Agile Beyond IT: Lean Thinking
Agile is a mindset described by a set of values and principles. It traces its roots to Lean, which is also foundational to other modern […]
Author: Alan Zucker
Pick Your Battles Wisely
Conflict exists. It is a natural part of being human. It occurs at home and at work. We disagree. We have different perspectives and opinions. […]
Gantt 101: Building a Better Project Schedule
The Gantt Chart is the most widely used project scheduling tool. It visually depicts the project’s activities, when they will occur, and their interdependencies. When […]
Be Agile: Follow the Manifesto
Agile teams are described as “self-organizing” or “self-managing.” But what does that really mean? The terms are frequently used but not widely understood. For teams […]
Economics 101 for Project Managers
Economics is the social science that studies making choices subject to constraints. Project, program, and portfolio managers make economic decisions daily. We try to maximize […]
Better Project Communications
Excellent “soft skills” differentiate the great project managers. Since 90% of a project manager’s time is spent with others, it is no surprise that communications […]
Improve Your Project Schedule
Let’s be honest, most project schedules disappoint. They are unrealistic, complicated, and do not help guide execution. For decades, Gantt charts, network diagrams, and the […]
Making Ethical Project Decisions
Project managers rarely face ethical dilemmas. We generally do not make life-or-death decisions or need to choose between “right” and “wrong.” However, we need to […]
Project Assumptions & Risks
Assumptions and risks are embedded in our daily lives. We expect the day will unfold as planned, and risks will not materialize. Most of these […]
Project Portfolio Management & The Theory of Constraints
Large enterprises struggle to manage their project portfolios effectively. They fall prey to the fallacy of optimizing resource allocation. Or simply stated, they focus on […]