ProjectManagement.com - Hot-Topics - IT-Strategy

What You Should Know About Kanban (Part 3)

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

If Kanban works well on specific software projects, can it be scaled to facilitate Lean throughout an organization? This article will look at how Kanban can be thought of as a general purpose change management approach for your organization.

The Path to the PMP (Part 4)

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

In the journey to PMP fitness, you have taken three decisive steps. But many PMs have not had the opportunity to participate in a suite of courses where most knowledge areas are explored from a combined approach of PMI theory and real-world application. While this can put you at a real disadvantage, it's still possible to be successful. In out latest installment, we cover Project Integration Management.

What Do Your PMs Think of Your PMO?

Tue, 07 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

What is your PMO's reputation among the PMs it serves? There could be a lot of distrust. Through experience, one manager discovered some potential problem areas that you may want to look at in your own organization.

Why You're Confusing Frameworks with Methodologies

Mon, 06 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

It's surprising how many project managers don't know the difference between a framework and a methodology. It's time to clear the air and clarify the differences.

How Emergency Response Helps Project Execution

Mon, 06 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

While many projects may not have to adopt the elements of the Federal Incident Command System, some are set up to resolve a certain time-bound resolution of organizational priorities and can reap the benefits.

PMO Trends

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Many PMOs do not fully understand their role within the larger enterprise. What can PMOs do to improve lackluster performance and increase the return on investment? Let's look at a few of the emerging trends for PMOs to help answer that question...

Hot IT Jobs for 2013 and Beyond

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Ever wonder which jobs within the IT field are trending hot now and for the next few years? Then this article is for you--it looks at what others in the field are identifying as hot IT jobs, as well as what technologies are dominating the trades. Where correlations are found, so too will the hottest jobs.

Evaluating Organizational Readiness for a PMO

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Adoption of a Program Management Office is not a decision that should be made quickly or taken lightly. Careful preparation, clear alignment with organization objectives and stakeholder feedback are critical to a PMO's success.

The Pensky File

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Many times, organizations focus on the "what" (i.e., specific tasks) and the "how" (do our actions reflect corporate culture and core values?), but forget about the "why". That can be dangerous...just ask George Costanza.

Agile Governance: A Rock and a Hard Place?

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Combining agile and governance seems, at first glance, to imply boxing people in from each perspective and forcing them to chose an option that is neither fully agreeable to each. But this combination is in the best interest of both camps; learn some practical approaches to make it work.

Governance Planning

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Governance is concerned with the best use of an organizations' resources. Thus, effective IT planning processes are essential. Organizations must gain insight into (and ultimately retain control over) the demands being made on IT.

Hiring or Assigning a Project Manager (Part 2)

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

As our two-part series concludes, we look at the three most common approaches to selecting PMs that one expert has seen in the business world: assigning the in-house subject matter expert, hiring a project management specialist and hiring a project management generalist. Warning: These aren't always best practices...

Stamping Out Requirements Dysfunction

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

All project failures are related to miscommunication of requirements. And it's the requirements that define the purpose, function and value--the business requirements--that are the biggest culprit as they are especially hard to define.

Process Mapping Saves the Day

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Mapping business processes is not just a method to grind out workflows. It should be the way IT works with the business to communicate how innovative technologies will transform activities.

Annual Planning in the PMO

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

The PMO must have an easy time of annual planning, right? It's a service function that provides resources based on the overall project portfolio, and the organization determines which projects to approve. Based on those decisions, the PMO knows how it needs to adjust its resource model. But life's not quite that simple...

Spring Cleaning of Applications

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Call it application sprawl, application bloat or whatever you like, most companies that rely on applications could use a good old-fashioned spring cleaning to reassess and determine which apps in a company's portfolio provide unequivocal value and which should make a polite exit.

Welcome to the World of Big Data

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

You might have heard about the "Big Data" craze. The rush is on, and like Cloud Computing it's gaining momentum fast. So what is all the fuss about? What exactly is Big Data and why should we care?

Managing Process Improvement

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

There is a great deal that, on the surface of it, would appear straightforward about process improvement. Define your current state. Identify the problems with your current state. Figure out solutions to the problems. Implement the solutions. Really, how hard can this be? Actually, it can be very, very hard. A simple solution? Keep it about the improvement, stupid!

