Archive for November, 2010
November 29, 2010
The project management training can be done online, at a seminar or even from one’s own book. The important component is that this process is learned. The old saying that leaders are born not made does not apply in this case.
Many companies prefer that their management personal take project management training courses online. This is done for multiple reasons. With an online course the time allocated to study and learn is chosen by the attendee so as not to interfere with their regular duties within the company. It is also considerable cheaper that having to send a person to a seminar. This way hotel and airfare costs can be saved, not to mention the lost time at work.
There are many different companies providing project management training that is available to business. Determine which one offers the most benefit is to first know what you need. In many cases the solution is very easy.
Most companies that produce a project management office program also offer project management training on their program as part of the package when it is purchased. This allows the recipient the opportunity to fully understand the program they will be using. This is usually offered online so the maximum can be learned with the smallest amount of inconvenience.
The different areas that are covered in the project management training course are not only how to use the software but also basic project skills, portfolio management and global project management. The more you can learn, the more you can accomplish with fewer resources. This is what makes this type of system and program so beneficial to a business.
Some of the other topics that might be discussed in a project management training course can be business skills for project managers, greater productivity through improved management and essential business analysis.
Just remember like anything else you decide what you get out of a project management training course by what you put into it. We are not computers so it’s not like adding a chip. The learning process is different for everyone and the student’s attitude toward learning is key to success.
November 25, 2010
A PMO is a software program called the project management office. This is a program that assists the user in delivering a project on time and within budget. The reason it was developed is because the fact that a majority of projects in all industries fail to met one or both of the requirements in budget and time when related to a project.
The most helpful part of the PMO is the project management templates. These templates assist the user in nearly every phase of a projects development, planning and implementation in saving time. This is because the creation of the necessary documents is less time consuming. The templates not only produce a professionally looking document, but are also a guide so all the necessary data is included.
The project templates of the PMO not only saves time, but this can easily be translated into saving money. Since the task of document preparation is reduced, more tasks can be accomplished by the project manager than before in the same time frame.
Along with the project templates, the PMO also has many real life examples of completed documents. This will assist the users in the proper preparation of the documents and shorten the time of attempting to answer the necessary questions.
Inside the PMO is more than just a set of project templates. There is also a monitoring system that can be used by the project manager to keep track of the project once it is in the execution phase. This allows for the manager to keep up to date on the progress of the project and became aware of any issues or problems in the project when they occur. Every problem or delay can cause a project to become over budget or be the reason it is not completed on time. Either is not preferred and the PMO can assist in preventing this.
Some are associating the modern PMO as the new digital assistant to the project manager. Unlike a human assistant, this one is never sick, never complains and never asks for a day off.
November 22, 2010
What exactly is involved in a project management case study is dependent on the desired outcome of the person or group conducting it. There are several different approaches that can be taken but the end results should be the same. These results will be in the acquisition of needed information that can be applied to your business or project for future use.
In a project management case study the person conducting it should be looking for information that will assist them with their work. This can be within their company or outside of it. Both of these avenues should be used for the best possible results in the quest for information. Ideally the outside source should be one of your competitors, but this is very difficult to obtain.
The reason a project management case study of your competitor is difficult is the availability or access to the required documents to perform this task. Usually this is proprietary information that is not shared to the general public which is the reason it is so hard to get your hands on it. There are some instances where they publish it online to attract business and it can be accessed then, but this is only limited information then.
The best source for a project management case study is within your own company. There you will have access to all of the required documents so a thorough job can be done. This examination should be looking for items that contributed to the success of past projects. You should also be looking for items or processes that are unique to your company. There have been instances where a unique process is the only path a process at a company can be preformed because of certain circumstances. These are easy to spot if many similar documents of several projects are examined and their similarities are noted.
The information taken away from a project management case study is dependent on what you are looking for and how hard you look for it. This is a case of you take away what you put into it.
November 18, 2010
With the six sigma methodology, defects are removed from the process so a more efficient means of running a business or project can occur. This was the original premise behind this methodology when it was created back in 1981 and still holds true today.
The six sigma methodology approach to quality is to attain as close to perfection as possible. This can be measured by statistical means when attempting to make the results 6 standard deviations from the mean and the nearest specification that it is set against. In easy to understand language this means the number of defects cannot be greater than 3.4 for every million produced.
One of the main reasons the six sigma methodology was developed was to maintain customer loyalty by reducing the number of defects, the variability in the product and all possible waste so a high quality deliverable can be produced at the lowest possible cost.
For all practical purposes when a company decides to deploy the six sigma methodology, they have made the decision to make a continuous and permanent change to the way they do business. This is since the principals being used in this process calls for continuous monitoring so improvements can be made.
