Blog

23Feb

The First 100 Days…

Taking over a software project halfway through can be difficult depending on how well the transition is managed. In the first 100 days of the job, your top priority should be establishing trust between yourself and your team members. You need to trust your team to execute the plan and they need to believe that you will give them what they need to accomplish the plan. To gain their trust, we suggest using the following strategies: Listening: One of the qualities of being a great project manager is communication. As someone new to the team, practice active listening. This is important because each project team is unique in terms of its culture, strengths and problems. Learning: Ask the crucial question...

By Project Planning, Team Building0 CommentsRead more...
16Feb

12 Questions To Ask Your Clients Before and After a Project

Getting to know your client is an important part of determining if you’re a right fit for the project. Not only that, but you should always ask questions before-hand to compile information that you will later use to accurately design a website or logo for them. Wef you quote a client for a project without knowing what it truly entails, then you’re setting yourself up for the possibility of loosing valuable time and money. Now we know that asking questions before you begin a project is vital, but what about after you’ve completed a project? Although this may seem somewhat insignificant it’s actually an important step to finalizing the completion and delivery of your project. Below you will find...

By General Advice, Project Closure, Project Execution, Project Initiation0 CommentsRead more...
11May

Zen Leadership

The practice of Zen in both business and daily life is centered on the paradoxical acceptance above. As instinctually conflicting as it may seem, to truly be a great leader you must release yourself of your innate desire to lead. We no longer live in a world where the business model of leadership is intimidation, and seeing oneself as the all-controlling dictator will only lead to failing performances of your employees. Demands and threats only create fear and sub-par work. If someone is only concerned about being ‘adequate’ enough to maintain their position, then they will never have those singular breakthroughs that occur when they are genuinely interested in the success of the business.

By General Advice, Project Planning, Team Building, , 0 CommentsRead more...
30Dec

Thank You Letters

Writing a thank you letter is a common courtesy. There are various times when writing a thank you letter is appropriate - anything from a formal, post-interview thank you letter to a casual, from the heart thanks to the person you went above and beyond to make a project a success. Writing a thank you letter will always serve as a kind and conscientious gesture. A thank you letter demonstrates thoughtfulness, which is a characteristic many employers and people value. Since so few take the time to write a thank you letter, someone who does will indeed be remembered. Your thank you letter does not need to be lengthy. Just a few kind words will show that you put...

By General Advice, Team Building0 CommentsRead more...
03Feb

Leadership for Those Who Remain

After layoffs it's difficult yet important for managers to maintain high morale and productivity for the  remaining. Their collective head is spinning with fear and anxiety that you need to replace with confidence. It's important to: Stress the fact that the layoffs were not a reflection of the performance of the staff who were laid off. Be open and available  assist with reprioritizing and rebalancing workloads among the remaining staff. Focus on addressing relevant employee concerns and how the company will move forward. Keep the programs and initiatives that serve to align employees and provide a return on investment. Examples include celebrating success and the achievement of milestones at a company and individual level. Read “On the case: Go team! Pretty please?” for ideas...

By General Advice, Team Building, , , 0 CommentsRead more...
23Jun

Typing a Business Letter in Full Block Format

Full block format is used for formal business letters. This format is characterized by the fact that every line starts at the left margin. None of the lines of type are centered, or on the right. The only exception is in the case of a pre-printed company letterhead. Full block format would be a great format to use if you were to write a letter of resignation, a professional thank you letter, a letter of recommendation, or perhaps resume a cover sheet. Here is an explanation of each line in the letter: Return Address:  If your stationery has a letterhead, skip this. Otherwise, type your name, address and optionally, phone number. These days, it's common to also include an  email address. Date: Type the date of your letter two to six lines below...

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24Apr

4 Tips for Writing Effective Emails

Being able to write effective emails is a crucial skill for project managers. Here are four tips to help you write emails that get the results you seek.   Ask for something. All business writing includes a call to action. Before you write your email, know what you're asking of your audience. Say it up front. Don't bury the purpose of your email in the last paragraph. Include important information in the subject line and opening sentence Explain. Don't assume your reader knows anything. Provide all pertinent background information and avoid elusive references. Tell them what you think. Don't use the dreaded "Your thoughts?" without explaining your own. Express your opinion before asking your reader to do the same.

By Documentation0 CommentsRead more...
22Feb

White House 2.0

U.S. President Barack Obama is placing IT and technology on the national stage. He relied heavily on the use of the Internet and social media tools like Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, and text messaging throughout his campaign.  And now he plans to appoint the country's first chief technology officer (CTO), a cabinet-level position aimed directly on bringing technology in the public sector up to par with private industries. There is a lot of speculation centered on who will fill the progressive position. Names supposedly on the shortlist include Shane Robinson of HP and Edward Felten of Princeton University.  Never has a U.S. president recognized the importance of IT and technological innovation like Obama. This is certain to be good for...

By Technology0 CommentsRead more...
18Feb

Iterative vs. Fixed-priced Projects

For those of you familiar with a traditional project management process, you’re probably familiar with a usual project life cycle- plan, budget, design, develop, test and release, A.K.A. waterfall. This style of management can typically be found in fixed-price projects. You may be less familiar with the percentage of projects that utilize this management process, yet fail to stay within the project’s intended time line, budget and scope. According to the “Chaos Report”, a project management research study on software development companies: ...35 percent of software projects started in 2006 can be categorized as successful, meaning they were completed on time, on budget and met user requirements. This is a marked improvement from the first, groundbreaking report in 1994 that labeled...

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