Project Perfect - Project Management

White Paper on creating a test strategy

We have just published a white paper on creating a test strategy. The focus is on creating a test strategy for user acceptance testing however it is equally applicable for any sort of testing. Read more at http://www.projectperfect.com.au/info_test_strategy.php

Train the Sponsor

Some project managers assume a sponsor knows what to do in a project. Often this is the first mistake on a slippery slope to disaster.
Think about this:
- A Sponosr may be a good line manager but do they understand projects? A line manager has a clear set of procedures and policies to operate with. A project environment is volatile and constantly changing. A whole different set of skills are required.
- The nature of a project is to take a concept and flesh it out into a product. In other words, to start with a vague understanding of the work required, and learn what is required as you go. Is a sponsor comfortable with this evolution. Do they expect to see the final plan on day one.
- Does the sponsor feel comfortable with the jargon?
- Does the sponsor only see a project as time and cost? Is that all they are interested in? If so, who is interested in the content of the project and the outcome?
- How much real information is getting to the Sponsor? I have found sponsors horified to find out some information that everyone else knew for weeks. The more removed they are from the project, the less they know.
- Are the reasons the sponsor is undertaking the project, the same as the reasons the project team is undertaking the project?

In summary, a breakdown between the sponsor and the team is an almost certain indicator of potential failure. Take time to educate the sponsor as to what they need to contribute. Get to understand their perspective. Know where they feel comfortable and uncomfortable. It will make your life a lot easiser as the project progresses.

Mapped Drives Disconnect

Every now and then you find a useful little program and think "How many more people could use this". I have had a problem with mapped drives disconnecting. Whilst looking for a solution I found a free program that solved my problem. I have been corresponding with Jeroen from Zonnet regarding the program and his comments are below.

"I indeed started working on Network Drive Manager to overcome the problem in Windows (NT, 2k, XP...) regarding network drives.

I have a small network at home where one computer acts as a server for all my data, settings etc. Although it is possible to map a network drive in Windows, it is not activated after next reboot; I need to click explicitly in Windows Explorer to activate it. This behavior is just unworkable for a network drive that stores documents and settings.

The other problem is that Windows deactivates the drive after a while, making it unaccessible for applications.
When I e.g. start Firefox, it reads settings from the network drive. Then I browse for a while, and exit Firefox. Then I get an error when Firefox tries to store the settings on my (deactivated) network drive. For this reason NDM keeps them "alive".

You can download the program from http://www.softpedia.com/get/Network-Tools/Misc-Networking-Tools/Network-Drive-Manager.shtml
If you like it give Jeroen an email at lothian@zonnet.nl

Managing Project Teams

This white paper discusses the unique needs of a project team member and offers some suggestions as to how a team may be managed. It provides some good techniques that any project manager or team leader can use. See the white paper at http://www.projectperfect.com.au/info_managing_project_team_members.php

Project Management for Kids

We have been working with AllPM to come up with guidelines for kids school projects and assignments. Often the school will ask for an assignment but not train the kids in how to approach it. AllPM and Project Perfect have been working for many months to help in this area. AllPM have an article on their site at http://www.allpm.com/modules.php?op=modload&name;=News&file;=article&sid;=1468&mode;=threadℴ=0&thold;=0 which provides more information or go to our student site at http://students.projectperfect.com.au/index.htm

Basics of a Project Plan

Having a piece of software does not make a well managed project. Users of Microsoft Project often don't understand how to set up a basic project. How do you name Tasks? Where do you put Milestones? Learn how to create a "technically correct" project plan.

Building a Quality Culture

Building a quality culture is not an easy task. This white paper talks about how to establish a quality culture in an organisation. and how to sustain a focus on quality.
To read the full paper go to http://www.projectperfect.com.au/info_quality_culture.php

Project Management for Kids (PM4K)

Ever wonder why your kid comes home from school with a project or assignment and no idea how to complete it. There are basics like dividing the work into chunks and setting a deadline for each chunk, or phase. The problem is teachers are never trained in project management. Why not start teaching 5 or 6 year olds the basics like setting milestones?
For years we have been promoting the issue and even devoted a site to it http://students.projectperfect.com.au/index.htm Unfortunately the education authorities pass out work, but don't know how to teach kids to do the work. Next time you have a parent/teacher interview, ask them what they teach your kids about project management.

People who just don't get it

A fairly spirited debate recently (and there were in fact spirits of an alcoholic nature involved) centred on whether there were some people who just did not get it when it came to projects. We have all at some time or other worked with someone who had no concept of time or scope They just bungle along seemingly doing ten things at once, without any clear idea of where they are going, or when they will arrive. The conversation was around nature or nurture. Were their brains just hard wired in a different way, or had they never learnt to manage projects?
I tended to the view that it was a nature thing. There are people who are colour blind. There are people who are dyslexic. Why not people who are unable to plan?
The counter view was that it has never been learned either because nobody ever bothered to teach, or the person resisted learning. The latter was based around the "Nobody tells me what to do" model.
Yet some of these people seem to achieve their goals. To the rest of us however it looks really, really painful.

Would anyone care to share their views on people who just don't get projects?

New white paper on why projects fail

This is a well researched study of the reasons for project failure, and what can be done to avoid the mistakes. It covers a range of research and draws it together to provide guidelines for a successful project. Read it at http://www.projectperfect.com.au/info_it_projects_fail.php