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/pmp%c2%ae-certification/pmp-preparation/ http://pm411.org/2011/07/10/podcast-episode-076-the-pm-exam-simulator/ http://pm411.org/2011/07/10/podcast-episode-076-the-pm-exam-simulator/#comments Sun, 10 Jul 2011 06:28:50 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2450 http://pm411.org/2011/07/10/podcast-episode-076-the-pm-exam-simulator/feed/ 2 pm exam simulator,pmi,pmp,pmp prep,pmp simulator,project management professional At some point you are going to have to ask yourself: "Am I ready to take the PMP Exam?" Here is the secret to answering this question and passing the exam on your first try! At some point you are going to have to ask yourself: "Am I ready to take the PMP Exam?" Here is the secret to answering this question and passing the exam on your first try! Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 22:09 http://pm411.org/2009/08/10/episode-044-pmp-exam-tools/ http://pm411.org/2009/08/10/episode-044-pmp-exam-tools/#comments Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:53:30 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=558 http://pm411.org/2009/08/10/episode-044-pmp-exam-tools/feed/ 0 flashcards,pm exam,pm formulas,pm prepcast,pmp We are pleased to announce that we at the pm411.org Project Management podcast now offer 3 new tools to help you pass the latest version of the PMP Exam, which covers the 4th edition of the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK). We are pleased to announce that we at the pm411.org Project Management podcast now offer 3 new tools to help you pass the latest version of the PMP Exam, which covers the 4th edition of the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK). Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 16:11 http://pm411.org/2009/07/23/podcast-episode-043-interview-with-josh-nankivel-pmp/ http://pm411.org/2009/07/23/podcast-episode-043-interview-with-josh-nankivel-pmp/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:25:12 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=538 http://pm411.org/2009/07/23/podcast-episode-043-interview-with-josh-nankivel-pmp/feed/ 1 aspiring pm,josh nankivel,new pm,pmstudent.com Josh Nankivel, PMP, recently interviewed me for his pmStudent.com website, and he was willing to return the favor and he let me interview him last weekend for this pm411.org podcast. During the interview, Josh and I discuss all kinds of great stuff in... Josh Nankivel, PMP, recently interviewed me for his pmStudent.com website, and he was willing to return the favor and he let me interview him last weekend for this pm411.org podcast. During the interview, Josh and I discuss all kinds of great stuff including his past and current projects, the pmStudent.com website, the PMP and its future for project management, and even possible ideas for a great Project Management videogame! Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 27:03 http://pm411.org/2008/10/05/podcast-episode-037-the-role-of-the-project-manager/ http://pm411.org/2008/10/05/podcast-episode-037-the-role-of-the-project-manager/#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:06:08 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=362 http://pm411.org/2008/10/05/podcast-episode-037-the-role-of-the-project-manager/feed/ 0 cornelius fichtner,pm prepcast,pmp,project manager,roles Today we preview another one of the PM PrepCast episodes that we offer through The pm411.org Project Management Podcast!  Today's episode is on the role of the Project Manager according to the PMBOK guide. Today we preview another one of the PM PrepCast episodes that we offer through The pm411.org Project Management Podcast!  Today's episode is on the role of the Project Manager according to the PMBOK guide.  You will definitely need to know your role and understand it well in order the pass the PMP exam. During this episode, Cornelius Fichtner, of the PM Podcast, walks us through some situational questions that you may face on the PMP exam like what to do when your project does not have enough funding or what to do if you find yourself with not enough resources.  By understanding the role of the project manager, as stated by the PMBOK guide, you can better answer the questions on the PMP exam. And if you are studying for the PMP, or if you are simply interested in learning project management best practices, we offer all 89 episodes - a total of over 35 hours of material that covers the entire PMBOK section by section.  Simply go to www.pm411.org/prepcast to learn more and to start downloading all episodes today for only $49.99 $99.97 (for the 4th edition of the PMP Exam).  That is hundreds of dollars less than many other resources that help you prepare for the PMP.  I can tell you that I bought these episodes and found it to be a great way to study while commuting, walking the dog, and exercising.  The PM Prepcast made sure I had the background knowledge of all the PMBOK processes to pass the PMP exam on the first try.  So, check it out at www.pm411.org/prepcast today. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 20:08 http://pm411.org/2008/04/28/podcast-episode-029-project-cost-budgeting/ http://pm411.org/2008/04/28/podcast-episode-029-project-cost-budgeting/#comments Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:59:02 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=204 http://pm411.org/2008/04/28/podcast-episode-029-project-cost-budgeting/feed/ 0 furniture VidenovToday, I have a special treat in store for you.  