Tag: notw

NotOfThisWorld

Posted on

Why Should I Hire a Project Manager for My Church Project?

Is it worth hiring a project manager when any seemingly knowledgeable pastor or church member might do?

The truth is, project managers can be a valuable asset to any organization. Whereas the average church member who is only familiar with certain tasks might be overwhelmed by the complexity of major organizational assignments, project managers are trained to handle programs with elaborate factors such as high budgets, increased manpower and layers of duties.

An Astounding 97% of Organizations Believe Project Management Is Critical to Business Performance and Organizational Success. (Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers)

On the flip side, some professional bodies disagree, arguing that professionals like pastors, marketers, and accountants are able to manage projects just as well as any project manager with some effort.

Barely over Half (56%) of Project Managers Are Certified  (Source: Wrike)

“It’s a raging debate,” said Tony Marks, author of the 20:20 Project Management guide.

“Some industries, such as oil and gas, are hesitant to hire outside project management specialists because they may lack industry knowledge. Instead, these industries prefer to employ technical experts and put them through project management training.”

“The danger is that these  people  are more likely to get  sucked into their comfort zone dealing with the nitty-gritty and technical detail they understand and are fascinated by when they should be managing the project,” said Tony Marks.

In addition to being trained to juggle tasks efficiently, project managers spend an enormous amount of time honing their skills. Much more goes into the craft than obtaining Prince2 or APM certifications.

According to Mike Savage of Thales Training and Consultancy, the International Project Management Association requires its professionals to have at least 15 years of experience and training. The association has four grades from D to A. At the A level, project managers must have a minimum of five years project management experience, five years of program management and five years of portfolio management.

“So to Say That Anyone Can Be a Project Manager Is like Saying Anyone Can Be a Brain Surgeon, Said Savage.”

But just because there are individuals specializing in project management doesn’t mean non-specialists can’t learn the techniques as well. Ian Clarkson of training course provider QA encourages everyone to learn project management practices.

“The skills, leadership, planning and stakeholder engagement techniques are vital to all disciplines,” he said.

“Projects which are run by engineers with project management training are less likely to be successful than the reverse,” said Lloyd’s Register energy program director Roger Clutton. “If there is a lack of technical expertise that will show up in the risk assessment. But a lack of project management skills is much less likely to be detected.”

With that, it seems that the argument on whether or not hiring an outside project management is necessary will continue. But the debate only seems relevant to rival professions as there is projected to be 15 million new project management jobs within the decade. (Source: Project Management Institute).

No matter how you look at it, though, it seems that trained and experienced project managers  must be  worth their weight in gold.

 

Posted on

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Project Management for Christian Leaders

It’s Monday afternoon at the office. The week has only begun, but you’re already swimming in a sea of memos, spreadsheets, and schedules. Just as you’re daydreaming about what leftovers you might reheat for a late dinner, your boss pokes his head into your office. He or she mutters something about quotas and deadlines before he or she drops the bomb about a “little project” he or she needs you to complete by the end of the week. And just like that, you know you’ve been handed a nightmare but for whatever reason accept the challenge.

“According to the Cranfield School of Management in the Uk, 68% of Projects Are Destined for Failure Before They Even Start.”

The lack of project management training or experience of many Christian leaders can be an enormous stress factor for them. Whilst natural organizational ability is enormously helpful, in itself it is no guarantee of any project being both successful and low stress.

What is a  nightmare project? It’s something we’re all familiar with. The boss assigns us some vague task and a deadline but leaves the means to a solution up to our creative intellect.

So how do you solve  the problem of this dreaded “project”?

1.             Understand the scope of the project  

First things first, create a list to layout your ideas on how to go about the job at hand. Write out questions you might have that need to be answered, people you might need to work with or talk to in order to understand what work must be done.

Without fully understanding what work must be done, it is impossible to accurately estimate a project’s schedule or budget.

After creating a list, share your ideas with colleagues. Work with peers who have the same goal and share the same work ethics as you. Too often, when faced with an unrealistic project, we tend to work with just about anybody who wearily agrees to have their name on board. The enthusiasm of a new project quickly fades when actual work is needed. Instead of “How can I help?” were met with “I’m busy right now” and “Can it wait until next week?”  The sponsor, project manager, and project team must share a common understanding of the scope of the project.

2.             Get estimates from the people who will be doing the work

To avoid the stress of friendly fatigue, create a solid plan of action with your co-workers. Assign duties and responsibilities and set a deadline for each task.

4.             Re-estimate as soon as you realize an estimating assumption was wrong

Don’t get discouraged if people and other things fall through. Even though it’s frustrating with the broken promises, missed deadlines, mistakes, and poor quality outputs. As soon as you realize a mistake was made, assess the impact and re-estimate the project.

“Unfortunately When Project Managers Spend the Majority of Their Time Trying to Achieve the Unachievable, the Result Is Frustration and Potential Burnout.”

But say you’ve followed those steps and were able to remain positive throughout this grueling week. You completed the assignment, whether enthusiastically or completely drained of all energy, only to be told the higher-ups decided to go a different route and don’t need the results of your project after all. “Good effort, though,” your boss tells you as he or she hands back your laminated report.

If you find yourself in this situation, just remember to never say “yes” to a “little project without first taking a look at what you’ve been handed.

Posted on

Small Projects Often Mean Greater Innovation

Small projects often embody more innovation than larger more costly or high profile ones.

Innovation is a wide concept that includes improvements in processes, products and services. It involves incorporating new ideas which generate changes that help solve the needs of a company and so increase its competitiveness. That’s hardly big news. But what may be surprising to some is that innovation has itself, well, innovated and it isn’t what it used to be.

New materials and energy, design approaches, as well as advances in digital technology and big data, are creating a wave of innovation within the construction industry. These new ideas are increasingly often tested and proven on smaller and agiler projects. Investing time and money is well spent on  these  ideas and technical improvements can then be used on large-scale developments.

Here are  three exciting small projects:

Vanke Pavilion - Milan Expo 2015 / Daniel Libeskind
Vanke Pavilion – Milan Expo 2015 / Daniel Libeskind
Vanke Pavilion - Milan Expo 2015 / Daniel Libeskind
Vanke Pavilion – Milan Expo 2015 / Daniel Libeskind
VANKE PAVILION Milan, Italy
VANKE PAVILION
Milan, Italy

1. Vanke Pavilion – Milan Expo 2015

The  corporate pavilion for Vanke China explores key issues related to the theme of the Expo Milano 2015, “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”.

Situated on the southeast edge of the Lake Arena, the 800-square meter pavilion appears to rise from the east, forming a dynamic, vertical landscape.

The original tiling pattern would have resulted in thousands of ceramic tiles of different sizes and shapes. The resulting complexity and lack of repetition could have led to high costs and a longer erection time.

Working with Architects Studio Libeskind, Format Engineers  (Engineering Designers with backgrounds in structural engineering, coding, mathematics, and architecture) changed the pattern from thousands of different tiles to less than a dozen and  simplified the  backing structure generating  huge cost savings. Format Engineers also proposed ‘slicing’ of the building and then fabrication of  the primary structure of steel ribs using  low tech flat steel plate elements.  These were then used in a series of long span portalised frames reminiscent of the ribs and spars in traditional boat building  resulting in a  column-free area for the display of Chinese Cultural Heritage.

The frame was built to a budget and without difficulty ahead of the neighboring Expo buildings.

Building Size
12 meters high
740 mq gross floor area (exhibition, service & VIP levels)
130 mq roof terrace

Architect:  Studio Libeskind

Engineer:  Format Engineers

Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion
Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion
Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion
Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion
Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion
Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion

2.  Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion

The Rain Pavilion is an urban forest sculpture forming the front entrance to Oxford Brookes University’s Architecture Faculty.

“Rain Pavilion artwork is a sensory experience for the community.”

The complex form required extensive wind modeling and comprehensive structural analysis within a generative 3d model. This was allied with Format Engineers in-house code for the self-organization of voids and their subsequent redistribution.

