http://pm411.org project management internet radio show, templates, and webtools Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:37:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 The pm411.org Project Management Podcast is dedicated to help you at your job as a Project Manager or Program Manager, regardless if you have years of experience, or if you are just starting on your journey in Project Management. pm411.org is a place where you can come to find the latest in PM tools, PM Templates, PM tips, and PMI (PMBOK) methodologies that have been found to help others. It is a place where discussions can be had with project managers from around the globe and in every industry where project management permeates in our Project Management discussion forums. It is a place where you can find the best Project Management links to other sites dedicated to our wonderful profession. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no Ron Holohan, MBA PMP show@pm411.org show@pm411.org (Ron Holohan, MBA PMP) 2007-2012 Ron Holohan Project management internet radio show, discussion forum, methodology, templates, and webtools project, management, pm, prepcast, management, manager, pmi, pmp, team, management, schedule, budget http://pm411.org/wp-content/uploads/pm411logo_itunes.jpg http://pm411.org/category/pm-topics/scheduling/ http://pm411.org/2011/05/25/podcast-episode-075-e-project-managers-schedule-training/ http://pm411.org/2011/05/25/podcast-episode-075-e-project-managers-schedule-training/#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 13:16:53 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2105 http://pm411.org/2011/05/25/podcast-episode-075-e-project-managers-schedule-training/feed/ 2 dora tarver,e-project,Gantt Chart,Microsoft Project,MS Project,project,schedules,Scheduling,Scheduling Programs,training,video training Regardless if you are experienced or a beginner with Microsoft Project you will benefit from this exclusive weekly video coaching program. The secret strategies to quickly create and manage project schedules is the foundation for successful project ma... Regardless if you are experienced or a beginner with Microsoft Project you will benefit from this exclusive weekly video coaching program. The secret strategies to quickly create and manage project schedules is the foundation for successful project management, and for the first time you will receive the information you need in a clear and easy to learn system that will help you be successful. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2011/05/12/podcast-episode-074-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-7/ http://pm411.org/2011/05/12/podcast-episode-074-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-7/#comments Fri, 13 May 2011 04:28:47 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2118 http://pm411.org/2011/05/12/podcast-episode-074-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-7/feed/ 5 bad multitasking,delay,durations,estimation,late,multi-switching,multi-tasking,multitasking,on-time,PM experiment,PM Video,presentation This is part 7, and the final part, of a video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers last summer.  In Part 7, I discuss how you can defeat the "Schedule Killers" on your next project. - So now that we have covered the three Schedule Killers ... This is part 7, and the final part, of a video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers last summer.  In Part 7, I discuss how you can defeat the "Schedule Killers" on your next project. So now that we have covered the three Schedule Killers ... Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2011/04/05/podcast-episode-073-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-6/ http://pm411.org/2011/04/05/podcast-episode-073-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-6/#comments Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:52:27 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2088 http://pm411.org/2011/04/05/podcast-episode-073-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-6/feed/ 4 bad multitasking,delay,durations,estimation,late,multi-switching,multi-tasking,multitasking,PM experiment,PM Video,presentation,ron holohan This is part 6 of a series of video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers  last summer. - Do you think you can focus on more than one thing at a time? In this video, which I call The Holohan Multitasking Experiment, This is part 6 of a series of video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers  last summer. Do you think you can focus on more than one thing at a time? In this video, which I call The Holohan Multitasking Experiment, I let you decide whether you can multitask or not.  In this simple experiment, you get to see which is easier and faster to do - adding two columns of numbers at the same time or adding one column before adding the second column. Although the same amount of work was done in both experiments, when I do this test during presentations, I find that it typically takes the audience 2 to 3 times longer when they try to add both columns of numbers at the same time than it does when they add the first column before starting the second column.  The audience also tends to make a lot more mistakes when they try to focus on adding two columns of numbers at the same time. This experiment demonstrates what happens when we try to switch quickly (called multi-switching) between multiple tasks on projects.  Teams should be encouraged to prioritize tasks. When resources are assigned to multiple tasks, their work should be leveled to allow them to focus on the highest priority task before moving on to the next one. Leave me a comment and let me know which experiment you thought was easier to do! Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2011/03/31/podcast-episode-072-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-5/ http://pm411.org/2011/03/31/podcast-episode-072-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-5/#comments Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:17:53 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1895 http://pm411.org/2011/03/31/podcast-episode-072-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-5/feed/ 3 bad multitasking,delay,durations,estimation,fast food,late,mcdonald's,multi-switching,multi-tasking,multiswitching,multitasking,PM Video This is part 5 of a video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers last summer. In Part 5, I discuss the third Schedule Killer, called Bad Multitasking. - Back in Episode 047, I went into great detail on Bad Multitasking, This is part 5 of a video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers last summer. In Part 5, I discuss the third Schedule Killer, called Bad Multitasking. Back in Episode 047, I went into great detail on Bad Multitasking, which is a another really nasty way projects miss their deadline... Usually 1 day at a time! Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2011/03/21/podcast-episode-071-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-4/ http://pm411.org/2011/03/21/podcast-episode-071-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-4/#comments Tue, 22 Mar 2011 01:40:31 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1876 http://pm411.org/2011/03/21/podcast-episode-071-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-4/feed/ 6 delay,durations,estimation,late,parkingson,parkinson's,parkinson's law,PM Video,presentation,procrastinating,procrastination,ron holohan We tend to hold on to work until the last minute before it is due. So, what does Parkinson's Law and the Ideal Gas Law have in common? Listen and find out! We tend to hold on to work until the last minute before it is due. So, what does Parkinson's Law and the Ideal Gas Law have in common? Listen and find out! Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2011/03/05/podcast-episode-070-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-3/ http://pm411.org/2011/03/05/podcast-episode-070-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-3/#comments Sun, 06 Mar 2011 03:34:50 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1861 http://pm411.org/2011/03/05/podcast-episode-070-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-3/feed/ 5 delay,durations,estimation,late,PM Video,presentation,procrastinating,procrastination,ron holohan,schedule killers,schedules,student's syndrome This is part 3 of a video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers last summer. In Part 3 I discuss the first real Schedule Killer, Student's Syndrome. Back in Episode 045, I went into great detail on Student Syndrome, This is part 3 of a video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers last summer. In Part 3 I discuss the first real Schedule Killer, Student's Syndrome. Back in Episode 045, I went into great detail on Student Syndrome, which is a really nasty way projects miss their deadline... Usually 1 day at a time! The other Schedule Killers will be presented in the next few episodes. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2011/02/12/podcast-episode-069-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-2/ http://pm411.org/2011/02/12/podcast-episode-069-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-2/#comments Sat, 12 Feb 2011 19:50:29 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1841 http://pm411.org/2011/02/12/podcast-episode-069-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-2/feed/ 3 3-point,delay,durations,estimation,pert,PM Video,presentation,ron holohan,schedule killers,schedules,task Part 2 of The Schedules Killer Presentation where I demonstrate how to use 3-point estimation to better estimate the duration of tasks. Once you have your 3 points, you will be ready to better estimate the task duration by using PERT. Part 2 of The Schedules Killer Presentation where I demonstrate how to use 3-point estimation to better estimate the duration of tasks. Once you have your 3 points, you will be ready to better estimate the task duration by using PERT. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2011/01/30/podcast-episode-068-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-1/ http://pm411.org/2011/01/30/podcast-episode-068-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-1/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 01:46:23 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1825 http://pm411.org/2011/01/30/podcast-episode-068-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-1/feed/ 5 bad multitasking,delay,multitasking,parkinson's law,PM Video,presentation,ron holohan,schedule killers,student syndrome This is the introduction of a video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers last summer. The other parts will be presented in the next few episodes. This is the introduction of a video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers last summer. The other parts will be presented in the next few episodes. