Project Management on Bill Brown:Thoughts and Reference Material Online

Earned Value Management vs. Agile Project Management

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Earned Value Management (EVM) and Agile Project Management - A Comparison

This article explores the similarities and differences between EVM and burn charts in traditional and agile project management, discussing their applications and benefits.

Earned Value Management (EVM) provides one of the most effective methods for evaluating, then monitoring, and controlling a project's progress, as described by Norman, Brotherton, & Fried (2011). The project manager analyzes the planned project progress and spending and compares this to the actual progress and actual project spending; the project manager can clearly view the project's planned, current, and anticipated value by calculating the EVM.

EPM Model and Project Management Office (PMO) Explained

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Summarize Enterprise Project Management (EPM) and Project Management Office (PMO)

This article summarizes the Enterprise Project Management (EPM) model and Project Management Office (PMO) and how they relate to Agile Scrum and the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). Summarize the Enterprise Project Management (EPM) model and Project Management Office (PMO).

Enterprise project management (EPM) takes into account the organizational processes that are in place, any technology that the company is using, and the company organization hierarchy or structure, which assists the company in devising a strategy for running many projects at once as described by Verzuh (2015)

Agile Scrum Communication: Essential Tools and Techniques

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Enhancing Project Communication Essential Tools and Techniques in Agile Scrum

Our company is using Agile Scrum to manage the project. The project communication for Agile Scrum is different from normal project communication. There are a few Agile Scrum techniques for increasing communications. This post covers three. The daily stand-up, iteration planning, and demo review sessions.

The daily communication with team members is achieved during a morning stand-up, as Cooke (2010) describes. The standup is normally done standing up, so it will not last long, but on our team, many sit down. The standup is for team members to communicate and coordinate what’s going on, monitor progress, and identify any obstacles that may be inhibiting progress, as Cooke (2010) discusses. The scrum master on our team displays an electronic Scrum board on the large screen in the meeting room using Rally Development software, now known as Computer Associates Agile. The software enables teams to support work with organizational priorities, continuously communicate on all the project progress, and coordinate work across multiple teams and distributed sites in the spirit of enterprise agility as described by RallyDev (2017). The scrum master displays current stories, which are units of work defined for a sprint, and asks each team member to communicate three things at the stand-up that usually lasts fifteen to thirty minutes. First, what did you complete yesterday? Then, what do you plan to complete today? Finally, do you have any blockers? The scrum master's job is to be sure the team members have no roadblocks that get in the way of completing stories in a sprint, as Cooke (2010) points out. The scrum master facilitates the meeting, and anything outside of the task's status on the scrum board is held until the end of stand-up for further discussion. This is referred as putting that discussion in the parking lot. The parking lot items come up during communication of status unrelated to a story, topic, or issue a team member would like to discuss with the team.

Software Project Estimation: Top Tools and Techniques

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A Summary of the two most important tools and techniques used in estimating software project

Estimating is attempting to look into the future and predict the time and money needed to produce a result, as Verzuh (2015) points out. Since an estimate is, well, an estimate, it can be wrong sometimes, and stakeholders normally don’t like when project estimates or budgets do not align with the final cost, as Verzuh (2015) points out.

Managing Project Risks Tools and Strategies from Experience

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Here we summarize risk management in a project. Identify tools that can be used to assist in risk management

Most projects are put together and identify significant deliverables and milestones to be delivered in a project, as Wills & Governance (2015) discuss. The deliverables and milestones are normally identified at the start of the project. As a project moves through the deliverables and milestones, risks and issues arise, actions must be taken, and decisions must be made. Risk should be managed the same as the project as Wills & Governance (2015) point out.

Stakeholder Identification and Engagement for Project Success

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

How will you identify stakeholders? How will you keep your stakeholders engaged and informed?

** At first, stakeholder identification seems pretty straightforward – name the people who will affect the project or be affected. All too frequently, some very important stakeholders are forgotten.

How will you identify stakeholders? How will you keep your stakeholders engaged and informed?

There are many ways to identify the stakeholder. One can use organization charts or directories to look for stakeholders, as Measey (2015) points out. When gathering stakeholders, it can be best to create a stakeholder list of people who should be involved in product delivery. If previous projects exist around the same product, one may be able to leverage the stakeholders participating in past projects. Another way to identify stakeholders is to hold a brainstorming session to capture every name, organization, or type of stakeholder needed for the project. This kind of workshop can be a great way to identify stakeholders, as Measey (2015) points out.

IT Projects and Business Strategy: Why Alignment Matters

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Why is it critically vital to support IT projects with a business strategy?

A project consists of a beginning and end; in many cases, projects are used to achieve strategic organizational goals. A company may use projects to innovate, move into a new business market or use a project to drive down cost within the organization as described by Verzuh (2015).

Information technology is critical to most thriving businesses today. Information technology, in many cases, is essential in assisting in automation or streamlining business operations. Categorizing information systems projects that deliver the greatest business benefits, organizations must develop an information system plan that is in line with the organizations overall high-level strategic plan. As Laudon & Laudon (2007) points out, the strategic plan provides the organization a road map. The plan contains a statement of corporate goals and specifies how information technology will support the attainment of those goals.

Project Success vs. Efficiency: Understanding the Difference

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Relationship between Project Success and Project Efficiency

Introduction

A project is created to have a start and a conclusion or end. At the end of the project, the project manager is released from the project or moves onto the next project as Serrador &Turner (2015) discuss. Currently there two competing measures referred to as project efficiency and project success. Project efficiency takes into the account the budget, scope and time, which project management philosophy refers to as the triple constraint or the golden triangle. A majority of the literature on project management identify the project ends when it is delivered to the customer.

Triple Constraint in Project Management: Time, Cost, Quality

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Intricate Dance of the Triple Constraint: Balancing Time, Cost, and Quality in Project Management

Imagine a project as a three-legged stool. Each leg represents a crucial element for its success: Time, Cost, and Quality. This interconnected trio, known as the Triple Constraint, forms the foundation of every project endeavor. As described by Verzuh (2015), effectively managing these variables dictates the project's outcome, and it's the project manager's responsibility to orchestrate this intricate dance.