.At each stage of the design process different modeling and analysis techniques were used to exploit the form and to optimise the structure. The considerable challenges posed by the slenderness of the structure and its dynamic behavior under wind were resolved by combining Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)  (a branch of  fluid mechanics  that uses numerical analysis and algorithms to solve and analyze problems that involve  fluid  flows) with a generative design environment. Conceptual design introduced the ideas of tubular stems and folded steel canopies, both of which were  perforated by circular holes arranged to allow the interplay of light and water through the structure. The voids were generated using a self-organizing process.

Grasshopper  (a graphical algorithm computer 3-D modeling tool)  was used  to produce a mesh that could include the voids in both the stems and the petals.

The Rain Pavilion is designed to celebrate the sound of rain, and the noise of water interacting with different sections of the installation is part of the experience of passing through it. The structure has a design life of five years and can  be transported to other locations.

Architect:  Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK

Engineer:  Format Engineers

KREOD Pavilion
KREOD Pavilion
KREOD Pavilion
KREOD Pavilion
KREOD Pavilion
KREOD Pavilion

3.  KREOD Pavilion

The KREOD pavilions were first erected on the London Greenwich Olympic site in 2012.  Easily rearranged, three pod-like pavilions were formed with a wooden structural framework comprised of an open hexagonal composition.

Standing three meters tall, each double-curved wooden shell enclosed a footprint of 20 square meters,  totaling 60 square meters. A  waterproof tensile membrane sealed the interior from the elements fully portable with demountable joints,  the individual components can be  stacked for efficient transportation.

Chun Qing Li the architect required a temporary exhibition or function space that could be erected and demounted mostly by hand and by untrained staff. The quality of finish needed to  echo that of handmade furniture and had to be low cost and quick to erect. The continuously changing double curved form of the enclosure meant that in theory, every nodal connection was  different. A conventional bolted solution would have cost hundreds of pounds per fixing. Format Engineers  suggestion of a ‘reciprocal’ jointed timber grid shell required standard  bolts which equated to a fraction of the normal cost. It also allowed the structure to be built from simple and light flat timber elements.

The structure used Kebony timber throughout, a sustainable alternative to tropical hardwood. As this material had not previously been used in a structural context Format Engineers undertook load testing of the material and the connections at the University of Cambridge. The timber was fabricated using CNC routing (a computer controlled cutting machine)  allowing a highly accurate fit between members and basic  erection on site.

Architect:  Chun Qing Li  

Engineer:  Format Engineers

 

Posted on

Top 6 Most Impressive Megaprojects of 2015

Megaprojects  are crucial to the future of most cities, states, and individual livelihoods,  however, they also  attract a lot of public attention because of the substantial impacts they have on  communities,  environments, and government budgets.  The objective of these projects is to unlock higher growth paths for the economy, as such, they require care in the project development process to reduce any possible  optimism bias  and  strategic misrepresentation.

The problem is that these projects often go off the rails, either with regard to budget, time or both.

The risks associated with MegaProjects,  those costing 1 billion or more,  are well documented. In one influential study, Bent Flyvbjerg, an expert in project management at Oxford’s business school, estimated that nine out of ten go over budget.

The first factor is that the size of a MegaProject  can be so large and unique that it is difficult to model the costs and logistics. Another factor is that MegaProjects  are backed by governments which are not typically known for their success in budgeting or efficiency.

 

In today’s post, we’ve identified  the Top 6  most impressive MegaProjects of 2015. These MegaProjects  will transcend time and continue to bestow wonder upon new generations.

1. Mall of the World, Dubai

Mall of the World in Dubai was announced in July 2014, location in Al Sufouh district, along Sheikh Zayed Road, different from Mohammed bin Rashid City.
Mall of the World in Dubai was announced in July 2014, location in Al Sufouh district, along Sheikh Zayed Road, different from Mohammed bin Rashid City.

Dubai  has a very ambitious project on its hands.  Dubai’s Mall of the World will have its very own Oxford Street and Broadway. It will also have galleons and waterfalls.  However, the most challenging part of this project is that the area will be covered by a giant retractable roof during the summer months and be climate-controlled creating the world’s first temperature controlled city.

Dubai Mall of the World Set to Put Uae Retail ’20 Years Ahead’ of Gulf Region

Launched with a fanfare by the emirate’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, it is the first state-sponsored mega-project to emerge from Dubai since the pre-crash bubble. After years of stalled projects  the big plans are back and they are more ambitious than ever before.

It is thought the huge construction will attract 180 million visitors a year and developers hope it will secure Dubai’s futures as a tourism hub.

2.  Mall of America, Minnesota
Mall of America, Minnesota
Mall of America, Minnesota
 

Mall of America, Minnesota
Mall of America, Minnesota

The  Mall of America  (MoA) is a gigantic  shopping mall  owned by the  Triple Five Group  and is by far the largest mall in the United States. However, the $325 million expansion of the nation’s largest shopping center is now underway. The project consists of a luxury 342-room hotel, an office tower and more than 50 shops and restaurants. Some 1,000 jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase of the project, and 2,500 permanent jobs from retail, hotel and office operations.

The  Triple Five Group, owned by Canada’s  Ghermezian family, owns and manages the Mall of America, as well as the  West Edmonton Mall. MoA  is located in  Bloomington,  Minnesota  (a suburb of the  Twin Cities).

3. Zurich North America, Chicago, IL

Rendering of Zurich North America’s new headquarters in the northwest suburbs of Chicago
Rendering of Zurich North America’s new headquarters in the northwest suburbs of Chicago
Rendering of Zurich North America’s new headquarters in the northwest suburbs of Chicago
Rendering of Zurich North America’s new headquarters in the northwest suburbs of Chicago

The $333 million site is currently  under construction and will be the largest build-to-suit office project in Chicago. Zurich a north america insurance company headquarters includes a 735,000 square foot building rising to 11 stories at its tallest, shaped something like the letter A resting on its side.

Zurich looked at a multitude of factors and in the end made the decision that investing in a new state of the art regional headquarters would be the right choice. The project  is due to be completed  late summer of 2016.

4. Dubai World Central Airport

Al Maktoum International Airport
Al Maktoum International Airport
Al Maktoum International Airport
Al Maktoum International Airport

This massive  $32 billion structure sent its first commercial jet into the air in late October  2013.  The project isn’t scheduled for full completion until 2027  and is  expected to become the world’s busiest airport,  however,  with plenty of other contenders quickly taking shape in Asia and the Middle East, it’s has  stiff competition.

Dubai World Central Airport is  expected  to shuttle 160 million passengers through Dubai every year  making it the busiest airport on earth.

5. Bao’an International Terminal 3

Bao’an International Terminal 3
Bao’an International Terminal 3
Bao’an International Terminal 3
Bao’an International Terminal 3

Bao’an plays a pivotal role in the Pearl River Delta: It serves both Shenzhen and Hong Kong, via a connecting ferry. Terminal 3 is an expansion project designed by the Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas. The centrepiece of the expansion is a new runway, which is built on a 108,000-foot piece of land reclaimed from the River Delta.

6. Crossrail  

CROSSRAIL
Crossrail, London England

Crossrail tunnelling began in 2012 and ended at Farringdon, London in May with the break through of tunnelling machine Victoria. Eight 1,000 tonne tunnelling machines bored 26 miles or 42 km of new 6.2m diameter rail tunnels under London.

London is the fastest growing capital city in Europe and today it is home to 8.6 million people with the population expected to reach 10 million by 2030. TfL’s work is critical to supporting the continued growth and regeneration of London.

As we reflect upon these impressive feats by mankind, we can only imagine  what the next big wonder will  be. Is it the secretive Nicaragua canal? Could it be Elon Musk’s proposed  Hyperloop  concept? Or perhaps it will be a  new state of the art high speed train developed by China, USA or the UK?

Did we miss one?  Please let us know by  commenting below.