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2011/01/14/podcast-episode-067-stop-playing-games/ http://pm411.org/2011/01/14/podcast-episode-067-stop-playing-games/#comments Sat, 15 Jan 2011 05:23:39 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1786 http://pm411.org/2011/01/14/podcast-episode-067-stop-playing-games/feed/ 6 Do you ever get tired of playing games? - No. I’m not talking about Scrabble or poker or even Dungeons and Dragons Online in which incidentally, I am a current fourth level paladin. No, rather I’m speaking about the games that we get to play every... Do you ever get tired of playing games? No. I’m not talking about Scrabble or poker or even Dungeons and Dragons Online in which incidentally, I am a current fourth level paladin. No, rather I’m speaking about the games that we get to play every day as project managers. What games you ask? Oh, you know the ones like “The Pricing Game,” “Guess the Truth,” and “Grapevine.” Well, lucky for us, Rick Morris, PMP, provides some strategies on how to win at these games. Rick Morris is the best-selling author of the book Stop Playing Games: A Project Manager’s Guide to Successfully Navigating Organizational Politics. This book, from the author of Project Management That Works and The Everything Project Management Book, dives deep into topics of gaining buy-in from upper management, accurately estimating timing and cost, controlling project communications, managing within a corporate culture, taking care of your team, and more. The Inspiration Behind the Book Frustration was one of the factors that inspired Rick to write Stop Playing Games. Frustration often occurs when project managers are ask to try to beat impossible deadlines with budgets and dates that they didn’t help set and without the authority to be successful.  Then, often we get to take the blame for when it all goes wrong! Luckily, Rick has worked with a lot of executives, both as a consultant and as a project manager, and has been able to help many see that their team leaders actually share the same goals that they have. In the end, we’re all people and we all want to be successful. By applying tips from Rick’s book, project managers can help their executives look so much better than they do today. In the long run, together we can stop playing these games and just have an honest relationship and become successful together. So, who's ready for a hug? The Current Status of Project Management Rick contends that the current status of project management is that a lot of people want a “quick fix” to improve corporate efficiency and they think that Project Management might be able to provide that, but they don’t want to put in the needed work to make the process changes to truly get the benefit of doing it the right way. One of the reasons we try to play “games” is because, just like when "Six Sigma" was new to organizations ten years ago, Project Management is new to a lot of organizations today. If you remember when Six Sigma became so prevalent, you had stories of Motorola and GE getting all these gains and successes from implementing Six Sigma. They had these results that suggested that if you brought a certified "Master Black Belt" in, your organization would suddenly become tremendously more efficient overnight. Although organizations are starting to recognize that Project Management does bring dividends, they still don’t know exactly how to help project managers do their jobs succesfully. What’s happening is they think “Oh, we just established a Project Managemetn Office (PMO), now we’re finally going to have better project predictability.” Unfortunately, the problem is that organizations don’t want to put in the effort to really change any of their processes. Perhaps they read some journal article that said, “Hey, if you hire a project manager, you can get results.” So, they go and hire a PMP. But they don't provide the time or budget to effectively plan and execute the project. Soon the top floor wants to know “Where are these results we were promised?” As a result, in many cases project managers simply end up being big paper pushers and additional money gets spent to bring in consultants to figure out that the organization's processes and expectations never got changed to allow projects to come in under budget, under schedule, and within scope. When I grow up, I want to be a Project Manager Most of us really didn’t plan to become a project manager. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 26:05 http://pm411.org/2010/03/28/the-5-goals-of-a-project-manager/ http://pm411.org/2010/03/28/the-5-goals-of-a-project-manager/#comments Sun, 28 Mar 2010 05:55:23 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1107 http://pm411.org/2010/03/28/the-5-goals-of-a-project-manager/feed/ 2 http://pm411.org/2009/09/29/podcast-episode-047-schedule-killers-bad-multitasking/ http://pm411.org/2009/09/29/podcast-episode-047-schedule-killers-bad-multitasking/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:01:48 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://2086462238 http://pm411.org/2009/09/29/podcast-episode-047-schedule-killers-bad-multitasking/feed/ 6 behaviors,schedule killers,schedules,Teams Get the pm411.org Project Management Podcast Newsletter delivered by email for free! - Your email address and personal information are confidential and will never be sold or rented. - Today we continue our series on Schedule Killers – those tendenci... Get the pm411.org Project Management Podcast Newsletter delivered by email for free! - Your email address and personal information are confidential and will never be sold or rented. Today we continue our series on Schedule Killers – those tendenci... Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 22:56 http://pm411.org/2009/09/11/podcast-episode-046-schedule-killers-parkinsons-law/ http://pm411.org/2009/09/11/podcast-episode-046-schedule-killers-parkinsons-law/#comments Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:08:22 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=666 http://pm411.org/2009/09/11/podcast-episode-046-schedule-killers-parkinsons-law/feed/ 8 behaviors,parkinson's law,schedule killers,Teams Get the pm411.org Project Management Podcast Newsletter delivered by email for free! - Your email address and personal information are confidential and will never be sold or rented. - Today we continue our series on Schedule Killers – those tendenci... Get the pm411.org Project Management Podcast Newsletter delivered by email for free! - Your email address and personal information are confidential and will never be sold or rented. Today we continue our series on Schedule Killers – those tendencies and traits of project teams that cause us to miss our deadlines!  