Blog | Page 6 of 8 | Project Management Nerd

5 Project Risks That You Need to Know

Its been a while so lets start the conversation going by exploring risk.

What is Project Risk?

When you are planning your projects one of the key considerations is risk. Risk is defined as “an uncertain event or condition, that if it occurs will impact at least one project output or outcome”.

It is common in projects that risks may be identified but not prioritised. If they are not prioritised then it is impossible to develop mitigation strategies!

Project Team Development

Today we look at the elements of team building!

Bruce Tuckman was an American Psychological researcher who specialised in group dynamics. One area he focused on was the formation of teams and during the mid-1960s developed a model that described the four stages of group development. The phases were Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing.

Earned Value Management

Today we look at EVM!

Ok, this blog site is called Project Management nerd for a reason and this article is a great example of me nerding out on a PM concept. Today I want to have a look at Earned Value Management (EVM). Let’s start with some definitions and then let’s have a look at some examples.

Sprint Planning

Sprint planning is the precursor to the sprint. It is an important step as it determines the goals and what work can be achieved in the sprint. It also outlines what can be achieved.

Sprint planning is a whole of team exercise where the whole scrum team work in collaboration to determine what can realistically be completed.

In scrum the sprint is a set of periods of time where all the work is done. Time frames may vary depending on the team however 2-4 weeks are the most likely timeframes. In scrum a sprint is used as it brings large pieces of work into smaller work packages whilst still providing the team with continuous learning and improving.

The Scrum Process

First identified by Takeuchi & Nonaka in 1986 a scrum is a rugby term that can be used in the context of Agile. It emphasises teamwork with progress in incremental steps and was originally considered for software development projects.

It is primarily focused on complex projects that require goals to be broken up into shorter iterative time frames called sprints. The focus on teamwork means fellow team members will jump in and remove any bottlenecks that may be slowing down a fellow teammate. The flexibility that comes with scrum allows projects that are dynamic and not fully scoped to be completed. Change is ever present in scrum projects and that is part of the allure of the methodology. Scrum teams embrace change and look to quickly respond to changing requirements.

History of the Gantt Chart

Commonly used today the Gantt chart was once the pinnacle of management thought.

The use of Gantt charts has developed from being the height of innovation when first used to the default tool for schedule management today. In fact, the use of Gantt charts is now seen as a fundamental part of any project.

Agile in Engineering

We look at the benefits of Agile in the Engineering sector

The challenges for engineering are considerable. There is ever increasing complexity, competition and shrinking life cycles. Engineers also have to contend with an increasingly complex regulatory environement, rapid improvements in technology and ever tighter program deadlines.

5 Common Agile Myths

We explore 5 common myths surrounding the Agile methodology

To understand Agile better, it may be helpful to dispel some of the myths that surround the methodology. In an age of misinformation many of the Agile concepts and approaches are incorrectly communicated and shared with new and old practitioners alike. By addressing some of these myths we may be able to understand what works and what situations are the most appropriate for adopting an Agile approach. The following myths and explanations may help with understanding the Agile framework and assist practitioners with levelling the expectations from project stakeholders and their own project teams.

Groupthink – what it is and how to avoid it.

Preventing Groupthink in an organisation can provide extraordinary benefits for organisations.

Groupthink is defined as a phenomenon that occurs when a group of individiuals reaches a consensus wothout critical reasoning or evaluation of the consequences or alternatives. It is based on the common desire to not ‘rock the boat’ or upset the balance of a group of people.

The Rise of the Agile Methodology

We look at why there has been a change in the way we plan and run our projects.

Projects have been a feature of human development for thousands of years. Think of the pyramids, the Great Wall of China and more recently the Panama Canal. It is only over the last fifty years that the knowledge and learnings from projects have been brought together into a discernable methodology. The project frameworks that have first surfaced were designed for high certainty projects. These definable projects include car production, electrical appliances and the building of a house as examples. These projects usually involve processes that are well understood and usually have low levels of uncertainty and risk.