2016 Retrospective

Along the end of a year and the beginning of a new one it is common to reflect and to identify whatever did not worked out well and what was successful during the year about to end. Frequently, during the last days of December we build up an introspective environment that leads us to formulate the goals and purposes for the upcoming year both in our personal and professional areas. It is very similar to a gathering of a retrospective session of a project’s sprint where the team members discuss the learned lessons in order to identify improvement opportunities. The debates during the Sprint retrospective meetings include whatever failed as well as whatever succeeded with the objective to learn and to improve in order to be prepared for the next Sprint. The main objectives of the meeting are to identify three specific aspects:

  1. Those things that the team must keep on doing: better practices
  2. Those things that the team need to change or start doing: process improvements
  3. Those things that the team needs to suppress: process problems and bottlenecking.

Continúa leyendo 2016 Retrospective

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Scheduling Resources on Multiple Projects

From my point of view, manage supply and demand is one of the most important processes within the portfolio management to be able to tackle the portfolio’s initiatives.

The fact is that in a portfolio, most resources do not execute one project at a time; individuals and managers are juggling multiple projects. As a consequence of this situation, delays, extra charges, and unexpected constant changes are generated, which have an impact on the project schedule, and quite frequently on our clients’ satisfaction. Continúa leyendo Scheduling Resources on Multiple Projects

Value: Key Term for PMOs

Project Management Offices (PMO’s) are continually being questioned by the C-suite. According to ESI INTERNATIONAL 2015- GLOBAL STATE OF THE PMO, 72% of those surveyed claimed the PMO continues to be called into question mostly by senior management

The three main reasons for calling the establishment of the PMO into question are:

  • Lack of perceived value (44 %)
  • Lack of project/program maturity in the organization (41 %)
  • Lack of executive support (32 %)

Continúa leyendo Value: Key Term for PMOs

Project Portfolio Management and ITIL®: What are the connections?

The Project Management Institute (PMI®) and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL®) provide widely accepted frameworks for generating value to the organization through the accomplishment of adequate services and projects. According to the 2013 PMI Pulse of the Profession®: PMO Frameworks, 28% of the functional reporting area of the PMO is IT organization or IT department. The understanding of both frameworks can leverage an IT organization the foundations for improving an existing PMO or starting a new PMO. Continúa leyendo Project Portfolio Management and ITIL®: What are the connections?

Project Portfolio Manager: a Conductor

Last week I read the article by Antonio Nieto entitled, » A business guide to project portfolio management«. I do share a lot of the author’s opinion that most executives do not have a clear understanding of what project portfolio management (PPM) is, and the benefits that it can bring to their business. It is essential that the C-level has a clear understanding of the mechanisms to improve their business strategy and make sure that all projects and operations executed throughout the organization are aligned to undertake the strategy. Executives need to recognize the benefits of a strong project portfolio management and become visible sponsors of it. To make easier the understanding of PPM, it seems to me a good idea to explain the similarities between a musical conductor and a project portfolio director, since music and management are passions that many of us shared. Continúa leyendo Project Portfolio Manager: a Conductor