Project Hero Blog - Weekly Best Practices and Tips

Expectancy theory tells us that people are motivated to choose their actions by examining the result and expected outcomes of each behavior. In other words, people will gravitate toward the results they perceive as most desirable and use rational thinking in decision-making.  Use these tips to use expectancy theory to the advantage of your project:

1. Know the wants and desires of the team to deve
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There are four key terms to consider to develop an organizational risk profile before writing your risk management plan.  Only three are in the PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition, and you need to read the entire Risk Management chapter to find them. The fourth (do you know which one this is?) is not likely to appear in the Seventh Edition either.  But all four are essential and in regular use. Using the...

Always foster good relationships with the client and the team, and remember that the client has the final acceptance of deliverables. If you are practicing Agile, the client will also be a part of the team. Here are four ways you can use to demonstrate respect for your client.

1. Respect the client's time. Conduct efficient meetings, starting with agendas, and ending with action items and decision
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Project closing is a critical time for the project manager. For most projects, how the project manager is remembered is shaped by what happens at this point. Wise project managers know that a successful project closure creates opportunities for new and more challenging projects. Here are five essential items to consider:

1. Meet with the client to demonstrate the product and highlight the function
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Not all organizations can afford a full or certified project maturity assessment, such as PMMM or OPM3.  But using elementary quality tools that are easy to learn and may already be in use, any organization can improve its project management maturity.  Here's a 5-step example:

1. Collect and categorize key issues metrics weekly (e.g., missed requirements, the amount of variance of schedule and bud
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Decision making is a skill we need to apply to weigh the pros and cons of alternatives and choose the best path forward.  Bad decisions contribute to project risks and can put a team into firefighting mode, correcting wrong decisions after bad choices.  Here are six tips to improve your project and other decision-making efforts.

1. Treat decision making as a process. There are many existing proces
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Project managers need to be able to calmly and professionally deliver bad news, when it happens, ranging from missed budgets and deadlines to team layoffs. Here are five tips for improving the delivery of bad news.

1. Don't surprise, delay, or hide it. Deliver the news promptly. Make an appointment and set the agenda for a face-to-face meeting, if at all possible.
2. Be prepared. Don't wing it or de
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These can assist you to keep a project on schedule:

1. Ask for "as soon as possible," rather than set a deadline.
2. Never say, "I don't have time." According to Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, it is the same as saying, "I don't want to." Better: "I can fit it in next week, would that work?"
3. If falling behind, carefully consider:
   • Can I start some tasks earlier or eliminate unnecessary tasks?
   • Will
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Project managers, coordinators, and administrators are three distinct roles that often get blurred within an organization. It is important to understand the distinctions:

1. Project Manager (PM): Ultimately responsible and accountable for all aspects of a project and its successful delivery, including planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing, or some component of these in the ...

Use these six important tools to keep your project on budget:

1. Contracts: Contracts, whether formal or informal (e.g., MOU), can reveal what aspects of the project are most important. Incentive clauses in contracts can keep everyone on the same page.
2. Reviews: Short interval reviews, such as status reports, should include cost variance analysis. Long interval reviews can provide information abou
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