Welcome to the World of PPM (Project Portfolio Management)!

RTConfidence is launching a FREE working session for current and prospective Chrono™ users. Sign-up is required.  Click here to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0td–opzgrEtSyW3-AfXVZtL_XX2QrCPv- Here are some of the planned Topics of Discussion: Chrono™ Training Setting up Chrono™ and Exploring Chrono™ Wizards and Features Easily Creating a Valid IMS (Integrated Master Schedule) Performing SRA (Schedule Risk Analysis) in… Continue reading Welcome to the World of PPM (Project Portfolio Management)!

Comparison of Overall Project Risk Assessments Using Expert Judgment Versus Monte Carlo Simulations

In the Fifth Edition of PMI’s PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) Guide (© 2013 PMI®, Inc.) there is a good comparison (see Figure 11-13 on page 336 and Figure 11-17 on page 340) of the differences between using “Expert Judgment” and “Monte Carlo Simulations” to arrive at the range of overall Project Costs for… Continue reading Comparison of Overall Project Risk Assessments Using Expert Judgment Versus Monte Carlo Simulations

If You Develop Products and/or Services and You Cannot Afford to Miss Project Delivery Commitments You Must Do This!

Do you realize that there is only one (yes, just ONE) Valid Way to effectively manage Project Schedule Risk?   This should not be a surprise to anyone up the management ranks in organizations that conduct complex/risky product development projects/programs and profess to practice sound Project Management practices.   Every certified PMP (Project Management Professional)… Continue reading If You Develop Products and/or Services and You Cannot Afford to Miss Project Delivery Commitments You Must Do This!

“…But we HAVE to be done by the end of June!” – Ten Strategies for Compressing a Schedule

You worked with your team to identify the tasks, carefully worked through dependencies, got thoughtful estimates from your most experienced people, built a well-formed schedule, and confidently presented the results to the executives.  They don’t ask about your process, they don’t question your assumptions, they don’t ask what they can do to trim scope or… Continue reading “…But we HAVE to be done by the end of June!” – Ten Strategies for Compressing a Schedule

When Why and How do We Use Project SRA Output Data?

Here are the quick answers:   When?  Ideally, before and after kicking off projects with schedule commitments that are highly scrutinized (i.e., for most important time-sensitive projects with deterministic requirements).   Why?  To manage project schedule risk in the most effective way (i.e., SRAs are proven to be the best tools and techniques to employ… Continue reading When Why and How do We Use Project SRA Output Data?

Key Chrono Take-Aways!

Ask yourself “Do I really know the likelihood (or percent confidence) of meeting my project schedule commitment(s)?”   If your project is relatively complex, with an aggressive completion date (i.e., is risky), and the schedule is based on single-point task duration estimates, your likelihood of meeting that date may be close to nil – or,… Continue reading Key Chrono Take-Aways!

When Requirements are Important, Changes can be Devastating to Project Success!

Just absorb it, it’s not much of a change!  Everyone is on board, so be a team player! Trust me, I’ll have your back if it causes issues! Just absorb it – your team can handle it!  Why stir up the pot and make things difficult?   The easiest way to handle a product requirement change (i.e.,… Continue reading When Requirements are Important, Changes can be Devastating to Project Success!

Why Are Schedules Always Wrong?

A client reviewing the history of a troubled technology project portfolio asked, “Why are schedules always wrong?  What challenges emerge between planning and implementation?”  While there are infinite project-specific answers to that question, there are also general patterns helpful to understand.   The word “plan” was adopted from French, it means “prepare” or “map”.  In… Continue reading Why Are Schedules Always Wrong?

What are the Causes of Unsuccessful Project Execution?

Years ago, I was asked by my boss (the CEO) to help determine why our largest division was having difficulties executing on DoD (Department of Defense) contracts. We had grown from implementing mostly internal product development projects to performing a larger percentage of contractual projects and struggled with meeting our commitments. In so doing, I decided to… Continue reading What are the Causes of Unsuccessful Project Execution?

Three Key Project Management Tenets that Improve Team Performance

The 3 Key Project Management Tenets that Improve Team Performance   The 6 Project Constraints “Rule of Thumb” for Establishing and Maintaining a “Balanced” Project Plan The corollary is: “When one Project Constraint Changes at Least one Other Constraint is Affected”.  The 6 project constraints are Product Requirements (i.e., Quality), Project Scope, Project Delivery Schedule,… Continue reading Three Key Project Management Tenets that Improve Team Performance