most recent 30 from http://askaboutprojects.com 2010-03-12T18:07:52Z http://askaboutprojects.com/feeds http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1590/how-do-i-save-the-headless-beast unknown (google) 2010-03-12T16:34:15Z 2010-03-12T17:48:27Z

<p>I am the lead developer at a small service company: we sell a software/hardware package with a software/hardware support contract. The result is that we are responsible for:</p> <ul> <li>Developing software (fixing bugs, adding new features)</li> <li>Supporting hardware (replacing broken printers or PCs)</li> <li>Supporting a network (ensuring our software/hardware can reach the internet)</li> <li>Supporting software (providing training, providing in person and on the phone support questions).</li> </ul> <p>We have several challenges and to me the picture is somewhat murky. But, as the de-facto project manager for the entire operation my view is that things break down thusly...</p> <p>We have:</p> <ul> <li>Essentially 3 overseas developers led by their own PM that I deal with. We can add a few more developers when we need them, or scale back when we don't.</li> <li>A local shop with three guys that sell and physically support the software (the 'faces' of the company). One guy is a new gopher guy that is beginning to take on more support related issues (replacing hardware, doing inventory management).</li> <li>Two remote developers (me &amp; another) that do dev/qa/support and then I do planning/support.</li> <li>A part time sysadmin.</li> </ul> <p>Our physical system is something like:</p> <ul> <li>About 150 remote locations in which we support the PCs and monitor the DSL (network status) all physically within 40 miles the local shop.</li> <li>A local office full of new and replacement parts.</li> <li>A central NOC for servers.</li> </ul> <p>Historically we were completely in the red, and now we're not: we've got money, and we've got enough clients to be sustainable. Our goal is to get bigger and bigger clients. The challenge for us is that currently more clients == much more support and probably much better resource management.</p> <p>Our current Vision breaks down into:</p> <p><strong>Support</strong></p> <p>This is hardare and software support. For support we essentially do a FIFO (first in first out) or MRU (most recently used/complained) model to handle issues. We have a huge backlog of support issues.</p> <p><strong>Development</strong></p> <p>Basically a waterfall style: we have two 'development' versions (long term features, shorter term features) and probably 5 production versions that we support.</p> <p>We're basically suffering from the same 'firecontrol mode' FIFO/MRU issue of support. We have a possibly 3 week-out list of developement, and then a huge backlog of QA: things that our overseas developers supposedly are done with, but we haven't vetted them yet.</p> <p><strong>Integration</strong></p> <p>As new clients come online we spend a certain amount of resources tailoring the clients software and hardware for their needs.</p> <hr> <p>How can we improve things? Problems I see:</p> <ul> <li>We've never been able to reliably get our Integration/Support/Development out in any predictable manner.</li> <li>We can find ourselves rushing from one 'burning house' to another. Probably 1-2 weeks out of every month 'burn up' this way: no QA is done, no new versions go out.</li> <li>Our long term features take a LONG time to finish.</li> <li>My and my other developer/support person can feel pretty demoralized when we multi-task ourselves through the day, being re-directed from one support task to another - or dropping QA or specification planning for one support issue upon another.</li> <li>Our 'face' time people feel at a loss many times: <em>when</em> will we get feature X done? Why does everything take so long??</li> </ul> <p>I've been looking Kanban/Agile processes but this has been particularly hard to put into place, and honestly I'm not sure what the best first steps would be to right things. I feel that I'm looked upon in the organization as the person simultaneously expected to provide 'leadership' in the form of how best to push/pull the levers the organization, but not really given control of the pushing/pulling of said levers. What is a person in my position to do? How <em>do</em> I start!?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1586/people-appeared-pmp-exam-so-far Rajani 2010-03-12T11:45:14Z 2010-03-12T15:29:26Z

<p>How many people have appeared PMP exam so far. I know there are approx 362000 PMP holders.</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1567/is-it-worth-to-pay-for-the-pmi-association-membership-before-obtaining-the-pmp unknown (google) 2010-03-09T23:11:29Z 2010-03-12T15:20:18Z

<p>I am getting ready to start reading my PMBOK book by Rita and before I get the book on the mail I want to know if it makes professional and economical sense to pay the PMI association and local chapter association fees? </p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1475/recommended-web-pm-tools tozevv 2010-02-25T11:48:31Z 2010-03-12T09:27:12Z

