The Official Project Management Thread

[black caesar]

When yall say project management what do yall mean?

@sion

Project management is the process and activity of planning, organizing, motivating, and controlling resources to achieve specific goals. A project is a temporary endeavor designed to produce a unique product, service or result [1] with a defined beginning and end (usually time-constrained, and often constrained by funding or deliverables),[2] undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives,[3] typically to bring about beneficial change or added value. The temporary nature of projects stands in contrast with business as usual (or operations),[4] which are repetitive, permanent, or semi-permanent functional activities to produce products or services. In practice, the management of these two systems is often quite different, and as such requires the development of distinct technical skills and management strategies.

The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals[5] and objectives while honoring the preconceived constraints.[6] The primary constraints are scope, time, quality and budget.[7] The secondary —and more ambitious— challenge is to optimize the allocation of necessary inputs and integrate them to meet pre-defined objectives.

 

[GettinLo]

I got my PMP cert... rarely use any of that shit in practice... resume dressing

 

[spit_fiya]

I got my PMP cert... rarely use any of that shit in practice... resume dressing

Did you take a training class first or did you just use the PMBOK guide?

 

[NothingButTheTruth]

Did you take a training class first or did you just use the PMBOK guide?

Also, what career path did you take to become a project manager? How long did you have to work at lesser jobs?

@GettinLo

 

[GettinLo]

Late but... took a class... for a week... then took the test.. it's all BS

I started as a BA then gradually started working projects and became a PM... the PMP was just to get more $$$$, honestly I think it's worthless.

Now working on one of the biggest SAP implementation projects ever for Nestle... running the Operations aspect of it. After this 2 yrs... I'll bounce and do consulting work for $300-$400/hr.

 

[black caesar]

Late but... took a class... for a week... then took the test.. it's all BS

I started as a BA then gradually started working projects and became a PM... the PMP was just to get more $$$$, honestly I think it's worthless.

Now working on one of the biggest SAP implementation projects ever for Nestle... running the Operations aspect of it. After this 2 yrs... I'll bounce and do consulting work for $300-$400/hr.

I don't have a pmp, but to be a good independent consulting, you have to learn it. You made the smart move. My ex is a project manager and she doesn't have one.

 

[Cinco]

Completed my PMP this weekend. About to update my profiles, credentials, and business cards.

talking with some associates about starting an engineering knowledge management consulting biz

 

[leftcoastkev]

Learn about Agile. It sucks in theory and application (and can burn your workers out). But it's what really out there in use.

 

[black caesar]

Learn about Agile. It sucks in theory and application (and can burn your workers out). But it's what really out there in use.

What's Agile?

 

[traestar]

Learn about Agile. It sucks in theory and application (and can burn your workers out). But it's what really out there in use.

What's Agile?

Check out the link that I'm providing. Basically from my own words, its a different way to manage projects in comparison to the traditional waterfall method and its really recommended for software development. What it is is a cycle or what they call a sprint which you begin a project, create a roadmap to what needs to be done and you separate each objective to the various roles. Once objectives for each role is completed, it gets reviewed by the end user and that user/client comes back to detail what is good/bad etc. From there, there is another meeting that takes place that reviews the client survey and makes more objectives to achieve that requested or fix that particular bug.

With a waterfall method, it feels more like a linear process, where in agile there's not really an end to the production process. You are continuing to make it better from different directions.

Here's a quick link to what it is:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/agile-project-management-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html

 

[leftcoastkev]

Learn about Agile. It sucks in theory and application (and can burn your workers out). But it's what really out there in use.

What's Agile?

Like what traestar said.

A different way to manage projects.
https://help.rallydev.com/agile-primer

My biased opinion is that it's stupid concepts that correlate to already established methodologies. Like someone tried to reinvent the wheel.

Like instead of project Manager you have the concept of "scrum master", instead of stakeholders you have "product owners". Your team working on it are "actors". You work to fulfill "user stories" (user story = "allow Employees of XYZ company to access corporate mail from mobile devices"). Your initial thought is probably "FOH" lol.

The part I don't like the most is the concept of daily standup meetings.

Let's say you are managing or working on a project. Let's say you can break that project down to 3 operational goals. Each one of those goals may be projected to take 3 weeks to complete. Each 3 weeks is called a "Sprint". Everyday you have an accountability meeting (daily stand up). It's good and bad. Good because you can push your team and get the most out of them due to the fact that you have the daily social pressure to perform. It's bad in that many days people spend their entire day working through issues to even get in the state to begin to start to make progress. These meetings are typically 15-20 minutes in length going around the table. Its okay if everyone is signed off to be dedicated to that 1 project, but when people are working on multiple projects it becomes overload. If you're the project manager you have a daily account of what is going on to report up the chain, but you'll notice your team is getting sick of feeling like they are making excuses because of the inevitable issues that arise that set them back that they haven't had a chance to jump ahead of prior to needed to give account for them.

Many I'd say most big companies have adopted or tried to adopt Agile. Some follow it to a t others put their own spin on it.

 

[blakfyahking]

Operations Research goes hand in hand with project management

and "project management" is such a broad field......I seriously wonder how anyone can be successful as a project manager without having a specialized background in another field like IT, engineering, finance, etc.

 

[traestar]

Operations Research goes hand in hand with project management

and "project management" is such a broad field......I seriously wonder how anyone can be successful as a project manager without having a specialized background in another field like IT, engineering, finance, etc.

When I think Operations Research, I believe it applies for the client and for the business.

A Client example would be that in result to the product or service being done, they start to receive responses which in return would result in bigger client base, increase revenue, etc.

A Business example would be in result of the clients' response and usage of the product or service. Which after that product is done, they provide feedback and testimonials that in term increase trust in your product, increases client base, and increases value.

These metrics are essential to retrieve real-time information for Operations Research, which in term influences the Traction needed to better tailor your services and products based on customer data.

This is vital for calculating ROI and to in term return these metrics to your new potential client.

In terms of PM, true its good to be knowledgeable of all of those things. This is because you are essentially the translator amongst the entire group/project.

 

[EmM HoLLa.]

I just started a business intelligence consulting company.. @Cinco @GettinLo let's get together and collab on this black owned and operated enterprise..

 

[Cinco]

Need to chop it up @"EmM HoLLa."

Either the next forum call or we can set somn up

 

[traestar]

I just started a business intelligence consulting company.. @Cinco @GettinLo let's get together and collab on this black owned and operated enterprise..

Bruh word!