Category: blog post

blog post, Case Study, Mentoring, Project Management

Professional Project Management as a core competency for all managers

Recently I had the opportunity to train a group of young and dynamic MBA final year students who elected project management as their elective. The syllabus comprised of Predictive, Agile and Hybrid Project Management. Contrary to the earlier batches, the students with engineering background in this batch was less. That prompted me to think about the relevance of professional project management to all managers or would be managers, irrespective of their educational background. What is the core skill that is required to be successful as a manager?. What differentiates a manager from an individual contributor. It is definitely the ability to get things as per specifications (requirements) on time and within budget through a team. This is the skill every successful manager should posses. That realisation helped the whole team, including me to attribute a bigger and relevant cause to the program. The realization of the relevance of professional project management as a core skill for all managers / would be managers, to succeed in todays challenging professional environments bonded us together for almost 30 hours spread across 30 days, and hopefully the mentoring will continue.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the program

  • Proactive stakeholder management is key to success
  • Everything starts with defining the deliverables using a product breakdown structure
  • Without a work breakdown structure, accurate estimates are impossible. Even project strategy can be flawed
  • A well defined work breakdown structure will help to negotiate better for resources and cost. Without a WBS, one will never be able to defend their estimates.
  • Projects do not fail at the end. Projects fail at the beginning, due to incomplete scope definition, improper scope management. The failure will get revealed towards the end.
  • Without the knowledge of critical path, it is impossible to control the schedule
  • Relying on lead indicators (forecasts) help managers to be pro-active than reactive
  • These days projects are neither completely agile or predictive. Most of the projects rely on hybrid approaches
  • The co-location of teams is no more practical. Majority of the projects have distributed / work from home (wfh) teams, hence collaboration tools like Jira (Agile), SmartProject (Predictive Project Management / Digital PMO) is important
  • In a nutshell, all managers (rather all professionals) will benefit phenomenally by applying relevant project management practices for goal achievement on time, within budget and with stakeholder satisfaction / delight

About the blogger

Abrachan Pudusserry is an highly qualified and experienced professional with in-depth understanding about professional project management (Agile, Predictive, Hybrid). He is one of the founding members of Project Management Research Institute. He is also heading Wrench Academy, the education of division of Wrench Solutions, the makers of SmartProject Digital PMO. He is also a visiting faculty at XIME.

blog post, Climate Change

Addressing Climate Change through better Project, Program and Portfolio Management

Addressing climate change through better project, program, and portfolio management is crucial for achieving meaningful environmental sustainability and mitigating its impacts. Here are steps and strategies to effectively integrate climate change considerations into your management practices:

  1. Understanding Climate Change: Start by educating yourself and your team about the science and impacts of climate change. Stay up-to-date with the latest research and trends in climate science, policy, and technology.
  2. Establish Climate Goals and Targets: Clearly define your organization’s climate-related goals and targets. These could include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing energy efficiency, transitioning to renewable energy sources, or adopting sustainable practices.
  3. Integrate Climate Change into Strategy: Align your organization’s strategy with climate change goals. Ensure that climate considerations are integrated into your strategic planning process. Consider how climate risks and opportunities may affect your organization’s long-term viability.
  4. Green Project Selection: When developing your project portfolio, prioritize initiatives that contribute to climate mitigation or adaptation. Consider factors such as carbon reduction potential, resource efficiency, and resilience to climate impacts.
  5. Lifecycle Assessments: Conduct lifecycle assessments for projects to evaluate their environmental impacts from inception to disposal. This helps identify opportunities for reducing carbon emissions and resource consumption.
  6. Stakeholder Engagement: Involve stakeholders, including employees, customers, and community members, in climate-related decisions. Their input can provide valuable insights and build support for climate initiatives.
  7. Risk Assessment: Assess and manage climate-related risks to your projects and programs. Identify vulnerabilities to changing weather patterns, regulatory changes, or supply chain disruptions.
  8. Sustainable Procurement: Consider sustainability criteria when procuring goods and services for your projects. Choose suppliers and contractors that have strong environmental and social responsibility practices.
  9. Resource Efficiency: Implement resource-efficient practices in project and program management. This includes reducing waste, optimizing energy use, and conserving water.
  10. Renewable Energy: Transition to renewable energy sources for your operations and projects. This can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  11. Climate-Resilient Design: Design projects and infrastructure to be climate-resilient. Consider the potential impacts of extreme weather events and rising sea levels when planning and constructing.
  12. Monitoring and Reporting: Establish robust monitoring and reporting systems to track progress toward climate goals. Regularly report on key performance indicators related to carbon emissions, energy use, and other relevant metrics.
  13. Continuous Improvement: Continuously evaluate and improve your climate management practices. Learn from both successes and failures to refine your approach.
  14. Regulatory Compliance: Stay informed about climate-related regulations and compliance requirements in your region. Ensure that your projects and programs meet these standards.
  15. Invest in Innovation: Encourage innovation within your organization to develop and implement new technologies and practices that can help address climate change more effectively.
  16. Education and Training: Provide training and education for your project, program, and portfolio managers to ensure they have the knowledge and skills needed to address climate change effectively.
  17. Collaboration: Collaborate with other organizations, governments, and NGOs working on climate-related initiatives. Share best practices and leverage collective resources to amplify your impact.
  18. Transparency and Accountability: Be transparent about your climate efforts and hold your organization accountable for meeting its climate commitments.