<p>Hi!</p> <p>I'am looking for Project Management software tools that meet the following requirements:</p> <ul> <li>Pay per use / user (Software as a Service)</li> <li>Fully Web Based</li> <li>Gantt chart support</li> <li>Time tracking</li> </ul> <p>What solutions are you using and/or recommend?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1577/no-trust-between-project-manager-and-sponsor Stephan 2010-03-10T21:41:55Z 2010-03-11T18:02:20Z

<p>What should a PM do if he has sound reasons not to trust his sponsor? And if the sponsor openly acknowledges that he doesn't trust the PM?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1568/could-i-use-the-pmp-certification-as-a-theory-background-for-management-positions unknown (google) 2010-03-09T23:46:05Z 2010-03-10T16:38:26Z

<p>I have BS and MS in Software Engineering and Computer Science, but I have been gaining management experience for the last 10 years. Now I have a resume that have 10 years of experience on Management and a technical background. I really don't fit on any of the two, for a IT Director position I don't have the management theory, for a technical position I don't have the years of experience. </p> <p>Is the PMP certification the link between the theory gap on my background and my experience? Should I keep looking for the ideal link like a MBA? </p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1570/will-the-pmp-certification-help-it-managers-it-director-cio-positions unknown (google) 2010-03-10T00:31:07Z 2010-03-10T10:05:25Z

<p>I have been working my career to obtain CIO type Position in the next 5-6 years. My background is technical, but I have already 10 years on technology and technical people management. I would like to know if the PMP certificate could help my overall value to obtain my end goal. Does the PMP Cert helps IT Managers/IT Directors?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1556/which-development-model-to-choose p4553d 2010-03-09T11:32:42Z 2010-03-09T19:25:23Z

<p>We've got a team of 2-3 spare time developers and (as usual) one or two ambitious projects based on web technologies and mobile, which are waiting to be done. Our situation is maybe similar to the Open Source community, where, despite of all enthusiasm, it is hard to focus the attention of all project members on continuous work and cooperation. But there must be a way to manage development cycles after all, doesn't it? My question is simple:</p> <p>Which development model (Scrum XP, Waterfall, etc.) would suit us best in this situation? </p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1538/it-project-using-a-new-technology DrDro 2010-03-04T13:01:18Z 2010-03-09T16:43:20Z

<p>Do you have any difference in your project management when it implies using a technology your company had never worked with before. For example a new language, a new framework.... etc</p> <ul> <li>How do you estimate the time of the project ?</li> <li>Do you prefer assigning experienced programmer (more awkward project) or do you prefer assigning younger ones (whoever it will be they'll have to learn anyway)?</li> <li>What changes do you make compared to a "normal" project ?</li> </ul>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1560/how-many-active-pmps-are-there-in-the-united-states-of-america KKavadias 2010-03-09T15:57:42Z 2010-03-09T16:29:38Z

<p>How many active PMPs are there in the United States of America?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1551/do-i-have-to-fill-all-hours-for-pmp-experience-hours-or-just-the-4500-are-enough unknown (google) 2010-03-08T04:41:45Z 2010-03-08T16:29:51Z

<p>I am filling out all credential requirements for PMP Certification. Which are : 4500 hours, 36 no concurrent months. My question is simple:</p> <p>Should I stop after documenting 5000 hours and 60 months or should I continue with all the experience before submitting the application?</p> <p>Thanks.</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1077/expectations-management-how-is-it-done Totophil 2010-01-13T19:14:51Z 2010-03-08T11:05:42Z

<p>What is "expectations management"? Is it really important?</p> <p>How is it done?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1513/pmp-and-prince-certification LRosa 2010-03-01T02:02:18Z 2010-03-07T15:24:03Z

<p>In a couple of weeks I am going to take my PMP Exam, later I would like to study Prince2 in order to get another way to drive projects, I mean, "Europe way" to drive project. Is it good approach ?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1547/sector-specific-challenges-in-pmo Ram 2010-03-05T17:55:03Z 2010-03-07T14:19:31Z

<p>Challenges in PMO - I am looking at specific challenges faced by PMO in your respective sectors eg. Services, Financial Institution/Banking, Utilities etc. </p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/51/how-many-people-are-pmp-certified-project-managers John Fay 2009-10-19T23:12:59Z 2010-03-05T17:12:24Z

<p>How many people are PMP certified project managers?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1535/unexpected-resource-situations dwhitekiss 2010-03-04T11:36:04Z 2010-03-05T00:17:35Z

<p>If 50% of your resource suddenly got sick or came up with an unexpected situation and the date of return is unknown, how should you cope up with the project?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1188/recommend-a-good-bpmn-book iain 2010-01-22T00:42:25Z 2010-03-04T10:31:35Z