Posted on

Yes, You Are Called to Be a Leader for Christ

Yes, You Are Called to Be a Leader for Christ

Times are changing, and so are the ways people work and collaborate.  The idea of being a leader can be daunting.

When you consider the word  “leader  who and what comes to mind, perhaps your Pastor?  The BBC show the Apprentice? Your manager? A colleague at work in another team perhaps  or  an individual  who literally has “Project Leader”  on a business card or email signature?

Well, it may not be part of your job title, and you may even struggle to find the words in your job description, nevertheless, the call to follow Christ is a call to leadership.

In the Oxford ditionary a project Is defined as “an individual or collaborative enterprise that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim”

When you think “project”, you typically think about big things, such as:

  • Church building developments
  • Developing a new product
  • IT system integration
  • Writing a tender

But actually, many smaller activities  can also be classed as a project, such as:

  • Creating and delivering an internal training course at church
  • Creating and sending a church e-newsletter
  • Creating new  team processes

In fact, according to David Allen,  pioneer  of the productivity system Getting Things Done (GTD), a ‘project’ is  any multi-step action. In other words, creating a new ad campaign, outreach planning, feeding the poor initiative, even buying a new car or making a 3-course dinner for your significant others are  all different  types of daily projects  you manage.

What does this mean for people  not called project leaders?

Well, failing to realise this could mean that you are missing out on important lessons that the  people with the ‘project leader’ label on their business cards know only too well.

If  you  approach  your daily tasks  and projects with the mindset, “I can do this in a structured, organized way,” then the outcome will substantially improve. Additionally, it may seem glaringly obvious, but someone needs to own a project, and not  every church  organisation or team  has a certified project leader to call upon.

1.   Change your approach

“Stake Your Claim That This Is Now a Project You‘re Managing”

Professional project leaders have formal training on the best way on approaching a project and use methodologies which take time to master. However, this  just isn’t appropriate for people who are juggling the role of unofficial project leader alongside many other tasks.  

Simply changing your mindset can make a difference in how you approach the work.

2. Create an action plan

“Make a List of the Actions It Will Take to Get You to the End Goal”

It’s very easy to jump straight in and get moving on  a project. Spending time planning can seem like wasted time, but in fact, without good planning, you could be wasting your  time and energy on things that just aren’t needed. In other words, skipping the planning phase of a project is a sure-fire way of encountering problems  down the line. The basics of what you’ll need to establish include your project vision (or guiding light), what your project will deliver, the risks to the project as well as your budget, resources, and timescales  and don’t forget to pray before you start.  Prayer is the portal that brings the power of heaven down to earth. It is kryptonite to the Enemy and to all his ploys against you. Pray in the Spirit at all times and at every stage of the project.

3.  Set a realistic deadline

Without a Deadline Your Project Will Sit at the Bottom of Your To-do List and Will Go Nowhere

When it comes to assessing your timescales, you need to figure out what is realistically achievable, while not padding out your timelines too much.

4. Communicate regularly

Developing a Project in a Bubble Will Result in Problems Later On

Regular communication is vital.  Meetings, emails and even a quick trip to your colleague’s desk are all needed to make sure you have not missed anything important and  that  everyone in on the same page.

5. Faith is not a spectator sport.

The Opportunities are Endless and Harvest is Plentiful.

Finally, please remember aside from managing projects that faith is not a spectator sport. It’s easy to come to church to be entertained and not invest time in serving the church community. But Jesus isn’t here for our amusement. He didn’t die so we could experience cool sermons  alone. The Christians we remember throughout history were the men and women who did not wait on the sideline when there was work to be done.

There are many places to lead. The opportunities are endless and harvest is plentiful.

Posted on

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Requirements Management

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Agile Methodologies

Most project managers know  the importance of requirements management. Without a solid foundation and grounding in the subject, requirements management quickly turns towards the complex and difficult side.

Why Manage Requirements?

In the final analysis, all projects are completely driven by requirements.  Requirements are usually not cast in stone. Stakeholders gather insights and more knowledge of their true needs with time. This means that they can  change their minds about requirements, no matter how late in the game. Requirements should therefore be managed proactively in anticipation of change.

However, if requirement definitions are not set up properly in the first place, expect that the quality of delivery will suffer, along with more schedule delays than imagined, and   a big drain on the budget.

Broad project requirements help to establish a baseline for objectives. Subsequent change requests would thus require approval by the right authority; a change control board is usually set up to investigate and approve changes to requirements. The objective of baselining is not to prevent or discourage changes, but to ensure that approved changes are relevant and deserve the priorities  assigned to them.

The simplest way for project managers to reduce the probability of missing critical requirements is to hold requirements review sessions  to ensure that stakeholders understand the requirements and that any ambiguities, inconsistencies and omissions are identified and addressed to facilitate requirements approval or sign-off.

However, when inaccurate requirements are in play, team members end up reworking those activities multiple times. The only sensible course of action is to deliver requirements up front in an accurate manner. That way team members will be able to immediately identify any missing components early in the project lifecycle.

It’s vitally important to employ tools designed to assess requirement quality at the beginning of the project. These tools will help to identify any requirements that are vague or missing early enough to improve the changes of success for the project. Even simple tools like guidelines and checklists can solve major problems later on. You may also consider automated tools, depending on your level of technical expertise.  

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Requirements Management

Good Requirements

Requirements that meet the “good” standard are ones that anyone can easily evaluate to quickly and clearly determine that all the needs have been accurately met by the project.

The common criteria used by project teams to properly evaluate requirements is as follows:

Verifiable: Ensure that all deliverables are able to be evaluated to ensure they have met all necessary requirements. Verification techniques such as modelling, analysis, review by experts, simulations, and demonstrations or testing.

Testable: Requirements are able to be assessed using the most basic of all criteria. This includes quantitative measurement like “pass or fail.”

Traceable: Requirements should be tagged to specific sources. Examples are compliance requirements, best practices, industry standards, and use cases.

Clarity: All statements should be presented in unambiguous ways so the cannot be interpreted differently by different team members.

Bad Requirements

Bad requirements are marked by their incompleteness and lack of clarity. They are hard to understand and implement. They generally possess these characteristics:

Inconsistency: Without clarity, you’ll find requirements that are in conflict with other requirements! This is very frustrating because there’s no way that either one will ever be satisfied.

Non-valid: These are requirements that team members simply cannot understand. They will never be able to accurately assess or approve non-valid requirements.

Non-ranked: These requirements have not been correctly prioritised. Without proper ranking, it’s difficult for team members to be able to assess them properly.

The risk to the project not meeting the clients expectations  is not something that will ever be entirely removed. However, having a specific criteria upon which to benchmark a project is a great way to reduce this risk.

Risks fall into two main categories. Systemic risk is inherent to the nature of the work and cannot be avoided. The non-systemic risk is a bit different and relates from the activities in the project itself. One of the greatest of all non-systemic risks is that of bad requirements management.

Teams that wish to reduce the risk of the  project not meeting the clients expectations substantially are best served by establishing specific requirements in the initial stages. Common goals like being “on time and on budget” while maintaining a high level of quality will require dedication from teams members who have eliminated as much non-systemic risk as possible.

When you’re next involved in a project where requirements come up in a discussion, always pay careful attention to the good, the bad, and the ugly that could  result without proper due care and attention.

Posted on

5 Indicators You’ve Hired the Right Project Manager

5 Indicators You've Hired the Right Project Manager

The importance of hiring the right project manager cannot be overstated enough. Whenever senior managers are asked  to identify outstanding project managers, they almost always have a hard time doing so. What’s most concerning about this is that almost £2 trillion pounds  are spent on these projects across the globe, according to Gartner.

There is no doubt that it takes a lot of time and effort to become an outstanding project manager. This isn’t a job  for the faint hearted.

A great project manager has leadership traits that should be easily recognised in all   steps of the hiring process.

Things like psychometric testing and method certificates can only provide so much information on potential employees. To find  the best candidates for your position you need to  ask them real questions about their experience, such as how they dealt with and recovered from a failure; what methodologies they use to manage projects and deal with sponsors; or their creative process when coming up with original ideas for strong team building. An awesome project manager is able to answer these questions easily.

