As I further learn and get to know the subject of project management, I naturally read and follow my surroundings, I have bumped into many project management blogs that I have really enjoyed. Truth  be told – I wasn’t expecting to find so many, and was very surprised to find out that there are hundreds of them out there.

Every project manager is given a set of tools that he or she can use to manage their projects.  It does not take long to figure out how to use the various PM software packages to develop a consistent track record of completing projects reasonably on time and within a stones throw of the expected budget.  Those of you that have been around more than 10 years have also learned that these PM tools are not the ones that are going to land you the big promotion.

Over the years, working as a project manager, PMO manager and CEO, I have come to the conclusion that in addition to change management, as well as scope, time, schedule, quality and cost management within projects, there is another knowledge area that, when even focused on a bit, proves beneficial to running successful projects and that is Risk Management.

A failed project is like a huge truck stalled on the side of the highway. This is how Jack S. Duggal of Projectize Group LLC defines the failed project and the role of the project manager who is summoned to “rescue” a failed project. 

Many professionals ask me what a Milestone is, so here is a simple explanation.

This blog will start and end with two quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli. Here is the first one: “Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times”.

Part I of this article discussed project management in times of economic crisis and uncertainty and how project managers can differentiate themselves to compete and succeed when a money and financing is short at hand and projects are under more and more scrutiny.

In a complex era fraught with many business challenges, project managers who display strong leadership and other interpersonal skills can truly shine. In this current environment, there are few new projects, and those that do get underway, receive considerable managerial attention and tighter control.

There is a lot of anxiety around any project. The project manager wonders if he or she will meet the Triple Constraint (Time, Cost and Quality).
The sponsors are wondering whether the project manager is the right person to manage the project and team members wonder if they are in the right project and if they have the necessary skills for the project to be a success.

One of the things we asked ourselves when we founded Clarizen is why was MS Project so popular and so commonly used? The answer is simple; it’s available, affordable, and includes a very necessary set of Project Management features.

Project management, as an academic field, spends a lot of time discussing the tactics and strategies for running projects smoothly. But methodologies, tools and experience will only get a project manager as far as the launch. To drive a successful project through to completion, a project manager also needs to wear the hat of a therapist, moderator, motivator, disciplinarian and emotional confidant. It is the emotional intelligence and a project manager’s ability to navigate the needs, demands and sensitivities of his or her team that make a project manager great.

First thing’s first: It is high time I introduced myself. My name is Hilla Ohayon, and I have joined Clarizen almost a month ago as a Director of its Community. It is very nice to meet you.

In this post I would like to talk about the advantages of change and its influence on our business.

In my last post I discussed the human desire to drives team to want to work together and ‘Everyday Tools’ of collaboration that facilitate good team collaboration including taking personal responsibility for building relationships within an organization and encouraging collaborative environments.

Thanks for joining us for the last post in the ‘What Makes a Successful Project Manager’ Series. While there are obviously many other traits that are essential for a project manager’s success, we have discussed a set of traits that will assist any project manager to execute with skill, sensitivity and expertise.