Project Management Best Practices

My experience at PMI’s 2009 North America Congress was excellent and, as always, well worth the trip. I met and exchanged ideas with some of the top practitioners, researchers, consultants and authors in the project management industry.

There is no doubt about it. The benefits realized from a sound and well-organized project management methodology based on globally recognized project management standards have been well established. These benefits cannot be overstated. Organizations that make full use of the power of a project-focused environment gain a competitive advantage over those organizations that do not leverage this power. They also gain a competitive advantage over those organizations that publish an “official” project management standard but make little or no attempt to implement it or to make it a part of organizational policy. *

One of the hot project management topics at the Congress was the P3MO (project, program, portfolio management office). Another was that of “value driven project management”, the topic of Harold Kerzner’s closing session speech and the topic of his new book, co-authored with Frank P. Saladis.  An integrated project portfolio management environment (i.e., a P3MO) with a focus on driving business value represents the state-of-the-profession thinking right now. I can personally confirm that this approach is beginning to emerge out in the field. At my most recent client, a global life insurance company doing business on three continents, my colleagues and I recommended exactly this approach and delivered guidelines for achieving this. **

(more…)

Anticipation!

I’m on my way to Orlando for PMI’s 2009 North America Global Congress. Due to scheduling conflicts, I have not been able to attend a PMI Global Congress since 2006.

I have my business cards ready (as you can see on the right) and look forward to a lot of networking. These congresses are a great opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with my fellow project managers, many from outside of North America.

Once again, I’ll be participating in the Standards Program Working Session where we will be working on PMI standards. The last time I did this, back in 2006, we worked on The PMBOK Guide 4th Edition. Since this is the “off” year for that standard (i.e., the 1st year after the updated standard is published, out of the 4 years of the PMBOK Guide development cycle), we probably will not be working on the PMBOK Guide. Follow my posts here to find out exactly which standard I ended up working on.