Topic Teasers Vol. 5: Agile Sales Teams

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Question: We are totally committed to agile in our production teams, but is there any way to use the agile philosophy for a sales team?

A.	Agile was written by software developers, and any attempt to move it outside of that sweet spot has proven unsuccessful.
B.	The agile philosophy is appropriate for any group that needs a flexible approach to providing increased value to the organization through a collaborative approach.
C.	Since the Scrum methodology includes software prototyping, testing and rework, salespeople must learn enough code to experience those parts of the agile process to use it.
D.	The agile philosophy is appropriate for any group that needs a step-by-step solution that can be replicated by each team in the organization to provide product consistency.

Project Finance: The Project Manager's Role

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Whatever the approach, mandate or processes adopted by each organization, you as the PM should be aware of the following best practices and ensure that they are adopted in one way or the other to guarantee your project's financial transparency.

Business Engagement: Fixing the Most Common Problem in IT Governance

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit
The most common CIO complaint about the effectiveness of IT governance in their organization is that, in one way or another, "business management isn't sufficiently engaged." This presentation will examine the various reasons why and offer pragmatic best practices for addressing root causes and proposing remedial actions appropriate for various styles of organization.

PPM State of the Art: What's Hot and What's Not

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit
Join a panel of Gartner analysts as we test your views on both the future of PPM and today's common wisdom. We will present research findings that may reinforce that your plans are right on target or surprise you by making you question your most fundamental assumptions. Either way, you should leave the session better prepared to handle both today and tomorrow.

Adapt or Die - The PMO Emergent

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit
Gartner's Matt Light and Donna Fitzgerald discuss important strategies for maintaining a PMO that will be able to withstand the business pressures that threaten its very existence.

IT Modernization: Facing Inevitable Change

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit
Gartner Research Vice President Jim Duggan discusses how IT organizations can move their portfolios into the future while dealing with elements that date back decades.

Beyond the Business Case: Projects in the Enterprise Architecture

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit
By identifying the common themes between PPM and EA, both have the opportunity to strengthen each other and do more with less. Failure to rationalize EA and PPM is negligence. In this presentation, Gartner V.P. Robert Handler will look at the theory, reality and opportunity behind a collaborative approach.

PPM Maturity Model: A Roadmap for an Evolving PPM Function

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit
Most organizations have a tendency to get stuck somewhere between level 1 and level 2 of the maturity curve. In this presentation, Donna Fitzgerald will discuss how you can keep moving along the path to full PPM maturity.

The Optimal Portfolio: Balancing IT Project and Application Costs, Risks & Benefits

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit 2007
Gartner Research Director Matt Light discusses how to consistently get--and keep--your project portfolio in balance for outstanding business results.

Adopting PPM for Greater Product and Process Innovation

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit 2007
Gartner Research Director Marc Halpern leads this presentation to illustrate how PPM can help your organization to incorporate innovative process and support into new product development projects.

Crawl-Walk-Run: Building Public Sector IT Portfolio Management Maturity

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit
Reseach Director David McClure discusses the vast benefits of IT portfolio management, when it's implemented with the requisite management commitment and discipline. He also addresses those challenges unique to public sector projects of this type.

A Time-Driven Rapid Product Development Process for Business Results

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit 2006
In this session, Kraft Bell, Gartner Vice President and Distinguished Analyst, discusses the importance of change and process design principles in acheiving success in rapid product development.

Turbulence, Product Development, and "Strategy-Aligned" Change

Mon, 26 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Gartner vice president and distinguished analyst Kraft Bell discusses how to take a strategy-aligned approach to enterprise change and overcome some of the constraints faced by organizations in these turbulent times.

Application Portfolio Management: Governance, Process and Execution

Tue, 28 Jun 2005 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner. In this session from a PPM Summit, Jim Duggan, Research Vice President for Gartner, looks at the elements of governance, assessment and operational processes that successful implementations have exploited.

Project and Portfolio Management Applications: Making It Work

Mon, 27 Jun 2005 04:00:00 GMT

From Gartner PPM Summit
The market for project and portfolio management suites has seen a flurry of innovation from established players and new entrants, and even continued growth. Amidst confusing market positioning and recent M&A activity, this session makes sense of it all.