Smart Tips: Project Management & Agile

Articulate how project management is different than management, learn the term I prefer and you might too! We'll cover:

• What project management is

• How this is different than management

• The term I prefer to use instead and you might too!

Many people throw the term "project" around without REALLY knowing what a project is. So, let's make no assumptions and start here. After this quick video, you'll be able to:

• Identify the 3 ingredients that make a project

• Evaluate whether or not you have a project on your plate, so that you know which work will benefit from project management

Organizations only do two things and projects are one of them. We'll cover:

• What is Projectland

• Why I call it Projectland and what that means for the course

• Why understanding the rules of Projectland is critical to your career

Learn who's who in Projectland with the help of our animal avatars. You will:

• Learn to speak the language of professional project managers related to roles and responsibilities on projects

• Meet our animal avatars that help explain the characteristics of common creatures in Projectland and make learning fun

• Be able to identify the key players on your projects, determine who's who and where you fit today

• Be able to suggest special skills that might be helpful to have on your project team

Let's discuss:

• How our animal avatars can help us create a winning team

• The teaming process

After this module, you'll be better prepared to evaluate whether or not you feel you have the right team members to help you meet your objectives.

Check out the additional resources for even more learning about how teamwork really can make the dream work in Projectland.

Do you know who your stakeholders are? Do you know what to do about them? Learn how to organize stakeholders into three fun categories with the help of our animal avatars and what to do next.

You'll also meet SAMM, our related "thinking tool," which is part of our pro project management workbook. Download it and give it a try! 

Let's discuss the top 10 project manager role and responsibilities expectations, so that you can position yourself for success.

• Know your role and what is often expected of you.

• Prepare to have a conversation with your supervisor/Project Sponsor about expectations for your role. It's best not to assume!

Get insights into how a project management career typically works. Self-assess against the top skills you need to succeed as a project manager, so that you can determine if project management is right for you and where you are on your journey right now.

We'll cover 2 DNA Elements that are hard to learn AND the secret to becoming a GREAT project manager in one word. Another great opportunity to self-assess to determine if project management is right for you and where you are on your journey right now.

Let's discuss Technical vs. Non-Technical Project Manager Opportunities & Obstacles.

We'll answer questions like:

• What is a technical vs. non-technical project manager?

• Do you need to know the tech to be the project manager?

• What are typical opportunities?

• What are typical obstacles and how can we overcome them?

Plus, the best career advice I ever got. I hope it helps you too!

This is another opportunity to self-assess, get tips to help you succeed and/or the confidence to know that you're on the right track.

You simply can’t be effective in Projectland without skills in leading GREAT meetings (or at least ones that aren't terrible). We'll cover:

• Why there are so many meetings in Projectland

• Symptoms indicating meeting practices could be improved

• 3 practical tips to lead meetings in Projectland like a pro that you can use immediately on the job

This special lecture was shaped by a group of Project Gurus! Here's what we believe about the job in a manifesto format, so that you know what you're getting into if you're new to Projectland. If you're a seasoned PM, you will likely appreciate this bonus even more!

Get energized, motivated and inspired by The Project Gurus' Manifesto. Part battle cry, part positive affirmation, the manifesto was created to share blunt truths about being a project manager in the real world in response to conventional wisdom that is incorrect.

When you're feeling like no one understands you, you need a little motivation, inspiration or positive energy to help you through the intense terrain of Projectland, check the manifesto for the quote you need to succeed! 

What do you do when a project lands on your lap to give yourself the best shot at success? Find out! 

We'll cover:

• The biggest mistake people make at the start and how to avoid it

• Is your organization's culture working against you?

• An overview of how to think during the START

• The one tiny word to help you avoid disaster

This is one of the most critical concepts to start thinking like a pro project manager. Learn the 5 keys to delivering a project successfully and the underlying warning system.

Learn the one simple exercise that must be done at the beginning of the project to ensure it is a success. This is possibly THE most important tip that I teach.

To help you choose the right process for your project, check out this introduction to top global project management organizations and frameworks (PMI, APM, Prince2, Six Sigma, Agile). Plus, a summary of what they're all saying.

Learn the 3 phases in any project no matter which process you are using, and what you need to be thinking about along the way. We'll also cover 8 best practices, so that you can be sure you consider them in your plan (even if the convo is only 30 seconds).

Whether you have influence over what project you're assigned or not, you need to know what to do at the start to set your project (and yourself!) up for success. We'll cover:

• 3 key questions to ask

• The 4 step process to initially define the project

• A key lesson from the Rolling Stones to help you rock your project

In the beginning of my career, I didn't know what scope even was. Turns out, it's CRITICAL! With the help of one of my favorite authors, Stephen King, you'll discover:

• What scope is

• Why scope creep is the root cause of many project failures

• A simple technique to initially define scope

• The secret weapon to avoid scope creep

In this lecture, we'll cover:

• Why we say planning is DOing and why DOing planning matters so much.

• The 6 top thinking tools you need to create an integrated plan and set up your project for success.