Successful project managers should have experience in dealing with both failures and successes to gain the skills they need to build a strong team that delivers results consistently.

Here are five strong indicators that the person you have hired as a project manager is likely to be successful in their new role:

You Can Catch More Flies with Honey than with Vinegar

1. People like them!

Project managers who are difficult to get along with or have unlikeable personalities are not likely to be great motivators. Awesome project managers aren’t afraid to listen to the ideas and feedback of their team members for the best overall results.

They should be friendly and have respect for everyone they are working with at all times.

2. They don’t blame others nor take credit for successes.

It can be hard not to get involved in the “blame game” when something doesn’t go exactly as planned. It can be equally as challenging to not “glory grab” when a project goes off brilliantly and without a hitch.

A strong project manager will shield their team when criticism is raining down by passing the message down in a constructive way, so it can be addressed and fixed promptly. In the event of a project success, great project managers make sure the people who were key to the assignment are rewarded for their work. When they speak of a successful project, they highlight the strength of their team and not just themselves.

3. They involve the entire team in planning.

A great plan is usually always the result of a “mastermind”, or the combined effort of one or more people working towards a common goal. Strong project managers encourage everyone on the team to contribute their thoughts and feedback in the planning process. While not everyone will be actively contributing to the campaign design, they listen to the opinions and ideas of people who the project will affect, such as the CEO, and the marketing department.

A strong project manager should foster a productive, creative and enjoyable work environment. By doing so, they maximise the time they work with their team so they deliver a great end product.

4. They’re serious team builders.

A great project manager understands that a major key to their project success is the team that stands behind it. Successful project managers take the time to select from the talent that is best suited for the job they need to complete. Instead of settling for just anyone who can join the team because they’re free, a skilled project manager is willing to do what it takes to onboard and recruit the people they think will bring the most to the table.

5. They’re strong managers.

A strong manager knows how to take the lead. They understand what it takes to lead their team. They know how to motivate those working with them. They realize that they are a part of something greater. They’re not afraid to take responsibility for all aspects of the project, regardless of whether it’s failure or success.

As a project director  or hiring manager, it can be a challenge to find a powerful project manager, but once you connect with the right person, you’ll know it almost instantly. A strong project manager absolutely loves what they do and they’re not afraid to tell you about how excited they are about their past, present and future endeavours.

They strive to be the best leaders and always respect the ideas and positions of others who present them with questions that need solutions. They go the extra mile to make sure that all details of their projects are addressed and fine tuned. They speak positively of their peers, their team and anyone else who is involved in the project.

What are your thoughts on what makes a project manager shine? What do you think makes the cut between being an average project manager and an awesome project manager? We  invite you to share your thoughts and experience.

Posted on

9 Architectural Projects That Busted the Bank Vaults

The Channel Tunnel

Since the beginning of recorded time, construction projects have always been a major part of history. In fact, grandiose construction projects to erect the architectural visions of Pharaohs, Kings, Rulers, and Monarchs was used as a way to put the wealth and power of leaders on display for all of the people their lands to see.

Not surprisingly, all of these projects came at a great cost to the leaders that initiated them.

The Great Pyramid at Giza is one example of a grand architectural vision. This massive structure was built under the leadership of Egyptian pharaoh Khufu in the 26th century B.C.E. By the time work on the structure was completed, Knufu spent a great deal of his kingly fortunes on the project. According to sources, it is estimated that this project would cost more than  $5 billion dollars to duplicate today.

Since then, there have been many other building projects that have cost significant amounts of money to build, some that were so grand in their scope they effectively broke the bank.

We will examine more of these projects here.

The Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam

1. The Three Gorges Dam

This massive Chinese construction project took place over the Yangtze River in the Hubei province of Central China. This scope of this project was enormous and came with quite a bit of controversy due to the changes to the environment that were needed to make the project become a reality. When this project was approved in 1992, the Vice Premier at the time, Zoa Jiahua quoted the project cost at $8.35 billion to complete. In 2006, when the project was officially ended, the total cost ended up being closer to $37 billion dollars, or roughly four times more than the original estimate.

The Ryungyong Hotel
The Ryungyong Hotel

2. The Ryungyong Hotel

The ground broke for this 105 story luxury tourist hotel in 1987 in North Korea, despite the country being closed off to foreign visitors. After investing approximately $750 million dollars in the structure, the project came to an abrupt end when the Soviet Union, North Korea’s major economic supporter, collapsed. Today, the building remains unfinished and is recognised as being the tallest unoccupied structure in the entire world.

The MOSE Project
The MOSE Project
The MOSE Project
The MOSE Project
The MOSE Project
The MOSE Project

3. The MOSE Project

This building project was originally intended to help control flooding in Venice. However, it primarily served as a project to sink money into. The original budget for the project was $1.7 billion dollars but jumped to $8.1 billion over time. None of the work that was completed did anything to prevent flooding. Many people involved in the initial construction were arrested on bribery and corruption charges in connection with the project. Venice continues to have problems with flooding and sinking.

The Mirabel Airport
The Mirabel Airport

4. The Mirabel Airport

This airport was originally opened to serve Montreal, Canada in   mid-1970. The Government seized 100,000 acres of land and displaced thousands of residents from their homes for the land that was needed to construct the airport. The cost of the land was $140 million dollars. This amount was eight times more than the costs that were originally projected. Once construction on the airport began, the price skyrocketed to a total cost of around $276 million dollars. Adding further pressure to the Mirabel Airport project was the fact that the Montreal-Dorval International Airport was located within a short driving distance away. While this airport did operate for a number of years, it ceased operations in 2004. In late 2014, demolition of the site began which added another $15 million dollars of cost to the failed project.

The Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia

5. The Sagrada Familia

There is no doubt that building a Cathedral is no small undertaking. For the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, it is a project that has advanced at a snail’s pace and with a hefty price tag that can not even be calculated due to how slow the project has been to finish. Construction on the house of worship began in 1883. In 2015, it still needs  to be completed. In 2011, the President of the Building Committee said that it might be completed in 2026 – 143 years after construction originally began.

The Millennium Dome
The Millennium Dome
The Millennium Dome
The Millennium Dome

6. The Millennium Dome

This is a London based project that has a happy ending, despite a shaky, and very expensive start. When construction of the Millennium Dome began in the 1990’s, the original budget of 758 million pounds was exceeded when it ended up costing 789 million pounds, so it lost money from day one, even without including maintenance costs. However, in 2007 the structure was sold to AEG and renamed the 02 Arena, so some of the initial investment money was recouped. This site is now a top venue for sporting events and concerts in the London, UK area.

The Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel

7. The Channel Tunnel

Sometimes referred to as the “Chunnel” is a tunnel in the English Channel that links the United Kingdom with France. It’s not surprising that a project of this scope would cost a lot of money and time to complete successfully. In total, it took six years of work and $21 billion dollars to finish. In financial costs, it ended up being 80% more expensive than originally forecast. This privately funded project caused many of the initial investors to lose most of their investment due to over run costs. Today, their diligence to the project has made it widely successful. Hundreds of millions of people use the Chunnel trains to commute between France and the UK, with a travel time of around 35 minutes.

The Central Artery Tunnel Project
The Central Artery Tunnel Project
The Central Artery Tunnel Project
The Central Artery Tunnel Project

8. The Central Artery Tunnel Project

In 1991, Boston began construction of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, also known as the Big D, to provide commuters with an alternative to using the main highway through the City. This project is one of the most expensive construction projects in the history of the United States with a ‘real’ cost of $22 billion dollars once interest on the funding for the project is paid off in 2038. The Central Artery/Tunnel Project included the construction of roads, bridges, and even a tunnel that was built under the Boston Harbor. While this project did have the original effect it was supposed to have by alleviating traffic congestion in parts of Boston, overall traffic in the areas where the Big D serves has also increased.

