"In today’s project management world, forward-thinking managers and leaders don’t adhere to a single methodology—they become well-versed in many of them, and they learn how to mesh together various practices in order to accommodate whatever the project calls for."  | Ben Aston, dpm Blog 15/01/2021

So what makes government organizations different from private enterprise, and how do those differences influence project management? Here are a few things to consider…

• Lack of Profit Motive
• Entrenched Silos
• Tenured Employment Status
• Failure Without Repercussions
• Form over Function, Process over Outcome
• Everything is Political
• True Success is Hard to Achieve

Power—the ability to exercise authority or influence. I believe that one concept that many PM practitioners fail to consider as we move into leadership roles is how we build and use power effectively. Understanding power dynamics in our workplaces can help us to avoid pitfalls and impediments!

Whether small or large, most of those business analysis roles deal with gathering requirements. One of the key activities of a Business Analyst is to draw out and document business change requirements from stakeholders throughout the organization. As organizations struggle with maturing their business analysis approaches, let’s take a look at some common mistakes that practitioners commit when eliciting requirements from stakeholders. 

Business Analysis Terms: A Working Glossary

Features, Advantages & Benefits: What's the difference?

On occasion hard work may not make you successful — but fostering better self awareness, self confidence and self esteem will. 

The value of project management certifications is hotly debated among IT professionals. Chief Information Officer (CIO) Digital Magazine investigates whether certifications make better project managers and whether projects staffed by certified project managers are more successful than projects without PMPs. 

A popular metaphor for the role of a project manager is that of a conductor. The conductor of an orchestra integrates the divergent sounds of different instruments to perform a given composition and make beautiful music. Similarly, the project manager integrates the talents and contributions of different specialists to complete the project. 

Gone are the days when the project manager’s role was only to tactically execute and deliver the project. If you are thinking that it is not your job to worry about a project’s strategic aspects, think again. More and more project managers are expected and challenged to think strategically and deliver their projects in alignment with the organizational goals.

Good managers do things right. Good leaders do the right things,

Project Management focuses on the creation of the “product, service, or result” of the project in order to meet its objectives. Business Analysis aims at understanding the needs of the business stakeholders and at defining the characteristics of the solution to meet those needs.

Remember the tortoise beat the hare to the finish line. A quick start does not guarantee checkered flags and a win.

The best definition of the word culture (workplaces included) that I’ve heard is that it’s how people behave when nobody is watching.

Whenever people are working together closely, conflict will occur. Differences in perspective, skill, knowledge levels, goals, communication styles, and expectations all can create conflict.