Last episode we discussed “The Student Syndrome,” which is defined as “the phenomenon that many people will start to fully apply themselves to a task just at the last possible moment before a deadline.”   Today we talk about “Parkinson’s Law.” What is Parkinson’s Law? Parkinson’s Law, as it is known today, started as the first sentence of an essay that Cyril Northcote Parkinson wrote for The Economist in 1955.  Parkinson was a British naval historian, public administration scholar, and author of over sixty books.  Parkinson’s claim that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion” later was expanded to include how work expands in bureaucracies in his bestselling 1957 book, Parkinson’s Law. Parkinson’s Law is also often expressed as “The demand upon a resource tends to expand to match the supply of the resource,” although the reverse is not true. I personally like to think of Parkinson’s Law as the “Ideal Gas Law” for projects.  No, I am not referring to the hot air that some project managers are famous for expelling.  But rather, if you think of the amount of work required to complete a task as a set number of gas molecules inside a sealed container, the gas would still fill the container if you were to make the container bigger.  Only the distance between the work molecules would be greater and there would be less pressure inside of the container.  However, if you were to reduce the size of the container or if someone were to apply “heat” to the system, the pressure would increase.  But if less “heat” were applied or if the container was allowed to grow, the volume of work would still expand to completely fill the container. So, what Parkinson’s Law states is that if you were to think of the size of a project task duration to be the analogy of a gas-filled container and you were able to successfully complete the work in 2 weeks, that same work would expand to fill 4 weeks if the task duration was expanded. So, if a team member finishes the required work in 2 weeks, they will typically keep the working on the task until it is absolutely required for them to turn their work deliverable over.  If they are given even more time to complete a task, they will still take the entire time allocated to them. The reason why this is a problem is because any “buffer” added to the individual task to protect the project end date is wasted by the effects of Parkinson’s Law extending individual task durations. Why Does Parkinson’s Law Occur? So why do people want to hang on to their work anyway?  You would think people would want to “get it off their desk” and start working on the next task, just like someone would with a “to do” list.  There are actually several reasons why Parkinson’s Law occurs. 1.)   People want to make their deliverable as good as possible. Unfortunately, people often equate this to improving the deliverable’s quality through adding additional features or performance even if it surpasses the task deliverable requirements.  Sometimes this is referred to “gold plating” or “polishing the apple.”  It has been shown that often times true quality is compromised.  A simple example is a presentation that someone continues to make “pretty” by adding a lot of extraneous graphics, colors, animations, and text that takes additional editing time and only serves to detract from the quality of the original presentation’s message. 2.)   People are afraid of turning in their work early.  Team members may feel that if they turn in their work early, Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 21:52 http://pm411.org/2009/08/22/podcast-episode-045-schedule-killers-student-syndrome/ http://pm411.org/2009/08/22/podcast-episode-045-schedule-killers-student-syndrome/#comments Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:01:58 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=610 http://pm411.org/2009/08/22/podcast-episode-045-schedule-killers-student-syndrome/feed/ 11 8/80,behaviors,schedule killers,student syndrome,Teams Today we will be starting a series on Schedule Killers – those tendencies and traits of project teams that cause us to miss our deadlines! And the first schedule serial killer of project teams that we will be discussing is called… “The Student S... Today we will be starting a series on Schedule Killers – those tendencies and traits of project teams that cause us to miss our deadlines! And the first schedule serial killer of project teams that we will be discussing is called… “The Student Syndrome!” In this episode we cover: 1.) What is Student Syndrome? 2.) What Causes Student Syndrome? 3.) How to Cure it Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 9:50 http://pm411.org/2009/02/24/are-you-an-artist-or-a-producer/ http://pm411.org/2009/02/24/are-you-an-artist-or-a-producer/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:17:14 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=468 http://pm411.org/2009/02/24/are-you-an-artist-or-a-producer/feed/ 0 http://pm411.org/2008/12/07/podcast-episode-039-new-task-features-in-mindmanager-pro-8/ http://pm411.org/2008/12/07/podcast-episode-039-new-task-features-in-mindmanager-pro-8/#comments Sun, 07 Dec 2008 23:26:23 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=374 http://pm411.org/2008/12/07/podcast-episode-039-new-task-features-in-mindmanager-pro-8/feed/ 0 mindmanager,mindmapping,PM Video,software Write a review of the pm411.org Podcast in iTunes! - Today we look at some of the new features of the latest version of Mindmanager Pro 8.0 mindmapping software from Mindjet.  