virtual Team Members present the following challenges:

Lack of Accountability
Out of site, out of mind! When a team member does not have a PM around to make sure a task is completed, sometimes tasks do not get finished.

Missed meetings/deadlines
Sometimes team members don't show up to meetings or miss deadlines on their assigned tasks. There are also times, due to other priorities, team members will miss multiple project meetings leaving the PM not knowing what is happening with their piece of the project.

********************

Practical Project Management, by Brian Tracy

Some skills are peripheral to success. It's nice to have them, but they don't make much of a difference one way or another. There are other skills, however, that are absolutely essential to your fulfilling your potential, and you must develop them to a fairly high degree if you are to achieve all of your goals.

One of these absolutely essential skills is the ability to manage projects of various sizes. A project is defined as a multitask job, the kind that you engage in every day in the process of making a living and carrying on the business of your life. To be a success, you must be good at project management.

One of the great dangers in project management is feeling that we already know all we need to know about the subject. Too many people take their ability to do several jobs at once, or in a row, for granted. They fall into the intelligence trap of the low performer. They use their intelligence to point out to themselves and to others how confident and capable they already are. They join the ranks of the “unconscious incompetent.” The unconscious incompetent is the person who does not know, and he does not know that he does not know.

********************

Brian Tracy is a legendary in the fields of management, leadership, and sales. He has produced more than 300 audio/video programs and has written 28 books, including “Eat That Frog!”, "Million Dollar Habits” and “Time Power." He can be reached at (858) 481-2977 or www.briantracy.com .