Comments on: Prepare Your Team for Uncertainty, the Project Reformer’s e-Tip

By: Bob Wells

Bob Wells — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This made me think of project management as a metaphor for war. What’s the Powell Doctrine for construction? What kind of Project Manager is Don Rumsfeld? Do you just go and build a project with the team you’ve got, or with the team you want? And most importantly: What defines victory; how do you know you’ve won?

Think Iraq War and go back and reread the tip.

By: Evelyn Mitchell

Evelyn Mitchell — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Just last night, I was talking with a new project manager who has had a career in sales.

He was wondering if he should buy this fancy software package for project management.

My advice was: PM sets business goals. Developers set estimates. Make the developers breakup tasks when their estimates are more than a half-day’s work. And, most importantly, check in with everyone once a day.

It’s a social problem, not a tech problem.

I suggested he use index cards for keeping track of status. (It’s a tiny project, though with too many developers.)

My question is, what’s a good structure for having team planning conversations?

By: Hal

Hal — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Funny you should ask. There are a series of different team planning conversations. Have a look at today’s posting on ‘Look-Ahead Planning’ meeting protocol.