Project Management War Stories

PM War Stories #41 - Project Portfolio Management (PPM): Balancing between finishing existing or scheduled projects and pursuing new ideas

Download PMW_0041_New_Ideas.mp3 (11.3 MB)

(Rebroadcast) Many organizations are faced with the reality of balancing their portfolio of projects.  Depending on the level of investment of time and money, both projects and their associated stakeholders are continuously competing for face time to meet their own agendas.  Interestingly enough, senior project managers have expressed concerns comparing the ROI calculation of new projects versus those later into their lifecycle.  In fact, new projects at the beginning of their lifecycle often are projected at the 75%+ ROI in contrast to the more mature projects estimated at a 10%-15% ROI.  It’s no wonder that organizations and project managers want to move on from older, mature projects and pursue new ideas. Project portfolio management (PPM) as a discipline and the emergence of PMOs have gained momentum in recent years in project-centric organizations to help prioritize projects and keep them on course.  

For industries in which the development of new products is the life line of their organizations, PPM methodology has always been a critical component to their business.  This is especially true for organizations in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry that may have dozens of products at one time at different stages in their development.  Every product is treated as a project, and with the complexity of each product the time and resources invested have challenged organizations in their ability to separate the good from the bad that lies within their portfolio of projects. 

In this episode, Wayne Thompson will be talking to industry insider, Hugh Woodward, who has over 35 years of project management experience in manufacturing, construction and IT.  Hugh will be sharing with us his war stories and insights of project portfolio management in the consumer packaged goods industry and the challenges of choosing between investments in scheduled or existing projects and new ideas. 

Music Notes

1.  Interview with industry insiders – "Yearbook”
2.  The closing of the episode – “Greasy Wheels”

PM War Stories #31 - Improving Project Scheduling & Collaboration Through SaaS

Download PMW_0031_PM_on_demand.mp3 (16 MB)

Many project-centric organizations continuously struggle with scheduling projects and communicating ideas and objectives across their project teams.  In today’s competitive economic climate effectively collaborating project details across your organization can provide you the edge you need to deliver superior service to your clients.  In many cases organizations have scattered teams across multiple locations and regions further complicating the dynamics of an organizations portfolio of projects and resource pool.  With that in mind, companies are looking to on-demand technologies, like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), to quickly address their ability to better organize project schedules and the collaboration of project details across dispersed project teams.

In this episode, we will examine how improving scheduling and collaboration with project management software can help service companies deliver superior customer service, achieve productivity gains, and ultimately gain competitive advantage.

To do this, I’m sitting down with Mark Rogers, the localization project manager of ENLASO.

For those not familiar with the company, ENLASO provides enterprise language solutions including translation, localization, and interpreting services.  Its core multilingual solutions include: Technical Documentation Localization, Web site Localization, Software Localization, Multicultural Marketing, Multimedia Localization, Localization Testing, Consulting and Training, and Language Technology Engineering. In serving clients, ENLASO uses a rigorous linguist selection process and customer-focused account management methodology.

Today Mark will share how ENLASO not only improved visibility, communication, resource planning, customer service, and productivity but also gained competitive advantage by moving from an ad hoc system of spreadsheets, usually not synched, to Clarizen’s on-demand project management software.

Music Notes

1. The opening of the episode – “Collins Avenue”
2. Interview with project manager – “Investigation”
3. The closing of the episode – “Elysium” 

PM War Stories #28 – Delivering Capital Projects on Time: A Case Study on the "Road" to Success

Download PMW_0028_Capital_Projects.mp3 (21.8 MB)

For the State of Delaware, managing the construction program of roads and bridges involves hundreds of projects with thousands of resources to be managed all across the state.  Throw in a mixture of large scale multi-year projects with multiple smaller projects and poor project scheduling, and you can end up literally stopping an entire city in its tracks.  With that in mind, it is critical that a capital program of this magnitude requires extensive workflows and project scheduling capabilities that move beyond the basic scheduling of project dates based on an existing resource pool.   In fact, project scheduling can in effect become both program managers and project managers doorway to obtaining the visibility they need with through the centralization of project information to achieve project success while keeping their constituents satisifed.  

In this episode we sit down with industry insiders, Bob Perrine and Connie Post of the Delaware Department of Transportation or DOT to discuss the challenges and complexities of managing a portfolio of capital projects.

Bob Perrine is a civil engineer with 30 years experience in the vertical and horizontal construction industries. He has worked in federal government, private industry, and state government. Currently, Bob is the Constructability Review Engineer / Master Scheduler for the Delaware DOT where he is responsible for managing the master schedule for the capital construction program, performing constructability reviews of all capital construction and many maintenance and operations projects within the DOT, as well as for determining the construction duration for each of the projects within the capital program.    