Today I am going to let you preview one of the 89 PM PrepCast episodes that we offer through The pm411.org Project Management Podcast!  Today's episode is on Project Cost Budgeting w... furniture VidenovToday, I have a special treat in store for you.  Today I am going to let you preview one of the 89 PM PrepCast episodes that we offer through The pm411.org Project Management Podcast!  Today's episode is on Project Cost Budgeting which is, of course, one of the many PM processes within PMI's Cost Management Knowledge area.  During this episode, Cornelius Fichtner, of the PM Podcast, walks us through the difference between Cost Estimating and Cost Budgeting. Then discusses using the project schedule, the WBS, parametric estimating, the cost baseline, project funding requirements and other topics you need to understand to successfully pass the PMP. Cost Budgeting is concerned with rolling the cost of individual work packages up to a total project baseline cost that can be monitored as part of the project's overall performance. Cost Budgeting Process Inputs In order to estimate the project budget needed successfully, Cost Budgeting uses several process inputs including: The Project Scope Statement The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) The WBS Dictionary Activity Cost Estimates Activity Cost Estimate Supporting Detail Project Schedule Resource Calendars Contract And the Cost Management Plan Each of these inputs are required when using the tools and techniques to estimate the overall project cost. Cost Budgeting Process Tools and Techniques Some of the tools and techniques used in Cost Budgeting include Cost Aggregation, Reserve Analysis, Parametric Estimating, and Funding Limit Reconciliation. Cost Aggregation is simply estimating the cost estimate for each of the project schedule activities and work packages.  These can then be rolled up and "aggregated" to various cost management levels by using the WBS and combining the various related work package costs.  These are then further rolled up into the various control accounts and finally the overall project cost.  Simple enough, huh? Reserve Analysis creates emergency or contingency reserves.  An example of such a reserve is the Management Contingency Reserve.  These reserves are for unplanned, but required, changes to project scope and cost.  These reserves are used for risks to the project that have been identified as "unknown unknowns".  These reserves are not part of the project cost baseline, but should be included in the overall project budget.  Since they are not considered a part of the project cost baseline, they are not used for earned value calculations.  Think of Reserve Analysis as your extra money you keep in your checking account to prevent you from accidently bouncing checks to pay for your daughters highly variable wireless phone bill.  So, BTW did or didn't Bettylou break up with her b/f?  Parametric Estimation always reminds me of using a cookbook recipe and changing it slightly to either feed more or less people.  Basically you use an actual measurement from a similar previous project to estimate the cost of the current project.  For example, perhaps a previous project had a labor rate of $40/hr for 2500 hours for a total project labor cost of $100,000 .  You estimate through Cost Aggregation that this new project will take approximately 4000 hours.  By using parametric estimation with the same labor rate, you estimate the total labor cost for the new project to be approximately $160,000.  That's a lot of pies! Funding Limit Reconciliation is about "smoothing" out project expenditures to prevent sudden periodic over expenditures from occurring.  Fund disbursement is discussed early with the customer to determine the when exactly work can be scheduled to prevent over spending during a particular period.  If it is determined that Cost expenditures are constrained, then the Project Manager needs to know what effect this has on the overall project schedule and resources. Cost Budgeting Outputs The outputs generated by the Cost Budgeting Process include the project Cost Baseline, Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 28:11 http://pm411.org/2008/03/16/podcast-episode-026-the-meaning-of-life-or-at-least-of-process-groups/ http://pm411.org/2008/03/16/podcast-episode-026-the-meaning-of-life-or-at-least-of-process-groups/#comments Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:18:27 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2008/03/16/podcast-episode-026-the-meaning-of-life%e2%80%a6-or-at-least-of-process-groups/ http://pm411.org/2008/03/16/podcast-episode-026-the-meaning-of-life-or-at-least-of-process-groups/feed/ 0 process groups,product lifecycle,project lifecycle,project phases   So, do you know what the difference is between project phases and project management process groups?  - I recently received an email from Emmanuel, and guess what?  Emmanuel wants to know what the difference is between project management phases a...   So, do you know what the difference is between project phases and project management process groups?  I recently received an email from Emmanuel, and guess what?  Emmanuel wants to know what the difference is between project management phases and project management process groups!  Wow, Good question, Emmanuel, and thank you for your email!  I like getting email, and I like getting email concerning project management topics even more.  I guess I am just kind of silly in that regard.  