Project Management Key Performance Indicators (KPI's)

It's a good idea to complement your project by defining KPI's to present to your stakeholders. KPI's will demonstrate that the project is on track by meeting it's goals. Assemble your team to come up with ideas on what to measure and how you will achieve the measurement.

Project milestones are important, but they just mean that you reached a given point in the project. Stage your KPI's at milestones to get a thorough health check on the condition of the project then celebrate the milestone.

It's all about ensuring that you deliver the right results when you get to the finish line.

Project Manager v2.0

The key areas of Project Manager v2.0 

Deadlines, resources, and small budgets. I need it next month. Leverage technology to run your projects. Web based Project Management is here so use it. So many products for you to try out for free to see if it works for your organization.

The modern day project manager has a full plate of responsibilities:

- Cloud access to the project. 

- Staying on top of project management methodologies.

- A politician to negotiate tactfully. Charisma to lead. Social skills to be respected by the team.

- Social Media savvy. Communicate your project on social media. Get approval with your Public Relation Department on what you can post.

- Working out of your comfort zone by taking on projects that are not in your line of expertise. You will learn and grow to be a valuable project manager.

- Being a Subject Matter Expert in many areas. It's good to have some subjects under your belt, but in reality you are not going to know everything. Rely on your experience and skills to become a SME in a new subject. Over time as you assemble teams and work with SME's you will become a SME in many areas.

The sticky notes Project Management tool

One of the most high tech tools at your disposal is the sticky notes. When you are brainstorming and laying out your project you need to start labeling all your high level and detailed tasks on sticky notes. 

When you are all done creating your labeled sticky notes the fun starts. Look for a wall or window in your office to start arranging the notes. You are going to assemble a puzzle called your next project. You can keep shifting the notes around to ponder different approaches until you feel you have tasks in the right sequence. 

This is actually the high tech part of laying out your project. Enter your masterpiece puzzle of tasks into a web based project management software or Microsoft Project.

What Happened to Hawaii?

I always pass by homeless camps in Hawaii driving so this time I wanted to get a close up look and feel of these camps at a safe distance on foot. I'm not implying these camps are all dangerous, but a Hawaii lawmaker was attacked taking pictures and doing research near the area that I selected Kaka'ako Waterfront Park that is in the heart of Honolulu. In hindsight, I put myself in a precarious position. It did not help that I was dressed up in a Aloha Shirt and dress pants the standard Hawaii business attire. I snapped pictures with my iPhone discreetly and disappeared. 

The homeless problem is all around in Hawaii. Affordable housing does not exist in Hawaii when the wages that the average person earns can't even rent an apartment. Solution live on the streets and keep moving around when you get kicked out of your current location.

The previous Governor and current Mayor of Honolulu both failed on solutions. Only bandaid fixes that don't last. The current Governor is new and he is teaming up with the Honolulu Mayor that failed in the past. The Governor formed a new task force to tackle the mushrooming homeless problem. I will not make any judgements on the current Governor until I see him in action. Is his task force going to succeed with a long term solutions to help the homeless. 

Hawaii is becoming a Banana Republic, but we don't sell bananas we build 1 million+ condominiums and homes. The future of Hawaii is grim for our children because they will all leave Hawaii for a better life on the mainland. Hawaii is failing to bring in industries that will create employment at good wages to buy these 1 million+ homes. The tourism industry that is Hawaii's bread and butter is not a decent living for most. The people in the tourism industry need to hold down an extra part-time job or a second full-time job to stay off the streets. This is ridiculous. Is this America?

It's not an easy fix. The mainland states keep sending their homeless to Hawaii promising them a better life in a warmer state on the streets. That crap needs to stop. There are so many families with young children in these camps it breaks my heart how they have to live in a tent on a sidewalk playing in the street. How do these children get an education when they are living under these circumstances. We can't all be a Rocket Scientist, Doctor or Lawyer, but we need to help these children get a good education so they have an opportunity for good paying jobs in the future.

I'm calling you out Governor and Mayor to perform your duties that you were elected too. It's not rocket science to find solutions to help the homeless. It's a staged long term plan. You can't look for the slam dunk solution it does not exist. Put me on that task force and I will come up with proposals. You can find me here on my blog.

I recall when I was a little kid growing up in Hawaii it was a different place. Hawaii is changing not for the better, but for the worst.

In the background condominiums priced at 1 million+ and such a bargain. Note to self, I need to buy one of these bargains at 1 million+. 

This is the view around 200 yards away from the homeless camps.

Scope Creep a dirty word in Project Management

I worked on a project that was eventually terminated due to scope creep causing enormous cost overruns. The Project Manager did not stay within the scope. This happened slowly over time like a small crack in a dam leaks water. Change requests kept coming in and they were all getting approved. The cost of the project just kept going up. Change requests are a part of every project it happens. This project had change requests beyond sanity. We were replacing a system with the same system in the end if we did not pull the plug on it and cut our losses already.

Some causes of scope creep:

(1) Poorly defined requirements that don't clearly highlight the objectives you want to achieve. You need your deliverables defined clearly.

(2) Weak change control.

(3) Sponsors that are weak.

(4) Selecting the wrong vendor solution.

(5) A Project Manager that does not raise the flag when he sees the project spiraling out of control. He thinks he can salvage it.

(6) Having no sign-off from all parties that have a stake in the project. They need to speak up if they feel the proposed project falls short of their objectives. Hash it out before you formally kickoff the project.

My granddaughter loves playing Minecraft. The creepers job is to ambush players. Players can avoid creepers by running away or facing them to get rid of them. You can runaway from the creepers to avoid them, but they are still out there looking to cause trouble. Exterminate the creepers to get rid of them. The same goes for scope creep in project management. Don't allow numerous changes without challenging it. Face it head on and ask for a compelling justification. If your given a weak justification terminate that change request.

Minecraft Creeper