A side benefit of the six sigma methodology is by eliminating all possible waste in a production line and the way business is conducted, there is a revenue savings that automatically occurs. This allows for greater profits and the possibility that a reduction in the price can occur for the customers.
The implementation of the six sigma methodology has been seen in nearly every industry. Not only for the cost savings features of the program, but to get an edge on the competition. With the goal of continuous improvement, the true beneficiary is the customers of the deliverables.
There are many variations and tools associated with the six sigma methodology. The one that correctly fits your business is dependent on what you are producing and how you are creating it. This is definitely not a case of one size fits all.
November 15, 2010
The use of lean methodology has grown in the manufacturing sector since it was first implemented after World War II. As time has progressed, this methodology has been refined with the end result of creating more, faster and with less.
The type of companies that can best utilize the lean methodology approach is manufacturing, because of the principles involved with it. This is to create a product with as little invested as possible in the deliverable.
For a company wishing to use the lean methodology, they must first analyze their process in depth. Once the analysis has been completed in every process, the process of eliminating waste can begin on the process as a whole.
Each part of the process has to contribute to the end product. The cutting of waste from each and every step in the production of a deliverable is the core essence of the lean methodology approach. This can be in the material that is added or the number of workers necessary to complete the task. The overall reduction is the aim.
The Japanese had no choice but to do more with fewer workers after the war because there was a shortage of available manpower. Instead of using labor to complete most tasks, they developed machinery to complete the same task. The initial cost was greater because of the capital purchase of the equipment, but after that the efficiency and costs were reduced over the long haul.
Another cost savings measure has been found in the coverings of the deliverables. If the product is disposable, then two coats of paint are not necessary. Paint is present to make a product last longer as well as look better. If the product’s life expectance is only days or months, a less expensive finish is better for the manufacturing company in the area of cost savings.
The logic of lean methodology is simple. If it does not contribute to the quality of the finished product, it should be removed from the process. This process of evaluating waste is a constant occurrence. As long as a process is being used, it should be constantly evaluated for waste. Learn more about our project management methodology company.
November 4, 2010
To have the perfect project solution, the entire problem has to already been identified. This can only be done if there is already a process for determining what is wrong.
One example of a project solution can be found in a risk management plan. This is where the problem or risk is identified, analyzed, and then prioritized so the best way to mitigate the damage it could cause can be found. Since each possible risk is different, along with the damage it can inflict on the project, each solution is unique. A project solution for one risk will be different for another risk.
Another project solution can be when the quality management plan is implemented. A certain degree of quality is needed for every deliverable that a project produces. The level of quality is stipulated in the scope of the project that is included in the business plan. This is the level that the stakeholders decided would be of the greatest benefit to the company and their investment.
One of the largest of all is the first project solution. In more and more instances, this is the choosing of the correct software that the project manager can use as a tool to assist them during the project. More and more, this is a project management template program. This can be up to 52 tools in one program. Each of these templates can then be used to be a project solution by developing the necessary documentation and procedures needed to overcome the many obstacles that occur during the execution of a project.
For every problem that occurs during a project, there is a project solution. Finding the right one is the difference in how the problem is overcome, just like the earlier mentioned risks. Not every risk can be solved or mitigated so the impact will not harm the project. One of the solutions to handle risks is the purchase of insurance to cover the monetary damages the risk inflicts on the project.
This is why with nearly every problem that a project encounters during its planning and execution phase, there is a unique project solution to deal with its impact and monetary costs.
November 1, 2010
When the reference to an enterprise project is made, it usually means a very large and complex project is the focus. Because of the extreme complexity of this size of project, a new type of program was needed.
For most practical purposes, an enterprise project will occur in large companies or corporations. The main reason is that they have the necessary resources to pull together everything that is needed for a project of this size. Examples can be nuclear reactors when they were being produced, or large hydroelectric dams.
As companies grew greater in size, the need for an even larger, compactly enterprise project programs were needed. No longer were these programs designed to handle just one large project. With the capability of handling multiple enterprise projects at once, the size and complexity of the programming itself grew.
Developing the new enterprise project programs takes considerable time due to the vast number of additional programs needed for it to work as designed. As with all things, the longer it takes to create, the more expensive it becomes.
What the enterprise project has evolved into is an organization method to assist those responsible for different project to be able to monitor, manage when necessary, and assess the status of each project. Because the program itself has changed, so has the person that uses it. Instead of this being the primary tool of the project manager, it is the primary tool of the manager of the project managers.
With the ever expansion of software and their capabilities, so does this kind of program move forward. In recent years, the enterprise project programs have been evolving into the creation of future projects while others are still underway.
Not every large business can make use of an enterprise project program, but many do. It does require a large amount of space on the company server, and each person that uses it must be trained. This is due to its complexity, no one can ever be expected to know it all unless they are shown how to.
