Archive for October, 2009
October 29, 2009
- Offer the service, and have all projects use the service. In this approach, the PMO provides a centralized service to all projects, keeping all plans up to date. This can reduce cost, especially in an environment where the PMIS is not fully automated and integrated. The risk associated with this approach is that the project managers may not be as aware of project status as they would be if they had to prepare the plans themselves. This is all usually keeped up to date using Project Management Templates that can help you plan ahead.
The PMO Manager should choose among these options based on these factors:
- Degree of automation of the PMIS. In a mostly manual environment, the Update Plans service is better centralized in the PMO, reducing the workload on project managers. In a highly automated environment, most update functions occur automatically as project managers do planning, team leads record progress on deliverables, and workers enter their timesheet information.
- Focus of the project managers. If the project manager is primarily responsible for scope, time and schedule, then the Update Plans Service is less necessary. If project managers are hired primarily for their industry-specific technical knowledge, then the Update Plans Service will support them by ensuring good project management software practice.
October 26, 2009
Which Online Project Management PMOs should provide the Update Plans Service?
Updating Online Project Management Plans
All projects must have their plans updated weekly, but this work can be provided either by the project teams themselves, or by the PMO. This leaves three options for the PMO with regard to offering the Update Plans Service for project plans:
- Do not offer the service, leave it to the project teams. This option has the advantage that it requires project managers, team leaders, and their teams to be very hands-on with a project management methodology. If project managers are well-trained and focused on keeping information up-to-date, then they will be able to update plans themselves. If all projects are able to deliver updated plans weekly to the PMO reliably, this is an option.
- Offer the service, but only to be used as needed. In this option, the norm is for project managers and their teams to keep plans up to date. But if a particular project manager is having trouble doing this, the PMO takes over the activity. This need can be determined by the project managers ability to deliver input to the Report Status Service. If the project manager cannot do this, then the PMO should do it.
October 22, 2009
Define the Online Project Management Update Plans Service
Follow the four steps shown in this diagram to define the key features of the Update Plans Service:
1. Decide to Offer
2. Define Key Features
3. Prepare Activity Matrix
4. Define Stakeholders, Processes, and Outputs
- Decide to offer. Decide whether or not to offer this service, and when to launch it.
- Define key features. Define the administrative information, key features, and benefits of the Update Plans Service.
- Prepare activity matrix. Define the activities that each team member will perform and assign the work.
- Define stakeholders, processes, and outputs. After key features are defined, continue to develop the service by completing the remaining sections of the Service Plan and additional project management templates.
October 19, 2009
To prepare all project management templates, checklists, schedules, and other forms for the Update Plans Service, refer to both the instructions in Providing Services, and also to the information and examples on this page. Prepare a copy of the Service Plan Template, the Service Evaluation Schedule, and the Service Improvement Schedule for the Update Plans Service.
In addition, the following additional service-specific forms are included in MPOM Template section for the Update Plans Service:
- Project Planning Procedures provides the procedures for re-baselining and updating online project management plans.
- Program Planning Procedures provides the process for updating program plans.
- Portfolio Planning Procedures provides the process for updating portfolio plans.
Instructions for completing these items are on this page. All PMOs providing the Update Plans Service will use the Project Planning Procedures. If a PMO is also tasked with keeping program or portfolio information up to date, those procedures are available as well.
October 15, 2009
Provide the Update Project Management Methodology Plans Service
Perform the five activities shown in this diagram to provide the Update Plans Service:
1. Define the Update Plans Service
2. Identify Stakeholders for the Update Plans Service
3. Provide the Update Plans Service
4. Evaluate the Update Plans Service
5. Improve the Update Plans Service
- Define the Update Plans Service. The PMO should update plans when project managers cannot do this reliably themselves, or when a centralized service reduces project cost. The PMO can update project, program, and portfolio plans.
- Identify stakeholders for the Update Plans Service. Customers are project managers, team leads, and the PMO Report Status Service team. Other stakeholders include project management methodology teams, projects, and all those who receive status information from the Report Status Service.
- Provide the Update Plans Service. Each project must have up-to-date plans each week, so this service is an ongoing PMO activity. The level of effort is dependent upon how automated the online project management system is and the degree to which project managers and their teams can do this for themselves.
- Evaluate the Update Plans Service. Project managers, project team leads, and the PMO Report Status Service Team may all have recommendations for improving this service.
- Improve the Update Plans Service. Key improvements include ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of updates, and reducing effort and cost by increasing efficiency.
October 12, 2009
Some Reseller Questions:
1. The original project management tools guide book was branded with the AID (affiliate id). Can you do this with the new version?
2. Can we promote the Coupon Code and get a 10%
3. Do you have any other ‘specials’?
Here are the answers to your questions:
1. Yes you’re right, the original online project management guide book version did. However the supplier went out of business a few years ago and we haven’t been able to find a supplier who can brand eBooks dynamically since. If you come across someone, please let us know and we’ll signup.
2. Yes that’s fine. It’s the best way to get a commission on sales.
3. Good question. We do have sales in our monthly newsletter from time to time, but nothing that is enduring. If you have any other ideas for maximizing affiliate revenue that we can help with, please let us know
October 8, 2009
Enquiry
As I will also be purchasing MPMM Project Management Professional and Project Manager.com at the same time, I am interested to know whether there is any joint discount and also whether you have reduced the capability of MPMM Project Management Professional to develop and onward sell methodologies to clients in the light of the introduction of your enterprise version. Or has it remained the same?
I note also that you are quoting a discount coupon on your sites. Will this not contradict the reseller Coupon Code as it provides the customer with your discount and the resellers and I guess they will chose yours at the last moment? I haven’t been to the cart to see whether both coupons are available for entry but I suspect not?
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch. It’s great that you’re proceeding with purchasing both MPMM Project Management Professional and ProjcetManager.com as they work nicely alongside each other. As you’re a reseller, you already get the maximum possible discount for the product, by using your reseller code in the “Coupon Code” field on the shopping cart.
And to answer your question, MPMM Project Management Professional has not changed at all, with the introduction of the Enterprise edition. In terms of the Coupon Code field on our shopping cart, this is the field that your clients enter the Reseller Code in. We’ve called it a “Coupon Code” instead of a reseller code, but they are the same thing.
October 5, 2009
Some MPMM Questions Asked by MPMM Trialists
What is the limitation of the MPMM Project Methodology Software (upper ceiling project price)
The upper ceiling price for the MPMM Project Methodology product is $4800 for an Enterprise license. However single user licenses are just $495 per user. The cost per user decreases as the number of users increases.
Are all building construction processes and areas of knowledge included there in the MPMM Project Methodology?
All of the processes included are relevant to the building industry. However there are no “specialized building processes” included.
What is the level of detail adopted in the MPMM Project Management packages for the building construction domain?
Approximately 20% of our customers are in the building industry, so the package suits the building domain perfectly.
What is a budget? Why is cost and estimation important in project planning?
A budget is an amount of money that is allocated to the project. Estimation is important, because without it, it’s impossible to set the budget.
What is planning, monitoring and control important in projects? Please explain its importance and application with examples of the tools and techniques relating to a chosen project.
There is a wealth of knowledge on the subject. We would suggest trialing MPMM at http://www.mpmm.com/free-project-management-software-professional.php and viewing our case studies and examples. We also have another offering ProjectManager.com that is specific Web Project Management Software that enables you to plan, monitor, track and control your projects