Connie Post, my other distinguished guest, has over 28 years of experience in Information Technology, and 18 years of experience in Project Management. She is a member of the PMI Delaware chapter and has also served as an instructor for WorWic Community College. Connie is currently an independent consultant with the Delaware DOT and her responsibilities include project management, requirements analysis and implementation of new systems, systems integration, and business process review. 

In this episode, Bob and Connie will share how the Delaware Department of Transportation improved visibility, communication, resource planning, and delivery of capital projects by moving from an ad hoc system of spreadsheets, usually not synched, to Oracle Primavera.

Music Notes

1. The opening of the episode – “Offroad”
2. Interview with industry insiders – “Collins Avenue”
3. The closing of the episode – “Greasy Wheel"

PM War Stories #12 – Taking Ownership of Strategic Objectives

Download PMW_0012_Taking_Ownership.mp3 (16.1 MB)

There is a new paradigm emerging in the world of project management.  Where at one time project managers were solely focused on the successful execution of the projects they managed, today project managers are expected to take ownership of the strategic objectives of their projects.   In the many cases where projects drive the business, project managers are in an excellent position to align both the tactical day to day activities and the overall objectives of their projects to the strategic goals of the organization.  As a result, by keeping an open mind and collaborating with team members and stakeholders responsible for the business’ strategic objectives, project managers may discover additional benefits to the project and ensure a greater and longer lasting success in the organizations’ they serve. 

In this episode, we’re talking about the importance of taking ownership of strategic objectives and how metrics can help.

Our show is divided into 2 segments.

In Part 1, we will go Roaming with the Salty Dogg and examine the Alaska Purchase.  This historical event exemplifies the importance of incorporating perseverance, collaboration and stakeholder management to achieve the one’s strategic objectives.

In Part 2, we sit down with industry insider, Steve Rollins. He is the Chief Project Strategist for the ALLPMO Network and chairs the Project Management Institute’s International Metrics SIG.  Steve has over 35 years of project management experience and is well recognized for developing and implementing organizational governance processes that lead to bottom line improvements. Today, he will share his insights and experiences

We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories.

Music Notes

1. The opening of the episode – “Alaska to Wichita” by WildOscar
2. Roaming with the Salty Dogg – “Seward’s Folly” by Caustic Casanova
3. Interview with industry insider – “Value” by Jimmy Targosz
4. The closing of the episode – “Immature” by Pero (418)

PM War Stories #8 - Creating a PMO from Scratch: All the Help, None of the Hassle

Download PMW_0008_PMO_SoftSkills.mp3(22.7MB)

As Project Managers and PMO leaders, we are here to help. Sometimes, however, the people we are providing services to do not see it as help.  Let's face it. They are not always nice or cooperative.  It's a battle sometimes. And it can even be a battle with your own self.

Project managers must work around resistant individuals. When faced with negative tactics or passive aggressive behavior, see it for what it is.  More importantly, we must respond in healthy and creative ways. It is never a good idea to back down, but it is equally important not to retaliate, no matter how tempting.

In this episode we will be examining the business side of creating a PMO from scratch at a large credit card company and how an educational media company, used communications software to fuel its growth and connect world class experts with people who want to improve their knowledge and abilities. 
                           
This show is divided into 2 segments:

In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Alison Mills Long who has over 17 years of project management experience with the last 6 years on the business side bringing up a PMO from scratch at a large credit card company.  She will share her insights and war stories regarding implementing change and structure as well the rewarding experiences in using soft skills to get the job done (see Alison's recommended reading list below).

In part 2, we will be talking to Rafe Furst, CTO of Expert Insight in our Technology Corner segment. Rafe is a successful entrepreneur and business leader, having formed Pick'em Sports in 1996 and later selling it to a public company in 1999.  He has done cutting-edge research in Automated Software Development and is an experienced web developer and marketer. Rafe is responsible for online and IT strategy and development at Expert Insight.

We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories.

Alison's Recommended Reading List

A Survival Guide for Project Managers by James Taylor
Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
Communicating Beyond Our Differences: Introducing the Psycho-Geometrics System by Susan Dellinger
The Birth Order Book - Why You Are The Way You Are by Dr. Kevin Leman

Music Notes

1. The opening of the episode - "People Skills" by KTM CLUB
2. Intro to interview with industry insider - "Truth Hurts" by BoMBeR
3. Intro to Technology Corner - "Communication Overdue?" by Ian Babington
4. The closing of the episode - "Communications Skills" by Amanda Caggiano