But, before talking about the differences between project phases and process groups, we need to first understand the difference between Project Lifecycles and Product Lifecycles. Product and Project Lifecycles  A product lifecycle includes everything from a product's first concept to the point when the product is eventually discontinued and made into that EBay collectable that you are sure your Aunt Sally would love!  And within the product lifecycle, we have the project lifecycle.  The project lifecycle is a subset of the product lifecycle, where the product or service is developed and goes from initial concept to initial production.  So, to summarize, the Project Lifecycle is the process whereby the product is created, and Product Lifecycle is the entire life of the product.Confused yet?  Well hang on to your saddle as we start down the path of project phases and process groups.  Yee Haw! Project Phases Project phases are discrete sections of the project lifecycle that are established to help projects follow a common process methodology within an organization.  Not all organizations use project phases, although there are many good reasons to use them, including: Better resource planning Better deliverable tracking Project decision points throughout the project Tighter project control and risk management Earlier identification of problems And increased process consistency from project to project Process Groups Process groups are part of every project, whether we realize it or not.  The Project Management Institute defines the five project management process groups as Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.  PMI states that "collectively, these five groups are required for any project; [they] have clear internal dependencies, and must be performed in the same sequence on each project."  A lot of folks interchange the phrase "project management process group" with "project phase" without really knowing truly what the differences are.  However, the PMBOK is quite clear that "Project management process groups are not project phases!"  Just like your brother Frank does not equal "rocket scientist".  Sorry Frank! True, some industries use project phases that resemble the naming conventions of process groups, but process groups are repeated throughout the project and even throughout a phase.    Guide to the Project management Body of Knowledge, 3rd Edition, 2004, Project Management Institute, PA, 2004, Figure 3-2 p40. Putting It All Together Let's use a simple example to demonstrate the difference between project phases and process groups.  Let's even choose an industry we are all familiar with - our lives! Consider the lifespan of a person.  Would you agree that there are different phases within a human life?  You start off your life for the first 20 or so years in the Childhood phase.  You move on and enjoy the Young Adulthood phase between the ages of 21 and 41.  Then comes the Midlife phase from 42 to 62,  Elderhood Phase between 63 and 83, and then the Late Elderhood Phase.  Each phase in your life has certain milestones and deliverables, such as learning to walk and talk, graduating from school, getting married, having children, having grandchildren, sometimes even great-grandchildren, retirement, and then the day when you get to meet the great program manager in the sky! Now, getting back to Process Groups, Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 8:47 http://pm411.org/2008/01/05/earn-pdus-through-pmi-by-listening-to-the-pm411org-podcast/ http://pm411.org/2008/01/05/earn-pdus-through-pmi-by-listening-to-the-pm411org-podcast/#comments Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:37:46 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2008/01/05/earn-pdus-through-pmi-by-listening-to-the-pm411org-podcast/ http://pm411.org/2008/01/05/earn-pdus-through-pmi-by-listening-to-the-pm411org-podcast/feed/ 2 http://pm411.org/2007/09/18/podcast-episode-013-how-i-became-a-pmp/ http://pm411.org/2007/09/18/podcast-episode-013-how-i-became-a-pmp/#comments Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:52:20 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2007/09/18/podcast-episode-013-how-i-became-a-pmp/ http://pm411.org/2007/09/18/podcast-episode-013-how-i-became-a-pmp/feed/ 0 Sorry - I am reposting this episode since there were some link issues with the original posting... - I am happy to announce that on September 7th, 2007 I passed the Project Management Professional (PMP®) Certification Exam. Sorry - I am reposting this episode since there were some link issues with the original posting... I am happy to announce that on September 7th, 2007 I passed the Project Management Professional (PMP®) Certification Exam.  In today's show I talk about...   Why I chose to become a PMP® What I did to prepare for the exam and how long it took me What sections of the exam I felt were especially difficult What I would do differently if I were to take the exam over again And finally, how I believe being a PMP® will help me at my current job I also created a template (PMP® Practice Exam Answer Sheet Template) that I used while taking practice exams which you can use yourself.  Also, here is the link to the PM PrepCast.  Thanks for listening!  Ron Holohan, PMP®  Get the pm411.org Project Management Podcast delivered by email for free! Full Disclosure:  We are an affiliate of the PMP® PrepCast™ and earn a referral commission in exchange for actively testing and promoting this beneficial project management tool to our readers and listeners.  The commission earned helps to offset our hosting, equipment, and publishing costs and allows us to continue to provide our readers and listeners with valuable free content. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 18:08