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Project Planning Pointers

Like a piece of machinery, plans need a good design, room to breathe, and good maintenance… I attended an APM presentation on the role of the dedicated Project Planner, part of a series given by Andrew Jones, who at the time worked with Athena Project Services. His presentation contained several key points that resonated with me and…

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Strategies for social CPD – Creating a PM community

How learning groups spontaneously form and disperse… A while back I attended an APM focus group facilitated by Dr Michael Moynagh of CPD Futures Ltd on developing strategies to improve the way that project and PMO professionals approach continuing professional development (CPD). One of the topics that came up was that established approaches to CPD (including the approach promoted…

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How to write a ‘Good’ lesson learned?

I was recently asked how to write a ‘good’ Lesson Learned. Many ‘lessons learned’ are merely observations, with no suggestion on how to do things differently. Two or three actionable recommendations are more useful than 20 observations without any suggestions. So this post is about how to write up a Lesson Learned so that it is engaging and…

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Adding Value

What does it REALLY mean & how can the PMO achieve it? The truth is, it’s not up to the PMO to determine whether it is adding value or not – that decision is made by its customers. Also, the perceived value added will be different depending on the operational context of that PMO i.e. what…

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Business Analysis – a skillset for the Strategic PMO?

I’ve often thought that business analysis comes in very useful for a PMO. It is accepted wisdom that a good PMO professional will have a background in project management, as this gives them credibility to coach and mentor project managers plus real-world experience of applying the recommended tools and techniques required to deliver a project…

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A Project Prayer

One programme team I worked with had a daily stand-up meeting that acquired the nickname of “morning prayers”. It got me wondering – given the opportunity, what should a project or programme team pray for? Here’s what I came up with…

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What has the PMO ever done for us?

With all due acknowledgement (and apologies) to Monty Python’s Flying Circus, whose film The Life of Brian inspired this post. THE INTERIOR OF A DIRTY CITY PUB. A SHADY BACK ROOM WITH A CONSPIRATORIAL ATMOSPHERE. We join a meeting of the Project Managers’ Revolutionary Front, where Brother Reg (the chairman of the meeting) is proposing a motion to…

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