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Received this question from one of my ex-students the other day - interested to hear other's thoughts on incidence and what advice is out there. Question: As a project manager in a software company, some things have happened which makes me confused. We have two projects to add two different functions to a system. Because they are established based on the same project, they have something in common. Now, the two projects are ongoing with the project phases. One project just passed the I nitiation and the other is in Planning. The boss said that since the two projects were similar, we would combine them into one project so that we would only have to submit ...

Right now, I think it is fair to say that many of us feel like we are standing on the edge of a very tall building, looking down and hoping that we have managed the risks that we face. Over the past 30 years I have seen many Project Managers choose the ‘Hope for the Best’ approach to risk then spend much of their time hoping that problems that impact their projects do not occur. Many take false comfort in the fact they have spent a few hours (or maybe less) recording risks in a register and passing it on to other people; which is in some way of thinking that a risk shared is a risk halved. Many Risk Registers I have reviewed do not even adequately ...

Project Managers are called upon to identify and manage risk. It goes with the job. The procurement process within a project may also require Project Managers to manage and assess risks, with publically funded projects presenting very interesting risks. While probity is not an exciting topic, it is a very important one and should be considered when undertaking any procurement process. Government agencies and departments are having to increase their interaction in a significantly more challenging environment and having to perhaps work with the private sector in differing capacities than previously. The Government has an obligation to ensure its procurement ...

7 Differences between complex and complicated Posted on February 17, 2019 Author sonjablignaut Categories Change , Complexity and adaptive leadership , Leadership , Resilience Tags adaptive leadership , complex adaptive systems , complexity , complicated , Cynefin , decision making , management , order Decision-makers commonly mistake complex systems for simply complicated ones and look for solutions without realizing that ‘learning to dance’ with a complex system is definitely different from ‘solving’ the problems arising from it. – Roberto Poli Many people believe that complexity ...

​The importance of experience is consistently touted through job interviews and tender invitations that require a minimum of ‘x’ years’ experience as a criterion for applying/taking part. However, is this easily quantifiable piece of information too basic as a gauge of ability in project management? If projects are unique, then aren’t we all starting from a similar position each time? And does the length of service as a PM genuinely indicate a capability to undertake the role? Don’t get me wrong - I’m not suggesting that experience is necessarily detrimental or negatively correlated to capability. The point that I’m driving at is that there are without ...

Making project management a 'profession' I've been around AIPM for over 20 years, and in much of this time I have regularly heard comments that project management needs to 'professionalise' or be recognised as a 'profession'. What is interesting though is when you probe those who make such comments and attempt to dig deeper to understand why the comment is being made, often the underlying driver appears to be that of status or recognition. Anecdotally, this appears to be more acutely felt by those working in engineering or construction where many of the project managers peers and contemporaries work in occupations that are regulated or licenced in some ...

Quality Assurance’s looming change Quality Assurance was once the domain of artisan tradesman and professionals who practiced their craft for decades, passed down their experience to apprentices, and built a reputation for quality based on the skill of the individual. These artisans formed Guilds to promote and protect their skills and for centuries this remained constant. Then came the Industrial Revolution and the world changed. The advent of industrial processing and manufacturing, disrupted the centuries old understanding of quality by breaking down many guilds and artisan trades and turning bespoke products into commodities. The mechanical loom ...

All Project Managers want to deliver value to projects, but many get bogged down in which template to use, what framework to use and how to avoid Intellectual Property (IP) restrictions. For years I have seen “template tantrums”, massive debates within organisations about if it is a stage or a phase, which is better, a product breakdown structure or a work breakdown structure?, and restrictions on the ability to create a truly tailorable approach. I am now pleased there is an alternative that allows these and other conflict points to be addressed, allowing project managers to focus on delivering true value to their organisation or client. Is your organisation ...