Culture

15.04.2010 Culture No Comments

The A to Z of Q&As for PMOs

Program and Portfolio Management Offices (PMOs) arose in response to a problem with systemic project and program failure.

To the question “How do we improve project and program outcomes”?, we answered, “Improve governance, dictate the procedure of methodology and increase the frequency, content and nature of reporting”. Clearly this was logical, but……

Have we succeeded?  Many people argue that in fact the ‘overhead’ hasn’t helped at all.  The PMO in many cases is seen as a reporting overhead staffed by ‘police’ who care more about the reports and the paperwork than outcomes.

Executives feel good about all the information, safe in the knowledge that there is sufficient overview of their projects and programs. PMOs have become a safety blanket…until it all goes wrong.

Why are projects and programs still failing? Have we in fact asked and answered the right question?  Have we lost sight of the real reason we are here and the real opportunity to add and realise value?

Unless we are perceived to add value we will become a passing fad – and we have too much to offer to let that happen.

It’s not too late. In fact, there is a simple question we can ask that will refocus our thinking and our approach and help PMOs be seen as really adding value.

PMOs can achieve relevance, respect and acknowledged contribution. Who wants to be consigned to history like the quality guys? And who remembers knowledge management?  Let’s fight for relevance through contribution – you don’t have to fail.

16.02.2010 Culture No Comments

Rise Of The Sponsor & Fall Of The PM

One of the things that has baffled me of late is the increasing demand PM’s are placing on sponsors. Yes, we’ve always needed sponsors and word travels really quickly when we find a good one.  read more

17.06.2009 Culture No Comments

Multiple Suppliers – A Common Culture

A few years ago the conversation around cultures associated with multisourcing would not have arisen. Instead the conversation would have revolved around the policy of the day and its supporting reasons/rationalisations such as; cost saving; moving cost from the spreadsheet; increasing scalability; transfer of refresh responsibility; risk management; and, very occasionally, as a vehicle for changing culture.

But today, we’ve learnt that the very best intentions came come unstuck, or at best consume too much management time and effort. The only way to make it work is to get people from all parties to do things you want them to do, how, and when you want them done.

And that brings us to the culture. The question is – why do we look at culture? read more

20.11.2006 Case Studies, Culture No Comments

Rocky Flats – A Lesson in Excellent Execution – Working in the ‘Abundance Gap’

Some Clearing / Cleansing Emotions

I just have to have a bleat about people who espouse project management approaches when in fact they ‘know nothing’ (said with Hogan’s Heroes accent).  I have decided once and for all that there is a massive difference project management and project execution.  Once upon a time, management could expect that a PM would deliver an outcome; now it seems all too often that PMs are simply mystified when, having done everything by the book, the project is a mess. Perhaps there’s something wrong with the book?

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17.03.2004 Culture No Comments

Earned Value And Other Project Myths

A funny thing has happened to project management in the past few years.

What was once the province of people who were determined to deliver (and resulted in about 50% success) has become the province of people committed to algorithms and formulas (resulting in about 15 –25% success). 

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17.03.2004 Culture No Comments

How To Choose A Project Manager…

People often ask me ‘how can I be sure a project manager will be good?”

Firstly I say there is no surety, we are dealing with people.  What I can tell you is how to get the very best chance that the project manager you choose will be successful. 

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