In this episode we take a look at some of the great new schedule task feat... Write a review of the pm411.org Podcast in iTunes! Today we look at some of the new features of the latest version of Mindmanager Pro 8.0 mindmapping software from Mindjet.  In this episode we take a look at some of the great new schedule task features. Now you can get a quick overview plus ongoing progress on all project tasks—automatically. Visual cues and status indicators allow you to quickly determine the status of critical activities. View the ripple effect of any changes to a map and even run “what if” scenarios to see the resulting outcomes. With Mindmanager Pro 8.0 you can now develop your WBS as a mindmap and then easily automatically import it into Microsoft Project.  Check out the video below to find out more! httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg6EwLvE8pA In Episode 40, we look at some of the new integrated web features of Mindmanager Pro 8.0. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2008/09/06/how-to-avoid-stopping-the-line-on-deliverables/ http://pm411.org/2008/09/06/how-to-avoid-stopping-the-line-on-deliverables/#comments Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:21:32 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://1448556078 http://pm411.org/2008/09/06/how-to-avoid-stopping-the-line-on-deliverables/feed/ 5 http://pm411.org/2008/02/03/podcast-episode-023-6-steps-to-successful-schedules/ http://pm411.org/2008/02/03/podcast-episode-023-6-steps-to-successful-schedules/#comments Sun, 03 Feb 2008 10:03:41 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2008/02/03/podcast-episode-023-6-steps-to-successful-schedules/ http://pm411.org/2008/02/03/podcast-episode-023-6-steps-to-successful-schedules/feed/ 0 Creating a comprehensive schedule is one of the more difficult activities that Project Managers face.  Schedule creation is often considered more art than science - and results often support this.  What is often more frustrating is that team members ... Creating a comprehensive schedule is one of the more difficult activities that Project Managers face.  Schedule creation is often considered more art than science - and results often support this.  What is often more frustrating is that team members often find themselves on one team with a project manager that creates and manages schedules a particular way and on another team with a project manager with a different approach.  I often hear from people on teams, "why can't all project managers do things the same way?" If you have heard this on your team, perhaps it is time that you take a look at the way you and your team create your team schedules.  Perhaps you are not taking a consistent step in developing team schedules that have been shown to work time and time again. There are tons and tons of resources out there that claim the perfect answer to your scheduling problems.  But, I believe that you can improve your chances for success just by following the six simple steps below.  Step 1:  Define the schedule activities Take your WBS work packages and decompose them further into schedule activities.  If you haven’t created a WBS yet for your project, you will want to listen to Episode 4 on Work Breakdown Structures.  Take each WBS work package, and decide what activities are required to create that package.  For example, if your work package is "Configure New Computer Hardware," your schedule activities might include "set up network configuration," "install the video card," "install applications," and then "set up mail client." Step 2:  Sequence the activities Remember back in grade school where you were given a bunch of pictures and you had to figure out their order.  You had to decide which picture represented the 1st activity, the 2nd activity and so on?  Well, that is exactly what the second step is all about. In second step we sequence the schedule activities by simply placing them in the order in which they need to happen.  For example, perhaps we need to install the video card first, then set up the network configuration, install application and then finally set up the mail client. In some cases two or more activities can be done simultaneously.  Perhaps we can set up the mail client while other applications are being installed. This is step is where we look at the different types of schedule dependencies such as finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish, and start-to-finish to figure out how each of these activities relate to each other.  Step 3:  Estimate the resources needed for the activity The third step involves estimating what resources will be required to accomplish each activity.  This includes estimating needed team resources, financial resources, and equipment.  These resource needs should be selected for each activity prior to estimating the duration of each activity which is the next step. Step 4:  Estimating the duration of each of the activities This step requires you and your team to analyze how long it will take to accomplish each of the activities. These estimates can be quantified through the following tools: Expert Judgement - by conferring with someone who is familiar or experienced in what it takes to accomplish a particular activity. Analogous Estimating - a top-down estimation approach is taken by looking at similar projects within your organization for estimates on how long a particular activity should take.  Parametric Estimating – Basically this is scaling an estimate.  For example, perhaps you know it takes on average 10 minutes to install a software application.  If the “install applications” activity includes the installation of 6 applications, you can use parametric estimation to estimate that it will take approximately 6 times 10 minutes, or 60 minutes to install all the applications.  Three point estimation - Sometimes referred to as PERT analysis, is a great tool for estimating activity durations. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 8:57