Panama Canal, Centennial Bridge
Panama Canal, Centennial Bridge

9. The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is another example of a building project that came with many personal and financial losses during its construction in the early 1900’s. The project was hexed with obstacles including outbreaks of deadly malaria and mudslides that, according to hospital records, resulted in over 5,600 labourers deaths. Today, the Panama Canal remains a key part of the shipping industry between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. In 2014, work at the Canal ground to a halt after a dispute between the Panama Canal Authority and a conglomerate of European construction companies disagreed who would pay for a $1.16 billion overrun in costs. All parties involved in the dispute agreed on stop-gap funding that put the project back in action. In 2015, expansion work on the Panama Canal continues and the overall costs of the project continue to rise.

Posted on

Taking the Right Path to Good Agile Implementations

1) A Wise Man Said Only Fools Rush In

Companies that goes nuts for agile because they know they have to deliver faster and for less cost to keep up with competitors may be making a big mistake and face a collapse of their efforts.

If they focused first on a deep understanding of their business’ needs, they could more accurately decide if agile is a good fit. A better approach for you to take is analyse your current processes  to determine if agile methodologies actually support your goals and needs.

2) Educated Stakeholders Make Excellent Allies

Agile works from a focal point of improving quality delivery and frequency. It does not start with reducing time to market or cutting costs. Those benefits are a result of implementing agile methods over time, after the requisite investment of time and resources has been made.

3) Don’t Do the Project Without at Least One Committed Product “Owner”

A “product owner” is a the committed business leader who will make or break the project. This person will be expected to put at least half of their time into the project. They’ll also be responsible for getting all the decisions made through the right channels in a reasonable period of time. You must have a leader like this to succeed.

4) Gain Consensus on the Definition Of “Finished”

Everybody on-board needs to agree on what constitutes being finished with any stage of implementation. For some, it will mean that by the end of each and every iteration, the production-ready software will be available. This is not always possible, so get out ahead of a potential problem and gain consensus.

5) Build an Exceptional Cross-Functional Team

Cross-functionality is what separates the ineffective agile teams from the high-performance ones. Team members have to be proficient in performing any and all necessary tasks so that they’ll be able to always deliver what the customers need.

Team building requires that you identify the right parties and that you shape them into a functional team by making sure that they share your own true goal of always delivering massive value to product owners.

6) Make the Proper Investment in the Tools That Support Agile

The beginning stages of any agile project will involve you investing in the  of the robust frameworks, infrastructure, and process automation tools that fully support agility. This includes a wide range of solutions like continuous build servers, automation testing, video conferencing, interactive chat, and software frameworks. Don’t scrimp on other important details like the solution architecture, either.

7) Retrospectives Need to Be a Main Priority

Inspection and adapting are the keys to agile. Organisations using this methodology use a vehicle called “retrospectives” to ensure these tasks are being performed correctly. A proper retrospective should embrace the qualities of self-improvement and transparency. Any actions that are a result of the retrospective must be given the highest priority. This is especially true of estimations, which are crucial to achieving the kind of team velocity that keeps projects on track.

8) Start the Project with a Solution Architecture

Even though documentation is not always the most glamorous part of any project, you’ll be well served to make sure you understand that documentation is still important to a successful project. Using a solution architecture pays off because it serves a blueprint for the final project that will be delivered by the team. Team members need this document so they understand what will happen if they make changes. Members who are added to the project at later days will use the documentation as a reference point so they can be brought up to speed.

9) Embrace the Fact That Change Is Coming and Plan for It

You can’t make a change without a cost in agile. Change is something you always have to embrace philosophically, but be aware of the costs and the impacts to the project. When you are doing the estimation process, factor in potential changes when applicable.

10) You and Your External Partners Should Have an Agile Relationship

Agile is not always the best fit for traditional vendors. They prefer contracts that use fixed prices and fixed outcomes. When you switch to agile you’ll need to make a point out of understanding the ramifications the changes will have with your vendors. You and they may have to make some changes to keep the relationship running smooth.

Try to build a transparent relationship with all of your external vendors. Risk Reward contracts that employ clearly defined KPIs work amazingly well for agile organisations.

Posted on

35 Best Conflict Resolution Quotes

35 Best Conflict Resolution Quotes

Conflict happens. However, avoidance of conflict, with no effort to resolve it, postpones a proper response and exacerbates the problem because conflicts that are allowed to fester unaddressed will always increase and have negative effects on relationships within the body.

These quotes seem to suggest that it is how you handle the situation, your attitude going into the conflict, and the conflict  resolution that matters.

  1. “If you understood everything I said, you’d be me.” — Miles Davis
  2. “Don’t look where you fall, but where you slipped.” — African proverb
  3. “Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” — Paul Boese
  4. “If war is the violent resolution of conflict, then peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather, the ability to resolve conflict without violence.” — C.T. Lawrence Butler
  5. “One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations is that in political, military, moral, and spiritual confrontations, there should be an honest attempt at the reconciliation of differences before resorting to combat.” — Jimmy Carter
  6. “Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.” — Cherokee proverb
  7. “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” — Winston Churchill
  8. “A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill
  9. “Every conflict we face in life is rich with positive and negative potential. It can be a source of inspiration, enlightenment, learning, transformation, and growth–or rage, fear, shame, entrapment, and resistance. The choice is not up to our opponents, but to us, and our willingness to face and work through them.” — Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith
  10. “The quality of our lives depends not on whether or not we have conflicts, but on how we respond to them.” — Tom Crum
  11. “I believe that the basic nature of human beings is gentle and compassionate. It is therefore in our own interest to encourage that nature, to make it live within us, to leave room for it to develop. If on the contrary, we use violence, it is as if we voluntarily obstruct the positive side of human nature and prevent its evolution.” — His Holiness the Dalai Lama
  12. “The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” – Ram Dass
  13. “The more incompetent one feels, the more eager he is to fight.” — Fyodor Dostoyevsky
  14. “Every person in this life has something to teach me—and as soon as I accept that, I open myself to truly listening.” — Catherine Doucette
  15. “The only difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is the way in which we use them.” — Adriana Doyle
  16. “When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” — Wayne Dyer
  17. “Whenever two good people argue over principles, they are both right.” — Marie Ebner von Eschenbach
  18. “Today . . . spend more time with people who bring out the best in you, not the stress in you.”—- Unknown Author
  19. “Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” — Unknown
  20. “Love is our most unifying and empowering common spiritual denominator. The more we ignore its potential to bring greater balance and deeper meaning to human existence, the more likely we are to continue to define history as one long inglorious record of man’s inhumanity to man.”  — Unknown
  21. “You can never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the old model obsolete.” — Buckminister Fuller
  22. “Our greatest power as nations and individuals is not the ability to employ assault weapons, suicide bombers, and drones to destroy each other. The greater more creative powers with which we may arm ourselves are grace and compassion sufficient enough to love and save each other.” — Seth Godin
  23. “The problem with holding a grudge is that your hands are then too full to hold onto anything else.” — Seth Godin
  24. “To truly listen is to risk being changed forever.” — Sakej Henderson
  25. “The great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes
  26. “Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” — William James
  27. “Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.” – Jesse Jackson
  28. “Always pass a plate of forgiveness before each verbal feast — Anabel Jensen
  29. “Never ruin an apology with an excuse.” — Kimberly Johnson
  30. “If you’re not listening, you’re not learning.” — L.B. Johnson
  31. “Conflict cannot survive without your participation.”— Wayne Dyer
  32. Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” — Carl Jung
  33. “When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”— Anthony Robbins
  34. “Happiness depends on what you can give, not on what you can get.”— Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati
  35. “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” — Martin Luther King

Jesus did not advocate non-violence merely as a technique for outwitting the enemy, but as a just means of opposing the enemy in such a way as to hold open the possibility of the enemy’s becoming just as well. Both sides must win. We are summoned to pray for our enemies’ transformation, and to respond to ill-treatment with a love that not only is godly but also, I am convinced, can only be found in God.