Addressing climate change through project, program, and portfolio management is an ongoing process that requires dedication, collaboration, and adaptability. By integrating climate considerations into your management practices, you can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future.

blog post, Book reviews, Books, Construction Project Management, Integrated project monitoring and control

Construction Project Management – Theory & Practice 2nd Edition

Project Management Research Institute highly recommend this book “Construction Project Management – Theory & Practice” by Prof Kumar Neeraj Jha as one of the reference books for mastering Construction Project Management This is one of the best books available about Construction Project Management with relevance to the Indian Construction industry.

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Project organization
  • Construction economics
  • Clients estimation of project cost
  • Construction contract
  • Construction planning
  • Project scheduling & resource levelling
  • Contractors estimation of cost & bidding strategy
  • Construction equipment management
  • Construction accounts management
  • Construction material management
  • Project cost and value management
  • Construction quality management
  • Risk and insurance in construction
  • Construction safety management
  • Project monitoring & control system
  • Construction claims, disputes and project closure
  • Computer applications in scheduling, resource levelling, monitoring & reporting
  • Factors behind the success of a construction project
  • Linear programming in construction management
  • Transportation, trans-shipment and Assignment problems

Here is the amazon link

blog post, Methods, New product development, Project Management, Project management tools, Quality

80/20 Principle – The principle with ever increasing use cases

With the innumerable opportunities to get diverted from what is relevant, I have seen many successful and not that successful organizations, teams and individuals working very hard on the irrevelant and getting buried there. The 80/20 principle or the Pareto Principle is for those who are willing to pause a while before jumping into action. Though many have written about Pareto principle and analysis before, I thought of writing this blog post for the benefit of many who plunge into action on irrelevant projects, indicators than on the relevant ones. There is time for everything, if we can prioritize, eliminate, delegate and decide on the mosr relevant work we ahould be doing.

Pareto Principle or the 80/20 Principle

The 80/20 principle or the Pareto Principle by Vilfredo Pareto in the year 1896 is the one which is always heard in all walks of life, time and again even after a century of its discovery. Last week I heard it in our senior management review when one of the senior managers used 80/20 to highlight the need to focus on the 20% of the customers contributing to 80% of the revenues. The use cases of 80:20 or the pareto principle is innumerable. Here are some;

  • By eliminating 20% of the root causes we can eliminate 80% of the defects in a product
  • 20% of the customers contribute to 80% of the revenue. It makes sense to focus on this 20% of the customers.
  • 80% of the customers uses 20% of the features of the products. The remaining 80% of the features are used only by 20% of the customers.
  • By focusing on 20% of the project health indicators proactively, 80% of the problems can be eliminated / prevented.
  • 20% of unhealthy practices contribute to 80% of the productivity loss. By controlling this 20% percentage of unhealthy practices, productivity can be improved phenominally.
  • 20% of the workforce does 80% of the work. Remaining 80% does only 20% of the work
  • 20% of the work we do produces 80% of the results. The remaining 80% of the work produces only 20% of the results.
  • During 20% of our worktime, we complete 80% of our work. During the remaining 80% of our work time, we complete only 20% of work.
  • Only 20% of the projects yield the desired results, 80% of the projects do not yield desired results.

Pareto analysis

Here are the steps involved in performing Pareto Analysis;

  • Identify the probable rootcauses – The best ways to do this is to brainstorm with the team to identify potential rootcauses leading to the situation. Ishikawa diagram or the Fishbone diagram can help to do structured brainstorming to arrive at the potential root causes.
  • Frequency of occurrence – With the help of data, identify how many times each rootcause occurred, resulting in the outcome.
  • Order on frequency – List the root causes based on the frequency of their occurrenece (in the descending order)
  • Prioritize and take action – Identify the 20% of root causes contributing to the 80% of occurrences. By controlling these 20% of the root causes, 80% of the problems can be eliminated.