<p>I am a business analyst with a lot of UML experience and I need a concise overview of Business Process Modelling Notation.</p> <p>Something like the O'Reilly's <a href="http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596003449" rel="nofollow">Learning UML</a> book would be ideal.</p> <p>The BPMN Modeling and Reference Guide is probably more than I need.</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1410/creative-commons-pmp-exam-questions tozevv 2010-02-17T19:30:36Z 2010-03-03T23:28:45Z

<p>Having being a lecturer in Project Management from some time I know the leading exam simulations questions (namely Rita's). </p> <p>My question is you know out there is any free / creative commons (see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons</a>) licensed exam questions?</p> <p>If there isn't, what do you feel about developing a community effort to create and peer-review sample questions to be freely available to everyone? </p> <p>I really feel that Project Management practice will benefit with such an open approach. </p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1524/any-tips-of-what-are-the-important-elements-to-consider-in-a-new-generic-pharmace haleluja 2010-03-02T13:18:23Z 2010-03-03T21:32:23Z

<p>I have just been assigned to a new position of launch management. A position which was not existing before and is supposed to track, monitor and coordinate all the activities around launching a new product. The company is a pharmaceutical generic and operates in multiple countries. I would be glad for any suggestions in terms of tools, tips, risks to anticipate and avoid etc...</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1448/in-a-typical-1-year-6-person-software-development-team-what-is-the-optimal-per danieleli2 2010-02-20T14:03:14Z 2010-03-03T19:39:14Z

<p>I'm working on a typical internal web/database app for a large corporation. By typical, I mean, a project that was projected to be 4 months and $300,000 looks like its going to be <strong>9 months and $1,000,000.</strong></p> <p>IMHO, one reason for gross over-run is the ratio of functional people to developers, 3.5 to 2 (PM, BA, QA, and a scrum master that comes to every meeting.) About 250k of 600k has been billed by developers but at least half of that is developers sitting in meetings with functional people trying build consensus with functionaly people who are not very analytically inclined.</p> <p><strong>Many hours are also spent with the BA meeting with customers</strong> and getting buy-in for an overly complicated system that focus more on the edge cases than the core functionality. Given enough time these people will redesign the wheel as a square for fear that a round wheel might role away!</p> <p>One issue here is that the BA, QA, and PM aren't geeks and the users are staff level, mostly non-technical people. For each hour of meetings and talk and consesus building, I have to spend two hours conviencing them that they are trying to build all the flaws of a paper system into a digital system and that the power of a digital system is that 90% of the controls established by the paper system aren't necessary.</p> <p>The long and short of it is that I feel like I <strong>could write a version of the system with 90% fuctionality in 2 months</strong> if they would just leave me alone. Granted, it might be the wrong system but given another month or two, I'm confident that I could get it right.</p> <p>So I am wondering, <strong>"what is your opinion of the optimal functional hours to developer hours on a project?"</strong> Also, "Is there any published guidance on this"</p> <p>Thanks for your thoughts, Dan</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/68/is-it-required-to-take-a-class-for-the-pmp-certification Robert Hinojosa 2009-10-20T14:06:07Z 2010-03-03T13:38:55Z

<p>The only classes are very far away from me and at night, I was wondering if it's absolutely necessary to take a class in order to take the Exam, or pass the exam. Has anyone just gotten by using one of the certification books?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/143/does-it-help-to-use-a-software-to-do-the-wbs Nuchara 2009-10-26T12:21:01Z 2010-03-03T12:58:04Z

<p>I just discovered that Microsoft has a software to do WBS -> <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=34c28a49-e14c-4a7d-8d49-90061fe08ab4&amp;displaylang=en" rel="nofollow">Visio WBS Modeler</a>. So far I was always doing my WBS in PowerPoint.</p> <p>Is it useful to have a special software for doing the WBS?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1468/earned-schedule-interpretation David E PMP 2010-02-23T17:01:56Z 2010-03-03T12:12:33Z