Posted on

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Agile Methodologies

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Agile Methodologies

The “agile” buzzword has really taken hold among a myriad organisations worldwide. That result is not particularly surprising. Who wouldn’t love to employ light and fast tactics that allow them to respond to rapidly changing challenges? Despite all the optimism about agile methods, the bigger question is how well companies are actually doing when it comes to employing these methodologies in the real world. Without understanding what the core objectives of embracing agile methods are, it’s not going to be easy to gain results.

Agile methodology is employed in order to reduce the time, risk, and cost that is associated with a project. However, these massive benefits are not going to materialise out of thin air. They are the result of the dedicated work of a team who is well versed in implementing the methodology.

To become “agile” will require organisations to take a quantum leap in their culture. They will have to embrace the entire philosophy behind these methods or no real change will take place. Truly agile companies are the ones that have gone through a transformative process in order to implement brand new processes that say goodbye to the past. This takes a lot of work and effort and not all organisations are willing or able to do this.

Ugly Agile Implementations

Project teams that are solely focused on results and who don’t do their homework end up with very ugly agile implementations. These teams are so excited about agile as a concept that they convert everyone in their organisation into adopting the methods. The problem is, they do not spend the requisite time getting everyone on board with exactly what needs to be done.

Because of this oversight, the projects are plagued with poor communications and engagement. The project team and others in the organisation are each working on their own tasks with no thought to how the pieces fit together in the “big picture.” This is a major problem because agile methods really only shine when the whole organisation works as one well-oiled unit. In this scenario, major issues at the core of the project are neglected and the entire project goes off the rails. This leaves a bad taste in the mouths of managers, who are no longer excited about agile methods.

Really ugly agile implementations have the wrong focus. Because of this myopia, the true benefits of agile employment are never realised. Before long, things, unfortunately, go back to “normal.”

Bad Agile Implementations

Some businesses completely miss the boat when it comes to agile deployment. They’re interested in receiving the benefits of reduced costs, faster time to market, and cutting “red tape.” Despite this knowledge, they’re not truly committed to the all of the values that are espoused by the Agile Manifesto. Without this commitment, they cannot possibly hope to fully embrace a functional implementation.

Organisations like to invest in education and communications, but they ignore important concepts like utilising the tools that help them truly embrace agility. They even form teams that understand cross-functionality, but without empowerment they are unable to make vital decisions.

Lastly, organisations that do poor agile implementations perform project reviews regularly enough, but the input from the meetings is never acted on by anyone. The key issues that are preventing proper implementation are never properly addressed and the project fails on its promise. Organisation members swear off the agile methods forever at this point.

Good Agile Implementations

When business personnel and IT staff work together, good implementations of agile are the result. These units work together so that a project delivery methodology is presented to the organisation that meets its needs. They also spend the time to create the cultural changes needed to ensure the methods are successful.

In organisations like this, team members, business end users, along with senior management and key stakeholders received a continuous education that empowers them all. Cross-functional teams that excel are the results. These organisations also invest in the techniques and tools that fully support agile. That includes test driven development, continuous builds, new standards, and more. With these in place, a platform that ensures long-term success will be installed.

Particularly telling, these businesses conduct regular project reviews which they conceptualise as opportunities to improve instead of something that simply has to be done. When change is needed, they embrace it and plan for it. When it arrives, they are ready and the organisation continues to excel. A sign of a good agile implementation is when the organisation is  commits to making long-term changes that will benefit the methodology in the long run.

It doesn’t pay to underestimate just how difficult implementing good agile really is. Since major internal changes to how project delivery is done need to be embraced, the road ends up being a challenging one. Traditional managers will be challenged because empowered teams now have more input than ever before.

Once a good agile implementation is in place, the benefits are obvious and plentiful. An energised, cross-functional community of empowering people who are all focused on common goals get more done than ever before. Good implementation put platforms into use that improve project delivery because they allow for test-driven development, continuous integration, standards implementation, and best practice design applications.

Posted on

6 Project Management Taboos Christian Project Leaders Should Break

6 Project Management Taboos You Should Break

The lack of project management training or experience of many Christian leaders can be an enormous stress factor for them. Whilst natural organizational ability is enormously helpful, in itself it is no guarantee of any project being both successful and low stress.

A taboo is an activity that is forbidden or sacred based on religious beliefs or morals. Breaking a taboo is extremely objectionable in society as a whole. We have  isolated six  project management taboos that are common in PM discussions.

The upside of understanding and acting on  these most common project management taboos  is tremendous. Not only will your project success rate increase, you’ll also improve satisfaction among internal customers.

1. ‘The customer is always right’ is wrong

The project  sponsor is a role in project management, usually the senior member of the project board and often the chair. The project sponsor will often be a senior executive in a corporation who is responsible to  the  business for the success of the project.

However, project  sponsors are people, and they can be wrong. This taboo prevents project managers  from openly examining the actions of senior individuals  in power. In its more stringent form, this taboo can even convert “lessons learned” activities into simple exercises in fawning praise for the vision of our leaders. When we cannot question the actions of the powerful, the organization  can have difficulty finding its way out of trouble. This problem is most severe when the actions (or failure to act) of an Executive sponsor  in power is the issue.

Ignoring a Problem Is, Enabling the Problem

2. ‘Ignore your problems and they will go away‘  

The perfect employee. The perfect manager. The perfect workplace. Wouldn’t it be nice if that existed?  When it comes to managing people, one of the best things we can do is to realize that nothing will ever be perfect. There will always be problems. It’s how we deal with them that matters the most,  so do not ignore them, because  they won’t miraculously go away. The problem only gets worse, frustration levels increase, productivity suffers  and  complacency will set in. They fester the longer you ignore them and ultimately compound the cost of the project.

You aren’t fooling anyone, people know when there is a problem! Occasionally things can get better by themselves, however,  the majority of the time this doesn’t happen.

If you do something wrong, it’s about how well you fix it,” says GlassHouse Technologies’ Scannell. “Most people batten down the hatches and close up shop. Understanding when you’re starting to fail and quickly being able to engage as many stakeholders as possible to fix it is critical.”

Emotional Intelligence for Project Managers – Nice to Have or Necessity

3. Showing emotion is a sign of weakness

If only it were just about defining scope, creating a project plan and tracking costs.

Project Management obviously encompasses all those things, but it’s also about relationship development, team building, influencing, collaborating, and negotiating often in very complex environments.

In most workplace environments project managers  have difficulty showing feelings. Project managers  cannot even discuss them. It’s a pity — feelings are part of being human. When we can discuss feelings, we  can manage them, and we can use them as indicators of morale, future performance, or motivation. This project management taboo can limit the effectiveness of project retrospectives. In projects, strong feelings are common. They play an important role in determining project performance. Yet feelings are rarely discussed in project retrospectives, and this omission can prevent project managers  from truly understanding the evolution of the projects they are  supposedly managing and examining. However, whatever form a project takes there will always be people involved and where there are people there are emotions.Emotions influence people’s actions, their behaviors and their responses to the emotions of others. So welcome to the world of ‘emotional intelligence’.

The concept of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) was first popularised by Daniel Goleman in 1995 with his book, “Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ.”

Just Jump Through the Hoops, Don’t Try to Fix the World

4. Project Managers should play by the rules

Most organizations have processes that nearly everyone understands are outdated  and counterproductive, however,  when project managers dismiss  these processes, neglect to  model their costs to organizations, the outdated  processes are then very difficult to change.

Indeed, the taboo is part of the cultural infrastructure that enables these dysfunctional processes to persist. If project managers discuss them openly, they  might find that upgrading them could provide significant payback.

Keep Complaining! It’s Good for You!

5. Keep complaining! It’s good for you!

We’ve all know that rush of relief you feel as soon as you wrap up a major rant. This is  the national art and sport of the UK.  However, complaining is viral misery.  Back in 2006, an American pastor named Will Bowen launched a campaign he called “A Complaint Free World”. Drawing on the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer, Alessandri pushes back against the assumption that complaining is only worthwhile if it gets concrete results; there’s no point in it, the received wisdom goes, if what you’re bemoaning is beyond your control.

