Capella University Project Management Roundtable

Over Thinking the Project?

There can be extremes in any discipline. A project manager can have a failed project from lack of planning. However there is the other side of the coin where the project manager plans too much and experiences “Analysis Paralysis”.

Have you ever been on a project team with this scenario? What is the rule of thumb for a good middle ground when planning project?

Please feel free to comment!

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Capella Doctoral Learner Publishes New Book on Project Portfolio Management

I thought some of you might be interested in a new book just published by a Capella University Doctoral Learner entitled: "Project Portfolio Management: A View from the Management Trenches" (Stratton et al, 2009). On October 12 of this year this new business book I co-authored launched into circulation. It has already climbed to the second position in Project Portfolio Management books on Amazon.com and has risen as high as #77 in all project management books sold on Amazon.com.

The subject of Project Portfolio Management is certainly being given a lot of attention at recent project management-oriented conferences and by various software vendors in the space. This book is unusual in that it is written by 10 current and former Project Portfolio Management practioners from a wide range of industries, many at the top of Fortune magazines business and industry rankings. These include: The Boeing Company, Johnson & Johnson, Safeway, and MGM. Also, one of the authors is in the United Kingdom government information technology area.

The book launched at the recent Project Management Institute's (PMI) North American Global Congress attended by more than 2,400 people from 54 countries. More than 100 people attended our panel session on the book's topic. Post-session reviews were among the best at the conference. Each of the authors are members of the Enterprise Portfolio Management Council formed in 2005 as "a nonprofit organization whose goal is to support and accelerate the development of Enterprise Portfolio Management processes, tools, and techniques for the betterment of shareholder value" (EPMC, 2009).

Wiley & Sons, Inc. published this book and it was co-branded by PMI. I wrote five of the 13 chapters in the book (chapters 1, 2, 8, 10 & 13, the beginning of 9 and the "Why We Wrote the Book" preface). 10 of us and two editors collaborated on the book. It is written in two distinctive styles: a story (chapters 2-7 and 13) and in a business style for the balance of the volume.

By going to the following link to the Wiley website, you can download a chapter of the book for free (select "Read Excerpt 2"), which just happens to be one of my chapters (chapter 1).

Michael J. Stratton

References

EPMC. Enterprise Portfolio Management Council Website Retrieved November 25, 2009, from http://www.theepmc.org/

Stratton, M., Menke, M. M., Jenner, S., Tekumalla, S., Miller, D. D., Stabler, M., et al. (2009). Project Portfolio Management: A View from the Management Trenches. Wiley & Sons, Inc.: Hoboken, NJ, USA.

 

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The Troublesome Team Member

There always seems to be at least one member in a project team who "acts up" during the life of the project. This person is usually the one who is hard to replace because of their expertise in the field. How should a project manager handle this type of situation?

Your thoughts and ideas are welcome!

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National Career Development Month

Each year, the National Career Development Association celebrates November as National Career Development Month to highlight the importance of life-long career development.

The Career Center at Capella University invites you to take the month of November to reassess your career management activities. Consider trying some of the following activities:

• Review the state of your network; commit to accomplishing one easy thing each week to keep it nourished.
• If you are in job search mode, compile a list of common interview questions, create answers that will differentiate you, and practice with a colleague or friend.
• If you are re-entering civilian life from the Armed Forces, review resources that were provided before your discharge, and explore the ONET translator site to create your new resume.
• If you are seeking work and are 40 years or older, make use of the resources for “mature workers” (i.e. AARP, etc.) and focus your efforts on networking.

Learners and alumni of Capella University have lifetime access to the Career Center through iGuide > Learner Services > Career Center.

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Challenging Economic Times

In these challenging economic times what issues, problems is the project manager and team members facing? What are the answers?

Your thoughts and comments are welcomed and appreciated.

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