80/20 at a personal level

Can be effectively used at a personal level to;

  • Eliminate unproductive activities
  • Focus on strengths
  • Finding time to work on Important and not urgent projects

blog post, certifications, Integrated project monitoring and control

Project Management Certifications 2023

The most popular project management certifications for 2023 are likely to be:

  1. PMP (Project Management Professional) from the Project Management Institute (PMI)
  2. PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) from AXELOS
  3. CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) from the PMI
  4. ScrumMaster from Scrum Alliance
  5. Six Sigma from the American Society for Quality (ASQ)
  6. It’s worth noting that the popularity of certifications can vary depending on the industry and location, so it’s always a good idea to do some research and talk to professionals in your field before making a decision.

What is the qualification criteria for PMP certification?

To qualify for the PMP (Project Management Professional) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI), an individual must meet the following criteria:

Education: A bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent, and a minimum of four years of project management experience, with at least 4,500 hours leading and directing projects, and 35 hours of project management education.

or

Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree, or the global equivalent) and a minimum of five years of project management experience, with at least 7,500 hours leading and directing projects, and 35 hours of project management education.

In addition to meeting the educational and experience requirements, an individual must also pass the PMP exam, which is a multiple-choice test that covers the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) Guide. It is important to note that the PMI periodically review and update the criteria, so it’s recommended to check PMI website for most recent and accurate information.

For more information about the PMP certification Click here

What is the qualification criteria for prince2 certification

To qualify for the PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) certification from AXELOS, an individual must meet the following criteria:

PRINCE2 Foundation: There are no formal prerequisites for the PRINCE2 Foundation certification. However, it is recommended that individuals have some prior knowledge of project management concepts and terminology.

PRINCE2 Practitioner: To qualify for the PRINCE2 Practitioner certification, an individual must first pass the PRINCE2 Foundation exam and have a minimum of five years of experience working in a project management role.

In addition to meeting the educational and experience requirements, an individual must also pass the PRINCE2 Practitioner exam, which is a multiple-choice test that covers the PRINCE2 methodology.

It is important to note that the AXELOS periodically review and update the criteria, so it’s recommended to check AXELOS website for most recent and accurate information.

What is the qualification required for CAPM certification

To qualify for the CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI), an individual must meet the following criteria:

Education: A high school diploma or the global equivalent, and a minimum of 1,500 hours of experience working on a project team, or 23 hours of project management education completed prior to taking the exam.

In addition to meeting the educational and experience requirements, an individual must also pass the CAPM exam, which is a multiple-choice test that covers the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) Guide.

It is important to note that the PMI periodically review and update the criteria, so it’s recommended to check PMI website for most recent and accurate information.

What is the qualification required for scrum master certification

To qualify for the ScrumMaster certification from Scrum Alliance, an individual must meet the following criteria:

Education: There are no formal prerequisites for the ScrumMaster certification. However, it is recommended that individuals have some prior knowledge of the Scrum framework and its principles.

Experience: There are no specific experience requirements for the ScrumMaster certification, but it is recommended to have practical experience working with Scrum.

Exam: In addition to meeting the educational requirements, an individual must pass the ScrumMaster certification exam, which covers the Scrum framework, its principles, and the role of the ScrumMaster. The certification exam is usually in form of a multiple-choice test.

It’s important to note that the Scrum Alliance periodically review and update the criteria, so it’s recommended to check the Scrum Alliance website for the most recent and accurate information. Additionally, there are other organizations that provide Scrum Master certification like Scrum.org and Scrum Inc. with slight variations in the certification requirements.

What is the qualification required to become six sigma certified

To become Six Sigma certified, an individual must meet the requirements set by the organization offering the certification. Generally, Six Sigma certifications are offered at different levels, such as Six Sigma Green Belt, Six Sigma Black Belt, and Six Sigma Master Black Belt. The qualifications for each level can vary, but typically include the following:

Six Sigma Green Belt: This level of certification typically requires an individual to have a basic understanding of Six Sigma principles and tools, and to have completed a Six Sigma Green Belt training course.

Six Sigma Black Belt: This level of certification typically requires an individual to have a more advanced understanding of Six Sigma principles and tools, to have completed a Six Sigma Black Belt training course, and to have demonstrated proficiency in leading Six Sigma projects.

Six Sigma Master Black Belt: This level of certification typically requires an individual to have a comprehensive understanding of Six Sigma principles and tools, to have completed a Six Sigma Master Black Belt training course, and to have demonstrated proficiency in leading complex Six Sigma projects and in coaching and mentoring others.

It’s important to note that the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and other organizations that offer Six Sigma certifications have specific requirements and periodically review and update their criteria, so it’s recommended to check their websites for the most recent and accurate information.

What are the other certifications offered by PMI apart from PMP?