Peace Is Not Absence of Conflict, It Is the Ability to Handle Conflict by Peaceful Means

6. You must  take sides in a  political conflict

Just keep neutral. It is possible to be respectful to (and respected by) your colleagues by staying neutral.  Politics are as old as civilization and have continued to be a source of fascination since Machiavelli wrote The Prince, a treatise on how to acquire and retain power, in the 16th century.

There are a lot more project management taboos that aren’t included listed here.  We are interested in your thoughts and suggestions?

Posted on

Top 10 Project Management Myths Debunked

Since the dawn of time, mankind has used myths to make sense of the uncertainty that surrounds us.  In the early 1990s  a lot of  people believed that project management was the best kept secret in business.  However,  because project management was not  seen as a  prevailing profession at that time, it suffered from a lack of awareness  which was  in a sense, a double edged sword. Those who were knowledgeable in the practice of project management became extreamly valuable to organisations and pioneers for  the profession.

These early adopters were able to convince organisations that project management practitioners were needed.  Myths around project management began to form in the business community  and as the role of the  project manager was unclear, questions were raised as to what project management was  and what it could offer organisations.

The definition of the word myth is a “widely held, but false belief or idea.” Here, we’re going to examine 10 of the most pervasive PM myths that have emerged.

Myth #1 – Contingency pool is  redundant  

This is one of the most ‘mythical’ myths that has plagued the industry  for a long time. Coupled  with the tendency to presume that ‘real work’ is tantamount to implementation or building something concrete and you have the perfect recipe for project disaster.  The thought pattern behind this approach typically originates from budget constraints and/or having unrealistic expectations. As we all know, or should know, the unexpected happens quite regularly. An effective contingency plan is important as it aims to protect that which has value (e.g., data), prevent or minimise disruption (e.g., product lifecycle), and provide post-event feedback for analysis (e.g., how did we fare? did we allocate funds correctly?).

Myth #2 – Project Management software is too expensive

If your idea of project management software involves purchasing servers, and purchasing a software application from a major vendor for a small practice with 10  practitioners  then, yes, it  is too expensive. If, however, you have gone cloud and elected to use a powerful web-based project management solution (such as Smartsheet), then you are likely to save thousands of pounds while reaping the benefits of a pay-as-you-go price structure. The present, and future, lie in cloud solutions that provide equal, or superior, functionality at a fraction of the cost.

Myth #3 – Project Management methodologies will slow us down

Project  managers  have  a reputation of using  process-intensive  methodologies  that favour ideology over pragmatism. In some instances this may, indeed, be the case when  there is a mismatch between a specific project management approach and the organisation’s acutall needs (e.g., a process-driven method, such as PRINCE2, may not be appropriate for a slightly chaotic environment that favours an adaptive approach, such as Scrum). So, in sum, put down the paint roller (“Project Management isn’t for us!”) and take out your fine-bristled brush (“The Critical-Chain method may not be our cup of tea, but Agile on the other hand”¦”).

Myth #4 – Facts and figures are more important than feelings and perceptions

While facts are very important, projects are often derailed and sabotaged because of false perceptions.  The PM must pay attention to both fact and fiction to navigate through turbulent  organisational change.

Myth #5 – Project managers need to be detail oriented and not strategic in nature

While it is of the utmost importance for the project manager to understand how to read the details of the project, they must also understand how the project supports organisational objectives.  Having a strategic perspective adds great value to the skill-set of the project manager.

Myth #6  Rely on the experts in everything that you do

It is true, we do need to rely on the experts but our trust can not be a blind faith.  The job of the project managers in this area is twofold.  First we must extract information and second we must verify that the information is accurate.  A good example of this is asking a planner  to provide an estimate on the effort required to perform a task.  In some instances team members forget to include tasks which ultimately results in a faulty estimate.

Myth #7  All the battles have to be fought and won so that we can succeed

Project managers sometimes make the assumption that they need to stand firm to get the job done, however, coming to compromise  on a particular issue is often a better course of action  in order to  win the war.

Myth #8 Project Managers  can wear multiple hats  

Wearing different hats can be extremely confusing.  This is especially true if the project manager is asked to be a business analyst or technical expert on top of serving in their PM role.  They end up doing  both roles with mediocrity.  When we “wear two hats” we essentially tell ourselves that both hats fit on one head at the same time. However, what happens if the demands of two roles conflict  and what assurances do we have that we’re managing the inherent conflict of multiple roles  and the  risks the  roles introduce? Sadly, multiple roles become more common as we move up the management hierarchy in an organisation, and that’s exactly where potential conflicts of interest can do the most harm.

Myth #9  Once the risk register is created, it’s full speed ahead

Risk management provides a forward-looking radar. We can use it to scan the uncertain future to reveal things that could affect us, giving us sufficient time to prepare in advance. We can develop contingency plans even for so-called uncontrollable risks, and be ready to deal with likely threats or significant opportunities.  Too often, it’s not until a catastrophic event occurs and significantly impacts project progress that ongoing risk reviews are conducted.

Myth #10 Project managers can not be effective in their role unless they have specific technical expertise in the given field that the project falls  within

You don’t need to be an engineer to manage a construction project or a IT  technician to manage a software development project.  All you need is a  fundamental  understanding with strong PM skills to manage  the team.  Experience in the field helps but does not guarantee success.

Project management is challenging enough without the myths. The profession has come a long way since the 1990s and some of these myths are fading. However, we still see remnants of them in one form or another.  Great projects cut through false assumptions and confusion, allowing their teams to make smart decisions based on reality.

These are just 10 project management myths, what are yours?  

Posted on

13 Basic Facts You Should Know about Modular Homes

The concept behind a tiny garden pavilion in London, UK was simplified by the following equation: shed + office = Shoffice.

Modular homes sometimes referred to as “factory-built construction“,  encompass a category of housing built in sections typically at a factory  location.   These houses must conform to local and regional building  codes for the country the buyer plans to situate the dwelling.  

Just like site-built housing, construction teams build modular homes to  last and increase in value over time.   As the factory finishes building sections of the house, each piece is transported to the homeowners build site on large truck beds.   Local building contractors then assemble the house and inspectors ensure the manufacturer has built your residence to code.   Most customers find that modular housing is less expensive than  site-built homes.

modularhomes7

1. Benefits of Construction

One of the benefits of  construction is that manufacturers build them indoors in an enclosed factory setting, where the materials  used to build the homes are not subject to adverse weather during construction.  

Most building contractors can finish erecting a house in as little as 1-2 weeks, though it may take up to 4 weeks or more for local  contractors to finish building the dwelling on-site once it has been  delivered.

modularhomes9

2. Differences Between Modular and Site Built

Modular homes are not the same as site-built homes, which contractors create 100% at the build site.   That means the
contractor must collect all the materials for a house and built it on-site.   Like a modular home, the site-built home must conform to all regional, state and local building codes.   Many refer to site-built construction as stick-built homes.   Stick built housing is also well-built and designed to last a lifetime.

modularhomes2

3. Difference Between Modular and Manufactured

modularhomes14
Manufactured housing is another form of factory construction.   Many  consumers have mistakenly referred to these homes in the past as mobile homes.   Others refer to manufactured homes as trailers.   Manufacturers do build these houses in a factory like modular homes on a steel chassis.  

The manufacturer then transports sections of the home to the building site as completed.   These dwellings are usually less expensive than both modular housing and site built housing, in part because they don’t come with a permanent foundation.   Trailers and mobile homes are more likely to depreciate than modular or site built homes.

4, Advantages of Modular Construction Over Site Built

Modular homes offer many advantages over traditional site built dwellings. Many consider modular homes a hybrid breed of housing.   Not a manufactured house and not a site built house, these homes offer consumers multiple benefits including costs savings, quality and convenience.   In many ways modular homes surpasses site built housing in quality and efficiency.  

