Project Management Practitioner

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-Posted by Dhana

Estimation plays a very important role in the success of any projects.

Project estimation focuses mainly on the following aspects.

1. Cost
2. Schedule
3. Resource

An accurate estimation greatly helps the PM to deliver the project on time & budget with little deviation.

Too generous estimation will translate into cost & schedule wider under-run and stingy estimation lead to cost & schedule wider over-run, both are the indicators of the poor estimation and dent your PM credentials.

How to do proper or more accurate estimation?

A detailed WBS will help the PM. Put on more efforts in creating a very detailed WBS which covers each and every aspects of the project. Discuss with all project team members, stakeholders and ensure everything is captured. Revisit couple of time and validate. Add a reasonable buffer for the unknowns and surprise elements.

Prepare the Project Scope with the list of all project deliverables. Again ensure with the stakeholders to confirm the deliverable list.

Prepare Level-1 estimation with the help of the WBS & the list of project deliverables.

If required, get the quotation from the external vendors for the procurement of services/products. Ensure all quotations are inclusive of various taxes, delivery charges, service charges if any. Revise the Level-1 estimation and prepare the most accurate Level-2 estimation.

Make sure the Level-2 estimation covers all the aspects and some buffers.

This homework will certainly help to prepare more accurate estimation.

-Posted by Dhana

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-Posted by Dhana

Which role you are performing more as a PM?

Is it Project Management or People Management?

If your answer is Project Management then probably you may face more challenges, fire-fighting, and etc in your project.

But if your answer is People Management, most probably you are on track to complete your project with less or manageable issues. The project team may loves you, respect you and stakeholders admire your ability.

Are you surprised? Its true that “PM” can be interpreted as People Management apart from Project Management.

A PM has to deal, communicate, connect with lots of people during the entire project tenure and get them involved for the project activities. The Project Success lies in the hands of these people, how they execute/carry out their respective project activities.

Only a good People Management skill will help to establish good rapport with all people and ensure they are up to the mark and going beyond their means to deliver the project tasks. A good People Manager always stands for his/her team, will win their hearts and makes them to follow him/her. Undoubtedly, the People Management is the key factor in the Project Management and please start paying more attention to the People Management.

But don’t forget about the Project Management also. A good blend of Project Management with People Management is the secret of a successful project.

-Posted by Dhana

Err…”I would prefer to use that time meaningfully by doing some other project activities”…

“Lets do it after completing all project activities”…

“I am bothered/focused about delivering the project! ! ! lets give low priority for documentation”…

“I will complete one more project instead of doing documentation”

Sounds familiar! ! !… You may heard any/all the above quotes from lot of PMs including yourself. These are the common words used by lousy PMs. If you ushered any of these, then its time to raise a Change Request to change yourself.

Project Documentation is one of the less interested area as it required numerous efforts but not much loudly applauded. But actually this is a key subject of Planning Process Group and spreads across few knowledge areas.

Lets look into some key points related to project documentation.

Why Documentation?

Project Documentations are established as multi purpose tool which can be used very effectively for the successful project delivery.

1. To define the project scope and agree by all project stakeholders and project teams. Thus everybody involved in the project shares the same expectations on what to expect, what to do, when to do, when to receive and so on.

2. Referred to clear disputes between various project stakeholders if arises

3. Historical reference which provides detailed insider information

Benefits of doing documentation

Apart from the above benefits, it offers some additional fringe but valuable benefits.

1. Helps to create very detailed WBS and result in drafting a realistic achievable schedule

2. Reduces un-necessary surprises and risks

3. Helps to predict the project progress during project execution and take pro-active measures to tackle challenges

4. It will project your image as a “No non-sense PM” who has the clear understanding of the project requirements to all the stakeholders from Project Sponsor to team member

5. Your Portfolio Manager loves and relies you to assign more mission critical/sensitive projects to you.

Change your perception about the project documentation and start focus more on this area. You will start see the hidden benefits and starts ripping them.

-Posted by Dhana