The Project Management Institute (PMI) offers several certifications in addition to the PMP (Project Management Professional) certification, which include:

  • CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management): This certification is designed for individuals who are new to project management and have limited experience leading and directing projects.
  • PgMP (Program Management Professional): This certification is designed for experienced program managers who lead multiple, related projects and oversee program managers.
  • PfMP (Portfolio Management Professional): This certification is designed for experienced portfolio managers who oversee multiple, related programs and projects that align with an organization’s strategic objectives.
  • PMI-ACP (PMI Agile Certified Practitioner): This certification is designed for individuals who have experience working in an agile environment and have completed a minimum of 21 hours of agile training.
  • PMI-PBA (PMI Professional in Business Analysis): This certification is designed for business analysts who have experience in requirements management and have completed a minimum of 21 hours of business analysis training.
  • RMP (Risk Management Professional): This certification is designed for professionals who have experience in identifying, assessing, and managing project risks.
  • SP (Scheduling Professional): This certification is designed for professionals who have experience in developing, analyzing, and maintaining project schedules.

It is important to note that PMI periodically review and update the criteria, so it’s recommended to check PMI website for most recent and accurate information.

PMI has broadly diversified its certification offerings into General project management certifications, Project domain specific certifications, Skill specific certifications. As the offerings increases, it becomes complex to choose the right certification. This blog post will help you to choose the right PMI certification based on your present work experience and future career aspirations.

PMI General project management certifications applicable to all streams of project management

  • PMP – Project Management Professional Certification still remain the flagship certification by PMI, because of its global recognition. This is not domain specific. Hence for anybody who want to understand predictive project management, agile project management and hybrid project management, this is ideal. If you have around 4 years of work experience after graduation, and if you are looking forward to going for a well-recognized project management certification, PMP is the one to go.
  • CAPM – Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
  • PMI-RMP – Risk management professional (PMI-RMP)
  • PMI-PBA – Professional in business analysis
  • PgMP – Program management professional
  • PfMP – Portfolio management professional
  • PMI-SP – PMI Scheduling professional
  • PMI Project management ready (for school students)
  • PMI-CP – Construction professional in built environment projects (New). Still, it is not released. But according to me, this is the certification that has the potential to become one of the best known (like PMP) from PMI, after a long gap. This certification is exclusively for professionals from the construction domain (3 years’ experience in construction is mandatory)

PMI Agile project management certifications applicable to Information technology and new product development projects

  • PMI-ACP – PMI Agile certified practitioner – According to PMI, this certification will provide you with basic understanding of agile. According to my personal experience, if you go for PMP exam, 50% of the syllabus is Agile and on top of it you will gain good knowledge about predictive and hybrid project management. I always prefer and recommend PMP certification over PMI-ACP certification.
  • DASM – Disciplined Agile Scrum Master
  • DASSM – Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master
  • DAVSC – Disciplined Agile Value Stream Consultant (DAVSC) Certification
  • DAC – Disciplined Agile Coach Certification

For more information about the PMP certification Click here

For any additional information Contact us

blog post, certifications, Education, Mentoring, Trends in project management

After PMP or CSM, What is Next?

Choose your certifications wisely. Certifications with redundant syllabus overlaps is a sure disadvantage.

There are too many project management certifications out there like the PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM, PSP, PSM, SaFe....etc...Many of them have redundant contents.

Choose your certifications Wisely….

I did my PMP, what next?.Should I do any of the agile certifications? – This is one question we had to answer multiple times in the past. Yesterday also I had to answer this question again. From the Version#7 of the Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK), the base reference document for PMP certification, equal importance is given to both predictive project management (traditional project management) and agile project management. In other words,

  • 50% of the questions are from predictive project management
  • 40% from agile project management and
  • 10% from hybrid project management.

Given that as the basis, logically there is no reason for someone pursuing any one of the agile certifications like Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or Professional Scrum Master (PSM) after their latest PMP certification based on PMBOK7. As PMBOK7 covers both agile and predictive project management in detail. But then in real life, I come across many PMPs who still do not understand critical path and earned value management even after their PMP certification. So are many of the certified agilists who does not understand empiricism and self organizing teams. When we examine just the exam content, the latest PMP course content is sufficient to manage projects in predictive, agile or hybrid way.

Then what makes the difference. Two factors.

  • Factor one, the structure of the course delivery. How well it is sequenced. If it is sequenced logically according to the natural sequence within projects, then it becomes much easier for the learner. The learner will be able to comprehend the concepts better and put them into practice at the appropriate opportunity.
  • Factor two, the ability of the teacher / coach / trainer/ instructor to explain things with practical hands on experience sharing and real life examples.

Trainers with sufficient knowledge, experience can make a lot of difference. Multiple certifications with overlapping syllabus contents is a disadvantage. It can send wrong signals to others. Especially to those who are hunting for competent project management professionals who can put the project management best practices to work for the project’s advantage. Certifications are just the low lying fruits of the training programs. It is the application of the knowledge in real projects which makes the real difference between the credential and competency.

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