The building blocks of sound project management

Thesis

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is fundamental to project execution. When we expend insufficient time and develop inadequate detail on the WBS, the project will yield poor results and we can expect to see last minute identification of critical elements. Not only do some essential items occur late in the process, but we can also expect to see cost over-runs, schedule over-runs, poor quality at delivery, and erosion of project tracking ability—where we do not know where we are at any given time because our road map is defective (or missing).

The WBS should not to be confused with other structured lists; for example items such as product material breakdowns and bills of materials. A WBS may resemble a BOM in that it is hierarchical; that is, systems decompose into subsystems and subsystems into components.

Introduction

The first time most project managers become aware of the existence of S Curves is when they are requested by the client or senior management to include one in their next progress report. The following explains what the mysterious S Curve is, why it is an important project management tool, and how to generate one.
What is a S Curve?

• “Who is working on what?” 
• “How do I get this project back on schedule?”
• “How much more work will it take to finish?” 

Planner

A Manager has to take a long-term view; while a team member will be working towards known and established goals, the manager must look further ahead so that these goals are selected wisely. By thinking about the eventual consequences of different plans, the manager selects the optimal plan for the team and implements it. The manager ensures that work is not repeated nor problems tackled too late, and that the necessary resources are allocated and arranged.

Leveraging Real-Time Web Collaboration to Improve Your Sales Process

Sales organizations are always looking for ways to boost the performance of their sales teams by making them more effective in the sales process. Recent advances in Internet infrastructure technology and maturity of technologies supporting collaboration over the Internet have resulted in new methods for sales organizations to interact with their customers, collaborate with sales team members and develop better visibility into their sales pipeline.

Today, sales organizations are increasingly embracing real-time Web collaboration tools or Web Meetings to complement their sales processes because these tools can greatly enhance sales productivity and reduce costs. This informative white paper discuses the benefits experienced by sales organizations adopting real-time Web collaboration solutions.

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  Avoiding the 10 Most Common Mistakes in Selecting and Implementing e-Procurement Solutions   

The benefits of e-procurement software have been well documented. In the 20 years since these solutions first appeared on the market, studies have repeatedly shown that e-procurement systems not only yield a high return on investment, they also reinforce good corporate governance.

A new generation of solutions has led to a surge in demand for e-procurement software, particularly among small and medium-sized companies that were previously priced out of the market. These solutions, built using Web 2.0 technologies, have eliminated much of the complexity of traditional e-procurement solutions. They are much easier to use and require less training. Some of these new solutions are offered on demand, which has enabled companies to deploy their purchasing systems in a fraction of time, and maintain them at a fraction of the cost of traditional solutions.

Unfortunately, while e-procurement technologies have improved dramatically in recent years, companies' implementation practices have not. According to a 2005 KPMG study, 49% of participants experienced at least one project failure within the most recent 12 months and a recent Gartner Group study suggests that three-quarters of new IT projects will fail due to fundamental flaws in project planning.

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 The Wireless Guide

If you build, operate or use wireless systems, you need The Wireless Guide from TESSCO, Your Total Source® provider for wireless. Like TESSCO, The Wireless Guide is the one resource that helps you to find and compare all the latest wireless products, solutions and services so you can make the right buying choices. From ONE source you can search, select and buy all at once — saving time, saving effort, saving total costs!

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Why Software as a Service Makes Sense in a Slow Economy 

   
When the economy takes a downward turn, corporate IT budgets are usually one of the first casualties. However, technology is a critical element of business, and in the current economic climate, the need for reliable IT becomes even more critical. This white paper discusses the three key reasons why the hosted or “software as a service” model makes a great deal of a sense in a time when companies across all industries are facing tough decisions about where to put their limited dollars.

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Although sometimes it seems that projects take on a life of their own, the simple fact is that projects don't manage themselves. It takes the energy and commitment of a number of people to take a project from the initial idea through inception. As more companies embrace the concept of self-directed work-teams that work on specific projects, project management, will become a more vital element of the workplace. The following checklist will help you create a successful project management office:

By Ann Drinkwater

As blood flows, it pumps oxygen through the body to sustain life. Likewise, communication is the lifeblood of projects and organizations. Just as the heart works to distribute oxygen throughout the body, the project manager continuously circulates project information from the external stakeholders to the project plan documentation, to the internal stakeholders, to the project plan. This cycle of communication and information flow is iterative and continues throughout the life of the project. Without it, stakeholders and the project team can be left wondering where things stand and what decisions have been made.

By Dave Nielsen

Communications are a critical deliverable of every successful project and a key project management soft skill. You may not have thought of communications as an actual project deliverable, but it is. It may not be the one your client or customer places the most emphasis on, but that's because every client and customer will take good communications for granted.