• A simple, powerful scheduling method to use in the real world

In this lecture, you'll learn how to answer, "How much will the project cost?"

The Resource Plan & Budget "thinking tool" is part of our pro project management workbook. Download it and give it a try!

All projects have stakeholders. Do you know who they are for your project? In this video, you'll get practical tips to identify who's who and how to deal with them.

Check out the "thinking tool" we affectionately call SAMM & its companion Communications Plan to identify your stakeholders, organize them into the 3 fun categories and plan to manage their engagement like a pro. Download it now and give it a try!

Quality is an entire discipline and often forgotten by new project managers. Learn to think and act like a pro! In this lecture, we will:

• Focus on key concepts every project leader needs to know to create a plan to deliver "on quality".

• Exercise our muscles using our fun case study example.

• Introduce the Quality Tracker "thinking tool," which is part of our pro project management workbook. Download it and give it a try!

Risk is an area that new project managers usually miss. Learn to think and act like a pro project manager about risk and get practical tips you can use on the job. We'll cover:

• What's a risk vs. an issue?

• A memorable story to help you learn the 6 Ways to Respond to Risk.

• Exercise our muscles using our fun case study example.

• The Risk Analysis & Response Worksheet thinking tool, which  is part of our pro project management workbook. Download it and give it a try!

Just because you have a plan doesn't mean that your team will magically follow it. We'll cover:

• Practical pro tips and thinking tools to help you keep your project train on the rails and running on time.

• Exercise our muscles using our fun case study example.

• The RAIL "thinking tool," which is part of our pro project management workbook. Download it and give it a try! 

The great thing about projects is that by definition, they must END. Learn to close out your project like a pro.

Get practical tips and thinking tools to help you keep you put a bow on your project, declare victory and get it off your plate.

Get comfortable with what agile is and what it is not, so that you sound like a pro. We'll cover:

• Why agile?

• What is agile, what is not and why it’s NOT just for techies anymore. 

• The "Tiny Win"

• What laundry and cooking with mom can teach us about Agile

• Agile in 10 Words

• Why Agile is not an excuse for not planning, not testing and not documenting

This is another opportunity to assess your situation.

• Could agile help solve some of the pain in your process?

• Is your organization using Agile as an excuse to not do the right thing...at least "just enough"?

• How can you “think tiny” today and design “tiny wins?”

Familiarize yourself with the Agile Manifesto and 4 popular agile flavors, so that you know what all of the hype is about and which one might work best for your situation.

Get a quick tour of the agile tool landscape so that you can decide which tool is right for the job.

Plus, if a six-year old can use a set of low tech agile tools to keep his school project on track, so can you!

Let's dive into one popular agile flavor...SCRUM. We'll cover:

• What is Scrum?

• Where does the term Scrum come from?

• An overview of the Scrum framework.

• Introduction to the language of Scrum gurus.

• What one software developer said about how he felt about Scrum in one word.

Learn the essential roles, responsibilities and winning characteristics of the people who make Scrum work.

This is an opportunity to self-assess your performance as a team player and how you can become an even stronger contributor.

Just like ceremonies mark milestones in life and there are expectations for how we behave in them, there are ceremonies and expectations for how we behave in Scrum.

Learn about the importance and typical cadence of the events that keep the momentum going in Scrum, so that you can participate with confidence.

This is an opportunity to self-assess your performance in Scrum ceremonies and how you can become an even stronger contributor.

Some people have used Agile as an excuse for not documenting and not responding to executive requests. These can be career-limiting beliefs, so don't let them happen to you!

Learn the importance and typical artifacts (the THINGS you need to succeed) in Scrum, so that you can contribute with confidence.

This is an opportunity to consider your organization's artifacts, assess how strong they are and think about how you can help them achieve the right balance of "just enough."

PMI was born over 50 years ago and created a global gold standard process used across industries. Get to Know the 3 Layers of the PMI Process and how they fit together. Start speaking the language of professional project managers worldwide, so that you can participate in conversations with confidence.

PMI was born over 50 years ago and created a global gold standard process used across industries. I earned my PMP credential when PMI's Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) - Second Edition was the standard and have been following the changes in each edition ever since. Now we're on the Seventh Edition, which is ENTIRELY DIFFERENT than all of the previous versions.

If you work with people who are PMI-certified or are considering becoming certified yourself, check out these seven facts and learn why professional project managers still need to know the Sixth Edition.

The PMP is arguably the most recognized project management credential on earth. In this video, you can discover:

• The value of getting a PMI certification

• Why you should think hard before starting the PMP certification journey

• Tips to determine whether or not pursuing a PMI credential is right for you and if so, which one.

Learn what you need to know about PMI's Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® credential, so that you can decide if it's a good fit for you.

Learn where you can get more free resources to help you manage projects like a pro in the real world!

To find the password, hover over the Resources link.

I hope that these Smart Tips and associated resources are helpful to you at work and in life.

I welcome you to connect with me on social media where I share many more smart tips to help you succeed in Projectland and beyond!