Effective Project Management :: Traditional. Agile. Extreme.

Agile projects need co-project managers

rwysocki — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:49:44 +0000

Agile projects present the organization with projects whose goal is clearly defined but whose solution is not. To find a solution that delivers acceptable business value requires a subject matter expert (SME) or Business Analyst (BA) familiar with the business processes involved. Ownership on the part of the business unit is assured with the meaningful involvement of the SME or BA. One way to cultivate that ownership is to give the client-side of the proejct equal management responsibility with the Project Manager (PM). I have successfully used the co-PM model for over 20 years in my consulting practice. It works and I am hesitant to take on an engagement unless the client agrees to that co-PM model.

Agile projects by nature are complex and filled with uncertainty. I believe that a co-PM model will significantly reduce the risk of project failure. And so the reason for a PM and a BA to co-manage the agile project makes sense to me.

Any thoughts you care to share?

Looking for an online version using EPM5e

rwysocki — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:44:37 +0000

I’ve had a few requests for online versions of EPM5e. I have only used it for instructor-led delivery but I am aware of a few of you who have adapted it to an online delivery mode. I would appreciate your identifying yourselves so I can share that information with those who are interested in developing an online version.

EPM6e is in the design stages & I need your input

rwysocki — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 13:24:56 +0000

The ink is still drying on EPM5e and I am already beginning to plan for EPM6e. My team at Wiley is researching test bank software because I am planning to add a test question database and generator to EPM6e. I’m hoping we will be able to provide this at no additional cost unlike my competition. In addition to providing all the support you will need for test generation I’m hoping to provide a PMP certification exam study feature too.

I have a lot of my own ideas for EPM6e but I really need your ideas too. If there are some things about EPM5e that you would do differently, let me hear from you. How about new topics or expanded current topics. I have a few comments regarding the collateral materials but no substantive critique.

One constraint for EPM6e is page count. EPM5e is 792 pages. I have an 800 page limit for EPM6e so we can’t add too much in the way of new topics. If you have some new topic suggestions, let me have them anyways. I have a few ideas and will fold yours into the mix.

BAs & PMs: Overlaps?

rwysocki — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:44:28 +0000

I did a search of Monster & DICE the other day looking for positions that require both the BA and the PM as a single person. I found almost 2000 such position announcements. Many also required either specific industry experience or applications experience. We are experiencing over 10% unemployment. What will that number look like when unemployment is down to the 5% level? There have been many articles and blogs that take up the question of separate professional positions. It seems that there are companies looking for the integrated position. I’d be interested in what you think?

My new book “Adaptive Project Framework: Managing Complexity in the Face of Uncertainty” is scheduled to be published by Pearson in late January

rwysocki — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:42:16 +0000

I’m finishing the copy edit phase on 11/02. APF is an agile approach to project management that applies to software development projects as well as non-software development projects. Through several case studies the features and functions of APF are presented. I’ll publish an excerpt in a few weeks.