Pareto analysis can be used when you encounter multiple related problems or a common problem with multiple causes. The purpose of Pareto Analysis is to observe the problems and determine their frequency of occurrence. This, in turn, gives you the information you need to prioritize your effort to ensure you are spending your time where it will have the most positive impact. Continue reading Use Pareto Analysis to Solve the Most Important Problems First
Category Archives: Management
Corporate Social Responsibility – Back to Basics
Businesses are no longer focusing on the single bottom line and shareholders are no longer the only entity with a vested interest in how the business operates. In this day and age an organisation’s reputation is critical to its survival. As such, greater focus is being placed on positive engagement with communities and consideration for the environment. Continue reading Corporate Social Responsibility – Back to Basics
Free your mind and your soul will follow
“The answers you seek never come when the mind is busy, they come when the mind is still.”
– Om mantra
Hard working individuals are feeling the effects of stress in the workplace. In mild cases it causes fatigue, leaving people physically and emotionally spent. In extreme cases it affects their health and personal relationships. A recent article in The Age states that for the first time, mental disorders have overtaken wounds to become Victoria’s third-leading workplace injury. This is astounding considering the annual cost of claims for mental disorders has soared by 45 per cent to $273 million. Continue reading Free your mind and your soul will follow
Apply These Three Techniques for Managing Scope
Setting and managing project scope is one of the most important factors for project success. Here are three techniques that will help you be more successful. Continue reading Apply These Three Techniques for Managing Scope
Focus a Value-Add PMO on Two Main Areas
Although PMOs can get into many different activities and processes, the primary purpose is usually centered around projects and project management. This includes project management processes but much more. Many (but not all) PMOs get a negative perception. I think the reason for the negative perception of PMOs is twofold. Continue reading Focus a Value-Add PMO on Two Main Areas
Five Communication Techniques to Use on Your Projects
Many people think “managing communication” is the most important of the project management processes. If you think about it, over half of the time you spend managing projects involves some element of communication. Here are five techniques to help you be more effective. Continue reading Five Communication Techniques to Use on Your Projects
Frustration Culture – When Actions and Principles Don’t Align
Believe it or not, there are many fine companies in the world that have great products and treat their employees well. There are also many companies that are just plain rotten. Of course, most companies fall somewhere in the middle.
One of the reasons that employees don’t like working at their companies is that their companies are not intellectually honest with them. They say one thing and do another thing. They have lofty ideals or principles on paper, but they do not follow through and actually implement policies and processes to back up their words. Continue reading Frustration Culture – When Actions and Principles Don’t Align
How to Promote Your Successes
Have you delivered something fantastic and want to shout it from the rooftops? Unfortunately it’s easy to be seen to be boasting if you talk about your own successes. So if you want to share your good news without coming across as showing off, follow these tips … Continue reading How to Promote Your Successes
Was Your Project Successful? Ask Your Sponsor
When a project ends, many project teams struggle with whether they were really successful. Having a project scorecard can help.
Simple Sponsor Survey – Yes or No
Perhaps the simplest way to know if you were successful is to simply ask the sponsor whether the project was a success or not. This is the most direct and the sponsor is usually the person who ultimately must judge success. The sponsor would take into account the budget, deadline, quality, etc., and also make a mental determination of which criteria was most important. Continue reading Was Your Project Successful? Ask Your Sponsor
Seven Elements to Define a PMO
Before you can start up a PMO, you must first define the purpose and what the PMO will look like. Without this foundation, all of the other work you do will be in jeopardy. This helps gain clarity and agreement on what you are doing and why. You can think of this as chartering the PMO. This information is communicated to clients, stakeholders and your own staff so that everyone starts off with a common set of expectations.
The following major components are used to define your PMO. Continue reading Seven Elements to Define a PMO
Executive Salad 