It is not important that you call it a Lessons Learned or a Postmortem. What is important is you learn from your mistakes. At the end of every iteration or project, you should identify everything that went wrong or could have gone better. Articulate them in a document. At the beginning of each new iteration or project, review the document and see not only what was learned but what has been implemented. Feel free to download my free Lessons Learned [Template]
Disappointing PMI Customer Service
Last month, I needed to get some information from PMI about OPM3 (Organizational Project Management Maturity Model). I wasn't satisfied with what was published on their website so I composed an email and sent it off. I received a confirmation email stating "Thank you for contacting the Project Management Institute. Thank you for contacting the PMI Global Operations Center in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA. A Customer Care Associate will review your request and contact you within three (3) business days." I was even provided a ticket number. So, I waited 3 days. ...and waited. ...and waited.
Disgruntled and disappointed, I called them. I was routed to "general" customer service. After looking up my PMI membership number, the service representative couldn't answers my questions so she routed me to the desk of the person in charge of OPM3. I left a voicemail about having questions about OPM3 and left my contact information multiple times.
And now I wait some more.
I'm coming up on 2 weeks and nobody has contacted me. I feel like PMI is more interested in collecting membership dues and selling products then serving those who have obtained and maintain their PMP certifications.
Project Duration Forecasting
I've had a subscription to a trade rag called CrossTalk (The Journal of Defense Software Engineering) for a few years now. I've read the articles but none really got my attention and kept it. In the December 2008 issue, there is an article about comparing Earned Value Management Methods to Earned Schedule. It was written by Walt Lipke of the Oklahoma City Chapter of PMI. Now that I'm working on a very large government project, this article really sparked my interest. If you're working in a government PMO or on a government project, I recommend you give it a read. The author did a really good job of using real project data and also did an excellent job comparing EVM methods to the Earned Schedule (ES) prediction technique.
If you're new to Earned Value Management or still studying for your PMP, this may make your head hurt a little. If PVcum, EVcum, and BAC are in your daily vocabulary, you'll enjoy it. Article Link
Applicable quote to Earned Value Management
While I was doing some research for my book, I came across an excellent quote by Bill Hewlett. Do you think your boss understands this quote? "You cannot manage what you cannot measure…and what gets measured gets done." --- Bill Hewlett, Hewlett Packard
Using Project Management Templates
At my last engagement, there was a lack of matured documented process. I'm all about process. If you have good process, quality results will follow. People sometimes don't understand that if a documented process does not provide value to the project, you should not do it. Consistently use proven templates, processes, and methodologies to refine your project management approach. Templates are mere tools in a toolbox. Again, only use the ones that provide value to the project. I once had a Product Manager voice her frustration because she was told to complete ALL of the project templates in the repository, after the project was in a later phase. My response was to weigh the cost (time) of completing the templates against the benefits gained by them. The benefits are traditionally lower risk or higher customer satisfaction. In this case, it was neither. If anything, there should have been Lessons Learned or Postmortem document that would have identified the gaps or overlaps of the documentation.
To assist readers of my blog, I'm going to start uploading templates I've used at previous engagements. They are free of change and will fall under public domain. You'll find them by selecting Free PM Templates or locating the link in the right navigation menu.
Triple Constraint
Triple Constraint
With Project Management, you must understand that EVERY project has constraints. Unfortunately, project managers tend to ignore this and it will come back to haunt them time and time again. Constraints include time, scope, cost, quality, risk, or any other factors that will limit what your options are when managing a project or deliverable. "Triple Constraint" is a term that originally included time, scope, and cost. Newer definitions include customer satisfaction, risk, and quality. If you're preparing to take the PMP® exam, include both the original and newer definitions. Sextuple constraint just doesn't quite role off the tongue. I try to stress to stakeholders every time they try to expand scope that it will directly impact the other constraints. If you expand the scope, you will either have to expand cost or time. If you don't expand either of these two constraints, you're going to increase risk and lower quality.
You'll first read about constraints in section 1.3 of the PMBOK®. PMI will only refer to them as constraints at that time. Y0u'll find them referenced at other locations within the PMBOK as project constraints. What you will not find in the PMBOK 4th edition is an actual definition in the glossary.
What a Project Management Plan is not
On a daily basis, I hear managers, directors, and executives referring to the MS Project file as "the project plan". I must frustrate a lot of people because I refuse to call it that. I refer to it as the activity list and Gantt Chart. Some PMPs call Gantt charts "bar charts" but I am one of those people who still calls a cotton swab a Q-Tip. Either way, if you refer to the MS Project file as an activity list and bar chart, you're on the path to passing the PMI exam. If you're still convinced it's a project management plan, I can almost guarantee you're not going to pass. A project management plan, as defined in the in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is "A formal, approved document that defines how the project is executed, monitored, and controlled. It may be summary or detailed and may be composed of one or more subsidiary management plans and other planning documents.
I usually refer to my "plans" as a project management packet. I include my signed charter, the communications plan, risk plan, resource plan... I keep them in a central packet and also a central virtual folder for easy access.
And that's all I have to say about that.
Types of Risk
For the PMP exam, know that risks can be categorized under two main types: Business Risk of a gain or loss Pure (Insurable) Risk Only a risk of loss (e.g., fire, flood, theft...)
When identifying and categorizing your project risks, don't forget that risks can also be positive. Many mistakenly only list the negative. Regardless, the purpose of risk management is to lower it. Again, business risk can be beneficial or detrimental. Pure risk is always detrimental.