Modulars have grown up. They are more and more becoming a mainstream  selection for first time and secondary homebuyers.   Most people now realise they don’t’ have to give up design quality or customization to buy a prefabricated house.   One of the biggest misconceptions people have of prefabricated housing is they are look alike.   “Boxy” is not a word that can begin to describe prefab dwellings. In fact, more suitable descriptions of these buidlings would include: “Elegant, durable, customised and high-class”.   Many people find they can afford to include more specialization and customization when they buy a factory built house over a traditional stick built construction.  

modularhomes41

5. Cutting-edge Designs

Looking for a building design with a little pizzazz?   You need to check out the latest architectural designs associated with prefabricated buildings.   Firms are now building more    elegant and unique designs to meet the increasing demands of selective customers.   People are selecting modular designs over stick built designs to build their dream homes.

green-prefab-homes-contemporary-ideas-on-home-design-ideas

6. Customised Design and Modification

There are hundreds of companies that offer modular prefabricated construction kits and plans, and most employ various architects and specialized designers to help customize your  home.   That means you have more choices and a wider selection of designers to choose from.   If you don’t find a style you like with one designer you can often move onto another, without even switching  manufacturers.  

green-prefab-homes-contemporary-ideas-on-home-design-ideas

7. Huge Range of Selection

Its always best to select a home that matches your lifestyle and design preferences.

8. Rapid Customisation  

These are often the ideal selection for homeowners in need of a speedily designed homes.   You simply can’t build a dwelling faster.   Site built housing can take months to design and build.   A manufacturer can design and place a prefab house in a few short weeks. You can pick from just as many different styles as you would a site built home if not more, but don’t have to wait weeks for contractors to build your custom house.

9. Precise Budgeting and Timing

Yet another benefit of these designs is the lack of guesswork involved.   You don’t have to worry about how something will look.   You know that everything will arrive to the build site complete and you will know the exact outcome. You also don’t need to worry about unexpected expenses, which is commonly the case with site built homes.   With a prefabricated house, you know exactly what your home will cost and can control that cost from the point of buying to final construction.   This isn’t the case with stick built housing. With stick built housing you also have to worry about surprises in the middle of construction.   It isn’t uncommon for example, for a contractor to quit in the middle of a project.   If this happens you have few choices.  

Your home will sit partially built until you are able to find a new construction team.   This alone may cost you valuable time and money.  

10. Improved Energy Efficiency    

Many prefab houses also come with what manufacturers call the “Energy Star” certification.   This is a national company that promotes energy efficiency.   Buildings with this label use 30-40 percent less energy yearly than traditional stick built housing.  

This saves you time and money.   Some key features of prefabricated housing that help improve energy efficiency include tight installation,  high performance and weather resistant windows, controlled air systems and duct systems, upgraded air-conditioning and heating units and use of efficient lighting and heating appliances.   As a bonus, these features not only save on annual energy costs but also improve the quality of your indoor air. Think energy efficiency isn’t significant?   Think again.   Over the lifetime of your house you could save thousands of pounds  in energy bills by buying a prefabricated dwelling.

11. Design Modification is Easier  

Most prefab homemakers now use computer aided design systems when conducting operations.   This adds to the efficiency of construction and improves the appearance and architecture  of homes.   Prefabricated construction ranges from plain vanilla styling to intricate and complex modern designs.

12. On Time and  on Budget    

Perhaps the two biggest features or benefits of prefabricated housing that manufacturers hone in on are the speed that  they can be built with and the competitive pricing they can offer on the final product.   This is one reason that modular homes are gaining popularity.  

13. Appreciate in Value

These dwellings also appreciate much like site  built housing designs.   Most homeowners are interested in building value in their house over time.   Prefab housing afford you the opportunity to do this (keep in mind however much appreciation is dependent on real estate location).   Select a good build site and your house will gain significant value over time. Other factors may also affect appreciation including landscaping and how well the house is cared for year after year.   These factors also affect site built housing.   Unlike mobile homes, which depreciate, a modular homeowner can expect to gain value from their home year after year. Study after study suggests that modular homes appreciate just as well as site built homes.   They are also just as easily insured and financed.

As far as risk goes, you are no more at risk buying prefabricated housing than site built construction.

Modular Home Facts

  • Modular homes appraise the same as their on-site built counterparts do.
  • Modular homes can be more easilly customised.
  • Most modular home companies have their own in-house engineering departments that utilize CAD (Computer Aided Design).
  • Modular home designs vary in style and size.
  • Modular homes are permanent structures – “real property.”
  • Modular homes are considered a form of “Green Building.”
  • Modular homes are faster to build than a 100% site-built home.
  • Home loans for modular are the same as if buying a 100% site-built home.
  • Insuring your modular home is the same as a 100% site-built home.
  • Modular homes can be built to withstand 175 mph winds.
  • Modular homes can be built for accessible living and designed for future conveniences.


Would you consider a modular home for yourself, or are you more of a traditionalist?

Posted on

50 Quotes to Inspire Successful Leadership

Most people  believe  that the key to successful leadership is influence, not authority. Do you agree? The answer to that question, it seems, lies in whether the goal is to get others to work from a place of compliance or from a place of commitment  which underlines the difference between influential leadership and authoritative leadership.

Working within an influential leadership model, committed employees will give up discretionary time to solve problems, serve customers, and think creatively. On the other hand, people working under command and control, as we more commonly know it will only work to achieve compliance, doing only what needs to be done to get by.

As a  leader  you  must realise that every  decision  you  make  influences your  next five decisions.  Fortunately, great leaders are made, not born.

Maximise your effectiveness by emulating these words of wisdom that will motivate you in  achieving your goals  and  overcoming your fears:

  1. Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs — Farrah Gray
  2. Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence — Unknown
  3. proverb is to speech what salt is to food — Arabic Proverb
  4. Hold fast to dreams,  For if dreams die  Life is a broken-winged bird,  That cannot fly — Langston Hughes
  5. Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent — Eleanor Roosevelt
  6. We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light — Plato
  7. Every strike brings me closer to the next home run — Babe Ruth
  8. If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four hours sharpening the axe — Abraham Lincoln
  9. If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough — Oprah Winfrey
  10. I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination — Jimmy Dean
  11. Believe you can and you’re halfway there — Theodore Roosevelt
  12. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover — Mark Twain
  13. To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart — Eleanor Roosevelt
  14. Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears — Les Brown
  15. Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve —  Unknown
  16. I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions — Stephen Covey
  17. When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it — Henry Ford
  18. The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any — Unknown
  19. It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light — Unknown
  20. Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant — Robert Louis Stevenson
  21. The only way to do great work is to love what you do — Steve Jobs
  22. Change your thoughts and you change your world — Unknown
  23. The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me — Ayn Rand
  24. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck — Dalai Lama
  25. You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have — Maya Angelou
  26. I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear — Rosa Parks
  27. I would rather die of passion than of boredom — Vincent Van Gogh
  28. A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new — Unknown
  29. If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else — Booker T. Washington
  30. Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless — Unknown
  31. Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture the heart — Ancient Indian Proverb
  32. How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world — Unknown
  33. The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be — Ralph Waldo Emerson
  34. We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone — Ronald Reagan
  35. Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear — George Addair
  36. Nothing will work unless you do — Maya Angelou
  37. I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples — Mother Teresa
  38. What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality — Plutarch
  39. Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway — John Wayne
  40. Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm — Winston Churchill
  41. It always seems impossible until it’s done — Nelson Mandela
  42. Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential — John Maxwell
  43. Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it — Ralph Waldo Emerson
  44. There are no traffic jams along the extra mile — Roger Staubach
  45. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning — Gloria Steinem
  46. Stealing someone else’s words frequently spares the embarrassment of eating your own — Peter Anderson
  47. The Book of Proverbs are the cream of a nation’s thought — Unknown
  48. Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it — Charles Swindoll
  49. The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity — Amelia Earhart
  50. When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy”. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life — John Lennon

 

 

 

As seen on