Build the right team, and let them work together

drupal configuration, project management, project success

Mike:

So, the DrupalCon session that I’m giving with Dave is titled “Planning and Executing a Successful Drupal Implementation.” …. Wait… sorry, I just fell asleep. Yeah, it doesn’t sound very exciting does it? Well, hopefully it will be more interesting than the name let’s on.  In an effort to try to get some folks in the door before heading out to happy hour next Monday, we wanted to share a couple of the topics this week in the blog.

Posted 04/12/2010 - 15:18

LiquidPlanner Ain't Too Shabby

agility, planning, project management, project success, tools

Rich:

What is one of the key differences between an experienced project manager and one just entering the field? I believe one is this - a recognition that uncertainty is an unavoidable part of the gig, and the ability to manage makes the difference between a great PM and merely a good one. It's neat to find a tool that helps PMs to do just that - that tool is LiquidPlanner.

Posted 02/01/2009 - 23:35 // 1 comment

Time and Materials Contracts: A Value Proposition

agile, agile approach, agility, contracts, project management, teams

Rich:

It’s no surprise to anyone that software project managers dislike firm fixed price contracts. As many others have noted, firm fixed price contracts are typically accompanied by an expectation of fixed scope by the customer as well. In a world where estimates are notoriously uncertain to begin with, if there is no room to move on scope, the software team is “boxed in”, producing code that tends to veer dangerously away from the best value and quality.

Posted 11/21/2008 - 12:04 // 2 comments

You can't just install the whatever module

drupal, modules, project management

Mike:

As the open source Drupal CMS platform continues to gain popularity, I’ve noticed an unfortunate trend. Many organizations with the potential to use Drupal are underestimating the amount of effort that goes into building and shaping a Drupal website into the solution they desire.

Posted 09/18/2008 - 17:56 // 6 comments

Project Estimation with Unknowns - PERT Model

cost, estimation, pert, planning, project management

Irakli:

Software project estimation is a tough. If you get it right, great; but if you get it wrong - that's an issue. For anything but the most trivial, repetitive tasks there is no simple way. Except, math and the experience of other people. In this blog post we will describe an industry-standard Program Evaluation Review Technique that can help plan projects more realistically and even calculate expected error of estimation.

Posted 07/09/2008 - 19:42 // 2 comments

Building iteratively for the win!

agile, agile approach, planning, project management

Rich:

There is lots of talk about iterations in the world of Agile Software. What does it all mean? Read this post to find out.

Posted 04/29/2008 - 14:52 // 1 comment

Software Estimation with a Grain of Salt

agile, agile approach, estimation, project management

Rich:

Unlike many other goods and services, the process of estimating software cost is uniquely difficult. In this post, I’ll address some of the factors that contribute to this difficulty and make some recommendations on how to mitigate the risk of your project going over budget.

Posted 04/17/2008 - 09:59

The perils of planning

agile, planning, pmbok, process, project management

Rich:

What could be so dangerous about planning, you ask? Most project managers see planning as the first and most helpful step they can take towards getting their projects off on the right foot. Yet, in the process of planning, PMs often miss the forest for the trees. Forgetting to re-plan your project, missing the business case, or building a project plan that is too complicated for the effort it is meant to support can doom your plans to failure. In this blog entry, I’ll talk a bit about each of these risks, and how to avoid them.

Posted 11/14/2007 - 15:45