Sunset at the Ala Wai Harbor in Honolulu

I just love sunsets in Hawaii. It felt so peaceful watching the sunset in the sea of clouds.

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Project Management Tips by Drake - #1

The Team

Managing a diverse project team can be challenging. You need to plant your leadership stake in the ground that we are a team. We all depend on each other. Everyone has an important role to play no matter how small it is.

Communication is key on how you reach out to different team members. You need to adjust your communication style as needed with different team members. You do not want to project an intimidating image. People skills are so important to be a good Project Manager. Remember to treat people the way you would like to be treated. 

I recommend using Wrike to manage your projects. Give it a try and see if it works for you.

My Twitter Word Cloud

My twitter timeline translated into a cloud.

Get your word cloud by tweeting: @wordnuvola #wordcloud

The Vendor Statement of Work

The statement of work (SOW) that a vendor provides for a project that they are contracted to perform needs to be evaluated with a fine tooth comb. A tedious process, but you need to make sure it covers everything that you are expecting to be delivered. Once you are satisfied with the SOW you need to translate it into a project plan so you can generate a Gantt chart to get a better feel of the scheduled timeline that the vendor is proposing. 

Having a Gantt Chart can help you track the vendor progress to make sure they stay on schedule. You will need to diligently update the project tasks by getting periodic progress status from the vendor to update your Gantt chart. You have to keep the vendor on schedule or you will have some explaining to do latter why the project is late. If you encounter any delays you need to document the reason and inform your management so they are not caught by surprise latter.

Be nice to your vendor, but be clear with them that you have a deadline to meet.