<p>Can I get some assistance in interpreting the following EV and ES data? I want to make sure I am calculating everything correctly because the numbers seem odd to me. Everything is cumulative:</p> <p>Previous Reporting Period: BCWS = $1,985,042; BCWP = $1,673,525 Current Reporting Period BCWS = $2,767,677; BCWP = $2,023,507</p> <p>SPI = 0.73 SV = -$744,170</p> <p>This indicates to me a substantial unfavorable schedule variance. </p> <p>Using ES, I have the following data:</p> <p>There are 24 work days in the current period. Interpolating from the above BCWS and BCWP values, P will equal S 1.18 days, or day 2, from the start of the current period. This results in the following ES data:</p> <p>SV(t) = -29.82 SPI(t) = 0.999</p> <p>There are 195 work days in the duration of the PoP. Using ES, I get 195.14 duration estimate from the SPI(t), an increase of only 0.14 from the unfavorable SV(t) of -29.82!! </p> <p>So, the numbers seem odd to me, from a 0.73 SPI, -$744K, which results in only a 0.14 unfavorable finish variance. </p> <p>Any thoughts as to what I did wrong?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1319/work-breakdown-structure-for-new-product-launch Jacques Bianco 2010-02-04T09:52:25Z 2010-03-02T14:00:25Z

<p>Where can I find a work breakdown structure for a new product launch?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1096/has-the-pmp-test-lost-some-credibility Rob Dudley PMP PMISP 2010-01-14T16:17:14Z 2010-03-01T19:19:23Z

<p>This is a discussion and not necessarily a question.</p> <p>Do you feel that the PMP credential has lost some of its credibility due to the easy and simplicity of the PMP test?</p> <p>I ask this because I (along with others I know) found that the test is a bit to easy. I feel that individuals that pass the test for the most part are still far from understanding the basic concepts of PM work. Take for example the understanding of project schedules. A PMP should now how a schedule is developed, managed and analyzed. Yet the PMP test fails to test this matter to the extent that it should. Granted PMI came out with the PMI-SP credential yet I also found this very elementary.</p> <p>I bring this up because PMI is getting ready to rewrite the test and I am contemplating sitting on this team. I would like to see more in-depth testing of schedules, risk, EVM, and resource management.</p> <p>If you had the opportunity to rewrite the test what would your areas of focus be?</p> <p>Rob</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1510/managing-expectations-those-issues-that-are-never-publicly-aired KB Larsen 2010-02-28T17:11:37Z 2010-03-01T15:00:56Z

<p>In a number of cases the project faced some serious issues even though we put a lot of efford in managing the expectations up front, but the issues seems to be a tabu in most organisations.</p> <p>I have listed a number of root causes below, but would like to know which issues that you have seen in your projects, thanks</p> <ul> <li><p>Two members of the customs project group dislikes each other but the supplier was never informed that those two could not work together.</p></li> <li><p>The supplier would/could not admid<br> that this project is a first in this business domaine</p></li> </ul>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/58/which-is-the-most-common-problem-you-have-seen-in-projects Rick 2009-10-20T10:38:03Z 2010-03-01T14:33:05Z

<p>Which is the most common problem or pitfall you have seen in projects?</p> <p><hr /></p> <p><strong>Edit</strong>:<br> This question is a poll: <br> Give only one problem per answer and we can all vote on the one we think is the most common.</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1486/is-hiring-freelancers-a-good-option-for-new-project Unknown 2010-02-25T18:31:38Z 2010-03-01T00:57:44Z

<p>I am planning to start a website, is it a good option to start with freelancers?</p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/7/what-is-a-good-web-application-for-a-project-manager Steven Kass 2009-10-16T13:35:29Z 2010-02-28T23:00:52Z

<p>What is a good web application for a project manager?<br> <br> I have checked many, but ended up writing my own application using html/php/javascript/css/MySQL to track tasks, projects, products, etc.<br> <br> I was not satisfied with <a href="http://drupal.org/" rel="nofollow">Drupal</a>, <a href="http://www.joomla.org/" rel="nofollow">Joomla</a>, <a href="http://www.sugarcrm.com/crm/" rel="nofollow">SugarCRM</a>, <a href="http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki" rel="nofollow">MediaWiki</a>, <a href="http://www.screwturn.eu/" rel="nofollow">screwTurnWiki</a>, and many other I tried.<br> </p> <p>I could not work out how to easily have a user <em>interface to</em> read and update fields on <em>my existing database</em>.<br></p>

http://askaboutprojects.com/questions/1414/how-do-you-catch-problems-early-in-a-project Mark Phillips 2010-02-17T23:16:08Z 2010-02-28T22:50:47Z

<p>I recently wrote about research that shows that <a href="http://www.vertabase.com/blog/the-benefit-of-finding-problems-early-in-a-project/" rel="nofollow">project costs can be significantly reduced</a> if problems are found and fixed early.</p> <p>How do you catch problems early in a project?</p>