Generic Project Management White Papers

This article introduces how business starters can use project management to start up their small businesses.

This white paper examines the unique challenges confronted by project leaders and their dispersed teams and stakeholders, and the strategy required to effectively drive projects to success.

When Lord Norman Foster & Partners designed the Harmon Hotel as a non-gaming boutique, spa center, and upscale resort at CityCenter Las Vegas, the company did not predict that the project would be cut in half…literally.

Project management can be like traveling in a parallel universe. What you are told and what you see are totally different. Read how to filter out the BS and drive the project in the direction you want it to go.

A sound Project and Portfolio Management strategy is needed to consolidate all of the business processes that drive the business. This is especially true with New Product Development projects that impact all facets of the businesses they serve.

We might use project management in our business lives but what about our personal lives? This is the tale of buying and restoring a boat using project management techniques.

This white paper suggests project management methods and practices can move from a static, unidirectional framework, to a dynamics, multidirectional framework. We focus on how project role dynamics and process dynamics can benefit a modern complicated project environment. Although some of the dynamic practices are well known informally, the whole framework can be improved by introducing them to the formal project management methodology literature. Besides role and process Project Management dynamics, there can be other dynamics topics that are worthwhile to investigate and get introduced in future Project Management models.

Any Project Manager, who has completed even a few projects, will understand the difficulty in getting people to make decisions. Making decisions in a project is potentially one of the most difficult challenges you face. It is often the reason projects run over budget and behind schedule. Decisions are made too late to enable the project to meet its deadlines. This white paper will assist you mange decision making in projects, and give you some tips to help you get decisions made.

Ever had to give a presentation to people who knew nothing about project management? Usually you start from scratch to build a Power Point slide slow. Avneet Mathur – one of our regulars – had the same problem. He has been kind enough to provide the presentation to anyone for download. This will save you hours of reinventing the wheel. You can even add your own flavour as it is shipped as a PPT file. Thanks Avneet.

What is Project Management going to look like in five or ten years? What trends will emerge and how can you get in front of the pack – for both your organisation and yourself? Read our view of the future of Project Management.

Ever need to explain what Project Management is all about in 10 words or less? This might exceed 10 words but it is a simple explanation of what a Project Manager is responsible for. It can be used for people thrust into a PM role without any experience, or to give to a Sponsor who has little idea what a Project Manager is there for

Should you develop a Microsoft Project schedule for every project – no matter how big or small – and how should you use it? I have heard the topic discussed by both experienced and inexperienced project managers and there is no overwhelming consensus. This article attempts to explore project schedules and make some suggestions as to where and how they should be used.

It is often hard to understand why IT projects can be so difficult. People in the Engineering/Construction project management area are shocked at how over time, and over budget IT projects can become. Perhaps it is time to compare a construction project and an IT project to understand why they are different.

Why do IT Projects fail? This well researched article by Taimour Al Neimat explores some of the reasons, and what can be done to avoid failure

What are the things that make up effective Project Management? In this white paper contributed by Sandeep Mehta. Sandeep is with Case Consulting Group in Mumbai and outlines some of his experiences in this article.

Running a supply chain project has it’s own unique problems however most are just a variation on other Project Management problems. See what an expert has to say about running such a project.

Some comments from people who have implemented an ERP system. Outlines the lessons they learned along the way.